W.W.&F. Discussion Forum
WW&F Railway Museum Discussion => Volunteers => Topic started by: James Patten on October 02, 2019, 06:07:30 AM
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Anticipated work for Saturday Oct 5:
* FWW Prep: A crew will be putting out road cloth on the roadbed up to the bridge. Maybe beyond the bridge if it goes well enough and it's ready. I'm sure Mike has some last minute prep stuff to do as well. Ties need to be moved from the parking lot to the staging area. Rail may need the same.
* B&SR tankcar 14: See Zack.
* Car barn extension: see Brendan, although the concrete may not be strong enough yet to do much.
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Also -
Antique cars arriving at Sheepscot around 10am; leaving after noon. Please help them park in front of the Shop Building.
Brakeman needed for train service. Please help if you are qualified. See Bob Cavanagh.
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What’s the old car event on Saturday?
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It's a meeting/group ride of the Maine Obsolete Auto League (MOAL).
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Road cloth north of the bridge will have to wait. I am not plannong to finish until Sunday. After the road cloth crew finishes, stop by the bridge and I will have a small wire project ready for assistance.
Saturday I plan on trucking ballast to the south side of the bridge, maybe 3 more loads. Then jump to the north side with the Kubota and bury the wire as far as we can.
When I get the wire done, I am going to level the ballast south and check grade north, then start trucking ballast to the north side.
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Change of plans for Saturday morning. The Lyons (of SeaLyon fame) require some help on Saturday in improving the road from their farm to the railroad. Hopefully if enough of us pitch in, we can do the road cloth in the afternoon, which sounds like that may work better for Mike's schedule. We'll need a chain saw or two, plus Fred, and I suppose we may as well bring shovels just in case.
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Work done on Saturday Oct 5:
* SeaLyon Farms: Four of us helped the Lyons improve the clearances on their road from the fields to Top of Mountain, using a chain saw and loppers. Don Lyon did some grading with his tractor while we did this. That took the morning.
* Top of Mountain: Mike stoned the southern approach to the bridge, and in the afternoon started to bury the phone wire. In the afternoon Bill R and I went up and rolled out the remainder of one road cloth, and rolled out one more.
* B&SR tank car 14: Zack was making square holes out of round ones for the end beams mortises and tenons. Someone slathered the beams in preservative.
* The MOAL group arrived for the first train of the day, 80 people rode the train.
* Machine Shop: I believe that Rick K and Rich were rehabilitating one of the lathes.
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What a beautiful, beautiful early fall day in Maine. Temperatures were in the 30s when I arrived around 8, with some spotty frost. Temps got into the upper 50s, with hardly a cloud in the sky. Perfect day to be outside.
Some photos:
Work done on Saturday Oct 5:
* SeaLyon Farms: Four of us helped the Lyons improve the clearances on their road from the fields to Top of Mountain, using a chain saw and loppers. Don Lyons did some grading with his tractor while we did this. That took the morning.
James and I arrived to help with woods road improvements in advance of our Pumpkin Trains next weekend in conjunction with SeaLyon Farm. The farm will provide a hayride from Top of Mountain to their farm, where guests can pick and purchase pumpkins from their pumpkin patch as well as other products from their kitchen (Maine blueberry jam -- yum!). Mike had blazed a turning loop at Top of Mountain this summer. Today we (James, Don Lyons and myself, soon joined by Rich Currie and Bob Comeau) cleared enough side brush and overhanging branches to ensure the SeaLyon's tractor and trailer can travel the route.
Early on, Bob, Rich and Don work on the loop near the tracks at Top Of Mountain.
(https://i.imgur.com/2z4l0kU.jpg)
James attempts to refuel the chain saw. We learned Fred has Herculean strength with the fuel cap, so it took a little effort to open the cap and refuel the saw!
(https://i.imgur.com/2CVO1Wy.jpg)
James, Bob and Rich work on the corner of the loop where the woods road turns east toward the farm.
(https://i.imgur.com/fevdI22.jpg)
With the side brush cut, Don returned to the farm to pick up the trailer to be used for the hay ride. James, Rich, Bob and I would soon ride the trailer to help ensure side clearances and cut overhead hanging branches. Here we see Bob, Rich and James at the east end of the woods road waiting for the trip.
(https://i.imgur.com/yEXipfy.jpg)
Turning 180 degrees, here's a view looking across the west farm field. My photo doesn't convey well how handsome this view is. The views are equally stunning from the farm buildings. Families riding next weekend will have a fun hayride to the farm, I'd say.
(https://i.imgur.com/UQ66Vbi.jpg)
* The MOAL group arrived for the first train of the day, 80 people rode the train.
While we waited as Don picked up the trailer for the trial run, we heard #9's whistle as she traveled up the valley for her 10.30 a.m. trip. I walked down the hill to see her train arrive at Top of Mountain. Her train was full with guests from the Maine Obsolete Auto League (MOAL). Many had already stepped off the train when I took this photo. Here we see WW&F coach No. 8, MLMW No. 130 and WW&F No. 9.
(https://i.imgur.com/w8gJe6k.jpg)
* B&SR tank car 14: Zack was making square holes out of round ones for the end beams mortises and tenons. Someone slathered the beams in preservative.
During lunchtime, Al Michelis was applying preservative to the beams. I understand others had helped.
(https://i.imgur.com/lTUvIjX.jpg)
I'll post a handful of Top of Mountain progress photos shortly.
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I'll post a handful of Top of Mountain progress photos shortly.
Well, I think not now, after reading Mike's post (http://forum.wwfry.org/index.php/topic,898.msg43400.html#msg43400) and replies on the Mountain Extension thread regarding discovery of a possible engine grate. His photos do a much better job to convey the story.
In summary, James and I rolled out road fabric Saturday afternoon for the majority of the route from end of rail put down to the south end of Trout Brook bridge. We then joined Mike as he set out magneto phone line north of the bridge.
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* B&SR tank car 14: Zack was making square holes out of round ones for the end beams mortises and tenons. Someone slathered the beams in preservative.
During lunchtime, Al Michelis was applying preservative to the beams. I understand others had helped.
Fred and I spent the morning applying preservative to car 14 beams.
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Today Zack worked on the buffer blocks for 14.
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Anticipated work for weekend of October 12, 2019: Fall Work Weekend!!! The four+ days that everyone's been looking forward to all year.
* Mountain Extension: track laying (duh!), plus whatever last minute prep work that Mike needs to do.
* SeaLyon Pumpkins: Saturday and Sunday trains will bring passengers to ToM, where they will be met by Don Lyons and his hay wagon who will bring people to the farm to pick out pumpkins (and other farm goodies).
* B&SR tank car 14
* Car barn extension (speculation on my part - I don't know what's ready to be done)
* Meals: Nancy will be on site all weekend prepping meals, along with anyone that wants to help.
A note on parking on Saturday and Sunday: please make an effort to park in either the corner lot (mowed for your parking pleasure) or the new west parking lot, NOT in the main lot. This is to make room for expected crowds for the pumpkin trains. There's extremely limited parking at the crew site, basically do not park in the Midcoast Conservancy lot, on the right of way, or on the side of Rt 218. We have permission to park at the end of Peaslee Road, a private driveway, but it won't take many to fill it up. Basically - please park at Sheepscot and take a train to the work site.
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I have a little dozer work to do then lay some hay out in the ditch ad slope I worked on last weekend.
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Here is a REPOST from another FWW thread which contains the train schedule and other important information:
The main plan is to lay rail and spike through noontime on Sunday. Sunday afternoon and Monday will be primarily spiking. Of course, there will be other projects going on, but the main effort is to construct the mainline as far north as possible - stopping about 200' short of the pavement of Route 218.
For the general volunteers, here is the anticipated train schedule:
Friday 10/11:
First Work Train Departs Sheepscot: 7:30am
Second Train (Crew Shuttle) Departs Sheepscot: 9:00am
Other trains will be shuttling crew during the day in both directions.
Lunch at ToM at 11:30am
Last train from EoT around 4pm.
Dinner at Sheepscot at 5pm.
Saturday 10/12:
Breakfast Available at Sheepscot
First Work Train Departs Sheepscot: 7:00am (Note early departure time!)
Second Train (Crew Shuttle) Departs Sheepscot: 8:30am
Other trains will be shuttling crew during the day in both directions.
Lunch at ToM at 11:30am
Last train from EoT around 4pm.
Dinner at Sheepscot at 4:30pm. (Note early dinner time!)
Awards/Thank Yous at Sheepscot during Dinner; photos with all volunteers.
Evening "inspection" train to and over Trout Brook Bridge (first run over the bridge with #9) departs Sheepscot at 5:15pm (Weather and conditions permitting.) Photo Ops at End-of-Track. Etc.
Sunday 10/13:
Breakfast Available at Sheepscot
First Work Train Departs Sheepscot: 7:30am
Second Train (Crew Shuttle) Departs Sheepscot: 9:00am
Other trains will be shuttling crew during the day in both directions.
Lunch at ToM at 11:30am
Last train from EoT around 4pm.
Dinner at Sheepscot at 5pm.
Monday 10/14:
Breakfast Available at Sheepscot
First Work Train Departs Sheepscot: 7:30am
Second Train (Crew Shuttle) Departs Sheepscot: 9:00am
Last train from EoT around 11:30pm.
Lunch at Sheepscot at 12:00pm
Following Lunch: "Inspection" train over Trout Brook Bridge to new End-of-Track (first run to Trout Brook station/RT 218 with #9) departs Sheepscot (weather and conditions permitting.) Photo Ops at End-of-Track. Etc.
Note the two special runs on Saturday evening and Monday afternoon will be the first steam trips (non rail-laying trains) over the newly laid track. However, these trips are subject to the suitability of track conditions - which may not be ideal according to the current weather forecast.
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Looks like the weather forecast just got a little bit better. Scattered showers for Friday and the first part of Saturday. Not a washout and not that much of a predicted rain total.
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Yep it's mending Sunday. I'm gonna pray to God for the fine weather you all deserve for that outstanding weekend.
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Stay Dry & Stay warm (Keep your second pair of socks handy.
We are supposed to have snow Saturday :-(
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God forbid !
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Looks like the forecast keeps getting better. Maybe not much rain at all for Saturday.
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The help of Brandon Graham and myself wevfound a few minutes yesterday afternoon to redo two of the slide plates on the display track stub switch so the west track now sits almost level with this meeting tracks. It’s a leftover job from the summer installation.
I was also able to remember how to get those two Little library’s out of the car and in the basement. They seem to be what was asked for. The 10 new trigs were placed in the trig storage area in the car barn.
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Fall Work Weekend - Day 1:
- Rail has been laid within 60' of the bridge. This includes 1020 feet of new rail down, 900 feet of which is completely spiked.
- Final Preparations for Pumpkin Trains crowd control and parking.
- Phone line diagnosis.
- Rail Car 4 is now running again.
- Handcar moved to Section House for storage.
- More wood delivered for Coach 9 project.
- Monson 3 prepared for service.
(+ whatever I missed.)
A most excellent and productive day.
Reminder - Work trains leave Sheepscot tomorrow at 7:00am and 8:30am. See you then!
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- Tank car / flat #14:
Zack and I installed both end sills which required chain hoists and lots of straps to pull the sills onto the stringers. Once the end sills were snugged up, we measured the car corner to corner and it was wracked out of square. The next step was …. you guesses it, more chains, straps and a come along to pull the frame into square. Once completed, the south draft gear was measured and the center stringers notched to receive the coupler shank. The bolster was flipped upside down and set into the frame channel and buffer blocks.
The next steps will include: Installation of the buffer block to bolster tension rods, drill holes for the bolster plate and drill through the side sills for the end cap bolts. When that is completed the cross trusses can be added. Then, it's onto the north end where the whole process is repeated. When all the draft gear is in place, the needle beams, queen posts and truss rods can be installed and the car flipped over for the installation of the stake pockets.
Don't worry, there's no test for flatcar construction 101.
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[quote author=Ed Lecuyer link=topic=3550.msg43527#msg43527 date=1570837368
A most excellent and productive day.
To put it midly Ed. Well done you all !
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9:08am: First rails have touched the bridge!
9:39am: Flat 126 with crane on bridge.
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wow ! Thanks Ed to keep us posted with your dispatcher accuracy. Too bad you can be on the spot.
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John McNamara (Chief Ding-a-ling) reported to me tonight that the phone wire has been sucessfully tested from South of the bridge to Sheepscot.
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Not wanting to be idle for even a moment, we also have been concurrently running public trains all weekend to Top of Mountain where they are met by a hay wagon from SeaLyon farm for a trip up to their pumpkin patch. We are doing these 'Pumpkin Picking Trains to SeaLyon Farm' for the 10:30AM, 12, and 1:30PM trains.
Today we probably had in the neighborhood of 50 riders, which is great considering the rain. Conductors could give better information. Meanwhile, we've got about 45 tickets presold for tomorrow's 10:30AM train.
It's great to see the railroad doing what railroads are meant to do even in the midst of extending the railway. And what an impressive effort to pull it all off. Very nice work everyone- you've done a great job and it shows in the nice things people are saying online and the kind comments from passengers who've ridden so far this weekend.
Nice work setting a great standard of service.
Steve
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Sun 10/13, 9:16am - end of rail is within sight of Rte 218.
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Wow, all you guys and gals...what a Pumpkin Pickin Pack of PROGRESS! :D
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Thanks Ed. Have you completed you the 2000' goal then?
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Steve,
So, the WW&F joins the ranks of the PSR railroad world. E. Hunter Harrison would be so happy!
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Work report Sunday:
- 206 fare-paying passengers for train rides, most of whom went to the pumpkin patch at SeaLyon farm. Don Lyons is estatic with the success of the event. Lots and lots of happy passengers when they came back to Sheepscot with their prized pumpkin produce. A fantastic day.
Oh and about 100 volunteers showed up and did some track laying :-)
Track is now down just shy of the goal. A few more sticks may be laid tomorrow. There is a bunch more spiking left to do too.
The first movement of #9 over the bridge occured around 3:30pm. 9 was pressed into work service to deliver a flat car that was needed unexpectedly. A train with riders is hoped for tomorrow afternoon.
Today was one of the best and most productive days we've ever had at the WW&F. Great job!!!
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Great news! ;D
I'd say Precision Scheduled Tracklaying and Pumpkin Sales just came to WW&F territory! ;D ;D
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Thanks Ed for your accurate report of that amazing day. Hope you can ride the next train to Troot Brook Station. You deserve it because handling the railtraffic over a such productive weekend must not have been an easy position given the hectic schedule you and Jason had worked out.
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Thanks Alain. It has been quite a busy few days as dispatcher. Friday went OK. Saturday was a great opportunity to learn. Sunday went great due to lessons learned Saturday.
Today (Monday) we have a (relative) handful of volunteers present. Low stress dispatching. Work being done (as this is typed) may include:
- Finish Spiking
- Rail laying to finish the last 200-300 ft or so.
- Ballasting bridge approaches
- Replacing one bad rail.
After lunch we will run one inspection train with number 9 over the bridge to EOT. I intend to be Conductor for that train :-)
Live from the Dispatcher's office at Sheepscot Station,
-Ed
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Ed, thanks for the updates for those of us that can't be there..
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Thanks Ed, you live you learn. Congratulations for the backstage essential work you did .Have a nice trip to the end of the line.
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Anticipated work for Saturday Oct 19:
* Car barn extension
* Tank car 14
* Pavilion prep
* Mountain Extension
* I believe that the noon train will host folks that want to hike the Trout Brook Preserve trail, who will be picked up by the 1:30 train.
* Board meeting at 4:00
Note that we're not open Sunday this weekend, and that we only run 3 trains now (shoulder season).
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Pavillion Prep. I am stepping into the next project. I will lead it until someone else wants to take over. Not much to lead. More like plan.
Anyhow. Tree cutting Saturday. I am bringing my dump trailer to haul the limb wood Fred cuts back to Sheepscot. Next weekend we will have a wood chipper and chip the brush into a pile for use around AC.
I will be contacting Contractor Jeff to have him look at the site so he can stump it and haul in gravel.
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All;
We are also running Pumpkin Trains again since we have a steam crew. There will not be a second class train. There will be a 3:00 pm train if necessary but only to bring pumpkin carrying passengers back to Sheepscot.
Dave
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Thanks Dave - I was just going to mention that.
Perchance all able-bodied personnel could please place their jalopy in the pristine West lot on Saturday to provide parking for the Pumpkin Picking passengers; that would be perfect.
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Ed...love your alliteration!
So Alna Center work is next on the old schedule.
I imagine the car barn extension slab is hard enough for wall work on it. Is that soon?
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How many pickers can pick a peck of pumpkins, and if they pick a peck of pumpkins, how many pickers does the train get to pack? :o
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Ans: Passengers a-plenty.
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As of 11:30 am today, power is back on at Sheepscot. It had been out for 32 hours after the storm.
We celebrated by flipping the tank/flatcar frame over.
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As of 11:30 am today, power is back on at Sheepscot. It had been out for 32 hours after the storm.
We celebrated by flipping the tank/flatcar frame over.
You needed power and lights to do that?
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As of 11:30 am today, power is back on at Sheepscot. It had been out for 32 hours after the storm.
We celebrated by flipping the tank/flatcar frame over.
Any damage at the museum?
Jeff S.
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Storm? What storm?
You Guys !!
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My power came on 10 mins. ago. Yaa!!!
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Work done on Saturday Oct 19:
* Tank car 14: Zack got the stake pockets in. There was a lot of them (28 I think he said).
* Pavilion: Mike and crew were clearing trees for it.
* SeaLyon Farms: Another day of doing pumpkin trains, we had about 90 paying passengers. The Lyons are quite happy.
* Board meeting, got out at 8.
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Some photos from today.
Fred watches the 10.30 a.m. train from Sheepscot pass Alna Center.
(https://i.imgur.com/NDCVRv0.jpg)
The 12.30 train from Top of the Mountain drifts into Alna Center station.
(https://i.imgur.com/mt80VeZ.jpg)
Mid-afternoon, Randy Beach started work on replacing rotted clapboards on Alna Center station.
(https://i.imgur.com/eJ28RHR.jpg)
Photos of tree cutting work for the Alna Center pavilion can be found here (http://forum.wwfry.org/index.php/topic,3462.msg43679.html#msg43679).
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God bless Fred, patron saint of WW&F. :D
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Anticipated work for Saturday Oct 26:
* Car barn extension
* Tank car 14
* Pavilion grounds prep @ AC
* Last seasonal passenger trains for 2019.
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We will be burning brush Saturday at Alna Center. I had wanted to chip it, but when I called Monday to reserve a chipper, they were booked. Showers are expected, so it would be a good day to do that. We have some pines to take down that will be helpful with the fire.
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Weather for Saturday has changed (big suprise). It is now expected to be dry. Showers on Friday and Sunday.
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Am jones-ing for some pics of all the interesting goings-on.
Help! ;)
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Work done on Saturday Oct 26:
* Car barn: Brendan started putting up the posts for the barn extension.
* Tank car 14: Zack and Marcel started putting the deck on the car.
* Pavilion: Another day of cutting and burning.
* Last regularly scheduled passenger trains for 2019: Bill Piche as engineer, Gordon Cook as fireman, Bob Longo training Brian Strait on brakeman, and me as conductor. We had 27 riders today.
* W&Q/WW&F board meeting: The W&Q had their semi-annual board meeting today, and invited any interested WW&F board members to attend, as a way to keep the lines of communication open.
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Some photos from today (Saturday, October 26th). Drove up from Massachusetts in some rain before dawn, but the weather was beautiful for mid-fall in New England today.
Early on, Fred Morse was busy cleaning scrap wood from the shop building, with assistance from Al Michelis. Scrap was loaded from the shop onto the John Deere tractor and brought over to Museum truck in our parking lot. Fred and Al would later move on to work on the car barn extension (http://forum.wwfry.org/index.php/topic,3497.msg43776.html#msg43776).
(https://i.imgur.com/qImAOSE.jpg)
Arriving at Alna Center for the lot clearing for the pavilion (http://forum.wwfry.org/index.php/topic,3462.msg43777.html#msg43777), I saw that Randy Beach had completed repairs to Alna Center station. Based on damage Randy was finding when I left a week ago, I was expecting half of the trackside wall to be missing when I arrived today. Randy and Bob Holmes put in a lot of work to complete these repairs this past week.
(https://i.imgur.com/QhYtHnV.jpg)
Today was the last day of our 2019 regular season passenger service. The 10.30 a.m. train from Sheepscot passes by Alna Center around 10.39 a.m. Engineer Bill Piche looks backs for signals as Train #3 passes through the station.
(https://i.imgur.com/9UgeTWl.jpg)
Later in the day, Train #11, the last regular WW&F train for the 2019 season, is about to pass by flag stop Alna Center at 1.38 p.m.
(https://i.imgur.com/kGKESJo.jpg)
Train #12, the last 2019 regular season return trip to Sheepscot from Top of Mountain, drifts in Alna Center station at 2.04 p.m.
(https://i.imgur.com/PrlFtAd.jpg)
Car host Dick Picard talks with our passengers as station business is completed at Alna Center.
(https://i.imgur.com/qbOorio.jpg)
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work done on Oct 26.
Marcel started to mount brake rigging on flat car #14
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And Zack and Marcel were putting the deck on, almost halfway there.
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It's good to hear that flatcar 14 is nearing completion.
Nice photos, Bill, as usual.
Jeff S.
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I am very pleased to see that a border of trees and the remains of the rock wall will be left intact along the north side of the pavilion.
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For the most part Wayne. We will make an entrance in the middle. I plan on moving the rocks from the opening to fix or enhance spots in the wall, so they don't get buried as fill.