W.W.&F. Discussion Forum
WW&F Railway Museum Discussion => Volunteers => Topic started by: James Patten on June 01, 2016, 06:01:28 AM
-
Anticipated work for weekend of June 4:
* Top of Mountain Grading
* Boxcar 67
* Turntable
* Brakes
* Tamping inside Car barn bay 1
-
Work done Saturday June 4:
* Mike was de-stumping at Top of Mountain clearing
* Today was the first day a vacuum-braked passenger steam train made a trip. Jason tried to get the system working for the 10 AM trip and could not. He was successful for the 11.
* Boxcar 67: Zack is waiting for welding.
-
* Dairy Car 65 - Rotted wood was replaced on the east side. The new wood was primed for a top coat on Monday. West side lettering and number was repainted. Brendan lined the trailer up with the roundhouse track so the car can go to Wiscasset soon.
-
Brendan and I spent the afternoon at TOM. Brendan was pulling stumps, I was pushing them. We are almost half way.. Where are they going? Stump row. The pile is 5 feet tall, 8 feet wide, and about 20 feet deep. And well hidden.
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/Mobile%20Uploads/0604161603a_zpsyfvntqo0.jpg)
-
Work done Sunday, June 5th -
* TOM - Brendan cleared more stumps before the rain moved in.
* Dairy Car 65 - Top coat paint was applied to the new wood sheathing under the doors and some touch up was done around the numbers. The car will be ready to roll out of the machine shop this week.
* Trains - Only 4 people rode today, making us wonder (as we have the last couple of years) if being open on Sunday in June is a good idea.
-
Maybe this is a stupid question but I'll ask anyway. I've been following the land clearing at Top of the Mountain. Is this how the field at Alna was made or was it already a field?
-
The field at Alna Center was a field when we got there. The east side of it has really grown in since we came through, the west side is bushwhacked from time to time.
-
[Moderator's Note]
The discussion revolving around Sunday/June schedules has been moved to the "Members Only" section of the Forum.
-
If I remember my history correctly, wasn't most of the original WW&F surrounded by fields and pastures?
-
Wayne,
That's correct. Old photos verify that there were few areas of woods along the W&Q/WW&F mostly because the trees were used to build homes and furniture. Whatever trees were not good for construction were often used for firewood. Clearing gave land owners pasture for livestock or fields for farming. The vast woodlands we have now have grown back in the last 80+ years.
-
Which then leads to the question of whether the cleared area will be allowed to grow up in weeds or grass, or will it be kept at least somewhat mowed?
-
Wayne;
I'd like to see it kept at least partially mowed. I even have an extra riding mower to donate to assist keeping it mowed. Mike has such a deft touch with a bulldozer the field will no doubt end up being very smooth to make for easy mowing.
Dave
-
We have talked for years about getting a bush hog for the blue tractor, and this would be a good use for it. And with the addition of the equipment trailer we purchased to haul equipment on the tracks, moving it to TOM, Alna Center, or any other place that needs mowing will be easy and quick.
-
Anticipated work for weekend of Saturday June 11
* Board meeting on Friday
* Top of Mountain clearing grading
* Boxcar 67
* Tamping inside car barn bay 1
-
No TOM for me Saturday. Possibly Sunday morning, unless I have another mission.
-
Work done on Friday June 9th
Eric, Fred and Dwight spent the day cutting brush along the ROW. We stopped at the Mile 7 marker.
-
Also on Friday -
* Percival house - Sonya cleaned the kitchen, bathroom, meeting/dining room and office.
* Restroom building - Cindy did general cleaning.
* Archives - A man stopped by with some old photos of Wiscasset. His Uncle recently passed away and left many prints and negatives from the 1920's and '30's. The man asked us to look through some of the images to see if any pertained to the WW&F. Most did not but we found a few that showed parts of the railroad, some after abandonment. The photos will be placed in the archives.
-
Work done on Saturday:
* Boxcar 67: Zack and Marcel were working on the needle beams.
* Lumbermen: Fred saw a tree north of the Davis railpile that he wanted to cut, so he and two others took off to do so. They brought the wood back for #9's fireup stash, then proceeded to cut up and stack some of the long pieces lying around the area.
* Grounds: Steve Z mowed around. Bill R and Dave B strimmed around. Results: shorter grass all around.
* Turntable: Some preparation for form building
-
Leon weeks did a lot of grass cutting today as well as during the week.
-
A bit more -
* Turntable - The timber bundles were broken open and the cross stringers sorted out in new piles next to the main bridge stringers. A pile of wood debris was removed from where track 7 will approach the pit.
* Boxcar 67 - Much work on bolt making and truss rods with the first one being installed.
* #9 - The restored roof hatch was test fitted and the new ash pan door plates got attention.
* Coach 8 - The vacuum brake stand pipe elbows were cleaned and painted. Measurements were taken for new mounting brackets.
* Kitchen - Dave B's wife Gail fixed a wonderful lunch for us. Thank you Gail!
-
Sunday, June 12th -
* TOM - Mike worked clearing tree debris.
* Wood - Fred cut more firewood for #9.
* Train service - The 10:00am and 12:30pm trains did not run. There were about a dozen passengers dispersed on the other trains.
-
More work for Friday the 10th, the window frame with the broken glass from coach 8 was repaired and painted. It will return for the FWW unless someone else going north wants to lug it along.
Bill
-
Anticipated work weekend of Saturday June 18:
* Boxcar 67
* Turntable
* TOM clearing (maybe)
* Steam for father's day weekend.
-
I am out again this weekend, going with a few other members to an even narrower gauge meet. It was muddy again up at TOM Sunday and with the rain this week, I can't imagine it improved any.
-
* Mason's Charter - The Lincoln Lodge will have their annual picnic at Alna Center on Saturday. Members will take the 2:30 train up and detrain at AC on the southbound run. Watch for a couple of vehicles on the Averill Road as cookout equipment is brought in around the same time. A diesel extra will run to AC at around 6:00pm to bring everyone back to Sheepscot.
-
Beware of the Trout Brook bridge with the Mason's train.
-
Beware of the Trout Brook bridge with the Mason's train.
Only if we mis-adjust our time machine.
-
Work done on Saturday June 18
Top Of Mountain: Fred and I took a flatcar up and loaded up most of the remaining wood from the winter's cutting, and brought it back to Sheepscot, where others stacked it.
Turntable: Looked like several people were busy working on concrete forms for the turntable, although I think a bunch were done before today.
Boxcar 67: Some work was done, but I don't know what. I saw a truss rod installed, maybe that's what it was.
Busy passenger day: We had a 10 AM group of NARCO(?) put-put owners riding, plus a bunch of Mason's at 2:30.
-
NARCOA = North American Rail Car Owners Association. My cousin's husband is a member, and I have ridden with him at some of their events.
-John
-
I'm curious if there are any NARCOA members with 2' gauge speeders. Have any approached the museum asking for permission to operate their own 2' gauge equipment on the railroad?
The C&TS and I believe also the D&S regularly host NARCOA groups who bring their own 3' gauge speeders to ride, and I know that 2' gauge speeders were indeed manufactured (or at least advertised) by Fairmont and other builders, so it's within the realm of possibility.
-
* Masons - About 40 Masons had their annual cookout at Alna Center. The evening crew brought them back to Sheepscot at 6:30 with #52. Everyone we spoke to said they had a good afternoon and thanked us for helping make their event special. There were a number of new first time riders that said they would come back to ride with family. Some photos of the event will be on fb tomorrow night.
-
About six years ago, I brought a friend of mines modified Rock Island signal maintainer's Briggs and Stratton powered rail car. It was adjustable from standard gauge to 2' gauge.
I was allowed to make one after hours round trip to then end of track.
-
Anticipated work for weekend of Saturday June 25:
* Turntable forms - I guess Jeff Verney is supposed to dig out the pit this week. So we may be putting forms in the ground.
* Boxcar 67
* Top of Mountain Mills grading?
-
Yes, weather permitting of course.
-
Jeff digs the hole the first week of July. This week (and Saturday) will be rebar bending and tying.
Jason
-
Work done on Saturday June 25:
* Top of Mountain: Mike was busy grading, breaking the dozer and fixing it.
* Percival House: Some dirt was scattered around the west side of the house to change water flow, and keep it away from the foundation. The old west side stairs were moved to west side of the parking lot, which seems to be have become our storage facility for stuff we don't quite know what to do with.
* Loco 9: Marcel was doing some trim work on the cab.
Not a lot of volunteers around, maybe everyone will be around on Independence Weekend.
-
Jeff digs the hole the first week of July. This week (and Saturday) will be rebar bending and tying.
Jason
I have marked my best guess on the location of the water pipe and phone/alarm pipe that run through this area. I believe that Brendan and Stewart will take it from here.
-John
-
I did not convert the trailer to run on rails quick enough. Brendan has found a use for it. He wants to keep the timbers mobile to ensure the contractor has room to dig
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/Mobile%20Uploads/0625161604_zpstm9k4xnz.jpg)