W.W.&F. Discussion Forum
WW&F Railway Museum Discussion => Volunteers => Topic started by: James Patten on January 01, 2020, 07:01:26 AM
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Anticipated work for Saturday Jan 4, 2020:
* Pavilion
* Car barn extension
* Tank car 14
* Coach 9
* Board meeting at 3:00
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I'll be up Thurs 1/2 - Saturday 1/4 - Hopefully there will be some projects on Thurs & Friday. Friday looks to be a nice day (for January.)
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I was surprised that no one was there, There's been many years we worked New Years day. On well, times change. If they would get the tracks cleared the next couple of day of melting would clear them good.
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With all the warm days the snow on the tracks is a non issue. Sorry we missed you Fred. Happy New Year.
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Gordon reports that he’ll be up Friday and Saturday; on Friday he’ll begin a job to facilitate the riveting of no 10’s smokebox. Alan will join him Saturday and they’ll forge ahead with it.
I’ll be in tomorrow and Saturday. I hope to complete assembly of the brake controller, help mike move trusses, and attend to a few other things.
Ed, others- there’s plenty of prep needed for the photo event as well- beyond what you know. We’ll connect tomorrow...
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With all the water in the snow it might not melt as fast. Are people there now?
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I expect to be in Sheepscot on Saturday as well.
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I am planning to load and possibly transport trusses Thursday, with a potential storm planned for Saturday.
Saturday will depend on weather. I'd like to assemble trusses, but time will tell.
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Wednesday, Jason and I were discussing todays plan when he told me that ML&M needed help unloading a turntable that we were going to store.
So when I arrived this morning, I went right to work. I started the equipment, and shoveled off the flat car I was going to use, then pushed some snow with the dozer causing some vibrations and disturbing the slumbering guests that were at that point still sound asleep upstairs.
I finished pushing the snow and was getting fuel for the Forklift when Brian showed up. Having a halfa**ed plan, I went to work again, moving things out of the way while Brian, Brendan and Brians father fought with the frozen chains and binders. By the time I was ready they were too.
Turntable safely unloaded (snow and ice covered anyting is slippery on a forklift) and scrap rail put in front of it. Then I realized I had not gotten a picture, so this is what I took.
(https://i.postimg.cc/tJ7zpzZS/0102201612a.jpg)
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Also, I plowed into Alna Center this afternoon. Gravel roads are fun to plow. You have to leave the plow up off the ground a few storms to build up a good base you can plow. Downside is that base is ice.
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I finished pushing the snow and was getting fuel for the Forklift when Brian showed up. Having a halfa**ed plan, I went to work again, moving thongs out of the way while Brian, Brendan and Brians father fought with the frozen chains and binders.
Wasn’t it a bit chilly for that sort of skimpy attire? :)
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Haha.. Well they weren't in use, that is why I was moving them.. Thanks for the laugh. Fixed now..
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I hope to be there Saturday, at least for the BOD meeting...
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Work done on Saturday Jan 4:
* Pavilion: a train brought up the flatcar with the trusses to Alna Center successfully. The trusses were plucked off by the crane truck and stored.
* Tank car 14: Zack worked on getting the railing around the tank on, and putting on the tank tie downs.
* Machine shop: was busy with several people working, not sure on what!
* Board meeting
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Work done on Saturday Jan 4:
* Machine shop: was busy with several people working, not sure on what!
Were James N. and Bryce Up to Something, again? ::)
Jeff S.
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Bryce, 2nd James, Gordon, Eric, Jason and Brendan were all Up To Something. Most of them not on the same thing.
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Some photos inside the shops Saturday. People smarter than I spent the day indoors.
James Noblini was preparing a repair to one of TCDA dairy car No. 65's couplers:
(https://i.imgur.com/EumSItY.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/nkKgoXV.jpg)
Gordon Cook was preparing tools for the riveting of No. 10's smokebox.
(https://i.imgur.com/8zGvDFt.jpg)
The smokebox is about ready for the work.
(https://i.imgur.com/rjJ628M.jpg)
Zack was working on the straps for the tank on B&SR SOCONY tank car No. 14.
(https://i.imgur.com/vhaqwNb.jpg)
Eric Schade was inspecting the newly arrived sill timbers for planned coach No. 9. That photo will appear in the January/February Newsletter.
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Anticipated work for Saturday Jan 11:
* Car barn extension
* Pavilion
* Photo weekend prep
* Coach 9
* Meeting with Alna selectmen regarding moving the Archives to the town office basement 10 AM.
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Saturday: I will clean the railroad of snow- every inch of the railroad even if I have to use a spoon. It’ll be warm and rainy- this is our best opportunity to prepare for the first Grand Reunion weekend.
I would appreciate help- train will leave 10ish, as I want time to get in and connect with a few folks before going. Bring your spoons...
Thanks,
Jason
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Is the basement of the Alna town office climate controlled? Will only paper archives get moved, or is the intention that other, larger items get moved, too?
Dave Crow
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The basement has been built out on one end as a climate-controlled, Fire Marshall-approved archival space for the Town's archives. The other end is getting the same treatment for us. I think only the paper gets moved.
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I am curious as to what is being moved and will the current archives rooms be used for something else? I spend the work weekends doing caption work on the photo albums and wonder if this material will be accessible.
Bernie
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The Archives are moving because we're running out of space. Bernie, you'll be able to access it because Linda will have the key to the downstairs of the Town Office and will let you in to help out.
The current archives room has no official post-archives plan, but I am hoping it will be turned into the business office - as I am also running out of storage space for our records. Need to scan everything, I guess.
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Just what youz guys need...another project!!
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Actually somebody else is doing the build-out, hired by the Town. All we have to do is move in when they are done.
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Actually somebody else is doing the build-out, hired by the Town. All we have to do is move in when they are done.
What a deal, the town is been really good to us..
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Well....yes, but we still have to pay for their time and materials. The meeting on Saturday is to negotiate how much time we have to pay them.
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It's a win-win for both of us. I suspect the negotiations will be fair to each...
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Any chance of No. 10`s new smokebox being ready for this summer's train-pullings?
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Paul, ordinarily I prefer not to discuss speculative completion timelines for major projects including #10. But can I say that regardless of the progress on #10's smokebox, the rest of #10's boiler will not be ready for the summer. The bulk of the work still remains ahead of us.
I am generally planning on making progress on #10's smokebox this winter/spring. This will likely include rebuilding the squeeze riveter to rectify some issues we've had with it, making our own rivets for the non-code work, and performing the actual riveting. And all of that will fit in between photo charters, crew availability, and other shop concerns. We're just going to pick away at it as we can.
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Thanks Alan, obviously much more work and distractions than I realized.
Will praise your work when its done!
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Work done on Saturday Jan 11:
* Pavilion: Fred really pushed Mike to get to work this morning, so they continued work on the grounded trusses. I don't believe that they went up today.
* Line clearing: Today was a warm day, so in prep for the photo event next week Jason wanted it plowed and flanged. The plow didn't do much, the flanger did most of the work. The yard tracks were also flanged.
* New display track: A track west of Loco 8 was added, no spiking but the steel spacers were used. This will be used to display Monson 4.
* Photo event prep: Alan and minions were busy making up coupler cutting levers for various pieces of equipment that will be run for the photo event.
* Car barn: Stewart was working on the roof overhang. Dan, Bryce and James N were working to support the mismatched high rail from the bay 1 extension to the existing track - the rail in the concrete is too high, but there's no lowering the other track until spring.
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Dan, Bryce and James N were working to support the mismatched high rail from the bay 1 extension to the existing track
That's not what the photographic evidence shows. Photo by Jason Lamontange.
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That's not what the photographic evidence shows. Photo by Jason Lamontange.
That photo is just brilliant. Sorry I missed that scene while in Sheepscot today.
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Hey! The minions have their own minion. ;D
Jeff S.
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Anticipated work for weekend of Jan 11, 2020:
* The Grand Reunion Photo event: a training day on Thursday for the MNG crews, Friday is SR&RL day, Saturday is big train day, and Sunday is the wrap up day. Because of this, not sure that much else will be happening, although when the train is out Sheepscot will empty of patrons.
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wish I could attend, but I'm stuck down here in Maryland :'(
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The weather forecast for tomorrow and the weekend looks like this weekend's event will be interesting. Will you need extra help on Friday?
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Will you need extra help on Friday?
Yes! Come on over if you are available. There are lots of minor prep tasks (and a whole lot of switching) that is needed.
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For sake of completeness: work done on Saturday Jan 18:
* Alna Center: Mike, Fred and others cleared snow off the work area at Alna Center. Of course no work there because of the photo specials.
* Photo trains: Today was cold. Nobody had any frostbite that I'm aware of. The SR&RL combine had the stove going (having smoke coming out of a stack in a car is a new look for us).
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Actually I was able to do a little between trains..
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Anticipated work for the weekend of Jan 25-26, 2020:
* Springfield Show - the annual Amherst Railway Society show at the Big E. We have tables, come by and buy!
* Steam and Sleighs - trains operating Saturday and Sunday, Sheepscot to Top of Mountain where SeaLyon Farms will take visitors up to the farm.
* Pavilion - Mike and Fred (and maybe others) will be working to erect more trusses (maybe the last of them for now).
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Those who will be at Sheepscot on Saturday 1/25:
There are 225 passengers who have pre-purchased tickets for "Steam and Sleighs". Able-bodied volunteers should please park in the new West lot.
Please direct visitors to the Gift Shop to pick up their tickets, etc. Trains will be running at 10:30, 12:00, and 1:30. A 3:00pm train will run to pick up passengers who choose to lay over at SeaLyon farm (Top of the Mountain) for the Sleighride and other activities.
Many of these guests are first-time visitors to our railroad. These trains are all SOLD OUT.
We'll be running "Steam and Sleighs" again on 2/1, 2/15 and 2/16. Tickets are still available for these trains - but are selling fast.
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I assume the Sunday event was cancelled due to the expected storm. So what is it going to do rain or snow? Down here near Philly they are talking 60's with strong thunderstorms and wind.
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Sunday 1/26 Steam and Sleighs was cancelled due to the predicted rain. This would create unsafe conditions for the horses. (Slush/Mud is not suitable for sleigh or wagon rides.)
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Ed;
Do we have any way of knowing where our guests are coming from? Presumably local but who knows.
Dave
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Do we have any way of knowing where our guests are coming from? Presumably local but who knows.
There is a simple breakdown BY STATE for a demographics report. While not super-useful, it does give some insight. Here's the breakdown for all "Steam and Sleighs 2020" passengers:
Maine 453
Massachusetts 13
Florida 5
Connecticut 4
New Hampshire 3
New York 2
Texas 2
It would take some work to get statistics on the Maine data, but it is interesting how many are coming from out-of-state. I assume some are folks with local ties who happening to be visiting from Florida, Texas, etc. No one in their right mind would want to move from Texas to Maine, for example.
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I guess Alan D. isn't in his right mind.
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I'm really not! Have you seen the types of characters I hang out with? ::)
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Good point Al, very good point !!!
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I'm really not! Have you seen the types of characters I hang out with? ::)
I wouldn't know. You never wanna hang out with me on 3... :-\
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I guess I'm not in my right mind. I moved from Phx, AZ to Dresden, ME on a beautiful fall day. After 40 years in the oven, I declared myself well done.
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Work done on Saturday Jan 25 (just 11 more months to Christmas!):
* Steam & Sleighs: very well attended, every train "sold out". Things are somewhat rough around the edges operationally, for both us and SeaLyons, but everyone had a great time.
* Pavilion: last set of trusses went up (for now) today.
* Machine shop: Alan and Carlos were working on fixing up the riveter (not the deep throat one, the other one).
* Springfield train show: hopefully a report will be forthcoming from someone there.
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James missed the party..
(https://i.postimg.cc/jdjSGTPV/0125201137.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/FFpKWzfg/0125201137-Burst01.jpg)
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Wow, great cake, and Fred deserves all the honors we can bestow upon him...
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Now there's a happy engine face that even Sir Top 'M Hat would be proud of! ;D
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It was a busy day at Springfield, though I don't have numbers. 4-5 new or renewing members. Good to see Monson No. 3 under steam outside the Better Living Center. Heavy rain held off until the end of the show today at 5 p.m.
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Oh, and Happy Birthday, Fred!
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Then there was that 11:45 a.m. singing phone call from the Big E to Fred... The three part harmony wowed the crowd in the Young Building.
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Happy Birthday, Fred!
Jeff S.
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Then there was that 11:45 a.m. singing phone call from the Big E to Fred... The three part harmony wowed the crowd in the Young Building.
You guys helped make his day! Completely suprised him.
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So glad Fred got all his birthday recognition. No doubt he won't be forgotten by his friends, co-workers and and knowing railfans.
You're my hero, Fred!!!
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The frosting from the edge of the box sure tasted good. So did the cake when I got to it.
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I hope you got the first piece of cake, Fred.
Jeff S.
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I did!
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No report on the Steam and Sleighs event last Saturday? No pictures? Was everyone except Fred and Mike at Springfield?
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I was conducting, and too busy to take pictures. Mr. Picture, aka Stewart, was at the show, as was Bill.