the DispatcherCentral Oklahoma Chapter

of the National Railway Historical SocietyOklahoma Railway Museum Ltd,

NARCOA Affiliate Member

Volume 48 Issue 45, June 2013

The picture is of Jim Murrays office and chair In the ORM shop building. From here Jim located hard to find parts for our equipment and planned maintenance projects.

This chair can not be filled. Those that worked with Jim will carry on with the projects which is what Jim would want.

Mr. James “Jim” MurrayMarch 16, 1943 - May 6, 2013

Oklahoma Railway Museum Director of Mechanical Operations

Page 2 the DispatcherOklahoma Railway

Museum, Ltd.

Board of DirectorsStan Hall, President

Larry Dodd, Vice President

and Program Chair

Drake Rice, Secretary

Charles Price, Treasurer

Bob Nantois, NRHS Director

Bob Cossairt, Director of

Buildings & Static Displays

Bob Hussey, Director of

Track Maintenance

Jim Murray, Director of

Mechanical Operations

Harry Currie, Director at Large

Greg Hall, Director of

Museum Activities

Bob Cook, Director of

Museum Displays

Ed Birch Jr., Train Show Chair

Gary Moore, Membership

Chair

Gary Githens, Dispatcher

Editor

Oklahoma Cultural Heritage Trust

Raymond WoodsJim giving serious thought to something in the ORM shop

It is with a lot of sadness that I am writing this message this month. The death of Jim Murray hit all of us pretty hard. Jim pretty well took care of all the mechanical work at the Museum. He had a lot of help, but he kept everything moving. If we could not buy a part he could make it. He will be missed. Many other comments are included in this issue of the Dispatcher.

The Women’s National Softball Series is upon us. If you have not signed up to help, email Larry Dodd or call the office. We can use more help. It is a big fund-raiser for the museum and offers the opportunity to have a good time with other members.

We are moving along with projects and the results can be seen. Come out and have a look.

Stan Hall

Page 3the DispatcherMuseum Update by Drake Rice

Murray family at an ORM membership picnic Pat Riley trying to explain to Jim Murray and Bob Nantois why his work gloves are spotless

Raymond Woods Raymond Woods

The museum lost a dear friend and strong leader of volunteers with the unexpected death of Jim Murray. His leadership will be missed along with his friend-ship we all had with him. I first met Jim in the ear-ly-90’s when I got active in the museum. Jim called me “The Doer of Many Things”, but he was really that person. He always had the tools for what you needed to do along with a plan on how you could do it. The ORM Board has honored Jim in naming the museum shop the “Jim Murray Shop” at ORM.Now we have a big task in front of us as the mu-seum continues to move forward. There are many projects that need to be continued and finished dur-ing the coming months. If you ever had interest in helping at the museum, now is the time to step for-ward. Work continues on the Rock Island Caboose in the shop. Volunteers are working on getting the floor back down and then will begin work on replacing the siding that was taken off. The F-9 is nearing the end of its shop time and volunteers work on bring the en-gine back up to operating status. Once the F-9 work is complete, attention will turn to the CF-7 to bring into operational status for use in museum trains. Volunteers are in the process of getting power to the RI Combine that is now in use as a larger venue for birthday parties. Underground conduct from the power point to the location for the car to plug in is about 240 feet away. About half of the conduct is

in the ground with the remaining needing to be installed and then the wire pulled and tied in. This needs to be completed before the heat really sets in. Painting continues at the muse-um on cars and buildings which a never ending need. Also, work will need to begin on the resto-ration of the Katy Inspection Car that the museum now has on the grounds. You have seen information about the car in previous Dispatch-ers and we now have a grant to assist with this work. Among all the work activities, we are still running trains on the first and third Saturday’s and always can use help on the cars, flagging the crossings and working with the public that comes to the museum. Our attendance has continued to grow as more and more people learn about the museum which in-creases the need for more volunteer help. We also will have the Day Out With Thomas Event in late September and early October. This will re-quire all volunteers to help make this major event a huge success. If you have interest in helping at the museum, sent us an e-mail or call the museum of-fice on Thursdays or Fridays at 424-8222 and they can assist you. We look forward to seeing you at your museum.

Page 4 the Dispatcher

Jim always enjoyed the annual ORM membership picnic. Actually he enjoyed any event with food

James "Jim" Thomas Murray Jr., father, machinist, engi-neer, designer and lover of trains, died Monday, May 6, 2013, with his wife of 47 years and family at his side in Oklahoma City. Born March 16, 1943 in Boston, Massa-chusetts, Jim was the only child of Ruth Margaret Mur-ray and James Thomas Murray, Sr. At the age of three the family moved to Clayton, N.M. where he spent his childhood. Jim and his father returned to Boston in 1957 upon his mother's death. Jim attended Boston Techno-logical High School, and later graduated with an Associ-ate's degree from OSU-OKC. Jim began work with Hon-eywell as a machinist, and in 1971 was transferred to Oklahoma City, which would become his beloved home-town. In 1976 Jim realized his dream of becoming self-employed when he started Murray Heating and Air Con-ditioning which he operated until 1991. Jim got into the large scale model train business in 1979 starting Can-nonball Enterprises with partners. In 1997 Jim founded MDM Locomotive Works, building 1/8th Scale Diesel Lo-comotive Models. Jim was an elector for Eugene McCar-thy for President in 1976, and was an active member of the Community of John XXIII for many years. The many organizations that Jim was a member of included the Refrigeration Service Engineers Society, Locomotive Operators of Central Oklahoma, Comanche and Indian Gap Railway, Los Angeles Live Steamers, and most im-portantly to Jim, the Oklahoma Railway Museum. Typi-cal of the resourcefulness of his life if Jim didn't have the right tool to fix it, he could make the tool to fix it. He is survived by his wife Anne Marie (Donovan) Mur-ray, beloved twin daughters Ruth Leitner and husband Keith Leitner of Louisville KY, Anne Murray Chilton and husband Jason Chilton of Midwest City, and son Shaun Murray and wife Kristin Balaban of Oklahoma City. We wish to include Jane Silovsky and husband Steve Beck-ett, children Sophia and Clarice, Joe Silovsky and wife Catherine McRae and daughter Tallulah in the long list of friends that had become Jim's extended family. Memo-rial service will be held Tuesday May 14th at 11 am at the Oklahoma Railway Museum 3400 NE Grand Blvd. Overalls optional. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sup-port can be donated to the Oklahoma Railway Museum in Jim's name: 405-424-8222 or online at www.oklaho-marailwaymuseum.org www.oklahomarailwaymuseum.org

Mr. James “Jim” MurrayMarch 16, 1943 - May 6, 2013

The ORM Board of Directors have voted to name the shop building in memory of Jim Murray.**********************************************************

Raymond Woods

Gary Githens

the Dispatcher Page 5

Jim working on a passenger car air-conditioning unit

Below are e-mails to ORM President Stan Hall regarding Jim

Received the news this AM from Drake...wow, what a blow to the Murray family and the Museum. Regards, Steve Davis **********************************************************

Please keep me informed of services. I really looked up to Jim. He was definitely a goto guy for me at the museum. He will be missed.

-Rooke **********************************************************I am very saddened by this news. Jim and I go way back to the early 80's when I got into 1.5" scale trains. We met at the Tulsa Live Steamers track owned by Harold Staples. I just saw him on the last speeder run at Harrah. Quite a shock. What happened if you can tell me. Regards, Tom Harrington.*********************************************************MR. JIM MURRAY WILL BE GREATLY MISSED HE WAS A GOOD MAN AND A VERY GOOD FRIEND R,I,P, JIM From: russrtrains1@aol.com **********************************************************I had hoped to make it to Jim’s memorial tomorrow, but I can’t get the time off. As a memorial, I would like to help out with rebuilding the oil cooler in the RS3, in Jim’s name. He spent a lot of time & effort working on the engine, and I hate for his efforts to be in vain. I really enjoyed working with Jim on the RS3, and I will greatly miss him. John Schumann**********************************************************Gary, here is a pic I took of Jim Murray putting the ORM van on the rails at Spencer Road to head back east to (Choctaw) where we had breakfast and then on to Shawnee on April 21, 2013....may be the last pic taken of Jim.... only found out of Jim passing away yesterday afternoon on a trip to Stillwater.....may he rest in peace....... DeanSchirf

picture Dean took on April 21st to right

Raymond Woods

Raymond Woods

Bob Nantois left and Jim working on playground equipment

the DispatcherPage 6

I remember many times when something needed “fixin” I would hear someone on the radio call for Jim.Editor

Jim Murray Jr. had a vision for vacant lots in north-east Oklahoma City in what was becoming known as the “Adventure District” near the zoo in the late 90s. In 1997 Murray and others started working toward obtaining land and railroad track in northeast Okla-homa City at 3400 NE Grand Blvd. They opened the Oklahoma Railway Museum in 2002.Murray, 70, still had plans for expansion of the mu-seum grounds, his daughter Anne Murray said. But Jim Murray suffered a stroke May 3 and died May 6.Inside a garage where Murray was working on a train only a day before his stroke, a garage big enough to work on a train car, his friends, families and support-ers plan to gather at his funeral Tuesday.By 2003, Murray and others managed to move an old railroad depot from Oakwood to the grounds near NE 36 and Lincoln Boulevard. Soon there were old railroad cars, then restored railroad cars and track to run a train.A decade later, The Oklahoma Railway Museum, has become an active place for families and chil-dren.The museum is known for hosting train rides from “Thomas The Train,” once a year in the fall on tracks between NE 50 and NE 10, a yearly Halloween train ride and a Christmas train ride.Jim Murray was a machinist who moved to Okla-homa City from Boston, Mass. in 1971. In 1976 he started an air-conditioning business.In 1981, he started Cannonball Enterprises that built small-scale model railroad cars that were one-eighth the size of a real railroad car.Anne Murray, museum administrative assistant, said land had been purchased to the north of the mu-seum with plans to build a railroad roundhouse with displays inside.“We've just started on it and we're in the midst of fundraising to make that happen,” Murray said.Friends, family and others interested in the muse-um will be at an 11 a.m. memorial for Jim Murray at the museum inside the main building where he kept working on train cars.The day before his stroke, Jim Murray was working on a railroad car renovation.“He was out there all the time working on the mu-seum stuff. He was out there all the time,” Anne Mur-ray said.

He is survived by wife, Anne Murray, and daughters, Anne and Ruth, and son Shaun. Jim Murray Jr.'s family asks that instead of flowers, people may make a donation to Oklahoma Railway Museum, 3400 NE Grand Boulevard, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73111.

May 13th The OklahomanBy Robert Medley

Jim volunteered to host on the AMTRAK exhibition trainRaymond Woods

Jim at work in a passenger carRaymond Woods

2013 ORM/NRHS MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION:

New Membership Renewal Membership (begin Jan 1st) Date __________________ $36.00 per year – Individual Membership in the Oklahoma Railway Museum, Ltd. (spouse included) Pro-rated dues $3.00 per month

$30.00 per year – Individual Senior (age 65 and up) (spouse included) and Individual Student (full–time student) Membership in ORM Pro-rated dues $2.50 per month $36.00 per year – To add Railway Historical Society (NRHS) Membership (add $5.00 for spouse) (Student Memberships: $16 per year) SEND NRHS DUES TO ORM ADDRESS BELOW, NOT DIRECTLY TO NRHS $500.00 - Lifetime Membership

Send your application and dues to: Oklahoma Railway Museum , Ltd. 3400 NE Grand Boulevard Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73111 Name _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Address ___________________________________________________________________________________________

City ________________________________________ State _______ Zip Code _______________________

Phone ________________________ Fax ______________________ Cell Phone_____________________

E–Mail __________________________________________________________________________________

Line 4

Line 3

Line 2

Line 1

the Dispatcher

Order Form – Engraved Platform BricksCost is $50.00 per brick.

Up to a maximum of 4 lines with 16 letters and spaces per line

Purchaser’s Name ________________________________ Phone No. (______) ________________

Engraved Platform BricksMore than one platform

brick can be donated to the Museum and you can make copies of the attached form. Mail completed forms with checks or money orders to: Jim Murray, ORM, 3400 NE Grand Boulevard, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73111. If you have any questions, you can e–mail Murray at:

jtmurray@cox.net.

The Oklahoma Railway Museum, Ltd. (ORM) has items available for both chil-dren and adults at the Depot Store. These include baseball caps, polo shirts, t–shirts, lapel pins, and coasters. Funds raised by donations for these items support the Museum projects.

The Depot Store, located inside the Oakwood Depot on the Museum grounds, is open during regular Museum hours – 9 am to 4 pm on the first and third Saturday opera-tion days of each month April through August. The store is also open for special events.

Crosstie Donations Friends and families of ORM continue to make dona-tions for crossties, equipment and facilities on the Museum property and on the leased track.

If you want to make a do-nation to purchase a crosstie, a donation of $50.00 will help purchase a new crosstie. You can donate a crosstie in recog-nition or in memory of someone. All donations should be made out to the Oklahoma Railway Museum Ltd.

Please note on the check what the donation is for, mail to: ORM Ltd., 3400 NE Grand Bou-levard, Oklahoma City, 73111

Become an ORM Member

ORM Depot Store

Page 7

the DispatcherPage 8

Oklahoma Railway Museum, Ltd.3400 NE Grand BoulevardOklahoma City, OK 73111-4417

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

7-1/2” gauge operating locomotive that Jim built. Photo taken at the Oklahoma City Train Show

Raymond Woods