Depot Progress
January 9, 2012 - Phase 3 - interior remodeling of depot should get underway this week. The phase 2 parking lot project has been put on hold through winter and will begin again in March. Phase 2 is to be done by May 31, 2012.
August 25, 2011: ATSF Caboose 999235 will be lifted from the track panel it sits on and sat on east parking lot next to fence so a new panel can be installed. Two cranes from McDowell in Burlington will be used and two retired ATSF carmen that assisted in putting the caboose where it is back in 1983 will assist. Jim Burch, who was ATSF car foreman and John P. Riis, carman will be present and lend their expertise to the move. The other four carmen that assisted in 1983 have passed away.
April 15, 2011: A new jacking system they will use on depot and the Czeck museum in Cedar Rapids arrived yesterday and today the remainder of the steel and cribbing arrived, however, some work still needs to be done to properly brace the tower and covered outdoor waiting room area at the east end of depot - so probably will be Sunday before raising begins. Will check with contractors before go home today.
April 13, 2011: Well the steel has not arrived to finish the framework under the Depot and looks like arrives late Thursday or early Friday - believe according to John Patterson everything will be on hand Friday and will probably raise Saturday or Sunday. Mike Sanders Masonry is busy laying the brick under the DFO and Carl Nelson's crew placing forms to pour foundation under the DFO. Stay tuned for the latest updates.
April 10, 2011: Since I noticed a large amount of steel being placed in 1910 ATSF Depot went over and chatted with contractors and plans have changed - Depot may raise Tuesday or Wednesday - not after Railway Express Agency (REA) & Division Freight Office (DFO) foundations poured. I will know more Monday morning - but if it is coming up this week we need to get our web-cam adjusted again.
April 7, 2011: Tomorrow they will pour the foundation under the REA Building and next week will be forming up and pouring the foundation under the DFO. Yesterday they started putting the steel lifting beams in the ATSF Depot - but before they make that lift the DFO will be sat back down on its foundation so we are looking at the week of April 25th or later before the Depot floats up. We will wait until more happening at depot before adjust the web cam. Note Catfish Bend had not lighted up their boat for years until they got it on web-cam - waiting for the lighted "For Sale" sign.
April 1, 2011: The DFO will go up this afternoon. Jeremy Patterson and Discovery channel flying in from New Orleans about 1 p.m. to do filming. Webcam has been adjusted. Plane must be late - appears filming in am.
March 31, 2011: Today Carl A. Nelson started cleaning up under the REA to start setting forms and appears the building movers may break the DFO loose from it's footings today and lift Friday. Seems they say Saturday so not a crowd around - but if I am right it may go up tomorrow - Friday.
March 28, 2011: Today we moved the web-cam to get the REA Building in the picture since they are breaking it loose from the foundation today and will be lifting it around 9 a.m. in the morning. The quick-nuts for finishing up the DFO framework also should be arriving in the morning so it will be next building on the lifting schedule. The moving contractors will raise the buildings in 18 inch increments then build the cribbing up to the steel framework on each lift. When the building is raised about 6 foot it will rest on the cribbing while Carl A. Nelson pours the foundations and after curing the building will be lowered in place.
