MODERATORS NOTE:
Spring Work Weekend Dates has been converted from the pre-July 2008 WW&F Discussion Forum.
Some formatting may have been removed or modified from the original postings that appear quoted in this topic.
Information contained within this post may be superseded by more recent postings and conversations.
Dana Deering wrote:Hi All,
Please mark your calendars for the Spring Work Weekend, which will be April 27 - 29. The plan for the weekend is pretty straightforward: We will start at Albee's crossing and work south ballasting, tamping, etc. to get as much of that section in service as possible. If we get it done with time to spare we will go north of Albee's and keep at it.
Dana
Mike Fox replied:Thanks Dana. Something to look forward to for next year now. Putting it on my calendar right now.
Mike
Joe Fox replied:Dana,
I look foward to tamping and ballasting this spring.
Joe
ETSRRCo replied:I'll be there and I'll bring friends!!
_________________
Eric Bolton
East Tigard & Southern Railroad Co 1889-1958
Joe Fox replied:That's great. How many friends? I have been trying to get some of my railcamp buddies to come up and help us lay track down, but so far nobody has really tried to come up and help the museum out. I have put several posts on the RailCamp chatting place website about the museum, and how they could help, but only one of them has been up to visit.
Joe
Jon Dandridge replied:My family and I are planning to be there at least for Saturday.
Jon
Dave Buczkowski replied:Dana;
It's already on my calendar (though not on an official WW&F one) and I've bumped up the weight on my bench presses so I won't embarrass myself.
Dave
Ira Schreiber replied:Well, it is only 30 days away for the April track blitz.
Who, of the non-semi-locals is planning to be there?
I guess I mean over 250 miles away.
I just got my flights and my wife is actually coming with me.
She had to be assured that we:
a. Did not sleep in 309
b. Did not eat over a tie fire
c. Did not use a little green house
d. did not bathe in Humason Brook
Having done all this, we are staying in Edgecome for a week and doing a little of the sights.
I look forward to seeing all of you.
Ira & Corrine Schreiber
Mike Fox replied:Won't be long and we'll be hearing that sound of shovels in ballast and the tampers running. The sounds of progress and teamwork will again be in the air.
Mike
Ira Schreiber replied:So get out the Ben-gay, the hot packs, the ice packs and fill the hot tub spa. Work weekend is approaching.
Has anyone requested for the weather to be cooperative? What about the spring "bugs"?
Watch out track, here we come......
Dana Deering replied:Remember the year we shovelled snow of the ROW so we could lay track just north of CockEye Curve? Well, I am looking out the window and getting some deja vu vibes...
Dave Buczkowski replied:Dana;
I believe our union contract calls for a 10% pay differential for shoveling snow. You need to think postive vibes-partly sunny in the mid 50's is what we want.
Dave
Mike Fox replied:I'm guessing the way the weather keeps going, bugs will not be a problem this year. Luckily, the frost went out of the top part of the ground before we got the last round of snow. I haven't checked here yet to see how far down the frost is or how far it goes. I'd have to shovel through the snow first where I plan on digging this year.
Mike
Josh Botting replied:I hope the frost comes out of the ground before the work weekend. That could be very messy else. My dentist was saying today that he was born in a snow storm, in May....... Welcome to Maine!
Bill Reidy replied:My first visit to the museum was the 2001 spring work weekend. And the first thing I did at the museum was shovel snow off the right-of-way at cockeye curve.
Isn't that why the weekend got moved to the end of the month? 
Bill
Wayne Laepple replied:What I'm wondering is whether the roads will have firmed up enough for the trucks to bring stone. It's only two weeks hence.
Stewart Rhine replied:Dana and Bill, You guys are right on the money. We shoveled snow off the grade from the North end of Cockeye Curve up towards the crossing at Sheepscot Mills (formerly Hall's). Then it rained a little, this was in the Spring of 2001. I have a bunch of photos of us placing ties and carrying rail through deep mud. We had to put wooden planks along side the ties because we were sinking down so far into the mud while carrying rail. Alex Hernandez got stuck so bad that his foot came out of his boot! That place was a real mud hole - even before we cleared it. I walked to the trestle in April, 1998 and had to go up the hill to get around the mud on the grade.
Mike Fox replied:Unless the sun comes out and stays out, the stone might not be able to be delivered. I know the roads around here will still be posted in a couple of weeks unless some drastic drying goes on. I did not remember seeing a road posted sign anywhere near the museum the way I travel.
Mike
Ira Schreiber replied:After many balmy days in the 60's, we are predicted to get 12" of snow in the next two days.
Maine has nothing on Colorado except a much longer winter.
Ira
Dave Buczkowski replied:I too remember Mud Weekend. The mud never came off my workboots. But what fun would it be if it was 65 and suny all the time.
Ira, I remember all the weather bragging you were doing a few weeks ago. The Narrow Gauge Gods have repaid you for your hubris.
Dave
James Patten replied:Cross Road has been posted for a couple of weeks at least. However usually the road commissioner works with us to get us our stone. If it's cold enough early in the morning he may lift it temporarily so that the trucks can get through.
However none of this would be a problem if we were storing stone at Alna Center.
Joe Fox replied:So I am guessing that is the major reason why you guys wan't the stone moved up to Alna Center. I have been told it is also to shorten the travel of the work trains. Talk to you guys later.
Joe
Ira Schreiber replied:Dave,
I appeased the weather gods. We were forcast for up to 12" of snow. Woke up this morning and NADA, zip, nothing. Just started to spit snow about 11 a.m. The great forecaster says now maybe 1".
Tomorrow is predicted 60 and Sunday 65. That is Colorado weather at its finest.......
Stewart Rhine replied:Joe, The top three reasons for moving stone storage at AC are -
(1) To keep the area clear in front of the Sheepscot carshop.
(2) To shorten the travel time for delivering stone to the work zone/EOT.
(3) Trucks can come in off of 218 and not have to travel on the posted Alna town roads.
James Patten replied:As Stewart said, a major reason is to keep the area of of the carshop cleared. However, we get the added benefit of being able to keep some extra stone on hand for maintenance purposes, rather than being forced to get it out of the way ASAP.
Once the stone and coal storage is moved elsewhere, we can really turn attention to making the front of the shop area a nice looking place.
Mike Fox replied:Get those shovels ready. Rumor has it that we are going to get the storm of the century Sunday night into Monday. 1 to 2 feet. If this keeps up, we will have to shovel the snow out of the way to put down the ballast. Hopefully they are wrong and we only get 1 to 2 inches. I had started raking my lawn 2 weeks ago but it is now under about 1 foot of snow.
Mike
Joe Fox replied:If this keeps up, we will be shoveling snow instead of ballast come the spring work weekend. Talk to you guys later.
Joe
Steve Smith replied:Mike and Joe,
Weather Underground website is forecasting that the precip beginning Sunday will be mostly rain in Wiscasset. That ought to wash away some snow, but just make Averill Rd all the muddier I suppose.
Steve
Mike Fox replied:I hope they are right. I, for one, have finally tired of the snow and hope that what I heard was exaggerated.
Mike
Joe Fox replied:That, and the railroad grade. What fun that will be. I have seen some pictures of a railroad that was washed away from a river flooding. It washed away most of the railroad grade, and it cost them over a million dollars to rebuild the railroad grade. Hopefully we don't have to do anything like that, and hopefully, the railroad grade will continue to stay where it is, and not wash away, like it has just North of the Mountain. Talk to you guys later.
Joe
Stewart Rhine replied:Two more feet of snow!!?! If this keeps up we'll be shoveling snow at the picnic 
Mike Fox replied:They have backed it down a bit now. 18 inches to 2 feet in the mountains. 4-10 inches on the coast with rain mixing in. I cleaned a few ditches yesterday of some debris at Alna Center and dirt at Jane's Way (formerly Stockford's) to keep the water flowing.
Mike
Stephen Hussar replied:We didn't take any pictures, but we took the handcar for a spin yesterday! It was gorgeous out! However much snow falls, it will be gone in a day or two 
_________________
* * * *
"Give me enough Swedes and whiskey and I'll build a railroad to Hell."
- James J. Hill
Ira Schreiber replied:Out at The Colorado Live Steamers site, yesterday, we laid, ballasted and tamped 110' feet of track.
The weather was clear and 68 degrees.
Such is our weather after a prediction of up to 12" on Friday and we got nothing.
We'll see you all in ten days.
Ira
Mike Fox replied:Remember the fly dope this year! The bugs have started coming out as it has been 70 the last 2 days. Supposed to cool a bit for this weekend but not enough to deter the bugs once they start.
Mike
Wayne Laepple replied:Prior to heading north on Thursday morning, I've got two questions for those of you already there:
1.) How muddy are things around the railroad?
2.) Is stone able to be delievered to Sheepscot?
Joe Fox replied:Things aren't to bad at the moment, but a damper is coming on Friday, that may screw up the tamping operations more. That's right, we got more rain coming for Friday. 
_________________
“We are extremely proud of our collection of historical railroad equipment, which is the largest of any U. S. railroad, especially our steam locomotives.”
-Steve Lee-
Joe
Allan Fisher replied:Road to Sheepscot has not been posted for at least a week now - so stone delivery will be no problem. With temperatures this week at almost 70, we are hoping that mud condiitons will be manageable.
James Patten replied:Right now it sounds like fire conditions are very unfavorable for external combustion engines. That's right, even with all the rain and flooding we've had the top layer of ground is quite dry. The showers we'll get should make the dryness better.
Mike Fox replied:They are now talking of showers Friday through Monday. Should help things out just the same. I will have the firecar all ready to go, just in case. I had it running a few weeks ago. Going to pick up a couple of spark plugs and a different type of air filter.
Mike
Dana Deering replied:So far it looks like showers off and on for Fri and Sat with clearer weather in Sun. Doesn't look like a washout at all.
Paul C. replied:I guess I'll check my rain gear in preperation for this weekend. How will the rain effect the "bug" situation? See you on Friday! Paul C.
Joe Fox replied:Hopefully the rain won't effect the bug sittuation any. Will we still do track work all day, if we get the rain showers, and will the steam engine be running still? Talk to you guys later.
_________________
“We are extremely proud of our collection of historical railroad equipment, which is the largest of any U. S. railroad, especially our steam locomotives.”
-Steve Lee-
Joe
Mike Fox replied:No bugs yet but they could pop out at any minute. The standing water is full of eggs.
Mike
Bill Sample replied:Mike, do you or any other Maine full or part timers have any recommendations for effective fly dope for us occasional visitors?
James Patten replied:Mike, do you or any other Maine full or part timers have any recommendations for effective fly dope for us occasional visitors?
Thick skin. 
Ira Schreiber replied:I have found Deep Woods Off to be very effective.
For the economy minded, an 18 0z. ball pein hammer is a very effective deterrent.
Ira Schreiber
MikeW replied:The best thing I know is to keep moving and busy.
Mike Fox replied:Ira, I thought the hammer was for the complaint department.
As of today, I worked outside all day and still no bugs 
I don't think tomorrow will bring many more out so the bugs should be at a minimum this year.
As for bug repellent, as Ira has said, Deep Woods OFF! in a spray can seems to work well. Or if you don't mind the smell, Skin so soft by Avon works too.
Mike
Ira Schreiber replied:The hammer is for the complaint department.
You complain about the bugs, then hit them with the hammer.
Dave Buczkowski replied:Fred has something he uses in a small bottle that is made locally. The bugs hover about an inch from your skin but don't bite. It's some guy's name. Sorry I don't remember. I've seen it at the Alna General Store. Mike is right - keep moving. As long as you are moving they don't bother you. I think Dana releases them in the morning so the track crew keeps working. The thick skin is so Stevie Two-Ties' barbs roll off your skin......
Ira Schreiber replied:Sounds like boiled MOXIE
Ira
Paul C. replied:OK - I'm packing my Deep Woods Off in pump bottle (environment friendly) AND a Hammer!
Wayne Laepple replied:I dunno, guys, from what I can see of the weather forecast, we're all going to be encased in vinyl this weekend. Do the bugs wear rainsuits in Maine?
Ira Schreiber replied:The bugs do not wear rainsuits and they are barefoot as it is very hard to shoo them.
Josh Botting replied:It would be the ticks which I am concerned about. After last weekend's warmth, I found the first one yesterday, and it was a deer tick.
Dana Deering replied:The only flies I release are the ones that bite track workers in the butt...the others are locally grown.
Ok. and for Steve H. especially, I am going to be LATE getting to Sheepscot on Friday because my grandson decided not to come into the world earlier than expected despite his efforts do to so a couple of months ago. My step daughter is having a c-section at 930 on Fri morning and I will be at the hospital with her. I will get there as soon as I can. If the rain is coming down in buckets I have given Rick and the other Section Foreman the discretion to call off outside work if it's bad. Saturday is supposed to be better. See you this weekend.
Dana
Joe Fox replied:Dana,
Good luck to you and your sister in law at the hospital tomorrow. Look foward to tamping, and much more on Saturday. See you on saturday.
Joe
Mike Fox replied:According to the latest weather report, suppose to let up as the day goes on. So if we can make it until lunch, things should improve.
Mike
Paul C. replied:Just looked on Weather Channel site and it has showers Friday morning becoming steady rain as the day goes on but says 1/2 inch total. Also shows 30% chance of showers on Saturday and 40% chance of showers on Sunday. So I guess Rain Gear will be the order of the day. CU Fri about noon. Paul C.
PS - I noted that post times are Eastern Std vice Eastern Daylight savings as it is 6PM Thurs as I type this
Josh Botting replied:My memory has recently been Jogged....
Last weekend on my journey to the great not so white north, at about the S. end of China Lake, I was listening to Hot & Cold on the radio, good program, if you are far enough north to get it...... Anyway, I digress, Jim Dill, UMaine antimoligist (Bug Guy), was on speaking about bugs and such, he was asked what bug sprays he recomended and used. His report was to use any of the ones with DEET in them. He reported that the herbal types work about as well. He offers the students who work with him either one. Most of them start with the herbal ones, but end up using the DEET ones after a few days. His report was that the DEET lasts much longer than the herbal ones. Anyway, I believe Jim.
