W.W.&F. Discussion Forum
WW&F Railway Museum Discussion => Volunteers => Topic started by: James Patten on August 30, 2017, 06:01:38 AM
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Anticipated work for weekend of September 2 (Labor Day Weekend):
* Mountain ROW culvert work: see Mike.
* Bay 2 & 3: Prep for concrete.
* Track maint: stone delivery?
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If we have any luck today, it'd be good to do some track ballast dressing on Saturday.
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As I perceive standard trackwork terms regardless of gauge---
*tamping means packing cracked, non-rounded ballast rock under and around ties to lock track rigidly in place and permit quick moisture drainage, particularly at wooden ties.
*aligning means to nudge track into straight 'tangents', or smooth, proper arcs at desired curves.
*leveling is jacking or lowering rails and ties to eliminate short dips or rises...
*regulating means to 'dress' ballast level, usually to tie tops, using mechanical rotary brooms, and securely sloping ballast at tie ends to prevent undermining.
These days, whole track maintenance trains perform most of the formerly backbreaking, manual track repair/replacement, using lasers and loads of clever, mechanical elements.
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That is correct Paul. Currently only one method is done by machine on our line. As we continue to grow, the need for more track machines grows as most of the younger generation do not want to do any "volunteer" service or labor. In my opinion people who volunteer time should get a tax deduction for providing a service to a nln profit organization which would help influence mofe people to volunteer I think.
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In my opinion people who volunteer time should get a tax deduction for providing a service to a non profit organization which would help influence more people to volunteer I think.
While one should always consult with their tax advisor* on such matters, travel expenses to/from the museum (including meals) are fully tax deductible as a charitable donation. This includes miles traveled by car, or even airfare, and lodging. The only catch is that the trip must be for the sole purpose of volunteering at the museum (no other activities.)
I have been taking this deduction for many years without a problem. I also confirmed with my tax advisor* that airfare is deductible (when it appeared that I was moving to Florida). For those who itemize their tax return, this can quickly amount to some serious value.
Value of services rendered, however, are not tax deductible. Of course monetary and material donations are also tax deductible.
(*In my case, my tax advisor happens to be my mom, who has worked for H&R Block during tax season for about 15 years.)
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Yes, but it would be nice if they would say, every hour of volunteer time is equal to some kind of $ amount lower than minimum wage for tax deduction purposes. That would be more incentive for people to volunteer because it would further their tax deductions.
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Non-profit volunteering tax deduction makes sense to me, particularly as I've discovered trackwork is HARD, while helping build panel track to place and work on the huge 8-wheel trucks of 2926's tender while its body and oil tank were lifted and cribbed during early rebuild.
Such compensation should help attract young railfans, used to an easier life these days than their elders. ;)
Scraping out sand/fuel oil asphalt-like coating under the fuel tank, also thousands of pounds of scale buildup on all internal tender/water baffles wasn't exactly chuckles, either. :P
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Like Ed and others, we also took the itemizing route with my taxes when we were working. We were easily able to get above the minimum amount needed to have deductions that surpassed what "Uncle Sam" gives those who do the short form. The money spent for travel, room and board on work weekends as well as donations at the museum really made a difference. Now that Barb and I are both retired, we have found there are not enough deductions even with our donations of time and effort at the museum and other spots. We still make our museum donations and help such as we can but we no longer get a tax benefit from doing so. One of the few non-benefits of being retired. LOL
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Work done on Saturday September 2:
* Culvert: Mike continued work to bury the culvert. Zack came up to inspect the work, with Fred and I, and later we walked down the hill part of the way to see the spots that will need work.
* Ties: Fred started back up the hill early, so when Zack and I got back up to the top he had moved the flatcar onto the spur and wanted us to take off the ties. We stacked them next to the spur. Later Fred and crew reloaded the flatcar with the ties stored by the roundhouse run-thru track.
* Stone: Some stone was also piled on the flatcar, it was unloaded on the former Track 7/Turntable approach track.
Car shop bays 2 and 3 were taped off, with the track trench excavated and concrete track support blocks in place. Two rails were inside, the rest were outside.
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Additional Saturday work:
* More ties: The Jenga pile of ties that had been used to support the second floor/roof of the shop building while the steel I-beams were installed and had ended up by the engine house run-through track were loaded onto a flatcar in the morning. Fred later treated the cut ends.
* The brush on the right-of-way on the Head Tide embankment and a short distance into the cut was cut this afternoon.
* Nancy made a very nice lunch of BLTs and various desserts. We were distracted while loading ties onto the flatcar by the smell of bacon cooking outside on the grill!
It was another beautiful late summer day in Maine, weather-wise. Looks like the train had a steady moderate number of riders.
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Anticipated work for weekend of Sept 9:
* Culvert work: Mike has to finish the big culvert and start on the small ones.
* Track work: Stone delivery to somewhere? Or tamping somewhere?
* Car shop prep: last week rails needed to be prepped before the concrete could be poured around them, some of this probably still needs to happen.
* Board meeting Saturday evening starting at 4.
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Mike needs to add at least a foot of backfill on the Fossell pipe before starting on the next smaller washouts...lots of trackwork to do...shop track rail re-sets need prep (?).
So, concrete floor pouring starts when?
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FYI, rails were prepped today. Concrete vendor arrived to assess extent of job and volume of concrete. Monday will be a prep day (polyethylene layer, steel mesh, etc.) Pouring will depend on availability of a concrete pump -- prob Thursday or Friday.
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Current plan is to do track work next week on Monday & Wednesday. Monday will be track work around the shop in case our help is needed with pouring. Wednesday the plan is to do more main line surfacing like we did middle of last week.
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I believe the contractor is going to be putting wire mesh down on Monday. I think they are going to do that themselves. Please correct me if I'm wrong. I'm usually never wrong!
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Zack built the forms for the bay 2 door today. Power conduits go in tomorrow.
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And the floor slab beat goes on. ;)
I'm assuming your contractor will use 4x4 or 6x6 WWF reinforcing mesh in the slab, maybe #4 rebar?
Used to estimate these items.
I'll guarantee, those bay floors will look clean and fantastic in a few days. ;D
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And the floor slab beat goes on. ;)
I'm assuming your contractor will use 4x4 or 6x6 WWF reinforcing mesh in the slab, maybe #4 rebar?
Used to estimate these items.
I'll guarantee, those bay floors will look clean and fantastic in a few days. ;D
A minor typographical error:
I'll guarantee, those bay floors will look clean and fantastic for a few days. ;D
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You guys need the cleaning lady in more often! ;)
But please...spare no efforts to photo this historic event.
A barn dance could celebrate this poifikly! ;D
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Work done on Saturday Sept 9:
* Ties: Fred was eager to get the ties stacked at ToM, so a trainload of people went up to unload them. After the train returned to Sheepscot the car got loaded with more ties.
* Culvert work: The crane car has been removed from the site, and Mike started removing stumps from the north side in order to make it easier for Jeff Verney to get in to check out what needs to happen. Mike also dug in one of the two lower culverts.
* Car shop: A crew was busy installing electrical conduit where the floor will go.
* Measuring: for our 5-year site plan with the Town, part of the plan is a list of culverts. We have a log of culverts but I updated it, walking with the measuring wheel from MP 7 down to the end of track.
* Board meeting: long board meeting tonight, largely taken up by bridge talk.
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I'm assuming Jeff, who did fine turntable sitework, will help handle backfill/landslide chores along the line to, maybe past, Trout Creek.
We got a bridge coming! ;D
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Yes, see Mike's Sept. 10th report in Down The Mountain To Trout Brook. Work and Events.
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Work done Sunday, Sept. 10th -
* Track - Brendan and Fred loaded and treated another carload of ties at Sheepscot. The 3 o'clock train ran as a mixed, taking the ties and setting them out in the new "Morse" tie yard on the mill siding at ToM.
* Shop - The last outlet box and pipe were installed to be ready for the floor pour.
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Concrete contractors, AFAIK, usually do their own slab reinforcing work.
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As nice as it is to see ties moving North, can we keep 100 cut ones at Sheepscot for main line work?
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As nice as it is to see ties moving North, can we keep 100 cut ones at Sheepscot for main line work?
We'll have to hide them from Fred after he cuts them!
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Agree with Joe...his zeal to catch up repairing current neglected mainline track maintenance should be top priority. Track extension most likely won't get underway until Fossel washout and more minor washout/landslide work is done and can be paid for.
My second check goes into the mail today.
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Some track building will happen this fall, but most likely on the Sawmill siding to get it to the tree line.
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Probably won't need a huge crew for TOM siding work as its already about 1/2 done. I'll volunteer for mainline maintenance during the FWW. Still looking around for a Canron section gang machine (or equivalent); I'll give a shout out if I find one.
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Anticipated work for weekend of September 16:
* Ties: I'm sure Fred will want to unload ties at ToM, and reload the flatcar.
* Culvert: Place that last culvert, review what (if anything) Jeff did.
* Car shop floor.
* Yard tracks reconnect.
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I talked with Jeff again last night. He is thinking maybe Friday.
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May not get to the 3rd culvert Saturday. I need to do a little work to be able to get a load of gravel in to location #2.
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Anticipated work for weekend of September 16:
* Ties: I'm sure Fred will want to unload ties at ToM, and reload the flatcar.
* Culvert: Place that last culvert, review what (if anything) Jeff did.
* Car shop floor.
* Yard tracks reconnect.
We cannot reconnect the yard tracks until the concrete has cured. Our concrete contractor has told us to keep off the new floor for two weeks and not to put any rail equipment in the building for 28 days.
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Like we are going to keep Fred off the floor for 2 weeks.. 2 days maybe..
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Contractor is correct...just-poured concrete takes, IIRC, 3 to seven days to attain 50 percent compression strength, 28 days to reach ~90+ percent full bearing ability.
Properly cured concrete can take thousands of pounds of compression, but has almost no ability to bend without cracking, hence reinforcement to stiffen, keep cracked slabs together.
Would be VERY careful connecting south yard rails to shop floor ones until some time passes.
Rules of architecture/engineering/contracting I've learned in school and on the job...Everything settles, concrete cracks. :-\
Hope floor pour is going well.
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A load of ties going up to the mill siding on the 3pm train last Sunday.
(http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s5/bbarry74/bbarry74001/IMG_1861.jpg)
(http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s5/bbarry74/bbarry74001/IMG_1890.jpg)
(http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s5/bbarry74/bbarry74001/IMG_1892.jpg)
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Like we are going to keep Fred off the floor for 2 weeks.. 2 days maybe..
ROFLMAO!
Jeff S.
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At least he didn't put his hand prints in the floor ...
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At least he didn't put his hand prints in the floor ...
Don't give him any ideas.
Jeff S.
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First treatment put on the floor today! Second will be done tomorrow morning. If we have any liquid left we'll use it next week. Fred was the first on the floor today. Ha, Ha.
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Fred also removed the flangeway boards from both bays. Some took a little persuading with a thin layer of concrete over top. It looks nice!
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Fred could not even make the 2 days..
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Give Zack some credit as well. He and Fred poured and spread the treatment liquid. It was extremely potent chemically, not stuff you want to be around for very long.
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Fred could not even make the 2 days..
Just keep the old guard rail posts/future ties piles away from the shop building and we should be fine. Fred will be too busy cutting ties until the piles are gone to think much about the new concrete floor.
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I don't see it mentioned anywhere else (perhaps it is -- I can be blind), but I see on tonight's Facebook post by Stewart that the floor of the gift shop was insulated yesterday at the same time the concrete pour was underway. Glad to hear it happened. The gift shop crew does a terrific job, and I'm all for improvements that make their job easier!
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I meant to post this picture yesterday and forgot. As Bill said the freight house floor was insulated Wednesday morning so we can heat the building. This is a project that has been put off a couple times and we are making a commitent to the gift shop crew to get heat in the building this fall.
(http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s5/bbarry74/bbarry74001/IMG_1944.jpg)
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The insulation under the freight looks great. I know that will make a big difference this winter. Our Ticket and Gift Shop Staff deserve to have their feet warm.
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Hey everyone, I have hopes to do more main line surfacing this weekend between North end of Cockeyed curve, and Humason. Can we have a flat car with a partial load of ties and stone at Sheepscot for use on Wednesday please? By partial load, I suspect 20 ties should be plenty, and the rest can be a partial load of stone with no side boards. Thank you,
Joe
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Wow...Truck city! you guys get the Narrow Gauge Dynamo Award for 2017!
Great to see this progress, always makes WW&F activities easier.
So Fred, now you know why flangeway blockout oil makes removal easier. Concrete hates it. ;)
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Work done on Saturday, September 16th:
* R-O-W - Mike worked on installation of the smaller culverts north of ToM.
* Shop - Zack installed the work bench under the stairs and built a shelf for the long wood bits. Some clean up was done in the south end.
* Train operations - Some new moves were tried today such as RC4 returning to Sheepscot via the north yard and run through track to access the turntable. This keeps the south yard clear for the locomotive to do a service stop, get water and run around the train.
* Track - More replica 1912 era switch stand targets were made. One will go on the mill siding switch once it has been moved back from the mainline with the installation of a longer throw rod.
* Lunch - A nice 5 cheese lasagna was enjoyed by the crew.
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Today Jonathan St.Mary qualified as a steam locomotive engineer and Alan Downey started fireman training. Jason's photo.
(http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s5/bbarry74/bbarry74001/IMG_2003.jpg)
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Congratulations guys.
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Congratulations to two strong and capable volunteers.
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Congratulations!
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Today Jonathan St.Mary qualified as a steam locomotive engineer and Alan Downey started fireman training. Jason's photo.
They don't look dirty or sweaty enough to have been tending to a coal-fired, steam-engine boiler running bituminous. Anthracite is a different story ... I have fond memories learning how to fire such boilers with my grandfather and later for a local museum. Too bad I'm 8 hours away, I'd volunteer for the fireman training. Kudos to them all! ;D
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That's a great photo!
Congratulations guys.
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I beg to differ, Alex. Red McMillion, who was an engineer on the Cass Scenic Railroad and for Meadow River Lumber Co., could run a Heisler or a Shay all day long without ever getting a spot on his clothing. Prior to his run, he would put on a boiler suit and go over the engine, oiling and greasing and wiping as needed, but when it was show time, he peeled off the boiler suit and stayed clean for the rest of the day. My wife's late grandfather, Harry Kiner, spent his entire career (42 years) in the cab of Pennsylvania Railroad steam locomotives and diesels, and pictures show him wearing coveralls with a shirt and necktie, goggles and long gauntlet gloves with not a bit of dirt to be seen. And that was saying something, since the PRR was noted for using the crappiest, dirtiest, cheapest bituminous coal it could buy.
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Congrats to Jonathon and Alan.
Jeff S.
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Congratulations guys!
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Joe, You can have the whole flatcar of ties that are at TOM., also you have a car load of ballast at Alna Center waiting for you. I probably won't cut any more ties until we have space at TOM for them. To close to the FWW to make a mess with ties everywhere.
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Sunday, September 17th -
* Birthday Party - The biggest event by far was a Harry Potter themed birthday party for a 12 year old boy. Over 60 people attended with about 40 children in the group. Most of the kids and a few adults were in costume. The group was so large that we offered the use of caboose 320 and coach 3. The cars were tied down on the run through track while the guests enjoyed refreshments. The birthday cars were added to the 3:00 o'clock trip, creating a 4 car train. Engineman Joe and Ashcat J.B. had their work cut out for them but things went well and the guests had a great time. For some it was their first visit and a number of them said they would be back for another ride.
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Anticipated work for weekend of Sept 23:
* Mountain ROW: if there's anything left to do.
* Car shop: starting to fill it back up with stuff.
* Track: Stone delivery? Tie delivery?
* Measuring: For our 5-year plan submission to the Town's planning board, I need to walk the line to get an accurate location of culverts (the old location log is based off of W&Q measurements and is somewhat inaccurate). A helper would be most appreciated. Someone to walk with the measuring wheel, and someone with a clipboard to locate the culverts and write things down. We don't need to start measuring from the end of track, since I have measurements for crossings, switch locations, etc. Just need to find the culvert and measure from the last known location.
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Yesterday, Mark and I rearranged the cellar for the FWW dining room. A little more has to be done.
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Talking with our contractor Monday, he said he may be there Saturday to remove the stumps and slope the area.
I have one more culvert to install yet, along with some stones to place around the culvert inlet and outlets.
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* Measuring: For our 5-year plan submission to the Town's planning board, I need to walk the line to get an accurate location of culverts (the old location log is based off of W&Q measurements and is somewhat inaccurate). A helper would be most appreciated. Someone to walk with the measuring wheel, and someone with a clipboard to locate the culverts and write things down. We don't need to start measuring from the end of track, since I have measurements for crossings, switch locations, etc. Just need to find the culvert and measure from the last known location.
FYI, the 5 year plan is also extremely important for seeking Grants and Sponsorships. It shows that the Museum has a plan and is working toward that plan. The 2005 and 2012 versions demonstrate a 10+ year track record of progress against plans (pun intended). Thus the Museum is a good investment for their donated funds.
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Please DO NOT fill the car shop back up with stuff. We are still under the concrete contractor's recommended 2 weeks of light duty, 4 weeks of heavy duty.
Further, we are hoping to actually design the space usage, complete with a floor plan and presentation and requested board vote at next meeting.
Please, please, please don't start loading up the space. We have a blank slate to intelligently work from.
Also- do NOT connect the rails yet- also the concrete contractors recommendation.
Thanks,
Jason
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There's a difference between our Long Range Plan and the Town's Planning Board 5-year plan. Our LRP sets our goals and desires, from which we work from. The 5-year plan takes from the LRP, but provides more detail to the Town, and allows public input on what we plan to do. With occasional heavy traffic at our big events, and work down the Mountain near or in environmentally sensitive areas, there's more scrutiny on us this time around.
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Mark and I rearranged the tables an chairs for the FWW.
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Having a bit of experience with concrete laying, I want to back Jason's directive-- the new shop slab is a week old, has attained about half of its ability to support heavy loads, can handle normal foot traffic.
But...it is still not yet optimally crystallized, its minimal crack resistance is even weaker, the surface can be gouged and scraped easily.
What now exists is such a great $10,000 improvement, needs more of a 'set' to withstand shop use, will be well worth it.
I'm thinking by Columbus Day should be the time to begin using it as intended, starting with that barn dance! ;D
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To add to the to-do list for this weekend, we need a hole dug 16-18" deep, 3 to 3 1/2 feet across for a memorial tree to be planted next week. Followed by a dedication ceremony during FWW. See myself or Stewart for the location.
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This morning Mark, Steve Z. and I cut Two bundles of ties as it was cooler 53 degrees.
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I knew you couldn't stay away from the ties, Fred. ;D
Jeff S.
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Work done on Saturday Sep 23:
* Ties: Fred and others cut more ties.
* Car shop: Zack and others worked in the shop.
* Measuring: Bill and I walked the line to find and measure the culverts. After reaching the end we walked to Rt 218 and back up the hill.
* Culvert: Mike finished the last culvert.
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Congrats to Mike on the culvert work.
Jeff S.
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I may or may not post pictures. The down the mountain thread seems rather off topic.. Jeff stopped by this afternoon. I looked up and and he was driving his Jeep toward me. We talked about what needed to be done and he said he would get to it maybe this week.
Then about an hour later, I heard some clattering. Jeff walked his excavator down and removed 2 stumps, resloped the access to the ROW, and was headed for the big culvert when I left. Looks much different.
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Congrats to Mike on the culvert work.
Jeff S.
Yes, absolutely. You have see in person what Mike and helpers have completed this season. Hopefully folks attending the fall work weekend in two weeks will take the opportunity.
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The down the mountain thread seems rather off topic..
That has been addressed. Please post pics!
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Hey everyone,
Due to a change in plans last week, track work wasn't able to get done. Tuesday I will be at the museum rain or shine to do track work on last weeks planned area. All are welcome to attend, even if only to watch or learn how we do things. We will be jacking, tamping, and if time permits maybe even ballasting. This will be our last attempt at track work before the fall work weekend, as the following week I plan to do prep work as directed or needed.
Tuesdays crew, ideal size is 5-6 guys. If we have more we can find things for them to do as well. As Gene Wilder said "so much to do and so little time"
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Correction to Joe's post; is like at least one track day during the week preceding work weekend. There are two more stretches we'd like to get lifted, to make lining track easier during work weekend.
So- this Tuesday, and one day the following week.
See ya
Jason
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Work done, Sunday, September 24th -
* Shop - Zack finished the repairing the stairs. There are steel straps that tie the top of the stringers into the floor joists and the steps have risers between the treads. This work, along with adjusting the existing braces makes the stairs more solid.
* Guests - A fairly quiet day but those who visited had a nice time. One fellow is an author who is writing a novel about train travel circa 1905 as it related to sports teams and sports equipment suppliers who traveled by train. The guest asked some of us a bunch of questions. We spoke with him for a while and gave him a tour of the shop. He was so taken with the WW&F that he joined the museum on the spot. That visitor, along with the a membership renewal and new life member had the gift shop doing well.
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Great to see all that ROW work done by Mike and Mr. Verney, all the washout/culvert progress and survey work to Trout Brook and beyond.
The pics give an idea of how woodsy that stretch is.
Way to go. :D
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Mike...are any FWW projects planned for the "washout zone"?
Have read where TOM sawmill spur extension is tops with ties stockpiled there, nearby mainline ballasting to first washout set, along with woods track work.
In my couple years with WW&F, have never seen so much expansion and improvements across and along the property. Amazing.
As an aside, where does roundhouse work stand?
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As an aside, where does roundhouse work stand?
Some time in the next 5 years. I'm not being snarky with that comment, just to say that it's high on the list, but falls below getting the bridge, Mountain ROW, and new coach taken care of.
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Paul,
We have no organized plan for FWW in the work area. All depends on the contractor, but I would not mind seeing 2 lengths of rails added over the new fill. This would enable delivery of some top soil by flat car, to be ready for next years growing season. But this is not on the list, and do not expect it done this fall.
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In my first 4 years at the WW&F we added nearly a mile of track. Between 2005-2009.
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We have no organized plan for FWW in the work area. All depends on the contractor, but I would not mind seeing 2 lengths of rails added over the new fill. This would enable delivery of some top soil by flat car, to be ready for next years growing season. But this is not on the list, and do not expect it done this fall.
Our Alna contractor has been a good friend to our museum, so if it's reasonable based on his business' schedule, I'm sure the fill will in place over that first culvert. Otherwise, there's always next spring.
If it works out in time for fall work weekend, perhaps a morning or afternoon track-laying session will be reasonable, where a couple of lengths of rail are put down and spiked over the culvert, followed by a short walking tour down through Mike's work this season and up to the area of the slide. Construction road access is just north of the first culvert (the only between here and Trout Brook bridge), so I assume the ROW should be kept open north of the first culvert until at least the slide area is fixed.
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Many thanks, guys, for all that info. Makes following your improvements more understood and pleasantly appreciated.
What a group! What a country! ;D
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Anticipated work for weekend of September 30 - October 1
* Last bit of culvert permit work (the window runs out at midnight on Saturday)
* Car shop
* Fall Festival - help needed at Alna Center especially.
* Moonlight train ride - help needed all around.
* Hole for tree - if the hole for the memorial tree hasn't been dug yet, it needs to be.
And don't forget that the Alna Fire Department has their fall ham & bean supper on Saturday 4:30 - 6:00.
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Steve Z. Was saying we could absolutely use more folks at AC on Saturday during the day. It's always a lot of fun!
Afterward we'll need a couple folks to convert AC from daytime to evening activities.
During the evening, we could use a couple of folks at A just to help things move along smoothly.
Thanks,
Formerly Vermont Steve
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Hole dug yesterday using very cheap labor....
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This Week -
* Shop - Big Joe received repair/adjustment to the travel guides for the side motion of the tamper heads.
* Gift Shop - The new heating unit was installed which required a few changes in the northeast end of the freight house.
* Fall Work Weekend prep - More ties were cut and loaded onto the flatcar. A load of stone and the load of ties were set out on the mill siding at ToM.
* Parking Lot - Clean up continued with the old concrete forms and other items being removed from the northwest part of the lot. Truck loads of gravel were delivered to be spread out between the garage and Woods Track to make a place for the delivery of the Trout Brook bridge.
* Fall Festival - The "pickers tent" was set up at Alna Center and the Model AA truck got a full gas tank and oil change to be ready to give hay rides. Sandwiches were made Friday night to be sent to AC on Saturday.
* Grounds - The spare switch stands were moved away from in front of the garage, back next to Harry's garden shed.
* Grade - The big washout was filled in and the sides covered with rip rap. More loads of fill material were delivered to the next location north, where a new culvert was installed. The fill will help where the grade is low south of the culvert.
* Moonlight Apple train - Hand lanterns, markers and coach lamps were cleaned and filled for use on Saturday night.
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Work done on Saturday Sept 30:
* Fall Festival: Very good turnout, over 300 people. Lots of fun had by all. We stuck to the time table, with the second class train running as a full sized train. I think there were lots of new people to the railroad. Lots of volunteer help at AC as well.
* Mountain ROW: Mike finished up.
* Ties: Fred and crew cut up a bunch more ties.
Not sure what else was going on - not much from what I could see.
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Alna Center Report -
* Trains - Running two trains worked well with the meet being at AC. Northbound trains held the main while southbound trains went in the hole. This operation gave visitors options as to when they could ride the complete trip and when they could detrain to enjoy the attractions at AC. The AC crew worked well with guiding guests to games, the music tent, treats and hay ride.
* Hay Ride - The AA truck earned it's keep. I drove 8 trips and Mike drove 5. Most rides I gave were filled with 10 - 12 people.
* Games - Our traditional games like sack races, bean bag toss, bobbing for apples, kite flying and pumpkin decorating were popular. We saw many happy kids.
* Moonlight Special - In a word, WOW. Steve P. did an outstanding job planning the event. He, along with Alan Downey and other volunteers spent much time on it and it showed with close to 100 people gathering at AC at dusk. We needed a 3 car train to carry the passengers up to the talk by our guest speaker, Mr. John Bunker. The crowd assembled in a semi-circle around the camp fire that Mr. Bunker stood next to. The history of Maine apple trees and orchards along with descriptions of the types and shipping of apples made for a fascinating talk. Our very own Dana Wigwam Deering warmed up the large crowd with his famous "Moose Callair" story. Adding to the sunset scene was a nice camp fire and 500 luminaries marking pathways to the cider tent and AC depot. It was a nice event that impressed even veteran WW&F volunteers. The train proceeded north to ToM after dropping off the guests. The crew had a lay over at ToM until the talk was done and returned to AC to board the passengers. The station lanterns and stove made a nice place to catch the train. The guests kept telling us how much they enjoyed the train ride, camp fire, fresh cider (made from local apples, some from along the R-O-W) and Mr. Bunker's talk. They even gave us a round of applause before boarding the train. The ride back with oil lamps lighting the coaches was a real treat. Back at Sheepscot, the yard crew set lit switch lamps for the north and south mainline switches which hasn't been done in years. The switch lamps really looked great!
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Way to go WWFers! Hope this will be the first of more Moonlight Specials. ;)
Nice to see you use luminarias to guide folks to activities, are spectacularly everywhere during NM Christmas seasons. ;D
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Just got home back in Mass. from today's activities. It was a very enjoyable day, with many young families coming out for the Fall Festival.
And regarding the Moonlight Train, I have to echo Start's word: WOW! Over the past 16 years I've seen some special moments at the museum, and tonight's event joined that list. Steve P. and everyone else who made tonight's event happen should be very, very satisfied with the result. Thanks!
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Congrats to all the volunteers that helped make this special event a success.
Jeff S.
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Thanks to Susan Johns and the Wiscasset Newspaper for the fabulous coverage:
http://m.wiscassetnewspaper.com/article/fall-comes-alna-railway-museum/92621
Jason
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Thank you guys. I couldn't have done it without all of you. I was a bit more long winded in my other post, if you want to read it, but- the enthusiasm and history you've all shared with me over the past 10 years was the key in making this happen. We're the caretakers of a special place, but the people make the place.
Can't wait to do it again!
Next stop, Head Tide :)
Steve
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Very nice coverage.