Some photos from yesterday -- Saturday, December 8th, 2018 -- A sunny, cold day with temperatures in the teens.
Steam locomotive #9 was fired up to provide training runs for firemen-in-training.
Our train for the day. Engineer James Patten is checking the water in the tank.
Fireman Roger Whitney (background) was the trainer, and the fireman trainees were (left-to-right) Steve Lennox, Dan Malkowski and Steve Piwowarski. Everyone's smiling, so the day must have went well!
Trainees Dan, Steve L. and Steve P.
Photos from trips up the line. It looks like Central Maine Power replaced their transmission tower next to the tracks on the west side on Cock-eye Curve recently, perhaps this past week.
Sheepscot Mills. A view of the new Maine Locomotive and Machine Works siding from the rear of a northbound train.
Southbound view of the new MLMW switch.
View of the MLMW siding.
Top of Mountain. The day's plan was to run round trips between Sheepscot and Alna Center for the trainees, but for our early afternoon trip, John McNamara requested a trip to Top of Mountain, so he could measure out a (temporary?) magneto phone line from the phone box to the mill siding. I understand we may station a caboose on the siding for spring work weekend, and the caboose would have a magneto phone connection. Here's John getting his measurements.
Meanwhile, back at Sheepscot, a sawing Fred is a happy Fred. Fred was busy cutting collected hardwood to be used for steam locomotive fire up. Al Michelis looks on.
Despite the chalkboard sign, the bench saw little use Saturday.
Mike Fox talks with Dave Buczkowski as Mike worked on Casey's hydraulics. Mike replaced a seal in the hydraulic pump yesterday.
Shop views. The first of two stainless steel flues has been installed through the roof, near the north end of the building.
Inside view of the new flue. It's located between shop bays 2 and 3.
Shop bay 1. As previously reported by others, the overhead crane rails have been installed at the south end of the bay.
Brendan Barry has been making repairs to the Brookville (locomotive #51) in shop bay 2, including the transmission.
Alan Downey, later joined by Brendan, worked on the installation of the first overhead crane rail at the south end of shop bay 3.
Alan worked on repositioning the drill press so the forklift could be moved over to bay 3.
Alan and Brendan lifting the first rail into place in bay 3.
The December board of directors meeting was yesterday. This photo was taken just before the start of the meeting at 4 p.m. I left at 7.30 p.m., and the meeting was still going strong!
