April 2019 Work Reports

[James Patten]

Anticipated work for Saturday April 6:

* Flatcar 34
* Car shop organizing, insulating, and sheathing
* Outdoor spring cleaning

[James Patten]

Work done on Saturday April 6:

* Flatcar 34: Work was done to finish the two trucks, including getting the brake rigging on.
* Locomotive wood: Fred built a wood platform north of the wood shed and spent the morning carting wood from the west side of the parking lot to the platform.
* Spring cleaning: I heard Mike working with the equipment over near the woods track, not sure what he was doing.  I know the dozer was smoothing out the driveway.
* Beaver dam: Dams from last year showed signs of renewal, so earlier this week crews went up to take one down; Mike went up with the excavator and tried to reduce them.

[Fred Morse]

Three people were making 36 inch wide pallets, Because were putting them between tracks that the widest they cab be. They made 4 pallets for about 24 Ft. long. I had help on both loading and unloading the tractor. Theres still a lot of wood left to be split. Mike also pulled logs from the woodpile and put them on old ties so they will be easy to cut up into firewood. A lot way going on today everywhere,

[Mike Fox]

South truck (non brake end) was installed on 34 this afternoon after the bearings were packed and the pivot was greased.

I started building a pad on the north side of the container for a storage track. We have several 4 wheeled carts that have been removed from the rails, and I wanted a more permanent storage area. It may wind up being 2 tracks wide if I can fit them in. I almost got the tractor stuck due to the soft ground so I stopped working on that and will continue next week. This is all part of neatening up the parkinglot, and making it look presentable. We have done a great job so far, with a huge effort last year that made a big difference. I think what ever I get done next weekend will be it around the container for now, with Easter 2 weeks away, the work weekend the week after (I think), then start some ditching the week after that.

Beaver dams that were removed were done so with permission from IF&W. They were causing erosion to our grade. Some trees that had fallen and were impeding the flow of the brook were also carefully removed. They were dead and just laying there, with exception to a fir tree that had blown over and landed on the grade. I was able to break that (forgot to bring a saw) and get most of it out of the way. The only bad spot is the foot bridge over the brook. Last year I laid a couple of hemlock logs over the brook, lashed them together with a chain, and walked the excavator across, one side on the bridge, the other on the logs. A very unnerving feeling. I said it had a pucker factor of 9.9..

[Bill Reidy]

Some photos from today.  None include Mike's work, but I saw plenty of evidence he was busy today, with bulldozer and Kubota tracks across our Sheepscot campus!

I spent the day trying to help/keep out of the way our experienced shop crew.

First thing this morning, Fred Morse led an effort to build 36"-wide pallets so split firewood can season and be ready for the steam crew this year between shop bay tracks 1 & 2.  I spent a little time helping, before Fred and Brian Strait completed the day's work.  This first photo shows the split wood stacked to the right of the existing sheltered crib.  The piled wood today stands on two of the four pallets built today.


A wider view showing the four pallets built in place and ready for additional split wood.


The shop's focus today was getting the restored Bridgton & Saco River flat car No. 34 ready for service for Spring Work Weekend later this month.  In this photo, Capt. J.B. Smith looks on as James Patten works of the truck with brakes in bay 1.  Brian Strait (background) assisted on this effort.


J.B looks over the "B" (non-brake) truck, after preparation work led by Leon Weeks had been performed on the truck this morning and early afternoon.  J.B. handled the removal of old packing and looks over the truck before he installed the new packing.


These next photos show the B truck installation after J.B. completed the new packing installation.  In this photo, the truck has been moved over from bay 3 to bay 2, before installation.  The bay 2 overhead crane is about to lift the south end of car #34, allowing the removal of blocking and installation of the truck.  Pictured left-to-right are Jason Lamontagne, J.B. on the overhead crane chains, Zack Wyllie who led the car's restoration, and Brian Strait.


The south truck is rolled into place by Jason and Alan Downey, as Brian (left) and Zack (right) look on positioning, while J.B. handled the overhead crane chains.


The view after the B truck had been installed today.


While this other work was going on, Rich Currie and Rick Knight worked on the brake stand for car #34.


My day was capped by attending the Alna Volunteer Fire Department's ham and bean supper a couple of miles north on Route 218.  A very good meal, attended by good friends.  This is my first and hopefully not last opportunity to attend.

[Paul Uhland]

Great work.
The installed truck is now under the car's A end.
The other truck, with brake beams, shoes, operation linkage connected by short chain to its brake wheel/staff, will carry the car's B (brake control) end.

[James Patten]

Anticipated work for Saturday April 13

* Flatcar 34: Whatever work we need to do to get the car in service.
* Easter prep (Saturday the 20th)
* SWW prep (26th - 28th)
* Spring cleaning outdoors
* A track inspection might be a good idea.
* Board meeting at 4:00

[Fred Morse]

All the snow we got this week is about gone so I plan on splitting wood tomorrow and Sat. Got to get that job out of the way. I'm sure some will be done on the SWW too.

[Joe Fox]

Track inspection will be done next week. However I am hoping to do some track work provided I have the day off. 5 or 6 ties in the yard north of the water tower need to be replaced. If I am unable to be there and someone leads the efforts I would be forever gratefull. Feel free to contact me and I will provide details.

[Bill Baskerville]

Yesterday I finished the two ballast chutes.  Tomorrow if it doesn't rain I will paint them.  I still need to come up with a brace to hold them up in the slide position when ballasting.  I know they are crude but my 'home machine shop' consist of a vice, sawzall, drill, bench grinder and a hammer.

[Bill Baskerville]

Here is a side view of the ballast chute.  The wheel barrow wheel is for moving it around, to under the flat car and removing it from under the flat car.  The side rail wheels are for moving it to the left and right along the rail while ballast is routed under the flat car to between the rails.

[Bob Holmes]

Rest assured that someone (like maybe Brendan or Jason) will come up for a solution to brace them when ballasting.  Just get them here and let the rest of us all at it....

[Paul Uhland]

Nice work, Bob.
I'm sure the ballast crew will add any needed mods.

[Mike Fox]

Looks good Bill. Hope it works like you plan.  You never know how well it will until you try.

[Bill Baskerville]

Looks good Bill. Hope it works like you plan.  You never know how well it will until you try.

My worry is how well it fits under the truss rods of the flat car.  Just don't know until I get them there and try them.  I got an idea last night on how to brace them and will put that together this weekend.

We'll see in less than two weeks now.

B²