Messages

316

Work and Events / Re: Shingle Mill - Official Work Thread

« on: January 25, 2016, 10:15:18 PM »

Wow, it's amazing how much junk you are getting out of there! I was thinking about the cleaning process and got to wondering whether adding new gas to the stuff in there would somehow dissolve the junk since some of those liquids which had been absent would be added back in. Not sure how that would work out chemically.

vinegar is supposed to be really good too as well as pine sol.

317

Work and Events / Re: Sheepscot Turntable - Official Work Thread

« on: January 16, 2016, 10:29:28 PM »

It has occurred to me that because of the importance of the center bearing and inner ring in carrying the load, this design must have a pretty beefy foundation under those two components.
That being said, I am curious about the calculations regarding dynamic and static load, soil type, and moisture content. I don't even know if all of those things figure in to the design process, but I am interested in knowing how you decide how big/deep the foundation must be to adequately support the load.

Steve

318

Work and Events / Re: Box Car 67 - Official Work Thread

« on: January 15, 2016, 03:24:53 PM »

In my opinion, the ultimate coup would be if we then we able to trade for authentic B&SR wheelsets/trucks from the SR&RL group up in Phillips!

319

The Original W&Q and WW&F: 1894-1933 / Re: January 2016 Work Planning

« on: January 10, 2016, 10:59:28 PM »

Fascinating Stewart!

if you look at the way Alna is laid out (along with it's principal structures and industry) you can understand the reasoning behind all four stops.

Sheepscot was meant to serve the community that existed on each side of the Sheepscot River down east of the museum on Sheepcot Road. I've been told and seen some pictures of a mill that once stood by the reversing falls, so this may have been served by the Sheepcot stop as well. I'm not sure when a bridge was built at the location, but I think it must've been early.

Alna Center is located in a good position to serve both the meetinghouse and the school, both of which predated the railway. As has been said, there was once a road which went all the way across to the West Alna Road where Alna Center Station is, so it served other functions for the residents as well.

Alna would have served the part of Alna that is referred to as Puddledock, which you get to if you take the right turn at the fork by the Alna Store. There was a post office, store and church there among other things. Not sure when the bridge across the Sheepscot was built here either, but this would've given those traveling direct access to the station from town.

Lastly, Head Tide, which was the location of a mill, store, blackmith shop, school, and church. This stop was significant enough that it warranted a larger station and siding. Most of these buildings are still there, aside from the mill which burned and the blacksmith shop.

The teacher in me has taken note that each of these villages once had their own school. I believe all of the buildings still stand. Although none of theme see students anymore, the Alna Center school has been preserved by the town.

If you are interested in the history of Alna, I'd strongly recommend getting a copy of the film "Currents, Courses, and Streams, Alna, Maine: Histories of a Backwater Town". It is very well done and does a good job of expressing what life was like in Alna years ago. Plus, there is a small section on the railway and it's role in the community. I believe the film is available from the gift shop.

Steve

320

The Original W&Q and WW&F: 1894-1933 / Re: January 2016 Work Planning

« on: January 10, 2016, 09:59:58 PM »

If there are old Tax maps in the Alna town office they might be helpful for learning where the location of the "Alna" stop mentioned in early timetables was because they might give locations of ancient roads, properties, etc.

Another interesting fact related is that Alna once had 4 Railway stations: Sheepscot, Alna Center, Alna, and Head Tide. Based on the 1900 census, the first after the railways completion, the town had 444 residents. I think it is fascinating that such a small town was so extensively served by the railway. Can anyone think of any other town of it's size with that many railway stations?

At some point I would love to assemble an exhibit on the various stations of Alna with photography, models, maps, and artifacts to tell the story of this unique (as far as I can tell) situation.

Steve

321

Work and Events / Re: Sheepscot Turntable - Official Work Thread

« on: January 10, 2016, 12:39:10 AM »

Based on the photos it seems like this turntable had much less of a traditional pit and more of what could be called a foundation ring to support the ring rail. In the photos you can see that the ballasted track comes to a level pretty high above the ring while in other places it falls away from it. If I recall correctly, this is similar to the way the SR&RL turntable in Phillips is installed.

Steve

322

Work and Events / Re: Box Car 67 - Official Work Thread

« on: December 30, 2015, 11:00:56 PM »

Wow awesome work so far! If you find old iron that you want to recover, I would suggest investigating the electrolytic rust removal as a means of removing all rust without impacting the remaining good metal. One can either build an electrolysis tank with a battery charger and some other help or find someone who deals with old iron that already has one. P.S. don't do this inside or near an open flame because the process releases hydrogen gas.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Electrolytic-Rust-Removal-aka-Magic/

Steve

323

Work and Events / Re: WW&F No. 9 - Official Work Thread

« on: December 12, 2015, 08:23:43 PM »

The ultimate "barn find".  Usually we associate such with old cars, but here's the jackpot!  Imagine the odds of it surviving the WWII scrap drives or just having the shed collapse on top of it later on, exposing it to the elements.  Now let's go find the always elusive sunken locomotives in the many New England lakes that are rumored to exist!

I think that the amazing thing that sets 9 apart from other "lost" or "found" locomotives is that 9 has always had someone sort of looking out for her, in a way. To think, saved first by the Kennebec Central then by Frank Winter and the WW&F, then the Ramsdell's, and finally resurrected by the WW&F Railway's current incarnation. She certainly has led a charmed life!

Mike, beautiful photos- I especially like your artistic use of the puddle. Who'd of thought we'd have this weather in December?!

Stephen

324

Work and Events / Re: Whitefield Section House - Official Work Thread

« on: November 29, 2015, 11:49:48 PM »

I have a simple wall desk my father made back around 1960-65. It's made of plywood and stained "maple". It has a dropdown front, a center drawer and a couple of shelves. I'd be happy/willing to donate it for your use. You may restain it to suit. I could bring it up when I come for the Christmas event weekend.

Hi Kevin,

I was hoping to recreate as best possible the original wall desk that appears in the photos we have. I wouldn't discount the idea that the desk could be used somewhere though, so some other area of the Railway might have a use for it.

Steve

325

Work and Events / Re: Whitefield Section House - Official Work Thread

« on: November 20, 2015, 04:00:01 PM »

As I see it the fire car should always be stored on live rail. Should it be needed the extra time dragging it onto the tracks would be the time the car would be useful in such a case. Stewart makes a good point about the heavier cars.

Really you could probably realistically only fit one other 4 wheel car in there. So in addition to that, I'd like to build some tool hangers that can handle a bunch of tools. Also leave some room for track jacks and what not. To the left of the door ill build a small desk hall mounted desk. This is visible in older photos and Id like to recreate it.

Steve

326

Volunteers / Re: November 2015 Work Planning

« on: November 04, 2015, 08:57:29 PM »

Ill be around James. I know Ja wanted to touch base for brakeman training. Maybe I can plan around that.
Steve

327

General Discussion / Re: NNG: "Rosie the Riveter" at the Strasburg Rail Road

« on: October 26, 2015, 05:45:29 AM »

Hi Jock,

#39 is the locomotive from the Railroad Museum of Long Island. The boiler is currently at Strasburg. Fundraising is underway to complete he restoration. The museum has signed a lease with the Strasburg that will allow it to run there when it is completed.

#35 on the other hand is another LIRR G-5sc. It is owned by Nassau County and is currently under the stewardship of the Oyster Bay Railroad Museum. Restoration of this locomotive is currently underway by Steam Operations Corporation.

Steve

328

Work and Events / Re: Car Barn - Official Work Thread

« on: October 21, 2015, 01:26:15 PM »

Hey Dave,

It won't have shakes nor shingles. Original images of the building show a roof of rolled roofing which had the seams tarred. This is what the replica has. It has already been installed.

Bill is referring to the clear panes which were alternated between the opaque roofing panels.

Steve

329

Whimsical Weirdness and Foolery / Re: Maine Attractions

« on: October 17, 2015, 12:38:36 PM »

Not to derail this conversation... But the car holding a peach(?) in the postcard to the right is on rare fox trucks.

This one reminds me of the Great Northern Great Potato they would serve in the dining car when you passed through Idaho.

Steve

330

Work and Events / Re: Box Car 67 - Official Work Thread

« on: October 17, 2015, 11:57:57 AM »

It's an interesting problem:

Restore it in a WW&F paint scheme and it denies the car's historical background which is a shame because there aren't all that many B&SR cars left.

Restore it in a B&SR car and we need to interpret why there is a B&SR car on the WW&F which it never interchaged with.

I think there is value in it as a B&SR car because the story of why the B&SR and WW&F didn't connect is a valuable one: both were feeder railways that connected small towns with the larger standard gauge system with one eventually being owned by the standard gauge system.

Just a thought.