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Messages - Hans Brandes

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1
Maine Narrow Gauge RR Co. & Museum / Re: B&SR 7
« on: November 25, 2012, 09:46:52 AM »
Ed,

Yes, that is sufficient. We have a separate bank account for restricted funds. Within that account we keep categories (#7, car rebuilding, snow plow rebuilding, etc.). Everyone's donation is recorded on a spreadsheet that is used for deposits into that account. At all times we know who donated to what fund, when it occured and how much is in the account for the given project.

Thank you for your support. We have just completed our first weekend of Polar Express with great success (see this morning's Maine Sunday Telegram). #4 is doing a great job but it would be great to get #7 back on the point.

Happy Holidays,

Hans

2
Maine Narrow Gauge RR Co. & Museum / Re: B&SR 7
« on: November 24, 2012, 12:17:24 PM »
Answers: Yes, we have spent $75,000 to date. Yes, there is a restricted fund for #7. Yes, knowing what we now know, we should have had a new boiler built. Our contractor has been working on a time and materials basis and we have had significant scope growth could not be detected until it had been taken apart. So, $100,000 is as follows: $50,000 to finish the boiler and $50,000 to reassemble the the engine. We are working on ways to possibly reduce the cost, but we have to set a target at this point based on contractor input.

Hope that answers everyone's questions. As we all know, steam is not cheap.

3
Maine Narrow Gauge RR Co. & Museum / Re: B&SR 7
« on: November 23, 2012, 08:59:10 AM »
The real story is that we need to raise additional funds to finish the job (contractor costs have gone way up since we started the project). So at this point we can not commit funds to finish the boiler. We are on a fundraising campaign. We are looking at doing some of the boiler work back in Portland in order to close the funding gap.

#7 was not worked on very much last year as we had to focus on #4. We replaced 26 staybolts, all with volunteer labor except for the welding. This took many work sessions. Most recently, we have spent time going over #4 and everything involved with steam for Polar Express. We have had tremdous growth in steam volunteers in the past year, with many new, younger faces showing up, willing to learn. We filled our steam roster for Polar Express during one lunch period.


4
Maine Narrow Gauge RR Co. & Museum / Re: B&SR 7
« on: April 03, 2011, 03:05:15 PM »
All,

We continue to make significant progress on B&SR 7. We have worked every Saturday on this project. Though we still have a lot to do, much progress has been made with lots of new steel in place. Here is our report for yesterday.

http://forum.mngrr.org/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=214

5
Maine Narrow Gauge RR Co. & Museum / Re: B&SR 7
« on: December 05, 2010, 05:23:51 PM »
Pictures from yesterday's work session where we removed the tender tank from #7

6
Maine Narrow Gauge RR Co. & Museum / Re: B&SR 7
« on: December 05, 2010, 08:04:03 AM »
Another great day for the engine house and for #7. In attendance were Rick Knight, Bob Comeau, Joe Monty, Patrick Fitzgerald, Rich Currie and myself. We split up into teams to work on a number of projects. Joe got out the torch and worked on preparing to take the tender tank off of #7. Rich and Patrick worked on power washing the chassis to get rid of the dirt, rust and everything else. They worked for hours on this using a power washer with degreaser solution. The results were great and the chassis is not rid of grit and dirt and ready for further cleaning.

Bob worked on putting up trim on the land side all. This is all done. The only trim left now is on two corners and the door flanges. Rick and Hans worked on building more shelves. Last week we had build one 12' long shelf. This week we build three more. We were able to get these up much fastering using an air gun and air from the new compressor. The new compresser worked flawlessly and made putting up shelves a quick job. As soon as a shelf was finished, we took things off of the floor and put them up out of the way. Notable things that went up were cab doors for #4, smoke box screens, buckets of parts. The shelves are now full of a who's who of steam engine parts.

By early afternoon, Joe, with Bob's help had cut along to the point where we were ready to try and lift the tank off of the frame. Remember, the tank was closest to the fire and we were able to recover insurance money to pay to have a new one built. After lunch, we got the bucket loader out and put a track cart on the iron. Time was of the essence as we had to tie up the main line and Polar Express would be under way in an hour. We quickly got #7 out on the main line and with loader and chains, we prepared to lift the tank off. Fortunately, the bucket was just high enough that we could get the tank off on put onto the cart. We then quickly got #7 and the cart back into the yard before Polar Express trip 1 got underway.

After the tank was off and #7 was back on the house track, we pressure washed where the tank was. We will have to replace the steel plates that were under the tank as the are partially rusted. This is not a big job as this is thin plate that can be cut out and new plate welded in; all something that we can do.

So another strong step forward for both the engine house and now for #7. Our next work session will be on Saturday, December 11. We are hoping that the boiler people are going to show up to work on #4. This will determine if we have any steam for Polar Express or not. It would be a morale booster if we did. Results will determine where we focus our efforts, short term. Regardless, come on down, look at all that has been done and lend a hand.

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Maine Narrow Gauge RR Co. & Museum / Re: Barn Raising Saturday, October 23
« on: November 05, 2010, 11:22:41 AM »
Dave, Thanks for your support. Sorry I could not make it to track weekend this year as I am sure that new bucket seat on Big Joe must have fit you like a glove. "Unfortunately" (ha ha) I was busy being the Fireman for 7470 over at Conway. Gotta like it! - Hans

8
Maine Narrow Gauge RR Co. & Museum / Re: Is MNG running steam any more?
« on: November 05, 2010, 11:19:38 AM »
#8 is safely tucked away in the east end of the engine house. Our current focus is the rebuilding of the west end that was damaged by fire. We are well along and should have the roof on by this Saturday. The rebuild is better than what existed but will never be as nice as what is at WW&F. Remember, we are a tenant, not an owner, big difference here. Regardless, our mission, like everyone else is to protect and restore the equipment.

In the mean time, #7's boiler is at Alna getting a major rebuild. Cross our fingers that we can have it all back together a year from now.

So if you are in Portland, especially on a Saturday, stop by and you can see #8 in the engine house.

9
Today was a great success with lots of help showing up. The floor of the engine house has been built with new wood, the side walls up and we started the end wall where the doors will go. We worked until the sun set and will be back at it again next Saturday. Cross our fingers that by sunset next Saturday that we will have all of our engines back under cover and secured. Stay tuned for pictures as it was too dark to take the final pictures today.

Hans

10
Maine Narrow Gauge RR Co. & Museum / Barn Raising Saturday, October 23
« on: October 21, 2010, 05:26:25 AM »
Please join us this Saturday as we raise the walls and roof of our engine house. We are going to rebuild the portion of the engine house that was burned in the fire last spring. Everything has been salvaged and cleared out. We will be ready with new wood to put up a new structure. We could really use your help to help get us 'back on track'. Bring tools and ladders. We will provide the food.

Thanks, Hans

11
Mike, great job on getting the seat. We should consider cup holders for Dave's new throne. Maybe we should get two, one for each hand as we don't know if he drinks with his left or right hand.

12
Volunteers / Re: July 2010 Work Planning
« on: July 11, 2010, 11:43:57 AM »
And once again we had an amazing spread for lunch. An army works on its stomach and we did just that. Despite the fact that we were hot, dirty and got soaked, lunch and lots of water kept us going. Steve missed a good photo op yesterday: "Weed wacking in the mist". Dave and I also had additional discussiosns on getting a bucket seat for Big Joe (instead of just a bucket).

13
Work and Events / Re: Spring 2010 Work Weekend *pics*
« on: April 28, 2010, 03:56:33 PM »
Yes, it was a great weekend with much accomplished. We will all take home our own memories of the hard work and the accomplishments. One memory that stands out from those of us on "Big Joe's" team is of our chief operator, Dave Buczkowski, sitting on a luxurious bucket seat that was all of a rusty 5 gallon can. Where else can you find an esteemed city lawyer in such a position? I wish I had a camera. Hats off to Dave and the rest of the tamper crew who spent tireless hours with plugged ears and vibrating arms. It was fun!

14
Maine Narrow Gauge RR Co. & Museum / Re: B&SR 7
« on: April 13, 2010, 11:35:26 AM »
In Alna: We continue to be full steam ahead on boiler work. Needle scaling was completed by yours truly last Sunday. Thankfully, that dirty job is done. ML&M Co. is moving right along too. New side sheets (lower half) have been drilled and are tacked in place. The upper half of the front tube sheet is also tacked in place. Holes are drilled for the firebox side sheets.

In Portland: Not so good here. We took inventory of burnt tools and other things. The insurance adjuster is supposed to come on Friday to look at #7. The tender tank does not look good as it was next to the hottest part of the fire.

15
Maine Narrow Gauge RR Co. & Museum / Re: Steam engine fire at MNG
« on: March 30, 2010, 11:22:05 AM »
Here's a picture from on top of the box car right near by...pretty graphic

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