October 2012 Work Planning

[James Patten]

Work to be done on weekend of October 6 - Columbus Day Weekend (a weekend earlier than normal!):

* Restrooms - enclosure?  See Zack.
* #9 - see Jason
* Track maintenance near Albee's Crossing - see Dana
* Moving the sawmill, and maybe setting it up at Alna Center
* Sheepscot station repairs - see Steve Z
* Rail moving from the Sheepscot railpile to elsewhere
* Freight house scraping and painting - see Stewart (maybe)
* Clean up of stuff around the spur track so that an excavator can get in there to remove ground.
* Kitchen - cooking, cleaning, and prep work for the volunteer army.  See Sue.

Don't forget - lunch and dinner is free.  On Saturday evening the Alna VFD is having a ham and bean dinner (which isn't free, but supports the fire company).

[Dave Buczkowski]

Will Mungo be at the Alna VFD dinner?

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Dave,  Don't know about Mungo but there may be a celebrity guest for the pie auction.   

This week -
 
Engine 9 - Jason worked on the tram lines with reference to the axles.

Big Joe - Jonathan worked on the hydraulic conversion.

Restroom building - Steve Z. built the sink wall framing for the men's side.  The exterior sheathing lumber (for board and batten) was delivered.  The porch ceiling edge and center bead wood was prime stained.

Sheepscot Station - Steve Z. finished the clapboards on the east side.  The station sign was removed for repainting. 

Newsletters - The Sept/Oct issue was mailed.

Work Weekend - Dwight cut weeds including the location for the railpile near EoT. The small rolling stock was removed from track 7 so flatcars can be brought in to load the rail by the parking lot.

Parking lot - This was done last weekend but not mentioned.  The culvert and fill for new entrance from Cross Road was installed. 

Stewart

[James Patten]

For sake of continuity I should report on the Work Weekend:

* Restrooms - now all sheathed in
* Yard area - cleaned up in preparation for grading: rail moved, B&SR tank moved, coal gone, junk steel gone, junk wood on another flatcar
* #9 - a bit further along
* Rail - much rail has been consolidated at the north end of track
* Track - Track near MP 7 was jacked, tamped and lined
* Sawmill - Disassembled from Sheepscot Mills and returned to Sheepscot on a flatcar
* Wood shed - has a structure (but no cover)
* Good food was made and consumed

[James Patten]

Anticipated work for weekend of Oct 13:

* Friday is a board meeting.
* Restrooms: see Zack
* Station: see Steve Z
* More cleanup is needed near the spur track, in preparation for grading

This is the first weekend of the fall schedule: Saturdays only, with trains at 11, 1 and 3.

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

This week -

Restroom building - Steve, Fred and I installed the ceiling strapping so the sheetrock can be hung.  Josh R. worked on wiring and installed the backboxes for the ceiling fixtures.

Shop - Josh worked on wiring for the generator which was moved during the track weekend. He also re-installed the north (yard) light.

Woodshed - Fred and Ira built the side slats and roof.

Archives -  Charlie Pidacks donated 2 old 100lb grain bags.  The bags are marked "CREAMERY" COW FEED, Manufactured by WISACSSET GRAIN Co.  WISCASSET, MAINE.  The Wiscasset grain building was right across Rt. 1 from the Turner Centre Creamery.  It sat on the shoreline between the MCRR and WW&F.  One bag is on display above the doors in the freight house.  

Charter - A group from Trains Unlimited / Trains & Travel came to Sheepscot on Thursday.  The group of about 25 included visitors from CA, CO, NM, NV and OR  stayed for over 2 hours touring the shop and riding the train. Photo run-bys were held at AC and Sutters. A group of six fellows, including the trip organizer rode a special railcar trip with run-bys at AC and Humason Brook trestle.  

Stewart

[James Patten]

Work done on weekend of Saturday October 13:

* Friday was a board meeting.  The update to the Long Range Plan was presented (at long last!).  We will have a discussion of it at next month's meeting.
Saturday:
* Restroom: the interior walls were finished, and Josh continued wiring.
* Flatcar: the flatcar with all the junk wood was taken to Alna Center, dumped for the bonfire, then the junk wood by the fuel shed was loaded onto the flatcar and taken to AC as well.
* Woodshed: wood was moved from the pile between Bay 3 and 4 tracks to the woodshed.
* #9: Jason and crew worked on tramming and the cab floor structure.

[James Patten]

Someone forwarded us some pictures from the Trains & Travel charter, but about the same images can be found on NGDF: http://ngdiscussion.net/phorum/read.php?1,227387

[James Patten]

Anticipated work for weekend of October 20:

* Restrooms
* #9
* More clean up of the property?  There's still the wood near where the spur runs.

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

This week -

Locomotive #9 - Jason, Keith, Jonathan and Ira worked on a number of things for the frame and tram. Keith worked on parts for the johnson bar.

Big Joe -  Some of the new (bare) metal was cleaned and painted, including the plates for new hydraulic control stand and engine starter.

Wood shed - A new shingle roof was put on the shed, just in time for the rain.  It even survived the earthquake.

Alna Center - Jonathan cleaned, repaired and oiled the station clock.  Sorting of the wood pile started with some rotten boards removed.  Other wood may be burned before we use the pile for the Victorian Christmas bonfire.

Stewart

[James Patten]

Work done today, October 20:

Today was occasional light rain, and when it wasn't raining it was rather misty.  It kept most everybody away.

* Mike's projects: Mike brought some tin roof (not rusted) for use on the roof over the generator.  He also crafted a "floor" of sorts for over the pit.  He found some angle iron with an extra leg welded on, cut it in half and attached some wooden board to it, so that it fits between the east rail and the east wall of the pit.  He made two sections of these.  More to come later when there is more material.
* Restrooms: Some pink insulation board was put on the ceiling.
* #9: Eric S was working on bolting the cab floor frame to brackets.
* Drainage: Whereas the area west of Track 7 is rather spongy after having been chewed up by the loader at Work Weekend, I decided to try some civil engineering.  I dug some ditches trying to drain the area, with some success (I even have a callous to prove it).  However the ground is really too soft right now to try to fill in the holes.  Later Mike and John M were digging in the large ditch looking for the end of the pit drain pipe.
* Wood: Fred got out the chainsaw and sawed up some long pieces of wood.  The last of the wood was moved to the wood shed.
* Junk steel: One of the former Edaville passenger platforms was flipped and had a piece removed.  Leon is coming next week to take it away to the scrap dealer.
* Zack drained the water tank.

Late in the day we saw a number of trucks occupying the crossing at Jayne's Way.  Steve theorized they were trying to remove one of the former culvert pieces (which we told the neighbor he could have).  We started up in the diesel but everybody scattered.  Turns out the neighbor had moved the culvert piece a small distance but it got stuck.

[Mike Fox]

Actually the tin is properly aged. Looks like it has been there 20 years already. 1 piece short though. I'll bring another next time.

[James Patten]

Anticipated work for weekend of October 27:

* Restrooms
* Loco 9

At some point soon our contractor is supposed to come and start pushing dirt around.

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

This week -

Engine 9 - Jason, Jonathan and Keith worked on various things (see Jason's detailed report in the #9 work thread).  The main frame and union casting was cleaned and painted with primer.

Big Joe - Jonathan made a test run of the tamper under it's own power. 

Scrap metal - Leon cut up more metal for scrap, saving some of the good plate stock.

Parking lot - Some wood and debris was cleaned up along the west edge.  There is a good sized pile of brush to burn.

Restroom building - Zack drilled some holes for the plumbing.

Charter - About 20 people rode a special train for the Healthy Kids group.  Fred ran #52.  We found out just before the trip that Monday was Fred's 50th wedding Anniversary.  Congrats Fred and Sharon, and thanks Fred for working on your anniversary!

Stewart

[James Patten]

Work done on Saturday Oct 27:

* Clean up - in part because of the approaching storm, many of the wood materials scattered around the restroom was gathered up and organized, with junk wood going to Alna Center to be burned.  Other wood was stacked inside the building, or under the eaves, or were moved back beyond where our contractor will be dozing.  Materials behind the house were moved out of the way. 
* Wood and debris was burned at the west end of the parking lot.
* Scrap: Leon cut up more metal and loaded up his truck.
* Restrooms: Zack ran piping for the "stink pipe" (sorry don't know the correct technical term).
* Drainage: I found the end of the pipe draining the pit inside the shop. 
* #9: Jason and Hansel took the driver off the lathe, then worked on the head stock.  Late in the day they put it back together and put the wheels back.