W.W.&F. Discussion Forum
WW&F Railway Museum Discussion => Volunteers => Topic started by: James Patten on August 30, 2023, 05:40:40 AM
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Anticipated work for the weekend of Sept 2, 2023:
Friday
* The Ellsworth wedding. Lots of help needed.
Saturday
* Boxcar 56
* Engine house work
* Archives
* Grounds work
* Public trains: 11, 1 and 3 (includes Blueberry treats!). Help needed.
Sunday
* Public trains: 11 AM mixed, 1 PM concert. Help needed.
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Work done 9/1/2023.
Ellsworth Wedding. A HUGE SUCESSS for our entire organization as we hosted the first wedding held at the Event Pavilion at Alna Center. Major thanks to today's crew: JB, Dan, Roger, Joe F., Ed, Dante, Paul B., Ben R., and Cindy. Brendan pitched in to help with coaling #9. And Steve P., Annie, Johnny, and Artie all worked like a well-oiled machine family in to make #9 absolutely shine. We have a lot to be proud of today and everything went off without a hitch. (Well, maybe one hitch between Steve and Shelia.)
Grounds: Brendan tidied up the grounds before guests arrived, then added stone near the Turntable Lead to make a smoother walking path for volunteers (and visitors) accessing the trackside of the shop building from the Engine House.
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Work done on Saturday Sept 2:
* Boxcar 56: Marcel and Zack were working on putting in braces for the roof walks.
* Grounds: Mike was starting work on a walking path from the driveway toward the gift shop, near the turntable. And Brendan was adding stone in the track area by the turntable as well.
* Public trains: Moderately attended. The 1 and 3 PM trains stopped at Alna Center for a blueberry treat.
* Engine house: Brendan was putting up a brace.
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(https://i.postimg.cc/9QW9g63P/20230902-102808.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/SNbCCXDv/20230902-132606.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/sDPScVLD/20230902-132628.jpg)
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Excellent! No more need for people to walk along the side of Cross Road. No more street walkers. ::)
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Only a few photos taken today, since I was in train service.
Early in the day, Mike and Cody were busy installing a drain pipe under the path of the planned walkway.
(https://i.imgur.com/yhn2ohh.jpg)
Later, Mike was placing the disturbed sod elsewhere as Fred looked on.
(https://i.imgur.com/JZhTBOB.jpg)
Mike later, in the background, clearing the path for the new walkway, as Brendan delivers another bucket of stone to improve the walking surface across the tracks by the turntable.
(https://i.imgur.com/be4Jl1l.jpg)
Mike, Zack and Fred rolling out ground cloth for the new walkway.
(https://i.imgur.com/lDGpUhB.jpg)
I've also posted a photo from today in the Boxcar No. 56 thread (https://forum.wwfry.org/index.php/topic,3838.msg56775.html#msg56775).
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Cody and I made some progress this morning before he headed to the gift shop. Please note, this is for pedestrians only. No trucks or equipment. We need to keep it level for walking.
(https://i.postimg.cc/DzGwk4pK/20230903-091645.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/ZKYnBRnr/20230903-091750.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/DwHwMPgg/20230903-120824.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/SQfjx8SS/20230903-121221.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/pLpdC6Dr/20230903-121329.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/5ygtKc7Y/20230903-121337.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/Qx6tp3Kv/20230903-121353.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/Vvm6FsRP/20230903-164955.jpg)
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Thanks, Mike and Cody. Big improvement.
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Mike you may have to put in anti-vehicle posts there to keep the traffic out.
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Mike,
Thanks. You and Cody did a nice job.
Dave
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Mike you may have to put in anti-vehicle posts there to keep the traffic out.
If I can find what I am looking for, they will arrive..
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Really looks good! Nice work!
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Anticipated work for Saturday Sept 9:
* Grounds work: more pathway work.
* Engine house
* Boxcar 56
* Public trains - help needed
* Board meeting at 4:00.
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Work done on Saturday, Sept 9:
* Loco 11: Harold was machining parts.
* Engine house: Brendan was putting up braces.
* Grounds: Mike was putting in more walkway, from the electrical building heading toward the parking lot. He tried out his (our) new compactor.
* Public trains for World War 1 weekend.
* Board meeting
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My only photos from today.
(https://i.postimg.cc/nLkfg5Nq/20230909-144659.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/G2mnCK1V/20230909-144740.jpg)
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Looks like the compactor works well.
Jeff
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We should consider some type of decorative fencing on the turntable side for traffic control and safety.
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If we were to go that route here or anywhere else at Sheepscot (or elsewhere along the line) we’ve already worked out a great solution which has been adopted at Trout Brook and on the east side of the line at Top of Mountain. Essentially, w the Railway recreated the historic line side fencing used by the WW&F. It’s easy to install, low maintenance and looks great.
That being said, in the turntable location specifically, we actively invite participants to turn the locomotive, we don’t want to encumber photography, and the TT at Wiscasset (to my knowledge) wasn’t fenced. The pathway has already gone a long way to define safe pathways for visitor access- and they look great! (thank you Mike!)
Steve
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We can't fence off the TT. Mowing and maintenance would be more complicated.
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And thank you for the compliments. This has been talked about for years, and were waiting to get electrical conduit in first. One more stretch across the main lawn to the parking lot and we will be done.
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Anticipated Work for week of September 11-15, 2023.
Tuesday:
Truck Work. Jerry and Carlos.
Coach 9. Eric.
Tie and Dine prep- afternoon. Dan.
Wednesday:
Coach 9. Eric.
All week (pending)
Enginehouse. Brendan.
No 11 machine work.
V Brake engineering and planning
Continued truck work
Riding track inspection late in the week.
We plan to continue weekday track work with a Wednesday track day, every other week for now. This Wednesday is a washout- with no pressing needs we will forgo working under water and plan to begin the following Wednesday.
Thanks all,
Jason
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Seeing how the weather forecasts are developing and analyzing the Hurricane tracking models, it is strongly suggested that the workweek activities be redirected to ensuring that the ROW and Campus drainage systems are inspected and cleared of any possible debris before the weekend and that all possible equipment be moved inside under cover for their protection. Chances are increasing that the railroad will be impacted by heavy rains, tropical storm force wind, and possible tornadoes from Hurricane Lee even though the eye of the storm will stay offshore. Lee has become huge in size and strength, far better to err on the side of caution than risk major damage to the RR.
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Is there any chance Lee might put the passenger platform back together?
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Is there any chance Lee might put the passenger platform back together?
If he is really organized ;D
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Anticipated work for Saturday Sept 16:
Hurricane Lee or the remnants thereof will be making its way through Maine in some fashion during the day on Saturday. So use your judgement in coming and going.
* Archives/Museum building charette, starting at 9 - still being held (online, mostly)
* Tie and Dine Cancelled - Postponed to Sunday Oct 8th (during FWW.)
* Grounds work: more walkway construction. Cancelled due to storm
* Boxcar 56. Probably cancelled!
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Due to the high liklihood of damaging winds and tropical storm warnings, I am doing the responsible thing and staying home Saturday. There will be no grounds work unless the storm takes a sudden turn.
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Work done on Saturday, Sept 16:
Lee was not much of a storm in Alna, just a few downed tree limbs and lost power from 11:30am - 6:00pm. Work still continued at Sheepscot...
A planning meeting was held to brainstorm ideas for a new museum/archive building. (Also conducted by web teleconference for those who could not make it in due to the storm.) Nothing was decided, it was just a forum to start to get some requirements for the next major project to start the planning and scope.
Brendan did some work in the new west parking lot.
Zack replaced the part in the ladies restroom that got fried during a recent thunderstorm.
Jason made some progress on the rebuilt J&S passenger trucks.
Ed made an inventory of the signage necessary for visitor flow during Pumpkin Trains; then updated the web site once power returned.
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Anticipated Work
Week of Sept 18-22, 2023
Tuesday:
J&S Truck Rebuild: Jerry/ Carlos
Vacuum Brake Cylinder Machining: Quentin
Coach 9: Eric’s team
Track Inspection: Dan and/or Jason
Switching: Dan, Jason
Wednesday:
Track work at ToM (track lining with machine help): Dan/ Jason HELP APPRECIATED!
Coach 9: Eric’s Team
V Brake Cylinder Machining: Quentin
Thursday:
Rules Class Prep: Jason
Please note FareHarbor has a sign up (https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/wwfry/items/322103/availability/1268953563/book/?full-items=yes) for the rules class. We’d appreciate knowing how many folks to expect either there or by responding to the rules class thread in the operating crew section.
FareHarbor sign-up (for both in-person and virtual attendees) is at: https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/wwfry/items/322103/availability/1268953563/book/?full-items=yes (https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/wwfry/items/322103/availability/1268953563/book/?full-items=yes)
We are trying to arrange a live stream as well.
Thanks
Jason
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Anticipated Work
Week of Sept 18-22, 2023
Thursday:
Rules Class Prep: Jason
Please note FareHarbor has a sign up (https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/wwfry/items/322103/availability/1268953563/book/?full-items=yes) for the rules class. We’d appreciate knowing how many folks to expect either there or by responding to the rules class thread in the operating crew section.
FareHarbor sign-up (for both in-person and virtual attendees) is at: https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/wwfry/items/322103/availability/1268953563/book/?full-items=yes (https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/wwfry/items/322103/availability/1268953563/book/?full-items=yes)
We are trying to arrange a live stream as well.
Thanks
Jason
I could not find any fareharbor link anywhere that worked until I quoted the above portion of the post and only the last link took imbedded there (actually it wasn't imbedded, I had to copy it) took me to a useful booking site for the rules review class, which I signed up as a virtual passenger.
Bill
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Thanks for posting the info, Jason.
Jeff
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Anticipated work for Saturday Sept 23:
* Rules review class, both in-person and virtually.
* Grounds work: walkway construction, perhaps parking lot clean up work
* Engine house
* Boxcar 56
* HRA conference: Dave and Ed are attending this conference in Montreal on our behalf.
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HRA conference: Dave and Ed are attending this conference in Montreal on our behalf.
The rumors of an incident at the US-Canadian border are false.
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My God, Ed .... what have you DONE??? :o ::)
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Work done week of September 18.
Harold finished machining two additional components for No 11’s rear truck, then proceeded to clean and prepare the new (to us) lathe.
Quentin (typically a Build11 volunteer) finished facing the vacuum pot half shells and began drilling their bolting flanges.
Jonathan coated 5 additional vacuum pot rod seal bellows.
Jerry, Carlos and I continued with the J&S truck re-work. (We’ve had some inquiries on this- we are reworking the trucks to ensure the swing motion works correctly when loaded. This was not the case when we test fit the trucks in July.)
Dan and I switched out the yard and moved No 7 in preparation for its return to Portland. We also performed the weekly riding track inspection.
Randy, Brian Whitney, Dan, Jeff Verney and I realigned the most severe alignment deviations at ToM, using Jeff’s excavator before it leaves that site.
Eric, Ron, Seth and Lou continued paint prep work on coach 9.
Randy attempted to mow AC. It was too wet.
Fred mowed around SS.
Bob L came in for a planning session for continuing work on No 10.
I spent today preparing for Saturday’s rules class, including issuing the newly revised rulebook.
Brendan spent the week in the new NW parking lot, as Jeff and Jay fed material.
Linda was in for archival work several days.
I saw Cindy and Stewart off and on- I’m sure they were busy.
I apologize if I missed anyone.
Jason
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Dave and Ed went to dinner and a movie in Old Montreal....
(at the Heritage Rail Alliance conference.)
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Paul Baresel and myself worked on the railcar. We identified an issue with the intake manifold which was causing hard starting, and tracked down the cause of the inoperative front brakes.
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Work done on Saturday Sept 23:
* Rules review: Jason ran a rulebook review meeting, with the new rulebook distributed today.
* Grounds: Mike finished the drainage work by the electrical building/turntable area, including beautifying the ground and seeding it. Also he reviewed the parking lot work done in the past couple of weeks (the "northwest" lot).
* New seats: The same gentlemen that built and delivered flatcar seats back in August delivered another set for another flatcar. Mike took care of the placement with the forklift.
* Boxcar 56: Marcel painted the roof and worked on the roofwalk.
* Machine shop: Harold and Alan were working on getting the new-to-us lathe in service. They claim it is working, but when they tried to demo it to me it wouldn't work.
* No trains today but we had a few visitors drop in to look around.
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Here is the proof..
(https://i.postimg.cc/T3zHL7XZ/20230923-122051.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/c45zZ1k1/20230923-125747.jpg)
Cute little roller you got there Brendan
(https://i.postimg.cc/rwKvtRRt/20230923-125757.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/3wj9y31v/20230923-151256.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/Px244KBf/20230923-151314.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/8cpYk7Vc/20230923-151406.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/ht6N84VZ/20230923-151415.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/3Ntck3KB/20230923-151501.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/YqSPJL3y/20230923-151551.jpg)
Marcel says Ready for Red..
(https://i.postimg.cc/tTHffrSh/20230923-152434.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/J7xg65bk/20230923-152440.jpg)
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Great photos, Mike. Thanks.
Jeff
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Anticipated Work
Week of September 25, 2023
Tuesday/Wednesday: Coach 9. Eric is out of town but the remainder of the team is expected.
Tuesday (pending confirmation): install canopy on flatcar benches. Randy. Help would be appreciated.
Tuesday: J&S Trucks. Jerry and Carlos are closing in on final reassembly.
Wednesday (probably- date change will be announced): Loco 9 fireup for boiler maintenance, training and switching. Roger/ Wes.
Wednesday (probably..) switching for pumpkin train prep. Dan.
All week:
Harold will likely be in working on Build11, brake pots, coach 9, etc.
Brendan will likely be in for enginehouse or finishing up parking lot.
Jason (me) will be in for v brake engineering and preparing for v brake install on coach 3.
Anyone else with projects please feel free to speak up!
No track work is planned this week. Next week we will have a day of track work in preparation for Fall Work Weekend.
Jason
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Anticipated work for Saturday, Sept 30:
* Engine house
* Boxcar 56 - Marcel is applying red paint
* Machine shop
* Public trains - the first weekend of Pumpkin trains. Two trains operating, help needed.
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Work done on Saturday Sept 30:
* Boxcar 56: Marcel and his minions (mostly from the new B&SR Museum) painted the boxcar red.
* Public trains: Most of the steam trains were well patronized (the 1:00 PM trip with returning hikers from Trout Brook preserve carried 119 people).
* Signs: The various temporary signs around the museum were refreshed to reflect the new pathways and ongoing temporary boarding platform.
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Photos of the newly painted boxcar today are here (https://forum.wwfry.org/index.php/topic,3838.msg56910.html#msg56910).
Couldn't take many photos today since I was in train service. Here's one more. My northbound train with No. 52 arrived at Top of Mountain before No. 9's southbound train had arrived for our meet in the early afternoon. This gave me a chance to take the following photo of 9 climbing the last bit of 4% into ToM. We could hear 9 working hard climbing the Mountain well before she rounded the last curve to come into view.
(https://i.imgur.com/M3gAbl7.jpg)
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Thanks for that beautiful pic. It's tough to be on the job and take photos. I experienced that in decades in Pithiviers. Like you the best opportunity I had to take a pic of the trains was when they met at Les Carrières crossover. Now that I've been a retired volunteerrs for 7 years I've caught up.
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Nice photo, Bill.
Jeff