W.W.&F. Discussion Forum
WW&F Railway Museum Discussion => Volunteers => Topic started by: James Patten on July 03, 2013, 06:20:15 AM
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Anticipated work for this coming weekend (July 6):
* July 4, Independence Day, we will be in the Wiscasset Parade. I think the Model A truck and a hand car.
* Saturday is our Ice Cream Social. Currently the weather forecast calls for sun, so I don't think the rain date of Sunday will be invoked. The Social is from 1:30 to 3:30.
* I don't think the Trask Crossing planks have been put in yet
* #9
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Anyone who wants to help with the parade detail please be at the shop by 8 am tomorrow. A crew of 4 got the handcar on the truck Monday morning so that part is done. There are two long signs that go on the sides and some decorating to do. Some final decorating will be done at the staging area in Wiscasset.
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I am thinking Friday afternoon might be a good time to get ROW MOW running and see what I can cut. I will need a willing engineer though for the Brookville. Dry grass will mow better and with no trains Friday, would be a perfect time to do it.
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Maybe that can be a two (little) car train...
Jason
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I should be down just before lunch. I would like to have everything ready to leave just after lunch, or a short run before If I have time, but I have a few things to do in the morning here....
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4th Report -
First of all, thanks to Jason, Leon and Ed for loading the handcar and panel track on the truck Monday.
This morning started with a crew putting signs on the truck, cleaning it and checking the engine. The crew got to Wiscasset early and got about 6th place in line. The parade went well with many people shouting and clapping as the truck came into view. Turnout was healthy with people lining the side streets and 3-4 deep on Main St./Rt 1. The handcar crew of Hansel and Steve did a nice job of tossing the candy right where the kids were, so they didn't have to go into the street. Alna resident Les Fossel had his 1928 Model AA truck right in front of the WW&F truck. For those who don't know, Les was good friends with Harry Percival and the old Ford was Harry's truck years ago.
The trip back was a bit interesting as the truck ran a little hot in the 90 degree heat. She back fired some and coughed going up the big hill where the railroad used to cross 218. A bit of work with the fuel mixture and spark advance brought the purr back and we made it back to Sheepscot in one piece. Our crew of 4, Steve, Hansel, Cindy and I were glad to be back. We took the signs off the truck and parked it in the shop. The plan is to take the handcar off on Saturday.
As an aside - Some of us went to the Wiscasset fireworks display tonight. The fireworks are fired from Cow Island which is where the WW&F crossed the MCRR Rockland branch. The display was beautiful, reflected in the water. One wonders what it would be like watching the show from the platform of coach 3 on the trestle. There were 5 other fireworks displays; up river, down river, across the river and on the river... all visible from the Rt1 bridge.
Add in a haddock supper at Sprague's Lobster on the pier and it was a nice evening in Wiscasset.
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Stewart, I'll be up tomorrow so I can help unload the handcar. Do you have an idea of what time you might need me up there?
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It would be good to unload it in the morning so we can get it through the yard before the 10 o'clock train. FYI - There may be some special yard moves in the am since Saturday afternoon will be the Ice Cream Social trains. #10 will be steamed up tomorrow morning as well so Sheepscot will be a busy place.
Stewart
Afternoon edit - Along with the switching, we will need to load the generator on the caboose. This will require moving 320 down by the oil house sometime tomorrow morning.
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So 8:00 it is then. I'll be sure to bring doughnuts for the crew.
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ROWMOW 1 was here
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/WWandF%20Ry/Mower%20Car/2013-07-05165907_zps01fd54b6.jpg)
I left the station about 11:30. I had a visitor I was showing around.
Broke a bolt on Davis Grade. Came back and fixed it. Broke the pitman arm coming out of Cockeye Curve.
On the third attempt of the day, Stephen Hussar joined me and we mowed all the way to Albee's Crossing. Then Stephen helped me turn it and we mowed back. I have a few repairs to do to it again before it goes to mow the northern half mile, and I'd like to sharpen the knives. I wound up installing the mowing bar that showed up last fall and the knives seem a little dull.
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When one considers the number of square feet that ROWMOW1 has mowed (that now don't need manual mowing), that's pretty impressive!
-John
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Work done Saturday July 6:
Today was hot and humid, with a bit of a breeze from the shore this afternoon. Today was also the day of the ice cream social, so most efforts were focused on getting ready for that. Several people went to Alna Center in the early morning to set up a small tent shelter. The train got switched around, so that the open car was south of Coach 8, and the caboose went behind that. On the back of the caboose was a generator powering Jud Caswell's music, who was singing on the open car. This seemed to work pretty well. We had a good number of people for both morning and afternoon (the social was in the afternoon) - I'm guessing around 80, which is quite respectable for us.
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RowMow 1 was also prepped for it's next run North. Some of the 4 wheel work equipment was moved to the North Yard or placed on the Jigger track next to the tank.
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Sunday, July 7th -
*Guests - Steady flow of visitors including people from OR, WI, VA and MA. Bob and Gordon ran #10. The railcar made the last run as the 3:30 train. On board was a fellow from the Mid Continent Railway Museum.
*Engine 9 - Leon installed all the boiler bands and they look nice. A little bit of adjustment with shims will be needed in a couple of spots before the jacket goes on.
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Anticipated work for weekend of July 13:
* Friday evening there's a board meeting
* #9
* Trask Crossing replacement
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Work done on Sat 7/13:
* Guests - had a short busload of folks from the Lincoln Home for the 10 AM trip. No wheelchairs but lots of walkers. Everyone seemed to have a good time.
* Percival House - Work has begun to prep the basement for the floor concrete pour. Zack started to fashion boards around the perimeter which will be removed after the concrete has set, and be used for drainage.
* ROW mowing - Mike and crew went north on 52 towing the mower behind. Mowed from Albee's Crossing north to the end, then started back. Something broke on the way back, so Mike returned, fixed it, and was able to finish mowing in the mid afternoon.
* Landscaping - Mike did a bit of landscaping with the tractor.
That tractor, and the new coal storage area, make shoveling and moving the coal buckets so much easier now.
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Nothing broke today. Just rattled out a couple loose bolts. There are now spares under the seat for a quick fix.
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Whew, Mike.....good you cleared up that question quickly. After the breakage report the ROWMOW stock price had taken a plunge, a la Boeing stock after the latest Dreamliner incident in London, But ROWMOW stock has recovered, thank goodness. ;D
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Sunday 7/14
The day started with Rick and Paul running some survey lines to get elevation numbers for the gravel pad for the garage.
Lots of visitors today with over 75 passengers taking the train and/or railcar. Quite a few visitors were from Pennsylvania. Gift shop sales were brisk, the sales force included Susan and Courtney.
Member Glenn Schwass visited. Glenn is one of the members of the West Chester, PA railroad group that comes to our work weekends. Glenn brought a nice donation, a track cart that runs on one rail head. There is a long handle to steady and guide the cart as it carries ties, etc. The cart came from a Pennsylvania Railroad bridge tenders shack near the "Turn Bridge" over the Christiana River near the Port of Wilmington. The cart is wooden and still has some PRR tuscan red on the frame.
After the donation was unloaded, Glenn put on work clothes and spent a good bit of time clearing weeds along the mainline, north of the water tank.
Thanks Glenn!
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My oldest son from Napa, California rode the train today with his wife and two sons - 8 & 5 years old - and all reported a wonderful time -although they missed out on a cab ride. Maybe next year!
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Anticipated work for weekend of July 20-21:
* Percival house - Prep for concreting the basement. The basement needs a cleaning.
* #9
* Trask's Crossing planks need replacement
* Mowing ROW
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Work done on Saturday July 20. This is an incomplete report as I was on the steam engine all day. The day was pretty hot, but there was a nice breeze most of the time and the temperature dropped a bit in the afternoon.
* Percival house: A group of people took stuff out. Zack continued his work on the perimeter drain plug.
* Trailer: Mike retired.
* #9: People worked in the machine shop.
Railcar took a couple of trips, steam train ran every trip.
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MIKE RETIRED!! :o Oh no, who will take over ROWMOW Mfg? ;)
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It was a tiring day. What can I say.
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James' post about working on the steam locomotive all day in the high heat brings to mind what enginemen went through on a daily basis on all railroads in the steam era. Can you imagine being in the cab of a full size steamer in 90+ degree heat and humidity? It must have been godawful. And they worked continuously for 12 hours or more; the firemen shoveling tons of coal in the older locos without stokers.
No wonder that the coming of diesels made many of them happier. They weren't air conditioned, but at least there wasn't a roaring fire right beside them.
We wax romantic over those old days of railroading past, but working them day in and day out was no picnic. Sometimes it's good to look back on those times without the rose colored glasses.
Richard
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And just who here is waxing romantic? ;)
SH
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Since boyhood I've enjoyed fantasies of running steam locomotives, but I think if I'd actually done it as a job the joy would have worn off very quickly indeed, for reasons such as Richard mentioned, plus being away from home a lot, plus irregular work hours, etc.
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Since boyhood I've enjoyed fantasies of running steam locomotives, but I think if I'd actually done it as a job the joy would have worn off very quickly indeed, for reasons such as Richard mentioned, plus being away from home a lot, plus irregular work hours, etc.
Railroading is a demanding occupation. It is particularly hard on the families of the railroader as you are never home. And when you are home....you try to catch up on sleep as you never know when you will be called back to work. And when you do go to work, you have no idea how many days you will be away from home. It is a rewarding job.....but it will take its toll on your health from the irregular hours. On your few days off.....the last thing you will want to see is a train.
In all the years I worked for the railroad....I can't remember ever being home for a holiday.
At the end of the day, you do feel a sense of accomplishment, but at the price of never being able to plan ahead for family gatherings etc.
Keith
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My late father-in-law was the third generation of his family to work on the Pennsylvania Railroad. His father, who was an engineer, advised him to go into the shop if he wanted to have any kind of a family life, rather than go into train and engine service. Even so, he never had a full weekend off. For many years, he worked C-trick (11 p.m.-7 a.m.) with Monday and Tuesday as his relief days (weekend). Even at the end of his 42-year career, he was working B trick (3 p.m.-11 p.m.) and his relief days were Sunday and Monday. And his opinion of steam locomotives was succinct: "a lot of dirt and hot water down the back of my neck."
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Back in the late 1960's-early 1970's I spent seven summers as an engineer/fireman on a coal fired steam engine. It was rewarding and tiring and I have NO desire to do it again.
Been there, done that and I do have the t-shirt or what is left of it.
Ira Schreiber
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In the forgot to mention department, yesterday we received a donation of an electric wheel chair lift. This was removed in working condition from a van by some volunteers led by a delegate from ROWMOW 1 MFG Inc. The plan is to install this into Coach 8 when the planned modifications take place to turn it into a combine, very similar to the original coach 4 design, or should I say redesign by the railroad later in it's life. The gentleman just wanted it out of the van so he could have the room.
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Anticipated work for weekend of July 27:
* Mowing ROW
* Percival house - removing things in the basement in prep for concrete.
* Trask Crossing planks. My plate is finally clean, I can lead the crew if needed.
* #9
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This week -
#9 - the tail frame was cleaned and got some paint.
Mason's Charter - about 30 Masons from the Lincoln Lodge rode a special train this afternoon. The officers and members had a shop tour and then a trip to EoT behind #52. Everyone had a good time and the WW&F may host future Masonic events.
P.S. - Things went a bit better than a previous Mason's trip. The train crew breathed a sigh of relief when we crossed Humason Brook trestle southbound.
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Work done on Saturday July 27:
* Trask Crossing planks: We went to replace the inner planks, and realized we didn't have all the tools we needed. A call back to Sheepscot brought Fred with some extra tools. We tore out the inner planks, cut off the nails, and put down two planks and safety spiked them. We need to revisit this at some point to notch out the planks for tie plates and put in thinner shims.
* Percival Basement: It's been cleaned out, the stairs removed. Sounds like the basement will be poured this week!
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Hope this doesn't sound silly, but has the door to the stairs been locked or a prominent warning sign put on the door?
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There is a small sign, but the most dramatic feature is that if you ignore the sign and open the cellar door, you will find four large planks nailed across the opening.
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Not when I opened the door today - just an abyss.
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Not when I opened the door today - just an abyss.
That's what happens when people know that you are coming ;)
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Dave, I guess you'd better issue an all points bulletin for anybody seen leaving the Percival house with a hammer and nail puller. ;D
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Sunday, July 28th -
Despite morning rain and a cloudy afternoon, there were over 70 visitors. At least half of them were kids under 15. One family with 8 kids brought a picnic lunch and enjoyed in on the benches under the platform canopy. Strong visitor attendance on Sunday afternoon has been the rule this year. Bob gave handcar rides and the railcar made a trip with a load of kids with their dad.
Bridgid worked in the garden between rain showers. She harvested some nice cherry tomatos.
J.B. brought a wooden model of a steam engine that is operated by a crank. The engine is temporarily in the gift shop as an interactive exhibit.
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Who is the "crank" in the gift shop that is running the display?
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Who is the "crank" in the gift shop that is running the display?
You are welcome to be said crank whenever you visit.
(Sorry - that was too easy - hope you take it in the spirit of good humor with which it is intended.)
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Absolutely no offense taken!
Next time I get up there, I'll give it a few turns.