While some of the gravel work had begun for Barn 15 back in October 2024, this past weekend, the first of the holes for the sonotubes have been dug. These will hold the concrete which will hold the galvanized steel posts, which will then attach to the wooden posts above ground.
Barn 15 is designed to be a 464 foot long building with four tracks, housing 1,784 feet of usable indoor track space at a total estimated cost of nearly $780,000. The Diesel Department has bought 835 feet of that indoor space for a little over $375,000, all funded by your donations and through your purchases in the Take The Throttle fundraising events. Some of our departments locomotives getting permanent inside storage are as follows:
- Amtrak 945
- Armco Steel B71
- Armco Steel E110
- Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe 543
- Conrail 4601
- Burlington Northern 1
- Burlington Northern 2
- Burlington Northern 3
- Chicago, Burlington and Quincy 9976
- Chicago and North Western 515
- Chicago and North Western 6847
- Chicago and North Western 7009
- Chicago and Illinois Midland 30
- Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific 4506
- Wisconsin Central 7525
The construction and completion of Barn 15 will get a significant number of diesels and a couple of electric locomotives in our collection out of the elements and preserved for future generations to enjoy. While time for construction of the building itself will take several months, obtaining an occupancy permit could be more than a year away. This is still a step in the right direction to get equipment out of the weather. We are continuing to fundraise for the next building, wherever that may be, to get the remaining equipment in our Diesel collection, as well as the many pieces of equipment on the way, placed inside. To support equipment preservation via indoor storage, please make your donation via this link. Thank you to all for your support!