W.W.&F. Discussion Forum
WW&F Railway Museum Discussion => Volunteers => Topic started by: James Patten on September 03, 2025, 05:46:16 AM
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Anticipated work for Saturday Sept 6:
* SR&RL work day - a team is heading north to assist the SR&RL Museum with various tasks.
* Public trains - A Model T group is visiting, but otherwise it's a normal operating day.
* Engine house
* Archives
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Work done at the WW&F on Saturday Sept 6:
* Public trains: A Model T tour group showed up and filled the 11 AM train, and got rides on the Model T railcar as well. They had lunch and most left, although more got T railcar rides for the 1 PM.
* Tie cutting: Dan and the younger guys spent the morning cutting ties.
* Machine shop: one of the volunteers (can't recall his name) was working on a piece for #11 (I think).
* Engine house: Brendan was finishing up work on it.
* Archives: Linda, Bruce and Marcel were working.
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Anticipated work for Saturday Sept 13:
* Public trains, both Saturday and Sunday (mixed train, concert)
* Grounds (probably coal bin prep)
* Engine house
* Machine shop
* Board meeting at 4.
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Work on the coal storage bin progressed nicely Saturday with the help of James and Dave. Just about ready for the cement floor. 2 more rows of blocks will be stacked onto what is there to creare the bin msakine the walls 4 feet tall with the interior dimensions of 12 wide by 30 long. This will easily hold a truckload of coal.
(https://i.postimg.cc/BQBv1jjr/20250913-124232.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/3rpNYSYJ/20250913-132034.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/L5z8DXNZ/20250913-141229.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/FHh7PytF/20250913-155042.jpg)
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Work done on Saturday Sept 13:
* Coal storage bin - Mike, Dave and I worked on finishing the bottom row of blocks for the storage bin.
* Engine house - Stewart was working on trim.
* Machine shop - Several people had projects they were working on.
* Public trains - also the tintype artist was present
* Board meeting
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Sept 20 Rules Class Postponed
Hi Folks,
Our Training Officer, Pete Stevens, has taken ill and is unable to administer this Saturday's rules class. At present he plans to offer an equivalent program the following Saturday, Sept 27, in conjunction with our planned Pumpkin Train practice day.
Thanks
Jason
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Sept 20 Rules Class Postponed
Hi Folks,
Our Training Officer, Pete Stevens, has taken ill and is unable to administer this Saturday's rules class. At present he plans to offer an equivalent program the following Saturday, Sept 27, in conjunction with our planned Pumpkin Train practice day.
Thanks
Jason
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Anticipated work on Saturday Sept 20:
* Engine house work
* I think there's a charter this weekend.
* Archives
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Charter on Sunday the 21st.
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This Saturday, 9/20, is the Volunteer Open House.
Expect to host new volunteers, answer questions, etc.
Hopefully, Steve P. has some details...
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Work done on Saturday Sept 20:
* Engine house - Brendan was working on some punch list items. Stewart was building shelving.
* Machine shop - Earl and others were working on projects, and giving tours
* New volunteer day - we had 3 new folks show up and a few others returning. Tours were given and old ties were picked up out on the line.
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Anticipated work for Saturday Sept 27:
* Pumpkin trains dry run(s).
* Coal bin floor pouring
* Archives
* Engine house touchups
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Hi Folks,
I am hoping to get some indication of crew availability this Saturday for a potential Pumpkin train practice session. I failed to get this on the crew calendar so there’s no specific sign ups. Depending on response, we could do a full practice this Saturday (fire up both locos, one or two full cycles of the op plan), or we could do an abridged version (a meeting, basically), along with a possible practice session on Friday Oct 3.
This week is quite busy with locomotive prep so I haven’t had a lot of free cycles to work through this yet.
I would appreciate feedback. I will also send this as a crew caller email.
Thanks
Jason
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Cement ordered for 9am..any help would be appreciated.
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Hi folks,
For a number of reasons the planned practice session this Saturday is cancelled. Tentatively we may try again on Friday Oct 3.
Furthermore- Pete Stevens remains ill and cannot administer a rules session this Saturday either. Once he is better we will figure out a new schedule for that.
Thanks
Jason
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Work done on Saturday Sept 27:
* Coal bin - Mike built the form for the concrete, then Auburn Concrete showed up at 8:45. The pour went well, with almost nothing left over. Then Mike started working on the blocks for the far end to put notches in them to match the notches on the blocks going 90 degrees opposite. Later he (assisted by Brian W and me) moved the blocks from the parking area over to be lined up for placing next week.
* ML&M #11 - Jason and Brian F removed the steam dome cap to replace a seal.
* Earth works - A crew emptied one of the flatcars to make a shoulder in a narrow area.
* FWW prep - Dan led a crew stacking ties in bundles for use by the track laying gantry.
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It was a great pour. We were done by 9:20. Great help by everyone there. This is the only photo I took all day..
(https://i.postimg.cc/fbcYt4BK/20250927-154449.jpg)
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While Mike was working, I took a few photos. It was the least I could do...
Mike making final adjustments at 8.18 a.m. in advance of the pour, as pointing out by Bryce.
(https://i.imgur.com/R1TTXwo.jpg)
Nick A. and Nick S. assist with the setting of the last form board at the entrance to the future coal bin at 8.38. The cement truck arrived within minutes after this photo.
(https://i.imgur.com/omZ0Oje.jpg)
The pour begins at 8.50.
(https://i.imgur.com/WDEg3M9.jpg)
At 8.57, the cement work was well underway. Several helped spread the cement, as Dan and Brian floated the surface.
(https://i.imgur.com/ETVFYBH.jpg)
Mike, Dan and Nick S. finishing up the pour work at 9.14.
(https://i.imgur.com/waLspnV.jpg)
...and that was how the day started. Soon after, folks were moving on to other projects, like the start of bundling ties for the planned track rebuild of the main south of Humason during Fall Work Weekend. Bryce and Dan led the crew.
(https://i.imgur.com/vhVyKb0.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/gWUfIsI.jpg)
Jason performed an inspection of the gantry assembly, since it has largely been in storage at Sheepscot since the completion of the Mountain Extension. The gantry will be back in use during Fall Work Weekend. Jason discussed the details of his inspection.
(https://i.imgur.com/XzvozKO.jpg)
Dan finished the morning by leading a crew unloading dirt from flatcars 118 and 126, to make them available for pumpkin and work trains in October. One of the cars being unloaded by the Barn 1 switch.
(https://i.imgur.com/0zh8K5c.jpg)
And the other was unloaded just before lunch on the ramp track near the north end of the car barn.
(https://i.imgur.com/KuSrniD.jpg)
This only covers a portion of the work done today. One last photo, showing the updated public message board outside the restroom building. 2026 events are now appearing...
(https://i.imgur.com/GGbwnHH.jpg)
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Thanks for the photos, Bill.
Jeff
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Yes, thanks Bill!
Tom C.
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Dan sent me this photo of testing out the new ditching bucket loading some excess ballast into the museums tip car.
(https://i.postimg.cc/PfRqv4CZ/Messenger-creation-29271938-75-BF-4-E8-E-910-A-35-D5-A0015657.jpg)
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That's pretty handy.
Jeff
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Looking at some good 'ol Yankee ingenuity there. Can't wait to see how the brush cutter works.