Hopewell Junction depot restoration thread

[Bernard Rudberg]

The main project for today was preparing the visitor center walls. The old wall was scraped free of charred paint and new boards were added to the other walls. We are almost ready for the painting crew.

The next work session will be Saturday 2-25-2012.

We are still looking for an antique “candle stick” style telephone with the earpiece hanging on the side. If you know of anybody who has one to donate or loan, let us know.

We got word today that our County Exec will not be coming to the depot on 7 March. We will let you know when we have a new date, probably around our grand opening day in April.

[Bernard Rudberg]

It was a windy day outside but the inside work continued. The visitor center walls are now ready for painting. Much of the museum section ceiling was installed and and the west door got a new sill.

We are working toward a grand opening for the visitor center on 25 April.
Still looking for a “candlestick” style antique phone for the museum section.

Next work session will be Wednesday 2-29.

[Bernard Rudberg]

2-29-2012 On a snowy leap day the ceiling work in the museum section continued. The museum ceiling is ready for the blown in insulation in the attic.

The next work session will be Saturday 3-3-2012. The main project will be painting the ceiling and walls of the visitor center. Put your old clothes on and stop around then grab a brush or roller. We have the paint, now we need hands to use it.

[Bernard Rudberg]

Painting day at the depot. The visitor center now has white walls and a sky blue ceiling. Also the new light fixtures arrived plus a shipment of trim for the windows.

Next work session will be Wednesday 3-7-2012. The inside wall needs a second coat of paint.

[charlie6017]

The depot looks absolutely fabulous..........great work by all!

Charlie

[Bernard Rudberg]

3-7-2012 Today was a very busy day at the depot. The vistor center got a second coat of paint and the window trim was sanded and primed. Donated insulation was blown into the museum section ceiling.

The Independence Belles Society stopped by with a donation check. They also brought a box of RR maps from the 1930's plus a 1936 railroad picture book.
The insulation man donated an antique wooden biscuit box with RR papers inside. Mr. Jackson donated a RR bill of lading dated 1960 and signed by Harry Cooper who was the Hopewell Depot agent at that time.

The next work session will be Saturday 3-10-2012 and the main project will be installing window trim in the visitor center.

[Leo_Ames]

Looks beautiful.

[RussNelson]

Looks beautiful.

I agree. You've done an astounding job there, Bernie. Well done!

[Bernard Rudberg]

3-10-2012 Today was wallboard and trim day at the depot. We also sold a couple bird house kits and got a couple donations. Next will be window trim.

We are still looking for an antique "candle stick" style telephone for the museum section. Anybody have one to donate or loan ?

The next work session will be Wednesday 3-14-2012.

[Otto Vondrak]

Bernie, do you want a candlestick type phone, or a phone on a scissors?

-otto-

[Bernard Rudberg]

At the moment we don't have either type for our museum section. A scissor type would be great for the agents office display and a candle stick would fill in a blank in the "progression of technology display".

Basically we would like to get both types for,our collection.

[Bernard Rudberg]

We held our first official board meeting in the partially restored visitor center on a warm evening in March.

The next work session will be Wednesday 3-14-2012.

[Bernard Rudberg]

3-14-2012 Wednesday was a sunny day to work outside. The east door now swings out to comply with fire safety rules and a new light was installed in the visitor center. There were two donatins today; an ornate stove and the metal parts of a baggage cart. We will restore the wooden parts of that cart.

Next work session will be Saturday 3-17-2012.

[Bernard Rudberg]

3-18-2012 On a sunny Sunday afternoon we had the cub scouts and dozens of people from the Rail Trail. The cub scouts liked the antique crank telephone and the rotary phone. They had never seen them before. I wore my conductor uniform and punched a ticket for each of them.

The sales table took in about $300 in sales and donations. It was a tiring day from 9:00 AM til 5:00 PM but we gave tours of the depot to dozens of interested people. My voice was getting pretty rusty by the end of the day.

Next work session at the depot will be Wednesday 3-21-2012.

[Bernard Rudberg]

‎3-21-2012 We made progress on the visitor center window trim, the museum floor boards and the baggae cart restoration.

Next wrok session will be Saturday 3-24-2012.