Shop Building & Machinery Improvements - Official Work Thread

[Steve Smith]

What a nice surprise to walk into the machine shop this week and see things so orderly, and to find the tools I needed where they were supposed to be. I'm told this was the work of Ed Gilhooley. Great job, Ed!!!

P.S. When I was finished I put the tools back where they belong.

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

I went to the East Broad Top Railroad's 50th Anniversary opening yesterday. Great day.  One of the most popular events was a tour of the main shop building.  The EBT's shop is an early 1900's gem of machine technology with it's line and shaft system and original drive belts.  Our shop is smaller and newer but I have found that visitors enjoy touring the shop and hearing what the various machines do.  Having a clean shop is good for the volunteers and visitors.  Thanks Ed! 

In the past we have had informal shop tours during our larger events.  Our shop tours could more organized.  A notice could be posted in the gift shop (or outside) that shop tours would be given at a certain time. A volunteer guide would collect visitors and lead them through the shop.  A few small signs could be placed on the machines to identify their use.  Organized tours would enhance the visitor experience, we just have to have a volunteer or two spend a little time conducting them.  I'd be glad to help with tours when I'm not holding a hammer or paint brush. 

[Pete "Cosmo" Barrington]

That's a good idea! I second! 

[Mike Fox]

P.S. When I was finished I put the tools back where they belong.

This has been a problem in the past. I am guilty of it as well as most others.

   My pet peeve is extension cords and drop lights. I am constantly unplugging things that are not in use. I hate seeing cords run across the floor and rails for no reason. With a little oil and some dust, a spark could easily spell disaster for the museum. This is one thing I would like to see us get in the habit of. Unplug extension cords and hand held electric tools when not in use. The more hazards we eliminate, the less the chance something will happen we don't want.

[Bruce Mowbray]

Ed will be back next week to check up on you guys...


Bruce Mowbray
Springville, PA

[Wayne Laepple]

Hmmm. Well, what if each person who used a tool or machine in the shop picked up and cleaned up and put away after himself? How much time has been wasted by folks searching for a tool that someone else left where they last used it rather than returning it to its place? Why should Ed be the grownup here?

[Jason M Lamontagne]

Ed has been helpful- however we have been making a more concerted effort to keep after ourselves lately.  I did a major reorganization of stored items this spring- utilizing space created upstairs on a series of new shelves on the West wall.  With that- a lot of unused, stored stuff got cleared from Bay 4, allowing for space for more frequently used items.  This culminated with an effort on Work weekend that cleared all three working benches- as the tools stored there could be relocated to more permenant homes.  The key to keeping this dream a reality is what Wayne says- everyone must keep up after themselves.  When we see that someone has left something out- put it away- rather than go away in disgust and letting it build.  Ed has been a big part of this but it has taken a lot of people's effort and will continue needing to be.

Jason

[Stephen Hussar]

Ed means business...just look at what happened to Gordon after Ed caught him leaving a few drill bits laying around the shop 

So if you use it, put it away...or else!!

[Dave Buczkowski]

I think Steve's photo should be posted in the shop with a severe warning to transgressors.

[Steve Smith]

Priceless photo, Stephen, Ed and Gawdon!

With Ed's long years in police work, just think of the holds he can put on us if we don't put stuff away!

[Jock Ellis]

Get me on the jury and I'll vote to acquit! Modern machine shops drop their power conduit pipe from the ceiling. Is there any way drop cords could be routed to the rafters rather than slithering along the floors? I'm sure that isn't prototypical but then neither were electric powered machine shops at the fin de ciecle.

[Stephen Hussar]

That's a good question for Josh, a few strategically placed power drops...

[Paul Horky]

 To answer Josh's Question about power delivery system in the origenal WW&F shop it was all powered  by overheadbelt to lineshaft  run by a steam engine so yes it was different. Now my question is what kind of power system does the new shop have? At one point when some of the first machines arrived there was no power to run them so someone got an engine/generator set I think? then there was talk of getting 480 run in by Maine Power but they did'nt have it available close. So is the shop still running on home-made power or is commersal power now available.

[James Patten]

We get 200 amp 220 volt power from Central Maine Power.  We have a 3-phase generator which is occasionally fired up to operate machinery requiring 3-phase power.  I inquired about having CMP deliver 3-phase power, thinking that there was 3-phase at the intersection of Cross road and 218 just up the street.  It would cost us at least $50,000.  Turns out I was wrong about the 3-phase, it's only 2-phase at the intersection.  Although there's a substation less than a half mile from us it would be probably $100,000 to have the 3-phase delivered to us.  We have better uses for that kind of money.

[John McNamara]

Some years ago, we acquired several great old machines at a bargain price from a machine shop in Massachusetts. Some of these machines required 525 Volt 3-phase. In addition to exploring the CMP alternatives that James outlined, we studied various static and rotary methods of creating 3-phase from single phase. We eventually re-motored the machines that we use most often and also obtained the gift of a 480-volt, 3-phase diesel generator. I think it was Josh Recave who found a suitable transformer that would kick this up to the required 525. For those rare occasions that we need to use one of the 525 machines, we fire up the generator and we're on our way.