Messages

1

Volunteers / Re: April 2025 work reports

« on: April 11, 2025, 01:52:27 PM »

I always appreciate having car hosts. At many outfits, you may never even see the real conductor. The car hosts (who may be dressed as "conductors") do the schmoozing, letting the conductor focus on operations.

I also enjoy being a car host. Unfortunately, my limited availability means I am often filling roles at my maximum qualification, and almost never as car host.

I think it's also worth considering how our museum has evolved to understand why we historically didn't need car hosts. Number of passengers, complexity of operations, and general professionalism are all up significantly from even 5-10 years ago.

2

General Discussion / Re: Brunswick-Rockland passenger trains?

« on: April 09, 2025, 06:46:17 PM »

The reality is that even Dragon Cement's over-the-road traffic wasn't near enough to support that line. The switching fees for the shuttle down to the barges essentially subsidized the rest of it.

3

General Discussion / Re: Brunswick-Rockland passenger trains?

« on: April 09, 2025, 03:23:05 PM »

This snuck in quietly (under my radar, anyway):

https://railfan.com/maine-selects-new-operator-for-rockland-branch/

"It does not plan to provide host railroad services to Amtrak’s proposed Downeaster extension to Rockland."

At least it isn't being railbanked.

4

General Discussion / Re: Cleaning Engines Historically

« on: March 27, 2025, 08:45:27 AM »

I would think that kerosene or a light oil might have been used in the old days of the Maine two footers. Maybe not so much during the depression when those liquids were in scarce supply.

As I had said earlier in this thread, oil used on a locomotive boiler jacket becomes a dust magnet. A solvent would cook off or air dry and not hold the dirt and dust.

Further to this point - besides the volatility of the solvent, the polarity is also important. This is of particular interest to model railroaders who constantly fight what is essentially an electric discharge machining process at the rail-wheel interface. It turns out that some high-volatility solvents like ethanol will attract more dirt than lower-volatility ones like kerosene. This is because ethanol is much more polar than kerosene.

5

General Discussion / Re: Cleaning Engines Historically

« on: February 13, 2025, 10:06:40 AM »

Car oil is probably for journal boxes.

6

Volunteers / Re: February 2025 work reports

« on: January 31, 2025, 04:09:20 PM »

Glad to hear it ran well. The only thing I didn't check is if the auger belt needs adjusting. There was no snow when I serviced it so I couldn't test how far it blows snow.
I think it will be ok.

It throws the snow as far as it is designed to (which is not very far). A smaller pulley on the auger shaft might help increase the distance. I ended up moving snow twice on the platform because it only throws about 2/3 the width.

The governor does need some attention, but not urgently.

7

Volunteers / Re: February 2025 work reports

« on: January 31, 2025, 01:47:21 PM »

I serviced the snow blower a while ago so it should be all set if it is needed.
Brian W.

Thanks Brian. It ran well for me today. It is definitely needed to clear our new platform!

8

Volunteers / Re: February 2025 work reports

« on: January 31, 2025, 09:24:03 AM »

I'm intending to be up zero-dark-thirty on Saturday for hand shoveling.

Do we know if our plow contractor will be handling the lots in time that morning, or do we need a contingency plan?
Not asking because I think he's a slacker or anything, I just noticed that it was the next day before this storm was cleared.

9

Volunteers / LAST CALL for 2024 volunteer hours!

« on: January 03, 2025, 02:34:10 PM »

This is a LAST CALL for volunteer hours for 2024. If you have any outstanding hours to record, please do so by 1/7.

I would like to submit a volunteer report for the January BoD meeting on 1/11.

I plan to have thank-you letters in the mail by the end of the month. If you have volunteered with us in prior years but haven't received a thank-you, chances are we don't have you address. You can send it to me on the forum via private message or you can email it to me at ben.richards [at] wwfry [dot] org

10

Work and Events / Re: Coach 9 - Official Work Thread

« on: December 16, 2024, 03:31:58 PM »

Miller safety platforms meet the requirements of an "automatic coupler" per 49 USC 20302 (a)(1)(a):

couplers coupling automatically by impact, and capable of being uncoupled, without the necessity of individuals going between the ends of the vehicles;

11

Volunteers / Re: December 2024 Work Reports

« on: December 10, 2024, 01:36:35 PM »

The weather forecast for Wednesday looks like it could cause some problems, especially with downed trees due to high winds. Are there plans for inspection/clean-up on either Thursday or Friday?

12

Museum Discussion / Re: A Tree for Sheepscot

« on: November 22, 2024, 10:47:59 PM »

Structure/loading gauge could become an issue...

13

Museum Discussion / Re: A Tree for Sheepscot

« on: November 20, 2024, 11:19:33 AM »

... something native to Maine and "period correct" for the common carrier era of the WW&F.

Black spruce (and spruces in general) have quite shallow roots, and are susceptible to toppling by wind. As this would be an isolated tree, a moisture-tolerant fir such as Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea) would be better.

The genus Abies has been known since the Paleogene. Therefore I am confident Abies balsamea would be "period correct".

14

Monson Railroad / Re: Monson Village Station Colors: Early

« on: November 18, 2024, 10:23:59 AM »

I don't have any direct info for you but I recently had a fascinating conversation with a gentleman about using old B/W photos for historical color research. Basically, different colors will show up lighter or darker based on what kind of film was used, light incidence angle, etc. It's quite complex.

Unfortunately I can't remember his name but he is working with Eric et al. on Coach 9; maybe Eric can chime in.

I've used those colorize apps before. They aren't actually extracting any information from the photo itself; the app is just guessing based on what it's seen in photos of similar composition. So don't put too much stock in the results.

15

Volunteers / Re: November 2024 work reports

« on: November 15, 2024, 12:08:50 PM »

Who is going to decorate it 10 years on, after it becomes 20 feet tall?