After a very long period of work over a number of years, U.S. Army kitchen car #K-325 was rolled out yesterday at the museum. After its U.S. Army career, it was purchasedby the Chicago & Eastern Illinois and converted to tool car #A-1054, later C&EI #88125. It was reportedly part of the wreck train stationed at the railroads Oaklawn Yard in Danville, Illinois. After the purchase of the C&EI by the Missouri Pacific, it became MP #X15096. Eventually the MoPac disbanded the wreck trains in favor of private concerns and the car became surplus. Lakeside Railway Services, one of the companies that started handling MP wreck business, purchased the car and stationed it at Dolton, Illinois as a storage car. in 1996, owners Bob and Barbara Harms donate it to the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum. A few years ago, a decision was made to use the car as the museum meeting car, and with tables, as an annex to its NKP kitchen lunch car. Unfortunately, a fire occurred in the car after a Saturday work session, which destroyed much of the interior, which had to be completely rebuilt. A number of members participated in the work through the years, but it was spearheaded by Joe Kingsbury, who did much of the planning and actual reconstruction.

The photos show the K-325 being pulled out this past Saturday from the depths of the HVRM Shop by GE 95 ton diesel number 11 and then being moved east to its new permanent location near the museums replicated C&O depot.

Les

What a great job. Do you have photos of the interior? I would love to see it.

Okay Tom, since you asked, here are a couple of photos. The top photo shows Joe Kingsbury down at the end of the car with Joe Baker off to the left installing some electrical. The middle photo shows Bjarne Henderson and Tom Rainford putting the vinyl lettering on the car after it got its primer and two coats of paint. And the bottom photo shows the interior as of February 2017. I probably have a later interior photo, but can't lay my hands on it right now.


Les

Found one more interior shot, this one from this past March showing one of the overhead fans and, most importantly, an air conditioner!

Les

Looking good, Brother Beckman and all your co conspirators at HVRM.

Take Care & WORK SAFE

Thanks Brother King, for those kind words. I have to admit that it looks pretty good (inside and out) and that's probably because I had VERY LITTLE to do with the actual work!

Take care!

Les

While looking through some old photos for something else, I ran across this shot of our table/meeting car BEFORE the restoration was started. Thought there might be some interest in seeing what the museum started with.

Les