Spring 2016 work weekend.

[Dave Crow]

Rick, no, my work and home schedule has limited my machine shop time over the winter and this spring.  Each machining step for the points is taking longer than I expected, so I won't have them ready until later in the summer.  I'd also like to make sure the other material needed for the switches, such as slide plates, connecting bars, attachments to the points themselves, etc. are complete and ready to go as well.

I'm sorry for the delay in having the points ready.  If the new mill is installed in the shop before SWW, maybe I can work on machining the sixth point; I had enough 33# rail in Baltimore to bend 3 left-side and 2 right-side points.

Dave Crow

[Rick Sisson]

Thanks Dave.
I heartily agree that having all the ancillary pieces and parts ready before installation begins is the most effective way of making the job go well.
Thanks again for all the progress you and Wayne have made in Baltimore.

[Wayne Laepple]

I can't take too much credit, Rick. I only managed one trip to Baltimore to help Dave. He's been going to the shop on his lunch hour and twisting his friends' arms to help him.

See you soon!

[Mike Fox]

Please do not park infront of the garage this weekend. Josh R plans on doing some wiring, and the garage will need to be emptied as much as possible for him to do his work. We have a nice parking lot with plenty of space available...

[Jason M Lamontagne]

Saturday mid day we are planning a small ceremony at Alna Center as part of the 12:30 trip.  The ceremony will honor Julius Stuck's role there.  Following that we will hold a group photo session in front of no 9- probably one for everyone and one for those volunteers who actually worked on it.

See ya
Jason

[Alan Downey]

I mentioned this to Jason, but wanted to broadcast it here as well. If there are any spike mauls that are loose or flying off the handle after the work weekend, if they could be marked or put aside somewhere, Id be happy to work on them while I'm up there later in the month. I've got a dozen sledgehammer wedges right now, but if there is a need for more than that, let me know.

[Mike Fox]

We have a couple broken handles, and there is a pick with a broken handle, but those are easy to fix

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

For some people, the SWW started on Monday.  Here's a recap of some of the projects:

* Monday - Crushed rock was spread in front of the machine shop doors so the forklift could drive inside.

* Tuesday - Ties and rail were set out for the woods track.  The first truckload of rail arrives.  The gift shop wifi unit was moved and rewired to prepare for the clock that Bernie donated.

* Wednesday - More rail arrives and has to be stacked.  The south end of track 7 is torn out.  Machines were moved and some removed from the machine shop.   #10's boiler was moved from the yard.  The stationary steam engine was moved onto a tipcar frame.  Prebles shelter was moved out front next to the shop.   Flatcar 118 was taken to AC and loaded with gravel for the upper yard spur.  A large delivery of electricial parts was unloaded for Josh to wire the garage.

* Thursday - The final truckload of rail arrives.  The flatcar load of gravel is unloaded on the upper yard spur.  Photo charter: Guests arrive and two special trains are run with runbys at a number of locations.  Scenes are set up at AC with Randy Beach's 1920 Dodge and the railroads Model A truck.  Another flatcar load of gravel is loaded during the afternoon freight train making the run a true freight.  Evening photo shoots are held in Bay 3 and the yard with direction by Steve H.  Lots of kitchen prep for the SWW as well as food for the photo charter guests.

This is not everything that happened this week (and we didn't list the snow storm) but it gives members an idea why we're calling the last 4 days "crazy week" now, on to the real SWW!!

[Steve Smith]

TICK WARNING: Work weekenders, according to the local papers, the Lyme disease epidemic and the tick population growth are worse than ever this year. Also, the some ticks now transmit some diseases considerably worse than Lyme.

Recommended: Tuck trousers into socks. Use DEET bug repellent spray on clothing. At days end, check your self for ticks.

[Paul Uhland]

Spectacular...so many projects and a photo shoot!
Hope lots of help shows up.

[Mike Fox]

Question. Why was the stationary engine putcon a tip car chassis? Just moved back would have been sufficient

[Jason M Lamontagne]

We now have the option of putting it inside for protection from the weather.  It's showing the need...

It's on the former plate roller chassis.

Jason

[Mike Fox]

Cool. Plate roller gone?

[Kevin Madore]

TICK WARNING: Work weekenders, according to the local papers, the Lyme disease epidemic and the tick population growth are worse than ever this year. Also, the some ticks now transmit some diseases considerably worse than Lyme.

Recommended: Tuck trousers into socks. Use DEET bug repellent spray on clothing. At days end, check your self for ticks.

For what it is worth, I did a fair amount of walking through the weeds while participating in yesterday's photo shoot, and I did not see any ticks.   Having had a couple of relatives get Lyme Disease, I am probably as paranoid as anyone about the little buggers, so I wore a pair of old, tan khakis and I tucked the cuffs into my big boots.  I sprayed the lower pant cuffs and the boots with "Deep Woods Off" and never saw a one.  I also did the obligatory tick-check after I got home (not to mention taking a good hot bath), all with negative results.

I did hear a couple of folks mention flicking a tick or two off, but overall, the tick situation did not seem bad at all.  There is not a lot of new vegetation growing yet, so as long as you're working fairly close to the ROW and not doing a lot of bush-whacking, tuck the pant cuffs into the boots, spray 'em down with some repellent a do a timely check and a hot shower afterward and you should be fine.

/Kevin

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Friday, April 29th: Day 1 (Day 3 for some volunteers) -

* Track - (1) Dana's crew set out ties and rail at TOM.  (2) Rick's crew applied gravel and stone to the upper yard spur track and tamped a good bit of it. Gravel was hauled from AC and the stone was loaded on the roundhouse spur.  To tamp the upper yard, Big Joe was turned to face south.  More rail was spiked inside the car barn.  Steve made more comp joints for the yard track.  Eric and Jeff repaired a few spike mauls.

* Boxcar 67 - Zack's crew made good progress on the frame, side and end sills. 

* Locomotive #9 - The locomotive was steamed up and switched Sheepscot yard (freight cars were still out from the photo charter).  #9 also ran to TOM to bring Dana's track crew back for supper.  Brendan worked on building a new frame to hold the original Portland Company boiler.

* Shop - The machine shop was cleaned up a bit since #9 and RC4 were outside.  Wayne and crew worked on the riveting machine. 

* RC4 - Engine: the spark plugs were pulled and cleaned and the distributor was cleaned.  The railcar was test run afterward.

* Kitchen - Sue and crew did a wonderful job feeding hard working volunteers a hearty lunch and supper.

* Attendance - 55 people had signed the book at 5:00pm.