August 2012 Work Planning

[James Patten]

Anticipated work for weekend of Aug 18:

* Friday Fred will be supervising grass cutting
* Saturday is Joe Fox's wedding (congrats Joe and Dawn!) so most people will be at the wedding.  However there will be a small crew at Sheepscot, focusing on running trains, doing some work on the restrooms, and cleaning out the Percival Basement.  Your help would be most welcome!

[Fred Morse]

I passed the word I would not be there Friday. Please call ahead to see if anyone is there or bring your own grass trimmer.

[Fred Morse]

Zack, Paul Crabb, and I ran the museum until noon, then Linda showed up. Thank God!

[Richard "Steam" Symmes]

Is the museum at the point of needing paid docents at least at the height of the tourist season?  It seems as if the same volunteers are being stretched pretty thin, and many of them are not "spring chickens".  I realize it's great to be an all volunteer organization, but there comes a time when too much is expected of too few, too often.  Is that time approaching?

[James Patten]

I think we are needing of more volunteers generally, and more that can eventually go into train service.  This past weekend was the Fox wedding, and most everybody that normally volunteers at the Museum went to the wedding.  Gift shop, general labor, grass cutting, office worker - you name it, we need it! 

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Today started a bit slow with visitors coming in good numbers by mid day.  The big news this weekend (after Joe and Dawn's wedding) is that the restroom building's roof trusses arrived.  Framing of the structure can start in the next week or so and should go quickly.  Setting the trusses will come afterward - a crane would be a good way to set them in. 

As to volunteer help - Yes, the wedding took many members away for Saturday.  It was nice to share the day with the Fox and Buck families.  Many of us have known Joe for years, watching him turn into a fine young man and solid railroader.  A group from the Fox family came to Sheepscot today to ride the railcar.  It was good to see them enjoying the day after all the effort they put into the wedding and reception.  There have only been two "railroad" weddings in the last 10 years that took a bunch of members out of town so it's a fairly rare occurance.  When it does happen, the best thing for the museum is for other members to do what Paul did.  He signed up to work while some of the regular members were away.   Coming up to help benefits the museum, especially the visitors.

Stewart     

[James Patten]

Anticipated work on weekend of Aug 25:

* There's no organized Friday mowing, unless someone wants to take it on.  Fred is unable to mow for the time being.
* Saturday will be our Ice Cream Social, from 1 - 3.  We'll need train crew to run the regular train as well as the ice cream extra after the noon and 3 trains, as well as crowd control.
* Restrooms should get some attention.

[James Patten]

Work done on Saturday Aug 25:

* Zack worked on the restrooms.  At the end of the day the south wall of the porch was up.
* Ice Cream Social: I'd say it was a good inaugural day.  About 120 riders, a little over half came for the social.  Maybe a third of them didn't know the social was happening.  Trains seemed to run smoothly.

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Today about 75 visitors came to Sheepscot. Among them was an antique car club who parked about a half dozen vintage cars on the side lot.  The car club members really enjoyed seeing the Model T railcar.  Jason (assisted by others at times) screened coal and stored the full buckets in bay one.  Some of today's riders had heard about the Ice Cream Social but could not get to the railroad Saturday.  One visitor brought an interesting narrow gauge track inspection car for us to see.  It's a 4 wheel car with an aluminum frame, powered by an electric motor that runs on battery power.   

Stewart

[Hank Walther]

Stewart,
Thank you very much for the ride on the Model T trackcar!    My girlfriend and I enjoyed our visit very much.  I hope you all enjoyed trying out my electric railkart.   Here's some shots of the fun.

[Mark Hendrickson]

Is the gauge adjustable on that?  Is it some sort of kit?

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

The gauge is adjustable by changing the wheel stems.  The car was custom built by Hank. 

Stewart

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

This week -

Jason and Leon worked on #9.  The smokebox mounts, frame and shoes/wedges got attention.

Jason and Steve Z. raised and tamped a low track joint on the main N. of phantom crossing.

Steve, Stewart and Zack built the framing for the back (north) wall of the restrooms.

Stewart