W.W.&F. Discussion Forum
WW&F Railway Museum Discussion => Volunteers => Topic started by: James Patten on February 28, 2024, 06:37:49 AM
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Anticipated work for Saturday March 2:
* Engine house: finishing up any door work before moving on to the station project.
* Station platform project
* Machine shop
* Vehicle maintenance
* 2pm - Meeting at SLF to wrap up S&S and finalize Spring 2024 joint events.
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Yea, we’re finally getting going on the station platform.
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Work Done Saturday 3/2:
* Enginehouse: Stewart, Brendan, Chris and Zack worked on the trim (see Enginehouse Thread)
* Signboard: Bill Updated it
* Training: Pete Stevens was working on updated training materials.
* Tours: Mike and Ed were entertaining visitors; Cindy and Cody opened the gift shop.
* Food: Nancy made us all lunch.
* Archives: Linda was at it.
* SeaLyon: Ed met with SeaLyon Farm to Review Steam and Sleighs and finalize 2024 events.
* Vehicles: Mike was working in the garage - I didn't see on what.
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A few random photos taken today.
Pete was working on the training materials upstairs in the Percival House...
(https://i.imgur.com/rSlnygY.jpg)
...while Linda was busy in the Archives downstairs.
(https://i.imgur.com/E0oiVmn.jpg)
Recent progress on the pilings for the new Sheepscot passenger platform.
(https://i.imgur.com/IQ3Q5GW.jpg)
The updated signboard. A busy spring coming.
(https://i.imgur.com/aNRSXxw.jpg)
I finished up organization of the saved copies of past issues of the WW&F Newsletter kept in the basement of the Percival House. I verified with Linda our Archives has copies up to the present date.
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Anticipated work for Saturday, March 9:
* Museum/Archives Meeting at 10am.
* Vehicle work: Copeland Lumber front-end loader maintenance.
* Machine shop
* Boxcar 56
* Station platform/gift shop lowering prep work
* Board meeting at 4
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Work done on Saturday March 9:
* Loco 10: Some welding was going on on the smokebox.
* Boxcar 56: Marcel was working on the brake staff and other stuff.
* Loco 9: Others were working on moving an injector.
* Front end loader: Mike replaced repaired cylinders and hoses, and started working on the brake system.
* Charette: Discussion of needs for a building to house archives, a visitor center, office space, etc etc.
* Tours were given
* Board meeting.
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Additional work on Saturday, March 9th -
* Morse Engine House - Zack and I finished the door jamb and casing for the back / delivery doors. The doors are fastened shut for now, waiting for the installation of the drop bar latch. Some clean up was done after we were done with the saws.
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Anticipated work for Saturday March 16:
* Vehicle repairs - continued work on the Case front end loader
* Boxcar 56
* Machine shop/Loco work
* Station platform work
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Work completed Thursday, March 14th:
I un-mothballed the railcar and got it started, after MUCH consternation. Dan and I then took the railcar down the Mountain to TBS, in preparation for this year's Railcar Rambles. You will note the work flat attached to the rear; we received special authorization against the usual timetable restrictions to tow this push car back to the yard.
(https://i.postimg.cc/YSJsjVLz/Resized-20240314-140236-1710453472563.jpg)
Meanwhile, Jason, Brian, and Hannah spent most of the day repairing MNG 1. The labels for the traction motor leads had somehow come off, so they tried to re-identify the leads by trial and error. In this particular photo, they are discovering that 12VDC is not enough to make a traction motor tick over. Shortly thereafter, they discovered that 24VDC is also not enough. The new bronze bearings sure look nice though.
(https://i.postimg.cc/PxbXBv7k/PXL-20240314-195215645.jpg)
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That is why the metal "Stovepipe Tape" (not Duct Tape)
is the thing to use -
It is sticky especially to it self
It is water resistant
Tear resistant
Heat resistant
Done properly the information is impressed into the foil
not just on the surface.
Folded over several times makes a tag that can be fastened with a wire or wire tie.
Through a hole.
Drawback - not so good on bare wires. ;)
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I believe 120 volts is needed to turn a traction motor. The best way I can suggest to test it would be have a device where you can increase voltage up to 120. Chances are it may spin less than that, but it takes a lot of amperage to turn the motor.
On standard gauge engines with a single axle elevated, a welder can provide just enough power to turn a single motored axle at a speed of approximately 3mph.
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Work done on Saturday March 16:
* Front end loader: Mike was replacing hoses and working on other things with it.
* Leaf blowing: Dan led a crew with the leaf blowers to remove dead pine needles and leaves from the Mountain.
* Coach cleaning: Ed led a crew cleaning out and up the coaches.
* Planning: Newly appointed training officer Pete was working on the rules review class next month.
* Gathering: Sam and Laura picked up loose coal scattered around the railyard.
* Tours: A few tours were given.
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We bench bled and installed a new master cylinder, and replaced the vacuum hoses. While replacing the vacuum lines, I found motor oil in them. So now researching if I can rebuild the vacuum pump instead of replacing it. The pump still works, so I will not keep it out of service for that. We also replaced some coolant lines and V belts.
We are waiting on the radiator to be completed, which I expect this week as there was only a couple ahead of me when I dropped it off.
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The snow plow was removed from No. 52 this afternoon. I hope that doesn't mean six more weeks of winter...
(https://i.imgur.com/OXX2gJ2.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/a5XZxXn.jpg)
Other work today included:
* Linda was busy in the Archives.
* Early preparations were started for tamper Wilmar to be repainted.
* Nancy made another great lunch.
* Thanks to James, we had the extra printed copies of the March/April WW&F Newsletter available following mailing. Mike picked up copies for membership duties and copies were given to Linda for the Archives. The rest were either placed in our reserve collection or into a box marked EXTRA for Museum marketing use, such as the Amherst January show or other membership/volunteer recruitment opportunities.
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Anticipated Work
Week of March 18, 2024
Monday:
Engineering work from home for me (my daughter is home sick)
Tuesday:
Truck brake install
Vacuum pot assembly
Coach 9 siding
Build 11 truck work (pending Harold availability)
Loco 9 maintenance
Wednesday:
Coach 9 siding
Build 11 (pending Harold availability)
Loco 9 maintenance and possible test fire
Thursday:
MoW engineering
V Brake work
All week:
Sheepscot Platform Work (pending Brendan availability)
I’ve only just realized that I missed the last couple of weeks. Please feel free to give me a bump either privately or on these monthly work threads publicly- they just slip my mind but I do think they are valuable. Hopefully others think so also.
Thanks
Jason
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Yes I do. I am the away crowd but it keeps me involved mentally with the progress.
Tom C.
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Should be platform work all week.
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Should be platform work all week.
Brendan,
I am so glad that you are now on the platform. It will go faster and be professionally completed.
Bill
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Anticipated work for Saturday, March 23 (assuming it doesn't all get canceled by the forecasted snowstorm):
* Volunteer Recruitment day Rescheduled to April 13th.
* Platform work Highly unlikely
* Boxcar 56 (possible?)
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The radiator for the Case loader was picked up today from the repair shop. We will install it next Saturday and hopefully get the loader together and back in service.
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(https://i.postimg.cc/YSYHX5yD/20240323-142450.jpg)
I have thought about doing this for years, and finally got it done. A roll bar for the old Kubota. This will bolt to a frame member on the Kubota that is made for it.
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Work done at Sheepscot, Sat 3/23:
* Volunteer Info Session: No new volunteers showed up. Steve & Shelia Ellsworth stopped by to drop off some items.
* Admin: Dave, Steve P., and Ed worked on various computer tasks.
* Snow Removal: Dan and Tom used the leaf blower to quickly and effectively remove the wet, heavy snow from all switches at Sheepscot.
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Anticipated Work
Week of March 25, 2024
Monday:
Vacuum brake pot work, in preparation for truck team.
XCart engineering.
Platform work (if Brendan available)
Tuesday:
Truck team final assembly 2nd coach 3 truck
Coach 9: siding work
Build11 truck work (if Harold is available)
Loco 9 Test Fire
Platform work possible
Wednesday:
Coach 9 siding
Build11 trucks
Vac Brake work
XCart Engineering
Thursday:
XCart Engineering.
Heavy rain Wed-Fri. I doubt Brendan will work on the platfrom in that.
The goal is to finalize XCart engineering and order materials by the end of the calendar month.
Remember help is always welcomed and encouraged!
Jason
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i must have missed something. What is XCart Engineering? Are we building our own fleet of pedal power buggies? Actually I think that would be a money maker for all those days when we don't have scheduled trains.
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i must have missed something. What is XCart Engineering? Are we building our own fleet of pedal power buggies? Actually I think that would be a money maker for all those days when we don't have scheduled trains.
I believe this is the track car for the new Kubota excavator, described at wwfry.org/africa (https://wwfry.org/africa/):
"In Progress: Kubota Excavator and Track Car
"After reaping the benefits that the tamper and tracklaying gantry brought to MoW activities, the WW&F wished to further increase in efficiency and productivity track maintenance. Earlier this year, the WW&F partnered with the Candelaria Foundation, who generously granted $100,000 for the purchase of an excavator and construction of a car which it can work from. The car’s design has been finalized and we are ready to order the materials to construct it. Once operable, the combined Excavator and Track Car will enable mechanized tie changing, ditching, roadbed repairs, brush removal, and other critical functionality."
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Yes sorry- I used the shorthand that developed in my head. I don’t mean for it to stick- just short hand.
X=Excavator
Cart=Cart
Thanks
Jason
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Pfhew............ Thanks Jason, for a minute I thought I had left the planet for a long while and missed a whole bunch of stuff. :o :o
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Despite the rumors, "XCart" is NOT a secret Elon Musk project.
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Despite the rumors, "XCart" is NOT a secret Elon Musk project.
Yes, that would be Boring.
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Anticipated work for Saturday March 30:
* First day of Easter trains.
* Vehicle repair - returning the radiator to the front end loader.
* Machine shop
* Platform work
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Work done on Saturday March 30:
* Inspection trip: Last night into today the wind really blew, so we ran an inspection trip up the line to clear out any blowdowns. There were none on the track, so Bryce created some by felling dead leaning trees. We also cleaned up branches on the ROW.
* Vacuum brakes: A group of some of the younger folks are interested in the vacuum brake project, so Jason was giving them tasks to do.
* Platform: Brendan was laying out ties on the very wet ground for the heavy equipment to drive on. Zack was removing bolts that had held up the platform by the gift shop.
* Vehicles: Mike put on the radiator for the front end loader, put it all back together, and started it.
* Easter Eggspress - three sold out passenger trains to SeaLyon Farm for an Easter Egg hunt, etc.