December 2025 work reports

[John Kokas]

Mike, we should with our collective mechanical wizardry be able to come up with a method to put them on some sort of venetian blind mechanism.  Would make life a heck of a lot easier.

[Jeff Schumaker]

Mike,

How are they currently being rolled up?

Jeff

[Bill Baskerville]

Affix a 3 or 4 inch thin wall PVC pipe to the bottom of each curtain.  Attach two cords on the outside of the ceiling about 18" from the end of each curtain.  Run the cord down under the pipe and up the inside of the ceiling.  The first to a single pully on one side and then to a double pully on the other side where the second cord also runs through the double pully.  Then route the two cords to a boat cleat mounted on an adjacent supporting pole.

Pulling on the two cords will cause the PVC to roll up the curtain up.

[Mike Fox]

Mike,

How are they currently being rolled up?

Jeff

By hand on a ladder.

I had thought rope tied to the bottom of the curtain up through the eyelets, around pulleys like Bill described plus one more double pulley, and down to a tiedown. This would have made the curtain acordian upward. The curtain is so stiff I am not sure that would work..

[James Patten]

Anticipated work for Saturday Dec 13:

* Victorian Christmas trains to Alna Center.  Help needed.
* Machine shop/Loco 11 work
* Board meeting at 4

[John Kokas]

I like Bill's idea.  Remember plastic sheet like these are going to be much more stiff when cold.  But, this sounds like a design project for those who can't do the heavy lifting on SWW.  Can keep a small group busy for the whole weekend.  Might need some support in the form of several tall step ladders or even a portable manlift to make installation more efficient.

[James Patten]

Work done on Saturday Dec 13:

* Victorian Christmas - went very well.  Today was the first usage of the train vacuum brake system, which Jason was very pleased about.  Trains were full.
* Board meeting

I'm unaware of anything else happening of note.

[Earl Leavitt]

A nearly steady stream of visitors kept Zack and I busy all day in the shops with our show & tell duties. Many compliments paid to the efforts of WW&F volunteers which we humbly accepted on behalf of all.  Our toasty coal stove was a big hit with many repeat visitors, volunteers and patrons alike!

[James Patten]

Anticipated work for Saturday Dec 20

* Last Saturday of Victorian Christmas - help wanted.
* Machine shop/tour guides
* Archives
* Lunch!

[Emmett Reis]

Noticed we got an additional block of tickets open up. Cancelations or what?

[Ed Lecuyer]

Jason and Dan authorized adding 554 to the consist witch increases each train 's capacity by 20 ppl.

A news crew from Channel 8 will be broadcasting live from Sheepscot between 5am and 8am, so we are expecting a last minute spike in sales.

[James Patten]

A news crew from Channel 8 will be broadcasting live from Sheepscot...

Hopefully!  The last time they tried that they didn't have enough cell service to make it work.

[Ed Lecuyer]

They are bringing a better telecom system this time.

[James Patten]

Work done on Saturday Dec 20:

* Victorian Christmas trains - Well attended trains, everyone seemed happy.  I spent the afternoon at AC, and the vendors were very appreciative of the north wall wind breaks.
* Machine shop - Zack and Earl were entertaining.
* Archives - Linda had me assist with adding new shelving to an existing unit.

Big wind/rain storm yesterday which killed power and internet to most of the town.  The power was back but not the internet, so nearly everything electronic was affected (the volunteer log, visitor check in, gift shop, etc.

[John McNamara]

Big wind/rain storm yesterday which killed power and internet to most of the town.  The power was back but not the internet, so nearly everything electronic was affected (the volunteer log, visitor check in, gift shop, etc.

 I presume magneto telephone service was unaffected