I have a somewhat different view. I was one of those few who worked on the repairs to the Maine Narrow Gauge Museum's flatcar well into the evening on the Friday of the Spring Work Weekend, and most of Saturday, having asked those in charge if help was needed and being welcomed enthusiastically, perhaps with recollection of prior participation in shop activity (I typically try to spend one day there each work weekend, and another on track work). Like some volunteers, I have a certain amount of experience in rolling stock restoration, having accomplished such things elsewhere as completely reconstructing the rotten ends of "broad gauge" heavyweight passenger cars, so the comparatively modest work needed to relocate the draft gear on a wooden flatcar seemed a natural thing to lend a hand with. Most importantly, this work was promoted as being of critical importance to the weekend trackwork itself, so as to have four flatcars available for ballasting, and with the hard work of a small crew, we got the job done. Yes, there were a few people "hanging around" from time to time, including a couple of guys in their 80s who didn't seem to me to be withholding much in the way of spike-driving agility, but were certainly willing to hold the end of a tape measure. Others "hanging around" the flatcar job from time to time included members of the Webb family and their fellow RRE members who were not present to drive spikes, but to present a check for thousands of dollars in support of the Mountain Extension....
A couple of people asked me about my seemingly-awkward efforts to work wearing one glove. By way of reluctant admission, several months prior to the Spring Work Weekend, I had the misfortune to lose the tip of an index finger following a painful crush accident, and remained under medical orders to avoid certain types of work involving repetitive shock, such as hammering (believe me, for a long time it hurt to even try to do such things). So for this reason as well, it was hardly a case of seeking out "sexy" work on the flatcar rather than driving some spikes, but instead being glad to be able to help productively with something that was within my particular skill-set and experience, and my then-current limitation. I could, on the other hand, have simply stayed home.
At the prior Fall Work Weekend, I was recruited to be one of the chainfall operators on Elmer the gantry crane and the amount of progress it facilitated was self-evident. I'm glad to say that if asked to do so again, I'm now back to the point of being able to handle such work, but if asked to assist in some other way, that will be fine also.
I believe Dana raises fair points, and I certainly respect them. I take no position on whether the B&SR tank car should be worked on during this coming FWW or not, but I also respect the decisions of the Board of Trustees to help ensure its preservation, and the mechanical leaders' ability to make that happen using whatever resources, human and otherwise, as may be at their disposal. And if part of the evolving Work Weekend management process is now going to include people in charge of making sure help is properly directed to where it can best be utilized, I'm OK with that too.
