W.W.&F. Discussion Forum
WW&F Railway Museum Discussion => Museum Discussion => Topic started by: Ed Lecuyer on April 24, 2009, 06:25:02 PM
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via Pocket PC Phone...
Tamper is declared a success.
Much tamping, ballasting, etc. done today - but much more todo.
East wall of shop is replaced with new siding. Battons and paint go in tommorrow. Unfortunately, windows are wrong size.
Basic work for Prebbles flagstop started. Most work will be done tomorrow.
Beatiful weather. Great food. Great friends.
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A few pictures from Friday...saw 51 names in the log book... Tamper video can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lE686QpGcg&feature=channel_page
(http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-8/342468/davemarcelzackeastwallsm.jpg)
(http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-8/342468/eastwallgoneinsidesm.jpg)
(http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-8/342468/wideshopdusksm.jpg)
(http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-8/342468/Danagroupeyeingrailsm.jpg)
(http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-8/342468/jackinglevelingcrewsm.jpg)
(http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-8/342468/shovelingcrewsm.jpg)
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Thanks for posting Guys!
It's great for out of towners like myself to be able to see your progress.
Best Regards,
Glenn
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Great shots from a pocket pc phone. Thanks Stephen for posting. Plus 51 isn't to bad for a Friday.
Wish I was there.
Tom C.
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Great shots from a pocket pc phone. Thanks Stephen for posting. Plus 51 isn't to bad for a Friday.
The text message was from a pocket pc phone. The pictures are from Steve Hussar's fancy new camera - bells whistles, and lots of megapixels - plus Steve's skilled hands of course :)
-John
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My favorite image from today, working on the shop windows:
(http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-10/1221509/IMG_0465.JPG)
Reflected by #8
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Very nice, Gordon!
Here are a few more from Saturday...
(http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-8/342468/emilypaintingsm.jpg)
(http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-8/342468/liningandleaningsm.jpg)
(http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-8/342468/Danalookingsm.jpg)
(http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-8/342468/barbaraandsheilakitchen.jpg)
(http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-8/342468/stevezprebbles1sm.jpg)
Steve Zuppa making the Prebles flagstop a reality!
(http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-8/342468/prebbles2sm.jpg)
(http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-8/342468/thetellingofthemoosestorysm.jpg)
Dana's annual telling of "The Moose Story" :)
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The text message was from a pocket pc phone. The pictures are from Steve Hussar's new camera- - plus Steve's skilled hands of course :)-John
Thanks John for the clarification. His pics were really sharp so was wondering.
Tom C.
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Thanks to everyone's hard work and dedication, along with some help from the weather gods, we had another very successful work weekend! As you can see from the photos there was work going on everywhere and much was accomplished along with the ballasting, surfacing, and lining of the track that was put down in the fall. We didn't get all of it in service but I hadn't expected that we would and we got more done than I had hoped. Of all of the new volunteers who showed up I think everyone was especially glad to have our newest, "Big Joe" Tampiere, on hand. Big Joe was able to tamp using four air hammers at once and although he started off a bit "shaky" he soon got the hang of it and then nothing could stop him except when he ran a little low on "juice". Big Joe claims he can handle eight tampers and, if true, that would make him "world cham-peen track travailleur". We all hope so. Thanks to everyone who showed up to lend a hand, and to the kitchen crew for keeping us fed. And thanks to all those who post the photos!
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Steven,
Thanks for the video of "Big Joe" Tampiere in action. As one those who spent the weekend working on the shop walls I did not get to see him in action so your video satisfied my curiosity. Too bad you weren't able to get a video with sound of Dana's annual telling of the "Moose Story". Might be worth making copies for sale in the store.
Duncan
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Dana, Thank you to you and everyone else for your leadership and organization of this event. This was the first time I have participated in this event at WW&F. It was great to see lots of people there. What a sight to see 18 track jacks lined up and lining crews that resulted in track going from being laid on the ground to nicely lined and surfaced. The best part was watching the red flag move north when the final dressing was completed.
Maybe there will be another work session before this fall so that the remainder can be surfaced and lined before the next extension.
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Thank you, Hans, for the kind words. It was great to meet you and put a face to the name. Plans are only as good as the people who carry them out and the WW&F volunteers, from the regulars to those who can only come once or twice a year, are second to none. They all give 100% and do it with penache. I enjoy the great comeraderie and the humor (and I hope we keep drawing some "moose virgins" so the story doesn't get stale!).
It's nice to share a dream with such a fine group and to see it materialize.
And I love moving that red flag northward!
We're in the talking stages for the Fall Work Weekend so we may include finishing the ballasting, surfacing, and lining as part of it, or, we may pick away at it throughout the summer. Watch the forum for updates.
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As usual I had a great time over the weekend. As nice as the posted photos are it's always even better to see all the progress in person.
One other project that I noticed was a freshly painted pump car. Also Cindy's Mom reported that she washed the worst of the windows in coach 8.
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The folks who do the tamping were glad the WW&F was visited by the spirits of Tom Swift and Rube Goldberg. Version 1.0 of the Lamontagne Patented Tie Tamping Machine was a rip-roaring success. I can't wait to see further modifications.
It was wonderful to see so many folks turn out for the weekend, in spite of trying economic times. I'm sure our collective wallets contributed several thousands of dollars to the economy of Wiscasset and surrounding communities, and they should be grateful that we keep coming back.
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In keeping with the original charter of the WW&F, is version 2.0 of the Lamontagne Patented Tie Tamping Machine going to be steam powered?
On a serious note the progress looks great. Well Done!!!
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More pictures from Sunday...
(http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-8/342468/MRossBSampleBigJoesm.jpg)
(http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-8/342468/Erindetermined_sm.jpg)
(http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-8/342468/Vincenttampersm.jpg)
(http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-8/342468/DaveBsm.jpg)
(http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-8/342468/VincentJoshfocused_sm.jpg)
(http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-8/342468/BillRMichaelRtamperlookingnorthsm.jpg)
(http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-8/342468/almostdonelookingsouthsm.jpg)
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Did they ever make steam-powered air compressors?
Stick some bicycle foot pedals on it, to make it go (slowly of course) plus a foot brake pedal to make it stop. It needs a chair for the operator to sit in comfort. Eventually we'll have to build a cab around it, and soundproof it like they do on the standard gauge engines. Then it will be too hot in there with the window closed, so maybe a small amount of air from the compressor can be diverted for air conditioning.
I was thinking as I watched them work that it would be helpful to have some ballast being fed to the tamping site as the situation demands. So add on a ballast feed mechanism. Which means we need a supply of ballast!
Before we know it we'll have a track maintenance machine that will be the envy of narrow gauges across the US!
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I understand "Big Joe" Tampiere forgot to sign out in the volunteer log book Sunday. He wrapped up a little after 4 p.m.
Thanks to Dana, the kitchen crew, and everyone else who organized the work weekend. It was a pleasure to participate, see friends and watch the museum grow. Looking forward to getting up to the museum when I can over the summer, including the July work week, as well as the October work weekend.
- Bill
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Was at the museum today. Went to the end of the line and counted rail lenths
525 feet was tamped, lined, dressed and put in service.
360 feet was tamped, but not lined, Not in service.
270 feet had gravel fill put in low spots, jacked up and shovel tamped. Still needs ballast,
Out of the log book Friday, 55 names in log book
Saterday, 78
Sunday, 52
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James;
While operating "Big Joe" I was thinking how nice it would be to have a cup holder. BTW, Big joe is still in business. Unfortunately they have a new modernized logo that isn't as nice as our Big Joe.
Dave
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And Steve, why can't my $135.00 camera take photos like yours. They look better than actually being there!
Dave
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James, steam powered air compressors are called air pumps (LOL). The Burlington Route (C.B.& Q.) had a R-Class Engine, 2-6-2, No. 2222 that had two extra compound air pumps mounted on the front of the smoke box. They used it for work trains right up to the end of steam service. Really needed for air dump cars they used in ditcher service. I am sure other roads had an arrangement similar. Of course back then tamping was Armstrong Powered. Railroads used a lot air power in shops and roundhouses most supplied steam driven compressors.
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Now that I think about it my question about steam powered air compressors was rather stupid - after all, Bridgton 7 & 8 both have them! Not to mention all the trains with air brakes in the steam era got their air from the locomotive.
So lets find a vertical boiler and air pump and stick it on the back of the tamper platform. Although maybe the boiler shouldn't be on the same vehicle as the tamper because of the vibration..?
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This'll work... but I think you're right James, it's got to be on a separate platform!
(http://knowledgepublications.com/history/images/Mechanical_Movements_Duplex_Steam_Actuated_Air_Compressor.gif)
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Lets forget the air compressor and use the stationary steam engine to run a mechanical tamper through a clutch.... just like a power punch press.
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Just imagine how fast that fly wheel would be spinning in order to create the speed of an air tamper. Wow!
Duncan
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Actually, having the boiler on the platform might be a good idea. You would never have to shake the grates to get the ash down out of the fire!
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Thanks for the stats Dwight. You could include Thursday as well. While not an "official" work day, there were at least 5 people working on the tamper and more working on the shop building. The crews got the tamper frame painted, planked over and more welding done on the arms. The new tamper platform allowed the air compresser to be loaded on the car Thursday afternoon.
In addition, most of the old shop windows were removed and many nails pulled out of the T111. The upper panels were removed to be ready for the installation of the new sheathing Friday morning. This work allowed for a smooth start when the bigger crews arrived Friday.
Other projects from the weekend included the construction of the replica Prebles shelter (noted elsewhere), partial painting of the front and side of the shop extension, the installation of a solid granite door step on the east side of the shop, painting of the #2 handcar (the one with the original WW&F rocker handle) and the installation of a beautiful new TICKETS sign. The sign was made by Bill R. and replaced the old rotten sign that was originally a one sided sign.
I really enjoyed working with everyone on the new shop wall, it was a great project. Our motto was "Anything smaller than a 6X6 is just trim"
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The last photo on page 2 (7th) reminded me that I forgot to include two rail lenths in my tally list. One and a half rail has ballast and it is tamped as a ramp to get down to the half rail with no ballast that has the ties resting on the ground.
We weren't sure how good a job the new tamper was doing. When we air tamp by hand we tamp the ends of the ties from the rail to the tie end. With the new tamper only one spot next to the rail is tamped three times. With the power up on the new tamper the tamping steels are going deeper. The lining crew learned how good a job the new tamper was doing when they tried to line the rail. Help! we need more men with lining bars.
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Well, that's quite an endorsement of Big Joe from Dwight. On the wide gauge, automatic tampers tamp only six inches or so on each side of the rail. The rest of the stone is there to provide drainage and support. If you go out and look at a location where the tamper has just passed, before the area is dressed off by a ballast regulator, you'll see the depressions in the ballast on either side of the rail left by the tamper, just like ours did.
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We weren't sure how good a job the new tamper was doing. When we air tamp by hand we tamp the ends of the ties from the rail to the tie end. With the new tamper only one spot next to the rail is tamped three times. With the power up on the new tamper the tamping steels are going deeper. The lining crew learned how good a job the new tamper was doing when they tried to line the rail. Help! we need more men with lining bars.
I'd also note the ties in this section are old 8x8 guardrail posts -- not the usual 8x6 ties. So it's good to hear Big Joe was able to dig down low enough to tamp these larger ties.
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With all the projects that was going on I was a little worried that there wouldn't be enough people at the end of track to ballast, jack, and tamp. It turned out there was quite enough, considering the waiting between ballast delivery trains.