June 2018 Work Planning

[James Patten]

Anticipated work for weekend of June 2:

* Caboose 320
* Percival House stairs
* Track work
* Mountain ROW/Trout Brook

[Mike Fox]

I will have a mid morning (9am) arrival Saturday. I plan on more pipe work and grading on the 218 end. Things should shape up quickly and be ready for the contractor to haul gravel in just a week or 2.

[John Kokas]

Please keep us updated with progress photos!  Can't wait to see it at FWW...

[James Patten]

Work done on Saturday June 2:

* Percival stairs: the risers and steps are done. 
* Mountain Extension: Mike put in another culvert
* Machine shop: Alan was at work.
* Caboose: Marcel was working on windows.

Generally a slow day for volunteers and visitors.

[Mike Fox]

And I found stuff. Lots of stuff. Bits and bars, steel plates, and a corner stone for the section house that used to be there. Actually think I found 3 of the 4 corners, but 2 had been moved.. I left one stone where I found it, so it marks the spot..




Corner stone

[Jeff Schumaker]

Those are some interesting items you found, Mike.

Jeff S.

[Wayne Laepple]

Some of those rusty bits and pieces look like automobile parts. I sort of recall a 1930's vintage car back in there somewhere. I wonder if someone was scrapping old cars there at one time.

[Fred L. Kuhns]

Mike, could you provide information on the section house?

[John Kokas]

My question would be; knowing the alignment and need for a passing siding, can we re-erect a section house on the original stones or will we have to move it to another location due to track alignment and/or drainage issues?

[Mike Fox]

We are going to have to move it slightly south, mostly because of drainage. I thought I had moved location 17 North enough, but not so far north as to interfere with any other plans up there, but wound up finding another stone today, right where I put this ditch..



And end of work today saw this, ready for gravel in the low/soft spot..

[Ed Lecuyer]

Mike - While exploring up there late Sat, I found many parts to an old (coal?) stove just south of the section house site. Did you see these and do you think they are connected to the RR? There is also some additional metal pieces still buried there.

[John Kokas]

Thanks for the progress pics Mike, its so helpful when describing the ongoing work.  Sometimes I'm awestruck at the pace of progress being made.  Can't wait to walk this in the Fall!

[Mike Fox]

Ed,
I found the door last weekend and set it on one of the logs. Yesterdays helper found more pieces, probably the same as you. I suspect someone just dumped the stove there, not railroad related. Too far from the section house..

[Paul Uhland]

Mike...will the construction road from Location 1 to 218/Location 18 after the track is extended?

[Mike Fox]

Not quite sure what you are asking Paul. We currently have permission to use the access road we used last year to access the slide this year. After track is laid by the road, we will install a crossing so the land owner can access her back land. As with any private access road, we will seek permission to use it again if we need.

Location 17 is just in from 218. We have no location 18, yet.  When all work is complete, the temporary entrance we are using at 218 will be removed (I estimated with the state 2022) to keep vehicular traffic from the railroad grade. We have had no trouble so far, and want to keep it that way..