W.W.&F. Discussion Forum
WW&F Railway Museum Discussion => Volunteers => Topic started by: James Patten on April 29, 2020, 05:48:46 AM
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For Saturday May 2.
* 2 PM Annual Meeting. Online.
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Main culvert was replaced today, and tried to save enough of the original to use as the second section.
2 things happened to the culvert. The joint had completely seperated, and it had collapsed. I stuck my phone in the hole first thing this morning with the flash on and found this. Hard to see but if you look in the top right you will see it.
(https://i.postimg.cc/rygBVGN7/0502200946a.jpg)
James was helping me get the culvert cleaned off
(https://i.postimg.cc/PxT7hNpt/0502201129.jpg)
The collapse exposed
(https://i.postimg.cc/4xHqQDRT/0502201139a.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/ncPN7H5k/0502201139b.jpg)
And out in the daylight..light through the top, light hitting below
(https://i.postimg.cc/br6Wm8vq/0502201159.jpg)
I cut out a section and flipped it over
(https://i.postimg.cc/TP8S7tT5/0502201515.jpg)
Shut down for the week..
(https://i.postimg.cc/JhbF9jh6/0502201524.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/XJLzv3d9/0502201526.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/C5K6BtsX/0502201531.jpg)
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Annual meeting started at 2:00, with the laptop set up in the dining room of the Percival House. Instead of the refrigerator as a backdrop, we brought up a time table board from downstairs.
(Re)elected directors were Randy Beach, Mike Fox, and Alan Downey.
Reports were give by Dave Buczkowski, myself (Treasurer), Jason Lamontagne (Superintendant), and Linda Zollers (Gift shop and archives).
Adjourned 2:30.
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Great to see John Scott from Melbourne, Australia join the virtual meeting. It was a pleasure to see and hear him. Bless him for joining us at 4 a.m. local time.
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If I knew your meetings were so concise I would have joined - I had a quarterly meeting of the Railroad Museum of New England at 3pm and since I'm the secretary I had to set myself up for our first ever general membership meeting.
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Mike
Any chance of a warrantee replacement on that culvert? ;D ;D
That is what you get for using that newfangled stuff instead of stone. :D
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Thank you Bill Reidy for your very kind words.
It was a pleasure for me to be able to directly participate in an event at the WW&F Railway.
As President Dave intimated, the wretched virus has given us a clue for the achievement of increased inclusivity for our away people (wherever they may be).
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Mike, you have expertly addressed what has amounted to a significant infrastructure emergency. The occurrence has demonstrated the limitations of certain modern materials.
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I had a bugger of a time trying to get my video and audio to sync with the program but for some reason it just wouldn't. Luckily, the chat option was available and did work nicely.
On a side note, this option would be a good way for working groups to be able to meet and for more people from afar to be able to participate in projects.
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All,
So we don’t get carried away with all this new-fangled computer/Zoom marlarkey I have tasked John McNamara and Stewart Rhine to come up with a remote meeting solution that is compatible with our mag phone system. And no lithium batteries either!
Dave
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So, what happened at da meetin ?
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So we don’t get carried away with all this new-fangled computer/Zoom marlarkey I have tasked John McNamara and Stewart Rhine to come up with a remote meeting solution that is compatible with our mag phone system. And no lithium batteries either!
:) It should be fairly straightforward to arrange the mag phone receiver/microphone/handset to be in close physical proximity (duct tape?) to a laptop microphone & speaker (might work best with a 'plug-in' microphone/headset for the laptop). This would be a separate laptop from the main one in use as the 'primary' device in the Percival House. Then have that mag-phone laptop log into the conferencing system like any other user. Then all is needed is for someone (Dave? ;D ) to go to one of the mag phone locations elsewhere along the mag-phone line, and participate in the meeting from, say, the station at Alna Center. 8)
.
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Graham,
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D Best laugh I've had all week!
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I wonder if some kind of support structure over the middle of the culvert right under the track might help?
Is it the vibration and weight of the passing trains or is this a freeze/thaw phenomenon?
Armchair engineers are curious. :D
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Hi Gawdon.
The problem we have is in quite a few of our fills is the wonderful clay that is found all over the Alna area. The clay works when it is wet, becoming very pliable. Compacted ground is suddenly movable. These larger culverts seem to get it the worst. I am going to try to find a source for a plastic pipe that will take the pressures better. And start inspecting the pipes more often. I'd rather not use steel, but my steel source would make us a solid pipe with no joint up to 45 feet long..at a slightly higher price (shipping) than the plastic.
Maybe we need to find some more old steel riveted pipe??
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For Saturday May 9:
* Board meeting at 4 (online).
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Split wood Mon.,Tues,and wed. morning only. Good fresh air. Same as taking a walk,but got something done. If you really want to work you can. There's all outdoors.
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Would a layer of ballast over the pipe help?
It might lock together and resist the clay's tendency to flow and find a weak spot?
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It may, but no easy way to get it there.
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I would think you would also need ballast along the sides of the pipe as for the top of the to pipe to collapse the sides of the pipe have to push out. It is a mute point if we can't get ballast to the site.
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Couldn't the ballast be hauled out there in a tip car? Might take two or three trips.
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No ballast to haul, and nothing to haul it with. 52 is out of service for brakes (planned and I believe on hand but the covid got in the way), but probably could be used carefully if approved by Jason.
I am going to pack what we have on site around the pipe, which is now a mix of clay, sand and ballast. The pipe is about 4 inches narrower than the old pipe, so I still plan on packing the outside of the with material, once both pipes are together.
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As of right now, I will not be completing the first repair on Saturday. The inclimate weather and a sudden appointment right after lunch pretty much kills the job.
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James and I finished the 1st culvert repair this morning, amid the wind and snow..(https://i.postimg.cc/26PDRCCw/0509200927.jpg)
I had to leave at 11, and just made it..ready for the track crew, 4 new ties and ballast..
(https://i.postimg.cc/bvVPgQM4/0509201102.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/8zHNJ8bp/0509201102a.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/85FS07gc/0509201102b.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/HkHTkWXv/0509201102c.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/HLkHbSSQ/0509201104.jpg)
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Class 5 once again!
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Great job again, as usual, thanks to Mike & James.
Kudos to the both of you.
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The kudos go to Mike for operating the excavator. I generally did just heavy looking on.
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The kudos go to Mike for operating the excavator. I generally did just heavy looking on.
But you kept him within budget!
Thank you both.
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Fab work as usual.
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Spent time today storing split firewood, It was good to see so many Tues. and Weds. people coming back. Had a great time.
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Today at the museum a number of people were working at many locations. Stewart was painting on the car barn, Llnda was doing archives, Phil was has been working on car wheel bearings. the Rest were doing track work at Mikes culvert repair lead by Jason. Seems like old times. We are all keeping our distance from One another.
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[Moderator's Note]
A discussion regarding personal interpretations of the currently enacted Executive orders within the state of Maine in regards to the COVID-19 Pandemic has been split from this topic.
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During the week, due to the lifting of some restrictions related to Covid-19, several volunteers arrived looking for something to do. On Wednesday, they installed the 4 new ties (the ones James and I removed were kind of punky) and dropped some ballast. They will jack and tamp when they can, and bring in more ballast.
(https://i.postimg.cc/15VLcTmL/0516201002.jpg)
This shot shows the gradual dip to the culvert, about 60 feet long.
(https://i.postimg.cc/CxjX9qf7/0516201002-Burst01.jpg)
Working by myself, I unbolted and unspiked the 2 lengths of rail I needed to remove to work on the second repair.
(https://i.postimg.cc/j5kFy6Gx/0516201016.jpg)
A view of the dip over this culvert
(https://i.postimg.cc/VvxZVff2/0516201035.jpg)
I used the Kubota to move the rail
(https://i.postimg.cc/2SpgHw33/0516201038.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/1zs2S3GQ/0516201041.jpg)
Then out come the ties. These seem ok for the most part.
(https://i.postimg.cc/Pxq7LVVV/0516201051.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/Bvpynfp1/0516201051a.jpg)
Ties removed I then moved the ballast.
(https://i.postimg.cc/jdNRdC7w/0516201123.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/3rzKT2dQ/0516201127b.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/qBNkS1BG/0516201133.jpg)
Looking in the pipe from the outlet. Another puncture in the top. The light before the puncture is where the 2 pipes had come apart by 6 inches or more.
(https://i.postimg.cc/8cJn4JSh/0516201123-Burst01.jpg)
Started digging after lunch, approx 12:15.
(https://i.postimg.cc/pLHR9xf0/0516201254.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/13rPwTMy/0516201254a.jpg)
Water flowing out from under the pipe.
(https://i.postimg.cc/rpyTJJYx/0516201339a.jpg)
We got (I was joined by James and Brendan at this point) the first piece installed on some very firm gravel that the Marine Corps installed in 2001. Time was 3:15..
(https://i.postimg.cc/xds2FzW7/0516201516.jpg)
Looking North from Sheepscot Mills North whistle post, end of the day..
(https://i.postimg.cc/PxPjGqHq/0516201523.jpg)
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Thanks for the hard work Mike and James & Brendan.
and thanks for the pix.
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Thanks for the report, Mike, but I want to clarify your first statement.
The volunteers who performed the track repair last week were asked to join us for this specific purpose (as opposed to just showing up). Our goal is to keep the railroad passable (keeping up with Mike’s repairs), for unexpected circumstances that may pop up. That has already happened: on the Mountain we have some severe sun kinks on unballasted track which will require treatment ASAP in June.
We’re working on developing a protocol for open volunteering to resume in June- as were going to need it to get work done. As of now the railroads policy basically an extension of Dave’s statement in April, as far as I know.
Thanks,
Jason
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Could someone please clarify/qualify the term "Open Volunteering". As far as I am aware anyone from out of state will have to "quarantine" themselves for 14 days before moving about Maine. To my understanding that is still in effect until 30 June. I would gladly be corrected to a shorter time frame........
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With fingers crossed, I hope the governor lifts the 14 day quarantine in her next revamp of the Covid-19 response. She has been under increasing pressure from the camp grounds, hotel industry, and lots of other tourist dependent organizations that are dependant on the all mighty tourist buck. Only time will tell.
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I had taken these pictures a few weeks ago of the seperated pipes at the repair we are doing currently.
Looking in at the pipes.
(https://i.postimg.cc/VvNXd4rg/0418201615a.jpg)
Looking at the track. The timbers running up the bank are from an old make shift set of stairs an abutter had built for a trail to go up the bank. The trail followed the tracks from here north to Humason Trestle, where it went to the west just prior to the trestle. The timbers above them are from a failed retaining wall, which is what started this whole project to begin with..
(https://i.postimg.cc/L50Lffjp/0418201616.jpg)
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Good job of work Mike and thank your for the photos and report .
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Hmmm. I wonder where the phone line is in that section. Must be beyond the end of the culvert.
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Thanks, Mike, for your thorough, competent, track maintenance and repairs.
Sun kink stretching should be fun.
Not.
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Hmmm. I wonder where the phone line is in that section. Must be beyond the end of the culvert.
I haven't found it yet, I think.. The last pipe I did I found some caution tape that was buried as fill. That made me stop for a second and look for the wire.
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Pretty certain the phone line is at the woods line, although I didn't see (wasn't looking for it) when I dove into the woods to check out Humason Brook.
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I think that in some cases the phone line passes over the culvert about a foot from the end. Other times it is at the woods line.
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I think that in some cases the phone line passes over the culvert about a foot from the end. Other times it is at the woods line.
If the line is in roughly the same place north of that crossing\switch as it is on the south side then it's right at the woods line. I remember that because there was a repair I was told of that was in that area a few years ago.
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Just a few shots today..
(https://i.postimg.cc/7PMt4Vdj/0523200813.jpg)
Did not have my phone with me most of the morning, so I did not show the build up. James was happy when he got the water to flow through. A little more work to do, but ready for track.
(https://i.postimg.cc/4xnWzTyT/0523201326.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/KvGq8Tyj/0523201327.jpg)
I had to leave so I just tossed the ties back on the grade. Some are upside down, and none are spaced out. Most are good, but there may be one or 2 that need replacing.
(https://i.postimg.cc/gkgMX0YD/0523201456.jpg)
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Good job of work Mike and thanks for the pics.
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Great-looking car barn, close to done.
Do I see part of a Great Door maybe ready for hanging, hmmmmm?
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The man doors were also put in Saturday.
The big doors need material to make the hinges, which Brendan will do tomorrow. I guess they'll be hung during the week.
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Excellento!
Always concerned about security.
Per finding the WW&F phone line during repairs/construction...
How about laying the line a standard distance from the nearest track rail, and/or pounding in short, plain lath pieces every 50 feet or so to not attract woods vandals?
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I did a less-than-thorough but still intent look to see if i could find the phone line east of the new culvert, but could not see it - it was not obviously on top of the ground. I did not try to find it south of the area and trace back, either.
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I did a less-than-thorough but still intent look to see if i could find the phone line east of the new culvert, but could not see it - it was not obviously on top of the ground. I did not try to find it south of the area and trace back, either.
Did you carry an operating metal-blade weed whacker? They are almost as good finding the wire as using bare feet to find something at home.
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Oooooh....bet that could ruin your day! >:(
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I blew out my flip flop
Stepped on a pop top
Cut my heel, had to cruise on back home
Jimmy Buffet
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Did a little wood splitting today, we seem to have a never ending supply.
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Did a little wood splitting today, we seem to have a never ending supply.
Well, at least to the steam crew, thanks to you!
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Hope to see you soon Bill.
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Moved some wood this morning then after lunch loaded Two flatcars with ballast. Tractor broke down, left it at Steve P's house. Gut feeling, injector pump. Groan!!!
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Fred, I went and checked on it. I think new fuel filters would be the first thing to try.
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There was a crew called this week to reinstall the track at the deep culvert location I finished last weekend. They worked on Wednesday, one of the hotest May days I remember, getting the rails back in place. If you know anything about heat and steel, you can imagine what they were dealing with. Well, Jason sent me this picture, and it shows exactly what happened.
(https://i.postimg.cc/GmPS1tPx/IMG-1322.jpg)
They fought in the heat, and got all the new ties ready for us to put in.
So we had our work cut out for us..
We arrived on site about 8:40, and I took this picture before 9. We tried lining as it was, but was not moving. I suggested loosening the middle joint bars (I removed 2 length of rails and did not undo the joint) and it went easier. Here is Dana tightening the joint bars with the impact wrench.
.
(https://i.postimg.cc/SKJ8ftKY/0530200856.jpg)
We installed the remaining ties, around 20 of then am started spiking. Because we were asked to identify people, left to right is James P., Bryce Weeks in the black shirt, Dana Deering swinging the spike maul, Bob Longo in the beard, and President Dave Buczkowski manning the tie nipper. After lunch we were joined by Dan M., which may be noticed in a later picture.
(https://i.postimg.cc/rm4rv0x8/0530201007.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/g2M8RPGP/0530201007a.jpg)
Story Time with Bob Longo..Note the proper social distancing..
(https://i.postimg.cc/25MWcFqc/0530201008.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/YC2QhSK3/0530201136.jpg)
They just crossed the new track that we had blocked up temporarily to go get ballast.
(https://i.postimg.cc/BnJBHgD2/0530201245.jpg)
And they returned with the first load of ballast
(https://i.postimg.cc/4dH6sFkR/0530201312b.jpg)
1st load down..
(https://i.postimg.cc/j2zyJwS8/0530201412.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/DfsrNDPq/0530201416.jpg8)
Last (2nd load) done at 3:40..
(https://i.postimg.cc/cCqQHM0g/0530201539a.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/QMtgndft/0530201540.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/5tR5cWrm/0530201540a.jpg)
And this week this is what the Sheepscot Car Barn looks like
(https://i.postimg.cc/rFNSVrbs/0530201149-Burst01.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/FHGgZLg8/0530201615.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/bNhxfTm4/0530201150.jpg)
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Thanks for the report and the excellent photos, Mike.
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Yes!
And a question, what is the meaning of the "R" sign alongside the track near the culvert repair?
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The R on green is for resume. That is the end of the restriction. On the other side of that is a 10 (or was it 5?) on yellow backing, meaning there is a restricted speed there, which is noted on the notice board.
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That's a 10 mph zone for the ML&M switch area. If the tamping crew hit that while they're there for the repair that'd probably be enough to lift the restriction there (I think....maybe).
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Thank you Mike for the report and all those photos that go show that the revival of the railway is definitly on the right track.
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Thanks to James and Mike for leading a fun and productive day. It was hot, dry, and dusty and I was down about a pint courtesy of the black flies, but felt really good about all we accomplished yesterday. Good crew, good work. Thanks to the midweek crew for teeing you the ball!
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Teeing up the ball. Darned auto correct. >:(
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Dana, I have a word for auto correct that is not as nice as darned. No doubt about it, auto correct was invented by an embittered typing teacher who was laid off because not enough kids were enrolling for the class, and it is clearly designed to torture hunt-and-peck typists who have to keep their eyes on the keyboard. >:(