Garage - Official Work Thread

[Fred Morse]

I've been thinking! As the garage workers are called Garage Rats,  When we start working on it, will people working on the pole barn car storage area, be called pole cats?

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

This week -

The garage rats (led by Big Cheeze Fred) installed the rest of the overhead door tracks.  The east door was finished and the tractor was moved over to C bay.  The AA truck was brought over from the shop and parked in it's new home, A bay.  Note: the garage crew has designated the west bay as A, center B and east bay as C.

In true WW&F spirit (save/reuse everything) the crew saved the wood scraps from construction.  Yesterday, three bundles of wood were taken to Alna Center   the North Pole for kindling for the station stove and bon fire.  The crew even fired up the station stove to warm the windows and cleaned the glass for Victorian Christmas.

Start   

[Keith Taylor]

Stewart, I hope that none of the scrap wood is pressure treated. If it is, please do NOT burn it as the fumes generated are highly toxic.
Keith

[Brendan Barry]

A different perspective.

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Nice shot Brendan, looks like you got a raise.

Start

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Today -

* Zack installed the outside casing and weather stripping around the doors for bays A and C.

* Mike organized the tools at the work bench.

* Fred cleaned up spare wood, etc. along the back wall.  Some of the lumber is stored in the rafters above the bays.

Start

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Yesterday -

* Zack installed the door springs on the center "B" bay so we can get the excavator out.  He also shoveled around the A door in case we get the AA truck out on Saturday.

* Steve Z. plowed the parking lot and garage apron. 

More plowing may be needed after the storm tonight.  There will be a crew at Sheepscot on Friday to get things ready for VC.  Work will include cleaning station platforms, switches and possibly running a plow extra.  #52 is in the machine shop with the plow on.  The plow will have to come off after the engine clears the yard tracks and mainline.

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

This week -

* Zack installed the last set of springs so the B bay door can be raised. 

* Steve Z. plowed the parking lot again and snow was removed from in front of the garage entrance door.

* More tools were hung by the work bench with care ... in hopes that "plywood" Fred soon would be there.

Some of the garage rats became snow cats this week, clearing snow for the house, shop and station entrances. 

[Fred Morse]

If the plywood is hung on the back wall with care, it might keep out some of the cold winter air.

[Ira Schreiber]

If it is not hung totally plumb,
there could be a very cold thumb.

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

I guess it's a good time to note that the Garage Rats really came through for the museum.  Due to their putting in many hours of hard work, sometimes during the week, the structure is nearly complete this month.  The work paid off as the tractor, excavator, mower and Model AA truck are nice and dry inside a new building.  The biggest dividend for the railroad is the truck moving to it's new home, freeing up space in the shop building.  The relocation allows coach 8 and engine 52 to be inside for the Winter.

Not sure how many hours are in the garage project but the books indicate some of the top Rats:

Fred "Big Cheeze" Morse aka Fred "Plywood" Morse
Steve "Nailgun" Zuppa
Zack "Azek" Wyllie
Eric "Evening" Schade
Stewart "Start" Rhine
Brendan "Towmotor" Barry
Mike "Rowmow" Fox
James "Books" Patten
Leon "Two" Weeks
 
Thanks to these and many more people for helping with the project!  

[Brendan Barry]

Friday 12/20/13

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Garage Rat Christmas -

Step 1 - Have a great time working at Victorian Christmas on Saturday
Step 2 - Recover from Victorian Christmas on Sunday
Step 3 - Drive to CT for family Christmas on Monday
Step 4 - After staying just 9 hours, get news that all of Alna (and many other places) has no power from the ice storm
Step 5 - Drive 4 hours back to Maine on Tuesday to get wood stove and generators going to keep house from freezing (it was down to 42 inside)
Step 6 - Tuesday night - temps around 0, go to Sheepscot to check things at the railroad - no power.  Bring propane heater from gift shop over to the house.  Check restroom building, nice and warm.
Step 7 - Wednesday, fire up heater in the Percival House cellar.  Meet Fred at Sheepcot to bring a generator over in case the railroad freezers get too warm.  Drag generator over on the ice, extra points for not falling.
Step 8 - "Break into" the garage to get extra propane bottle.  Door is frozen solid, so we use a flat bar to pry the ice away from the base of the door.  
Step 9 - Recover from stuff at the railroad and prepare to do it again if power doesn't come back tonight.

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Addendum -

Step 10 - Power just came back on.  Do happy dance then call Fred and Zack with the news.  Check the heating plants for the shop and house.  Check the Executone telephone system and clear the alarm's system power alarm.

Step 11 - Take cat nap ... cats optional.

p.s. Thanks to Fred and Cindy for helping drag the generator through the snow!   

[Gordon Cook]

Stewart,
On behalf of those who can't be there, many thanks for taking care of everything.
Hope the rest of your day is relaxing and Merry Christmas to you and Cindy.