September 2013 Work Planning

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Good day at the railroad with about 85 passengers riding the train and railcar.  A number of combo tickets were sold.  As has been the case this year, Sunday afternoon was very busy with quite a few people taking the last train.  Earlier, a family from NJ brought a big picnic lunch (complete with table cloth) and set it up on the tables near the house.  Another visitor, from the UK rode the railcar and got a cab ride in #10.  He told me he had a smashing time.  Fortunately the sun stayed out for most of the day.  Among the small bit of work that was done - the machine shop floor got swept.   

[John McNamara]

Earlier, a family from NJ brought a big picnic lunch (complete with table cloth) and set it up on the tables near the house.     

Great to hear that someone used those tables . I put a lot of work into them after a tree hit them at Alna Center and a truck backed into them at Sheepscot!

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Monday, Sept 2nd -

Strong thunderstorm overnight that lasted for nearly 3 hours.  High winds with an inch of rain.  Daybreak brought more rain (another inch + over the course of the day) but the wind died down.  There doesn't seem to be any harm to the railroad.  In between storms the garage construction crew worked on the building permit, taking setback measurements and drawing a plot to submit to the town.

The crushed rock crew spent some time between rain showers filling some of the low spots east of the restroom building.  This is where the extended driveway will run behind the roundhouse, giving access to the coal dock and car storage building.  It's much easier finding the holes when they are full of water.  

The only visitors were a couple who wanted to use the new restroom.  

[James Patten]

Anticipated work for weekend of Sept 7:

* Diesel trains are running this weekend
* Basement
* #9
* Trailer
* Mowing
* Other fall work weekend prep

Sunday, the Sheepscot Valley Conservation Assoc (SVCA) will having a cookout at their headquarters across the river in Sheepscot village.  The WW&F will be amply represented.  As such, looks like we may have a crew pinch for Sunday trains.  We need train crew for Sunday.

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

This week -

* Zack moved the water tank that's in Percival house cellar.  Along with new feed pipes, there are new water shut-off valves for the house and restroom.

* Brendan delivered the excatator along with a Towmotor/forklift.  He spent most of Thursday building new dolly carts for the industrial hack saw and the bull riveter.

* The restroom's two benches were varnished.  They are on the front porch, but wind and rain still get to them so the varnish will protect them.

* Jason and Jonathan worked on #9 projects including the new quartering machine.

* The garage site was measured off for property line set-back.  A site plot was drawn up and a building permit was obtained. 

[Ira Schreiber]

Will we have an old fashioned "Barn Raising" for the new garage during the work week?

[Dave Buczkowski]

Ira,
That's the plan. All we need are a few Amish to complete the scene.
B

[Wayne Laepple]

Maybe I can import a few from Lancaster County, PA. From what I see around Strasburg, there are more than a few who are steam enthusiasts.

[Dave Buczkowski]

That's a long way to go in a horse and buggy...

[James Patten]

Work done on Sept 7:

* Kubota excavator: Mike hopped on, started it up, and started working the controls.  The arm controls are backwards from what he's used to.  After a bit of orientation, he got right to work, practicing on the line of the future "woods track".
* ROW Mowing: Mike, Dave, Bill, and Leon did some mowing along the ROW.
* SVCA event prep: We loaded a handcar on the Model A truck, along with a table, some chairs, and JB's wooden model of a 1 cylinder steam boat engine.
* Trailer: Mike fixed one of the hubs, a stud had broken and he managed to free it.  Wheels arrive next weekend.

[Wayne Laepple]

Dave --

I've been somewhat surprised by the number of Amish families I see riding at Strasburg. Even more so, I'm amazed at the number of Amish folk I see boarding Amtrak at Lancaster. The other day, I saw an entire family -- grandparents to grandkids, about 12 folks all told -- buy tickets for New York City, and the mother asked the conductor how they would get to the Statue of Liberty!

[Ken Fleming]

All of the Amish and Team Mennonites have "English" drivers or use their dedicated bus service for distant travel.  Too bad two-footers didn't have B&B bunk cars, with a little planning, Wayne and I could probably round up a bus load.  Simple housing and food would do.

As an aside, I working with several Mennonites that have crafts that we could use.  Such as window frames, door frames, trim work, steam bending and other components for building coaches.  I have access to a very large machine shop, all run by hydraulics, no electricity.  These guys are rail fans and Flaggler's private car is in their parking lot, that they are helping to restore.  They also are blacksmiths.  I of my Mennonite friends has a saw mill and a very large supply of 110+ year old timbers from old barns and mills.  I looking for 48 foot timbers for turntable project.  He says he may have some coming in soon.  Also available is a large supply old growth lumber already sawed.

[Ira Schreiber]

This past Friday night I took #6, the eastbound California Zephyr from Denver to Lincoln, NE.
Aboard were 4 or 5 Amish families. Most were in the sightseer lounge car either on cell phones or reading hardbound books. I was stunned to see the cell phones in use. They are usually from Iowa and ride to California and back, generally just doing the train round trip. They are quite common on the Zephyr.

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Today (Sunday) Sept. 8th -

The WW&F had a display at the Sheepscot Valley Conservation Assoc Fall Festival over in the Newcastle side of Sheepscot village.  J.B., Brigid and Bob ran the table with museum info, set up next to the railroad's AA truck with handcar #2 in back.  Among other things, the crew had videos playing on the flatscreen monitor.  Ed G. brought his live steam WW&F #9 locomotive which got a lot of attention.  There was rain in the morning but things picked up after lunch.  Several SVCA members came over for train info.  Two were not aware of the museum.

Meanwhile back at the ranch Sheepscot Station things were quiet.   Fred, James, Linda and Jonathan spent some time doing small jobs.  They split and stacked fire wood, pulled weeds and cleaned up the yard a bit.

[Fred Morse]

Hi everyone, I think my computer is fixed. Thinks to my son working on it. How long it will last ?