W.W.&F. Discussion Forum
WW&F Railway Museum Discussion => Work and Events => Topic started by: Dana Deering on January 14, 2009, 10:50:01 AM
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The date for the Spring Work Weekend is April 24 - 26. We will be concentrating on ballasting, surfacing, and lining the track that was put down in October. There may be other small projects going on as numbers and physical abilities dictate but there should be something for everyone to do. More details will be posted as needed or as they develop.
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Thanks Dana. Looking forward to late April, when it will hopefully be warmer and snowless.
- Bill
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Here's an interesting way for a small crew to move rail...
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=260067&nseq=1
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Stephen, those mini rail transporters are pretty slick. BTW, are those bolts lagging the rails in place?
Duncan
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Last Fall until the first snow stopped me, I was cutting the brush from the end of track to beyound the TOP. On the way back, I let the loco move slow over the just built track. having nothing to do I counted the West rails......
There is 19 (30') rails with no ballast. 17 (30') and 1 (15') rails with stone up to the railhead. At one or more locations of the unballasted rail. Gravel will need to be hauled in to fill the dips in the row before the stone is put down.
The last rail on the north end would not be rised and tamped so that more rails may be added on our way north.
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Stephen, those mini rail transporters are pretty slick. BTW, are those bolts lagging the rails in place?
Duncan
Hi Duncan,
The Welsh Highland folks call them RRVs. I've always though they were pretty neat too! Very simple and functional.
Yes, you are correct, those are indeed lag bolts holding the rails in place. A number of the UK (and European) lines use them. They can either be screwed in using a power socket drill or a manual, "T"- shaped socket handle. Perhaps one of our UK members can supply the appropriate names for these items.
Best Regards,
Glenn
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Very interesting Glenn. Thanks for enlightening me.
Duncan
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I plan on being there for the Spring work weekend. Still working on getting an air compressor from GSA-Maine. I figure I'll assist Julius at Alna Center, again. Has anyone come up with a flag holder for A.C. yet? If not, I'll see if I can find a antique cast iron holder, but I will need the diameter of the red flags currently in use (3/4",1",1 1/4"?) . I plan on bringing an old milk can along as a stool. One polished up to go along with the cream cans. How is our work glove supply? Should I bring up a couple of dozen pair?
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Ten more weekends and counting.
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I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone in April and I hope we have plenty of members for the track crew. For those who like carpentry, see page 6 of the car shop extension thread for details on work to be done to the building that weekend.
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Stewart,
I saw that thread and right about now that sort of activity is interesting to me. I don't think I'll be ready for shoveling gravel in time for the work weekend.
Duncan
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Duncan;
It is with all my strength that I am refraining from hitting that soft pitch you left hanging over the plate out of the park...
KD
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Give in Dave and go for it. After all, we would do it for/to you wouldn't we? I deserve it for not explaining. Rotator cuff surgery.
Duncan
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Duncan, I wish you a speedy recovery, I bet some WW&F PT will help.
Ken, The standard WW&F signal flag has a 24 inch staff. It's an inch in diameter and the bottom 3 inches taper down to 3/4". The WW&F used a plain wood block to hold signal flags on buildings. There was a hole (approximately 1") drilled at an angle in the center of the block. The block may have been painted to match the building's color although some went unpainted.
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Steve,
Thanks. How about one for Alna Center for the Spring Work Weekend. I figure I'll be there when two trains are in operation. I am bringing a 10 gallon milk can for a stool.
Ken
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Plenty of wood blocking at Sheepscot. Rough ends which would be proper for the time period. Got some rough dimensions Stewart? I'll grab one and build it while we are thinking of it.
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Thanks Mike, The flag block is 4" X 6" and is 3" deep, the pocket is centered. The edges and corners are routed to a 1/8" flat.
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Wow. A beefy piece of wood for a flag. I'll see what I can find next weekend, but perhaps I may have something right here at home. I'll see what I can work up. Might be out of pine, but if it is painted, it will last quite a while.
Is the pocket at any angle or is it square with the face. And 1/8" flat. Is that is what is left of the sides or how much is removed?
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Mike, I don't know the degree of angle used by the WW&F as there are no known photos of signal flags in holders. I would drill the hole at about 45 degrees so the end of the flag is high enough to be out of the way. The flag block gets mounted at shoulder height above the platform, on the knob side of the door frame. If you don't have time I can put the block up when I come up in April. The blocks corners/edges should be chamfered at 1/8" that's how much wood is removed.
Thanks, Stewart
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So did we figure out how to get the snow blower to teh end of track, to clear off the snow for the work weekend yet?
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This is going to be one of those years where it's a good thing we moved the spring work weekend from mid to late April.
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The snow shall be gone by then...I decree it! ;D
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Dana, I have the new version of the Ride the SANDY RIVER RAILROAD movie. The film was shot by Linwood Moody in 1935. The new release includes over 8 minutes of new footage showing the scrap trains and railcars. I'll bring the movie up if anyone wants to see it one evening.
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Stewart,
IF anyone wants to see it?? It will be standing room only. He, he.
Duncan
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I made up two flag holders. I used a 3 inch thick piece of hemlock and cut them to the 4x6 dimension. I will leave them in the station someplace, by the flags preferably but maybe up by the lanterns.
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Great, flag holders. I've got myself a great milk can on which I had a cast iron tractor seat mounted on it, for a stool at AC. I figure when I am not there, it will make a great stool in the shop. It is so comfortable, my wife had me get another one made for our camp. I'll be bringing two dozen pairs of work gloves and some real goodies that can be sold at the book store or auctioned off.
By the way, 60# rail is selling for about $1050 a ton. There is 182 tons of 75# rail (nearly new) for $550 a ton. It seems everyone is looking for and buying 60# rail.
C U You All Soon!
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Thanks for the flag holders Mike. I'll be up on the 17th and will fix one to the door frame at AC station that weekend.
Looking forward to seeing everyone at the track weekend.
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Hi All,
I went all the way to the end of the line on Saturday so I could look things over and get a plan of attack together in my head. First, I'm pleased to report that the snow is gone. Second, the black flies haven't hatched out yet! I think that the first order of business on Friday will be hauling gravel to the low (that's an understatement!) spots on the unballasted section. This will entail hauling it pretty near the end of track so I'd like to do that first before we start jacking and tamping, that way we will avoid a later shuffling of equipment. Once the gravel work is done we can commence tamping on the already ballasted section. The jacking and tamping crew will go first, then the lining crew, then stone cars will come behind to add the finish dressing of ballast. Once we reach the end of the ballasted section we'll have to shift around. We'll send the jacking and tamping crew to the very end of track (or we may do this part in pieces so we don't end up with an unfinished gap in the middle if time runs out) then bring in loads of stone behind them. This way there should be constant progress with all crews out of each other's way. The tamping crew will be on the far north end working south and the ballast trains will keep dumping stone south of them and everyone should be moving south without interference. The lining crew will be the northmost crew in Phase II and once the whole piece has been tamped and lined the last thing to do will be to come back through with the "ballast dressing" operation. As always plans can change. Some famous general once said that every battle plan is sound right up to the moment the first shot is fired so we'll stay flexible within the broader plan.
One thing I would ask is that if there is anyone going to Sheepscot this coming Saturday (4/18) who is looking for a task here's a request: Would you please go through the shop buildings and gather up any track jacks, shovels, and lining bars that aren't being used and either put them in the section house or just consolidate them in one spot so we can collect them on 4/24? If not, then we'll have to do that first thing on the 24th.
Thanks! Now let's all hope, pray, dance (your choice) for good weather for our work weekend!
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2 jacks and one bar are in Bay One. More are under the tank. The boat anchors are all in the section house. I could not find 2 aluminum jacks this winter, hoping they were up by the rail pile still.