A Winter Work Weekend

[James Patten]

I believe President's Day does coincide with school vacations.

[Ed Lecuyer]

I added another option to the poll, because I didn't find a category that best fit my vote. (Which is that the date doesn't matter at all to me, and MLK/Pres. weekend is no different than any other.)

[Fred Morse]

After a Christmas holiday and New Years holiday we should be ready to do lots of tree cutting and burning brush by MLK birthday. This first winter work weekend,I think, should be finishing cleaning up around the parking lot and a lot of small evergreen trees near where the new sidings will be. Of course if there is little snow we could work about anywhere.

[Craig "Red" Heun]

Looks like I may be able to do at least MLK weekend, maybe both if we get really ambitious.

[Mike Fox]

Of course I am willing to work any weekend I can, but can not commit to any particular weekend. Weather permitting with me. So much to do if and when it snows....

[Galo J. Hernandez 3rd]

Hampton Inn and Suites here in Thomaston is open year round, and has Applebees a stones throw to its side and a multi movie Flagship cinema right behind it ,walking distance from the inn. Thomaston is 35 minutes to the North on RT 1< another 5 minutes brings you to the Maine Eastern Railroad roundhouse in Rockland,Gman.

[James Patten]

After discussion at tonight's board meeting, the results are in.

We will be having our first winter work weekend on President's Weekend.  The reason it's President's Weekend is that we have a charter on first Saturday of March, so some of the crew will spend a portion of one of the days clearing out the railroad.  It's also the beginning of school vacation week.  Crews will be:
* cutting trees, sounds like mostly thinning the fur tree herd on the Boudin parcel (which has the added benefit of showing us more of the lay of the land).
* if we can get enough carpenters, doing roof repair work on Coach 8 inside the machine shop.

Remember that this is our first winter work weekend attempt, so this is why we're keeping things close to home the first time.

[Dave Buczkowski]

James;
  Is it all three days? (Saturday, Sunday & Monday?)
Dave

[James Patten]

It is all three days.

[James Patten]

Some changes to what we're anticipating with the work weekend.

* The coach 8 roof repair is off until Spring work weekend.
* Clearing snow in Sheepscot yard will be the major challenge.  Plus clearing switches at Alna Center.  Sounds like we'll plow out the mainline and AC siding first, then put the plow on the south side of the engine so that it can plow out Sheepscot yard.  We'll still need lots of help on the switches.  The last I heard this was a Sunday task.  Note that we will not be steaming up #10 for this.
* Rivetting of #9's smokebox to the boiler.  There's still a few holes to drill.  This is a Saturday task.
* There are some #10 tasks still to do to get it ready to steam: getting the new grates into the firebox, fitting up a new ashpan.
* Tree cutting is certainly possible, but because of heavy snow is now way down on the list.  Maybe if people come with snowshoes they can start out that way.

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Another Work Weekend job we should consider is clearing snow off of the machine shop roof.  This week has brought some freezing rain and more is predicted.  Additional rain will make the snow much heavier.  There have been some roof collapses in Maine this Winter.  Yes, the shop building is well built with large timbers but it wouldn't hurt to be on the safe side.

If the weather is warm enough, new phone/data cables will be pulled through the pipe from Bay 3 over to the freight house.  The pull takes 2-3 people.

[Dave Buczkowski]

James;
It doesn't look like you'll have enough work for the other 97 people that will be sure not to miss the Inaugural Winter Work Weekend! Make sure you have enough T-Shirts made up.
Dave

[James Patten]

We're only expecting about 20-30 people, because of the rather late notice in the newsletter and because its winter - the 11-15 people on this forum that said they could make it, plus the usual 12-15 regulars.

[Craig "Red" Heun]

Well Guys,

I'm a new guy and was really looking forward to spending at least two weekends a month working with all of you. I was there for at least two weekends in January. However, my employer, also known as the VA, has decided that certain people, doing certain jobs must work mandatory 2 weekends a month until September. Needless to say I had to make sure that I spend some weekend at home doing honey do lists.

That being said, it would appear that my ambitions of working on 9, the track and other WW&F related ventures is going to have to take a back seat for a while. I hope to get there as often as I can.  But who knows, I work for the gov't, and as you all know, so anything can change!

My apologies for not being able to make the Winter Work Weekend....I hope this changes by Spring Work Weekend.

That's my sob story dejour  

You may hear the same song from the other new guy, Todd, as he works the same job as myself

Red

[Mike Fox]

Red,
I know I hate it when life gets in the way. But it happens to me too. Switch the honey do's to Sunday and come on down.