W.W.&F. Discussion Forum
WW&F Railway Museum Discussion => Volunteers => Topic started by: James Patten on March 30, 2016, 06:09:02 AM
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Anticipated work for Saturday April 2, 2016:
* Kubota work
* Car barn - Zack still needs to put in the north man-door.
* Boxcar 67
* Shingle mill engine
* Track work - now that it's warmish and springish, time to think about track. Maybe ballasting the car barn tracks, or running a track crew with the tamper.
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Work done on Saturday April 2:
* Kubota: Mike is nearly done.
* Car barn: Zack spent the day working on the man door.
* Track: This morning the flatcar had a load of ties, and I wanted the flatcar for stone. So we went to the north end and dropped off the ties on the side at the end. We then spent the remainder of the day unloading stone in the car barn track 1, track 2 outside, and track 3 outside. I later learned that the flatcar load was going to be for the photo trains. Ooops!
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I guess that means we'll just need to layout another flatcar worth of ties at the north end. Looks like we'll be making it to the washout after all! :)
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I hope that is the plan. I know Mike wants it to happen.
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May the DOT gods bless us with loads of ex-guardrail posts...........
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For about the last three ( or more) years there has been three tie piles near end of track that should be used first.
dwight
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Anticipated work for Saturday April 9:
* Board meeting (Friday evening)
* Kubota
* Car barn
* Stoning north yard track
Also Saturday night is a ham & bean supper put on by the Alna VFD.
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Digging season starts Saturday. I hope to put a pipe in to finish the drainage work for the car barn. Then hoping to get loaded and head north
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Work done Saturday
Snow plow was removed from the pickup, doors were unloaded from the bed, then it was loaded with scrap steel from in front of the garage for a run to the end of the road this week if Stewart has time and registers it.
I finished the bushings on the Kubota, and got out and did some work with it, smoothing up a few spots. Then went South on the ROW with it and removed a tree.
Some ballast was lugged to car barn track 3 with buckets. They tired of that in about an hour.
Zack installed the second man door on the car barn, then started working on putting boards at the bottom of the wall to keep the ballast from blocking the air flow.
In front of the garage was smoothed up since all the junk is now out of the way. Stewart saved more than I would have, but we moved the "good" stuff to the side of the garage.
And as always, we were well fed.
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The buckets of stone was used to fill the west ditch inside the carbarn that was dug to install the wire fencing at the bottom of side walls. We stop because we finished the job.
dwight
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Anticipated work for Saturday April 16:
Work weekend is TWO weekends away.
* Machinery juggling: We are renting an all-terrain forklift in order to offload a shipment of rail (more on that AFTER it arrives), and it's not that much to rent it for a week, so since we have it we will be shuffling machinery pieces around in the machine and car shop. My guess is we won't do a lot of shuffling on Saturday but the shuffling will get spread throughout the week.
* Landscaping: I think Mike wants to get the Kubota up to the north end to dig out ditches.
* Car barn: Once Zack puts in the side walls to keep stone from blocking the wire fencing for ventilation, we can put stone there, plus stone on the inside and outside tracks.
* Work weekend prep: Whatever we need to do to get ready.
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Remove downed tree's off the track. First tree down right after the first curve. Was told a tree is down south of Trask Crossing.
dwight
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Possible on the Excavator, but may decide to put in a short pipe under where the woods track will go. Then maybe North.
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Please keep the phone line burial project on your to-do list. ;)
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Trees were removed this afternoon.
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Mike, Were the tree's removed from the track, the bottom of the first wash out or both locations?
dwight
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Work done on Saturday April 16:
* Car barn: Zack got the east wall stone boards in (boards that keep the stone from interrupting air flow from the bottom.
* Stone: Unloaded a flatcar of stone in the North Yard.
* Kubota excavator: Mike tested it out by installing a culvert under what will become the woods track. Then he dug out a big trench for drainage on the south side of the car barn, and put in culverts.
* Ties: Dana cut up a few ties.
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Bill Baskerville completed and submitted another grant application today. Thanks to Bill and many others who helped.
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95 feet of pipe from the car barn to the ditch. As soon as I broke the dam on the moat, James made a dash to the other end to watch the water come out. After the ballast pile is gone, I need to dig the ditch back out that runs down the east side of the car barn. It was filled in to allow access to Barry Lane, but by doing so has also made the water go under the wall of the car barn when it rains.
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Machine shop -
The outside metal storage cabinet was removed a while back leaving an area on the wall and under the soffit where there was no paint. With warm clear days the wood had dried so the trim and wall got painted today. Fortunately the old and new paint matches so no splotches.
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Major contributions to the Grant Application came from Jason (technical and financial), Steve P. (Museum philosophy), John McN (grammar and punctuation {which included lots of hyphens}) and several others who made what we hope will be a successful application. It was like everything we do, a teamwork effort.
Bill
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Stewart, we wondered why you over there painting.
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Anticipated work for Saturday April 23:
* Prep for April 28 photo trains.
* Prep for work weekend. I don't know what either entails.
* Mike wants to get the bulldozer and excavator to the north end of track.
Probably this weekend we won't have a lot of people around.
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I would LOVE to see barn bay 1 lead track blocked to height though the worst (lowest) area. This is in the north yard throat area and will be the toughest to deal with; it'd be nice to reduce the work weekend burden to just ballasting, tamping and dressing.
I hope to be there Saturday but either way- James, are you willing to lead this effort if I provide details?
See ya
Jason
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I'm willing to lead it - but I'm guessing it puts the car barn out of service for anything stored inside.
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Depends on frequency of blocking. Every fourth tie will allow traffic...
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Please do not block 118. I have asked Brendan to load it Friday, or at least stage the trailer so we can make the 2 trips North. I plan on leaving the equipment up there for at least May to try and remove some stumps, unless there is a use at Sheepscot for either piece.
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118 is coming out tomorrow so it's free this weekend.
See ya
Jason
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We are expecting five loads of rail to arrive on Wednesday 4/27and Thursday 4/28 next week and are going to need help unloading the trucks.
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I will be there sometime after lunch on the 27th and will be able to help if the trucks are still coming in. I will try and push my travel times to arrive as early as I can.
Bill
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Hope to arrive mid morning on the 27th.
dwight
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Bernie and I will also arrive sometime during the afternoon of the 27th if all goes well.
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It seems like each Work Weekend the Virginia contingent (Bill) and the Pennsylvania (Wayne & Bernie) contingent magically arrive at almost the same time. I know it has worked out that way for the last 3, 4 or more Work Weekends it seems. Dwight, it will be good to see you before your dental (I think I remembered that correctly) drama.
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What time is the rail coming in, I can be there Wed or Thursday to help unload.
(Steve Lennox)
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We won't know the arrival times until the trucks are loaded and the freight broker gives us the approximate delivery times.
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Work done on Saturday April 23:
* TOM work: Mike hiked the Kubota north first thing in the morning, then came back and got the bulldozer to the north end and came back before lunch. They went up in the afternoon, probably so Mike could dig the ditches.
* North Yard: One of the weekday crews jacked up the car shop bay 1 lead and jacked up the one next to it. Today we finished blocking on the main lead, spiked many of the ties that had not been spiked, and then moved on to blocking up the track for the Bay 2 of the barn. When we finished that, we jacked a little further south on that track, tamped stone underneath it, and then moved on to the switch between Bay 3 and the woods track.
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Zack did his annual inspection and cleaning of the water tank and set the pump to fill the 3,000 gallons to be ready for steam operations Thurs - Saturday.
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Stopped at AC to right Santas Hut. Steve Z spent some time this afternoon bracing it so it won't blow over again.
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/Mobile%20Uploads/0423160825_zpsmwxwbzrm.jpg)
Made it to Fossels washout. We had a meeting last week to develop a plan for repairing this. I had a plan already, but may need to change it based on the outcome of the meeting.
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/Mobile%20Uploads/0423161430a_zpsiubxqw0l.jpg)
Looking south toward TOM. A little wet on the sides
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/Mobile%20Uploads/0423161601_zpsc5tqv9ep.jpg)
Looking North
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/Mobile%20Uploads/0423161601a_zpscyri8fce.jpg)
Looking North at from TOM
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/Mobile%20Uploads/0423161636_zpsuhoczriw.jpg)
Parked the equipment out ofcthecway of the upcoming photo charter
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/Mobile%20Uploads/0423161637_zpssdmeyxo4.jpg)
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Looks like some good ditching in the new section might render some fill for the washout but nowhere near what is needed for a complete job. What's the plan then? Purchase fill or create a borrow pit somewhere?
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We will be limited to how we can get material there. It will be by rail. We will need some good gravel, not the clay we have an abundance of. Like I said though, still planning. Checking on permits etc.
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Looks like we have some trees to still come out. Any plan on removing them this fall I assume?
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We are considering a lot less tree removal once on the mountain itself. If this plan is approved by the board, it'd mean no more trees get removed in the above pictures. Just some limbing.
Jason
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Do a bunch of the stumps come out that are on the roadbed slopes or in the ditches?
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There were only a few stumps on this next stretch that were in the way. Most vanished last fall with the dozer but there was a good sized one blocking the ditch in the cut that had to be removed with the Kubota. It was planted it further north under some mucky silt. It was pushed back in the tree line hoping it will not bother again.
The pine trees to the east and west of the grade pose a problem. The roots are plugging the ditch enough the Kubota can not clean it as deep as we wanted. So the ditches are kept shallow. If they bother, on to plan B, which involves a power saw...
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It seems like each Work Weekend the Virginia contingent (Bill) and the Pennsylvania (Wayne & Bernie) contingent magically arrive at almost the same time. I know it has worked out that way for the last 3, 4 or more Work Weekends it seems. Dwight, it will be good to see you before your dental (I think I remembered that correctly) drama.
I should be there late afternoon, early evening on the 27th.
Jeff S.
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All the remaining rail is expected to arrive Wednesday morning and we would appreciate any help we can get unloading the trucks. The trucks should begin arriving around 8 am.
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I have rejiggered my departure time again and should arrive mid to late morning Wednesday, ready to help.
Bill
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My arrival is dependent on how early I can get Bernie moving. We'll get there when we get there, I guess.
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Wayne,
What time do you want to leave?
Bern
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Come on Wayne, you and Burn have to meet me there. I need your help with the heavy work.
Bill
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Thanks to everyone who plans on helping unload rail tomorrow. Five truck loads will take a while but more hands makes it easier.
Weather: It's 34 and snowing right now but Weds - Sat will be mostly sunny with temps in the mid 50's.
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I wish I could be there to help out! (Why couldn't the trucks come this Saturday rather than Wednesday?)
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I'll be there by 8am to help.
Steve Lennox
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It's much better to have the truck show up prior to both the photo Charter on Thursday and the work week end starting on Friday. Mainly due to parking lot constraints. This will make the forklift operators life a lot easier not needing to worry about a bunch of vehicles in the yard.
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The first of 5 truckloads was just unloaded. Final 4 tomorrow between 7am and noon.
Jason
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We moved some of the shop machinery around today.
(http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s5/bbarry74/bbarry74001/IMG_4528.jpg)
(http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s5/bbarry74/bbarry74001/IMG_4532.jpg)
(http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s5/bbarry74/bbarry74001/IMG_4541.jpg)
(http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s5/bbarry74/bbarry74001/IMG_4544.jpg)
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Look's like we need a narrow gauge fork lift....
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Anticipated work for April 27 - May 1
* Rail: Four truckloads of rail are due to arrive today, Wednesday April 27. All four to be unloaded today too!
* Photo Excursion: Thursday is our second Spring photo excursion charter. Please be in contact with the crew at Sheepscot if you want to volunteer that day so they can sure they know you're supposed to be there (ie, you're not freeloading on the charter!).
* Spring Work Weekend: Friday - Sunday.
- Track laying at Top of Mountain, down the grade to the washout.
- Stoning/jacking/tamping track in the North Yard, to get that as completely into service as possible.
- Feeding hungry people.
- Boxcar 67
- Electrical work in the garage.
- Saturday noon ceremony at Alna Center to unveil a memorial to Julius Stuck.
- And other stuff that I can't think of right now.
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The woods track has ties and rail laid out for 150 feet; the Lincoln Academy High School kids did that yesterday. If everything else goes swimmingly hats ready to be tackled.
I also hope to have a small crew continuing to move equipment in the shop, as well as getting the seep throat riveter into service.
Some of that rail needs holes drilled. The rails are off center to allow starter spikes to be driven.
See ya
Jason
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* Photo Excursion: Thursday is our second Spring photo excursion charter. Please be in contact with the crew at Sheepscot if you want to volunteer that day so they can sure they know you're supposed to be there (ie, you're not freeloading on the charter!).
In the basement of the Percival House there is a large chest filled with old clothes (mostly coats) that look to be "period clothing". Feel free to grab/take/use whatever you like, in case you find yourself in someone's shot.
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Looking the part on the photo charter is critical. Our guests expect a true representation of our "time machine" as it has become known over the years. Photographers and railfans alike love the simple fact that they can use their photos of our railroad with little to no photo shop. ie: no radios, cell phones, paved roads or lots of vehicles, etc.
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Not only is it appreciated by photographers and railfans, but it is appreciated by the general public too. While the trains themselves might not be a tangible connection to the past for them, old (or old appearing) clothing helps people have a point of reference for the time we are recreating. I have had several non-railfan visitors mention this to me.
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Spring Work Weekend, day 2:
* North end crew: 300 feet of track put down.
* North yard crew: Bay 2 inside the car barn was stoned. The main yard track between the switches was jacked and tamped again, then the middle track was stoned, jacked and tamped.
* Garage: Josh R and helpers were putting up lights and prepping for conduit/power.
* Boxcar 67: Carpenter crew worked on main frame of the boxcar. End sills are in, bolsters are on, draft gear timbers were made but not attached.
* Great machinery shuffle: A number of machines in the shop were moved around. The large lathe between Bays 2 and 3 was moved off its foundation and was sitting in the extension. A smaller lathe will take its place. Other machine locations had been adjusted.
* Kitchen: Another great set of meals.
* Rules review: Bob had a rules review during supper.
* Julius Stuck photo unveiling: Nearly everybody took the train to Alna Center right after lunch for a dedication of a photo of Julius as AC station agent. His niece and her husband represented the family. They were quite moved. After that there was a group photo of #9 and crew, and a photo of #9 and workers.
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Looks like great progress.
The memorial to Julius Stuck is priceless.
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Spring Work Weeken
* North yard crew: Bay 2 inside the car barn was stoned, jacked and tamped.
Stoned?... that is certainly an interesting way of saying ballasted!
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Well it must be easier to get jacked when stoned but I don't know where the tamping comes in..... ???