W.W.&F. Discussion Forum

WW&F Railway Museum Discussion => Volunteers => Topic started by: James Patten on June 29, 2016, 05:33:51 AM

Title: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: James Patten on June 29, 2016, 05:33:51 AM
Anticipated work for weekend of Saturday July 2:

Fourth of July weekend - hopefully we'll be inundated with people!  This is the beginning of the steam season

* Boxcar 67
* Turntable
* Top of Mountain
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: James Patten on July 02, 2016, 05:54:32 PM
Work done today, Saturday July 2:

* Turntable: timbers were treated and trimmed.
* Top of Mountain: Mike did some more grading work up there.
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: Mike Fox on July 02, 2016, 07:16:53 PM
Lots of stumps pushed, then pulled some more with the excavator
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: Dwight Winkley on July 02, 2016, 09:10:50 PM
Turntable, More rebar was bent and than wire tied together.
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: Mike Fox on July 03, 2016, 08:03:37 AM
Also Joe went out first thing and replaced 3 ties, by himself, in less than 2 hours from the time he left until he returned
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: Joe Fox on July 03, 2016, 09:29:33 PM
There are still 21 ties to be changed out between Brook crossing and Sutters. While I was out I also noticed that Davis curve and Davis grade will need some alignment attention soon. There are a few joints on the south half of the curve getting square, and a few rails on the south end of Davis grade that are not in a straight line any more causing a slight side to side rock.

There are a few other spots that need alignment as well, so maybe these could be addressed during the fall work weekend?
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: Bill Baskerville on July 03, 2016, 10:27:16 PM
There are still 15 missing joint bar bolts on the main line outside of the two yard limits.  I have a log of the locations.  All things going right, I will be up the week before the FWW and try and get them drilled and put in.

So much work to be done, so much fun to be had, so little time....

Bill
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: James Patten on July 06, 2016, 06:06:43 AM
Anticipated work for weekend of July 9:

* Board meeting on Friday
* Turntable: Jeff Verney is supposed to be digging the hole this week, so I expect that attention will turn to putting in the forms for the concrete.
* Ice Cream Social: The afternoon trains will stop at Alna Center for the Social.
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: James Patten on July 09, 2016, 04:39:34 PM
Work done on Saturday July 9:

* Turntable: Lots of rebar cutting and bending today.  Zack was hopeful of more timber staining/preserving, but threatened rain forestalled that.  Timber preserving was going on yesterday (Friday).  Contractor Jeff Verney was asked to delay digging the hole until the rebar work was done.
* Boxcar 67: The truss rods have been welded up, and remaining rods were installed today.  The body was flipped over (so that it's right side up).
* Ice Cream Social: Cars 103 and 554 was brought up on the 11 AM train and put in the siding, then these cars were used by the patrons.  We had over 200 people today, which compares favorably to past years.
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: Mike Fox on July 09, 2016, 05:40:46 PM
Continental recieved some attention this afternoon. I need to order a couple things and cross fingers..
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: Bill Baskerville on July 09, 2016, 10:23:07 PM
Additionally, the grant request for our Vacuum Brake project was submitted to the Dailey Foundation yesterday.  Everyone keep your fingers and toes crossed.

Bill
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: James Patten on July 13, 2016, 05:57:24 AM
Anticipated work for weekend of July 16 - 17:

* Turntable: rebar work if not done, forms work if the hole has been dug.
* Boxcar 67
* Car barn: If bay 3 of the barn is clear of equipment, we need to ballast it (at the very least) and jack and tamp it.
* Top of Mountain stump removal
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: Mike Fox on July 13, 2016, 06:26:52 AM
Stumps. Don't forget the stumps..
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: James Patten on July 16, 2016, 07:30:34 PM
Work done on Saturday July 16:

* Top of Mountain: Mike appears to have finished the stump removal and grading at ToM.
* Car barn: Track 3 has been ballasted, jacked, and very lightly hand tamped (it was really too hot to do it very solidly).  We moved the 4 wheel car with the sawmill steam engine over to that track, the two J&S passenger trucks that have been residing on Track 7 for many years, and stored Flatcar 126 there.  The two cabooses now both live in the middle bay.  Not much stone left in our pile.
* Boxcar 67: Marcel and Zack were doing things (I didn't catch what).
* Turntable: I heard a rumor that somebody was doing rebar bending, but I don't know if it was true.
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: Mike Fox on July 17, 2016, 08:10:15 PM
Not finished, still more to do...

Sunday, slow day work wise. A little tinkering on the Continental, and plenty of guests to keep us busy. Steam was run on all trips accept the 12:30, which the Railcar was substituted for the train.
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: Bill Reidy on July 17, 2016, 08:15:56 PM
On Saturday Fred spent a good portion of the morning in the heat brush cutting along the right-of-way at Top of the Mountain along the side where Mike has been clearing the land for the mill.

The area where Mike has finished looked very good early Saturday afternoon, as seen in recently posted photos.
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: Mike Fox on July 18, 2016, 07:10:49 AM
Thanks Bill. Yes, Fred did a lot of trimming Saturday morning, trying to expose the remaining stumps. A big help. Fred stated after we finished cutting trees this spring, he wasn't cutting any this winter if he had to walk around those stumps. Not being one to want to stop Fred, and having help from Brendan when he could, we have a nice semi flat area to walk across to hack the next bunch down.
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: Bill Baskerville on July 18, 2016, 10:01:09 AM
In looking at the most recent pictures of the TOM clearing it looks really smooth.  If it hasn't already been done I would suggest that, while it is  fairly soft from all the digging and grubbing, the Casey Blade be drug backwards across the entire field to make it as smooth as possible.  That way it can be mowed with a mower like the AC field as the field attempts to grow fallow.

Just a suggestion from afar.

Bill
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: Mike Fox on July 18, 2016, 10:17:33 AM
Been trying to keep up with that. There are a few high and low spots, but we are not building a soccer field. In the next couple of weeks, I would like to get some seed thrown out there and back blade it again put some hay on it. My time is very limited, so hoping for dry Sunday mornings the next few weeks to finish up
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: Fred Morse on July 19, 2016, 06:03:20 PM
Today, started cutting the walking trail ay Headtide, got about 200 beyond the swimming hole heading North I will be doing some tomorrow. I'm doing it at least 12 Ft. wide. Last year because we were building the new car barn we made a 4 Ft. wide trail along most of it . The field at the North end was completely done by David B. and Bill R.
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: Eric Larsen on July 19, 2016, 10:43:17 PM
Hows that bride we made years ago just before the swimming hole? 
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: Fred Morse on July 20, 2016, 03:25:39 AM
The bridge is not good at all. During the convention, an older person would have a hard time on that bridge. I also mention some 5 gal. buckets with planks for seats be placed as resting areas for people. We have a couple of them around the museum now. Eric, when you come over maybe we can talk about how to fix the worst bridge.
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: James Patten on July 20, 2016, 05:36:47 AM
Anticipated work for weekend of Saturday July 23:

* Turntable: forms, rebar, etc.
* Boxcar 67
* Top of Mountain grading
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: Jason M Lamontagne on July 20, 2016, 07:28:56 AM
Dana is available to lead a track day this Friday.  A rail needs to be changed and there are several low areas require tamping (Big Joe style).  We're planning on getting stone.

We also are knee deep in the turntable pit.  So here's the question for the masses:

How many would be willing to show up for a track day Friday?  If not enough, then we'll take what labor we have and work on the turntable. 

If not Friday, this track work needs to happen soon, for sure.

See ya
Jason
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: Joe Fox on July 20, 2016, 12:00:09 PM
I might be free early morning until 9, so I may change a few ties real early and measure the rail.

Also it looks like I will be free next Thursday but I will reconfirm that on Sunday.
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: Fred Morse on July 20, 2016, 01:30:28 PM
I cut more brush Northward on the Headtide trail today, tomorrow I should be past Two of the 30 Ft. walking bridges. Steve Z brought a chainsaw up and we removed some of the fallen trees.
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: James Patten on July 23, 2016, 05:23:14 PM
Work done on Saturday July 23:

* Turntable: Jeff Verney was there early removing the excavated material - unfortunately Jeff doesn't volunteer, we have to pay him!  When the material was gone he came back with gravel/sand and removed it using his excavator and strategically placed it with that, while people shoveled/tamped it in the pit.  The pit is ready for the first pour on Monday.
* Boxcar 67: Zack was drilling holes in the sills and squaring them off for the mortise and tenons (I forget which is the hole and which isn't).  Marcel was disassembling the roof structure.
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: Mike Fox on July 23, 2016, 06:39:28 PM
Mortise is the square or rectangular hole. Receptacle for the tenon
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: Terry W. Shirley on July 23, 2016, 09:09:28 PM
Is the removed material from the excavation going to be put to use elsewhere, or was is just disposed of?
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: Paul Uhland on July 23, 2016, 11:06:40 PM
How I remember...tenon (tongue) goes into mortise (mouth).
Crude but effective.  ;D
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: Paul Uhland on July 24, 2016, 01:12:22 PM
Disposed of, per Jason.
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: Stewart "Start" Rhine on July 24, 2016, 05:15:24 PM
Sunday, July 24th -

* 40 people bought tickets today.  In the group were visitors from PA, SC and Alaska.  The big event was a birthday party charter at 2:30 with 14 people on caboose 320.  The birthday mother brought a nice pinata that was too big to hang in the caboose, what to do??  Rider suggested hanging it from Ichabod over on the spur.  We positioned the crane and set the pinata.  It worked great and the kids loved it.  Some of the adults said how neat an idea it was. Most of the party goers had not been to the WW&F before and enjoyed their visit.

* It was nice to see some of our Saturday members helping on Sunday, it made things a lot better for the regular crew.  Thanks Mike Fox and Bill Reidy.

Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: Mike Fox on July 24, 2016, 06:15:48 PM
Some stumps were relocated during my visit today. Others are waiting patiently in piles to join their cousins on stump row. Still more are waiting to be plucked..
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: Bill Baskerville on July 24, 2016, 09:39:39 PM
Mike,

OK.... for those of us in the 'away' crowd, what and where is 'stump row'?   :-\

Bill
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: Mike Fox on July 25, 2016, 06:08:34 AM
It is where I have been stashing the stumps. It is a row that is 10 to 12 feet wide at the base, 6 or 8 feet at the top, 6 to 8 feet tall, and must be 100 feet long or more. And unless you follow the dozer trail, it will never be seen.
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: Paul Uhland on July 25, 2016, 12:47:41 PM
You watch...some day there'll be a market for 'em.  ;D
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: Joe Fox on July 26, 2016, 08:40:00 AM
Track work planned for Thursday 7/28.

- Tie replacement early morning.
-Mainline work with hopefully a small crew around 9. If we have enough guys I would like to realign a few rough spots after we take care of a higher priority first.
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: Carl G. Soderstrom on July 26, 2016, 11:52:10 PM
Paul
Only after they are all gone. :D
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: James Patten on July 27, 2016, 05:58:03 AM
Anticipated work for weekend of July 30-31:

* Boxcar 67
* Turntable: forms, etc.
* Top of Mountain
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: Paul Uhland on July 27, 2016, 09:28:00 AM
Are TOM spur switch parts on hand?
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: James Patten on July 27, 2016, 11:03:42 AM
Are TOM spur switch parts on hand?

Actually they are.
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: James Patten on July 30, 2016, 03:37:23 PM
Work done on Saturday July 30:

* Turntable: I heard saws going and lumber moving, and Fred was supervising, but I don't know what got accomplished.
* Boxcar 67: Marcel was working on the rafters.
* Weed cutting: Fred took the locomotive out early in the morning, with Dwight and I don't know who else.  Later I heard the strimmer strimming in the yard area.
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: Dwight Winkley on July 30, 2016, 09:05:43 PM
The right of way from the end of track north to Trout Brook had a 4 foot path cut though the brush. Many tree were trimmed. The hiking trail is passable, but there still are a few tree's to step over or duck under.
Title: Re: July 2016 Work Planning
Post by: Pete "Cosmo" Barrington on July 31, 2016, 07:32:06 PM
Watch out for those duck-unders, they are a serious source of TICKS!