Messages

16

Volunteers / Re: Tree Work, November 9, 2024

« on: November 12, 2024, 10:19:41 AM »

It looks like there were more white pines that didn't come down. How did you determine which ones got the axe?

17

Volunteers / Re: Tree Work, November 9, 2024

« on: November 08, 2024, 01:03:13 PM »

I suggest we bring the blower with us to clean up pine needles and leaf litter from the right-of-way if we work north of ToM.

Further to this, while the shoulders clean up fine, I found it is very difficult and frustrating to blow material out of the gauge. It tends to stay trapped between the rails. Some kind of small ramp would improve this. Could be as simple as a small piece of plywood propped up on a block.

18

Work and Events / Re: So. African Hoppers 2806 and 2807 - Official Work Thread

« on: November 07, 2024, 10:19:55 AM »

The current method uses a link-and-pin arrangement, with a special offset link to accommodate the mismatched height of the draft gear. I tried to find a photo of it, but was unsuccessful.

Any knuckle arrangement will also need to address the height mismatch. So it won't be as straightforward as just dropping a coupler into the pocket.

19

Volunteers / Re: John Seigar's Fire Fundraiser Train

« on: October 28, 2024, 10:29:22 AM »

Is that Zeffy link still available? I haven't donated yet but would like to.

20

General Discussion / Re: Brunswick-Rockland passenger trains?

« on: October 14, 2024, 12:43:53 PM »

This is going to be a hard sell. The projected freight traffic is mostly incidental. Come to think of it, even the 30 cars a week from Dragon Cement was pretty far from Blanchard's Rule of 100.

I like the idea of commuter service to BIW, but I'm curious as to where all these folks are going to park in Brunswick.

21

Work and Events / Re: So. African Hoppers 2806 and 2807 - Official Work Thread

« on: October 11, 2024, 01:49:56 PM »

Moreover, the adaptation of these cars to US-style couplers will be challenging.

To quote Jason, literally just this morning, upon inspecting the current arrangement, "I like a good engineering challenge."

22

Work and Events / Re: Fall Work Weekend 2024

« on: October 07, 2024, 09:19:09 AM »

I thought I had a flag on the turntable wall tie anchors but just doing the anchors is fine.  At some point those ties may need to be removed for an elevation correction on some of the enginehouse leads but having anchors in place won’t hurt as long as the studs can be removed from the anchors and the ties slid out toward the pit.  If the studs aren’t removable, the rails rolls have to be lifted to correct these tie thicknesses so that’d be a bother.

Best to check with Brendan, I think he already has the materials. All the wedge anchors I've used have been one-piece and non-removable, but maybe they make different ones.

23

Work and Events / Re: Fall Work Weekend 2024

« on: October 05, 2024, 08:54:48 AM »

Minor projects that have been bouncing around my head, would be suitable for self-directed crews of 2-3:

Finish spiking and tamping the house switch.
Finish fastening ties on the turntable ring (drill and install wedge anchors).
Collect old ties from ROW
Remove dry material from ROW (fire prevention) - mountain and cockeye are spots I've noticed.

24

Museum Discussion / Re: How did you hear of the W.W. & F. Ry. Museum?

« on: October 04, 2024, 09:20:25 PM »

...the president, Joe Roozicki (phonetic spelling)...

Ruzyckij. (Only because I'm going through back issues of newsletters...)

25

Volunteers / Re: October 2024 work reports

« on: October 04, 2024, 06:14:51 PM »

The platform railings on 320 finally received some attention today. The railings had come loose through a combination of vibration and wood shrinkage. The old nuts were split and removed, the threads chased, and new nuts installed with anti-seize and lock washers. No difference visually, so a photo would be of little use. Suffice it to say that Dan fairly shouted with joy upon discovering they were fixed.

I soaked a number of other nuts with penetrating oil where they have succumbed to a similar fate, with the goal of breaking the corrosion and tightening them up. Most are related to the platform steps.

26

Moderator Announcements / Re: NEWSLETTERS!!!

« on: October 01, 2024, 08:28:41 PM »

Are the Newsletter archives searchable in any fashion?

Unfortunately, no. A manual search is required.

At the very least, the text is searchable once the file is opened. So you can use Ctrl+F to find things, you don't have to read every word. A few years back I led an effort to add searchable text to the older scanned issues that lacked it. The embedded, computer-generated text in those scans is not 100% accurate but it should be "close enough" to find subjects of interest.

27

Museum Discussion / Re: How did you hear of the W.W. & F. Ry. Museum?

« on: September 25, 2024, 02:27:54 PM »

My first experience with the museum was in fact hearing it. My in-laws live on Golden Ridge Rd, which is just across 218 from the museum. Most days you can hear at least something from the house, and on exceptional days you can hear every whistled crossing. I think we first stopped by at VC 2017, and I joined as a life member shortly thereafter.

28

Work and Events / Re: Engine House - Official Work Thread

« on: September 11, 2024, 07:47:12 AM »

Could also do some steel ceiling tiles from Home Depot or Lowes. They're not as expensive as tin, and they have high availability.

I think that is what was meant. Many things that used to be made of tin no longer are, but have kept the name. Tin foil, Tin can, Tin roof, Pressed tin ceiling... I even refer to sheet metal shrouds on machinery as "tins", despite never having been manufactured as such.

29

Museum Discussion / Re: Sheepscot Station platform shelter

« on: September 06, 2024, 09:45:08 AM »

They show that was in 1983-84.  The 'completed' building has been remodeled even more since then.  In Google Streetview all resemblance to the MEC structure is gone:

The Station of Theseus

30

Two Footers outside of the US / Re: SR&RL 10, new build in Wales

« on: August 26, 2024, 01:45:14 PM »

I'm assuming ours has a few more rivets and a few less bolts.