May 2010 Work Planning

[James Patten]

Anticipated doings for weekend of May 1.

Saturday is Annual Meeting day.
* There will be a joint WW&F/W&Q board meeting in the morning (most likely at the fire station)
* The annual meeting will be at 2 PM in the Alna Meeting house.
* Due to the work weekend being last weekend, and catering to any members that show up for the annual meeting, volunteer numbers are likely to be light and concentrating on train and gift shop operation, plus the meeting.

[Cliff Olson]

Time and purpose of joint WW&F/W&Q board meeting?

[James Patten]

The meeting starts at 8.  Our purpose is to reestablish communications between the two groups and discuss any subjects between the two of us that need discussion.

[James Patten]

Activity on May 1

* The WW&F and W&Q boards met at 8 and spent a couple of hours discussing subjects of mutual interest.
* Our annual meeting started at 2 and was over before 3.
* Not only volunteer turnout, but member turnout was extremely light.  We basically ran 3 trains the whole day.
* Jason and Ed G worked to level/align the New Haven lathe's headstock

[Dana Deering]

James,

     I plan to be at Sheepscot again on 5/15.  We should plan to do some track work that day.  There is a bad low joint at Cock Eye Curve that needs fixing and a long sag right before Sutter's Crossing likewise.  We can work out some kind of plan.  There's plenty to do.

Dana

[Mike Fox]

I will also plan to attend that day....

[James Patten]

Anticipated work for weekend of May 8, 2010

* The last scheduled rules review session is Saturday at 9 AM.  Plan to attend or make arrangements to get a review if you haven't gotten one already.
* I believe Josh will be in town to work on electrical.
* Rain is expected so I don't know of any external projects.

[Mike Fox]

James went home around noon, so I'll try to fill in what he missed.

I arrived about 11:30, so prior to that, I have no knowledge of what went on. Trains were running with the diesel as needed.

Johnathan started tackling the "new" air compressor Friday without much luck. He had changed a couple of plug wires, all 4 plugs and put on a new condensor. Would not run.

Saturday, we decided to move it inside. Once inside, Jason and I removed the end paned for better access to the motor. A lot of cleaning was done, as there was a considerable mouse nest around the heads. This is an air cooled engine, so air flow is a must.

We looked at the distributor cap, rotor and coil. It was decided to see what we can get to replace these, as the rotor has a burnt spot in it.

The tarnished gas was drained from the gas tank, and the gauge cleaned to get it to work. There is a lot of rust in the tank and may need to be replaced. Depends on what we can do to get the rust out.

Everything else looked old but in good shape. If we can get it running, it should work out just fine for us.

Ken did some moving upstairs. He planed on being there today to help Josh with some wiring.

[James Patten]

On Saturday morning, several guys went to Alna Center to move the removed culvert to the parking lot, so that the Kennebec Central group can use it.

There was the last scheduled rules review at 9; Jason did most of the talking as my voice was shot from a sore throat this week (Thanks Jason).

A word about the "new" air compressor, which I'm not sure if the story has been told.  We were contacted a week or so before the work weekend and asked if we would like a used air compressor, 85 cfm, which had been running the last time it was used, but that was something like 5 years ago.  We went and got it.  It's a trailer-mounted Lindsay air compressor model 80 with a Wisconsin engine.  The year is unknown, but I saw 1980s-era Lindsays for sale on ebay for $1000 or more.

[James Patten]

Anticipated projects for weekend of May 15:

* Dana is taking out a track crew on Saturday
* Efforts to get the Lindsay air compressor compressing will continue
* Zack may attempt to replace the Percival house sewage pump
* Might see Josh working on electrical
* "Other duties as assigned"

[Mike Fox]

Compressor work will commence once the morning track work is finished. Parts dependent, of course.

[James Patten]

Work from the weekend of May 15:

* On Friday Jonathan worked on the Linsday air compressor, taking stuff apart and cleaning it.
* Saturday Mike and Dana joined by various others worked on it and got it to start and run.  Later they got it compressing.  Later they broke it.  At the end of the day they had it working again, but still needs work.  As-is, it was not able to run all four tampers on Big Joe.  But at the end of the day Mike started playing with the governor and with it revved up it was producing plenty of air to keep the tampers going.  Looks like it needs a new governor.  Good thing we have an election in November.  Needs also additional TLC but we probably have a keeper.
* Mike and Dana first thing in the morning raised joints on either side of Sutter's crossing.
* A lady showed up and started working on the greenery around the Percival House.  Additionally Zack and Fred did some mowing.
* The railcar arrived in the early afternoon.  It has driveshaft problems which will be addressed by Jason.  Everyone was admiring it.

[Mike Fox]

Yes, now Big Joe has a last name. Lindsay. It will hopefully work well for us. The issues now are all fuel related. The Tank is rusty on the inside and keeps clogging the fuel line.

[Bill Reidy]

Looks like it needs a new governor.  Good thing we have an election in November.

Ouch.

[James Patten]

Anticipated work for weekend of May 22:

* I would guess Jonathon will be busy on Friday and others busy on Saturday working on marrying "Big Joe" to "Lindsay".
* Work on the railcar to figure out the driveshaft issue.
* There may be work to prepare #10 for use next weekend.