May 2014 Work Planning

[James Patten]

Anticipated work for May 3:

* Annual Meeting: The corporation's annual meeting is today, 2 - 3 at the Alna Meeting House.  Bring a coat because it will be chilly.  Hear a recap of the Museum's business in the past 12 months, and vote for board members.
* Train rides: normal schedule is 11, 12:30 and 2:30; however because of the meeting the 2:30 trip will be delayed until the meeting is over.

Because of the work weekend last weekend I would expect a light volunteer turnout.

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

This Week -

* Shop - Jason and crew worked on #9.

* Comm - Fred and John M. traced out a problem with the railroad telephone line.

* Car 65 - Steve and Start installed the ramp that leads visitors from the pier into the side door of the car.

* Outreach - There was a charter on Weds for the Univ. of Maine.  Seven WW&F volunteers helped with greeting and touring guests, switching the yard and operating a diesel train to the end of track and return.

* On line - This weeks (Thursday) facebook photo shows an Historic Moment from July of 1990: The first photo shows Harry Percival and Don Perham leading the crew as they bring the first piece of rail into bay one to start laying track. Bay one was only a frame structure at the time.  The second view shows the west rail in place while Harry, Frank Menair, Don and Richard Verney attach it to the concrete ties.  As of tonight the post has had over 250 views and 18 likes.

[James Patten]

Work done on May 3:

* Wood splitting: Fred decided to split some of the wood for the steam loco, so started with an axe.  Roger saw and got his gasoline splitter, so Fred and others spent some time splitting the logs, then cutting up the remaining wood and splitting that.
* Ditching: Mike spent more quality time on the Kubota making a ditch on the east side of the roundhouse run-through track, then put a little pipe in and backfilled over the pipe, to allow for walking.  Later Mike ditched on the west side of the parking lot.
* #9: Wes and Marcel were working on the boiler jacket templates and the cab.
* Passenger trains: our first non-event passengers of the year rode today.
* Annual Meeting: Started at 2 and all 3 board members got re-elected.  It was done at 3.  We had about a dozen in attendance.
* Clark walk-through: Several took a train up to the end of track and Mike measured the length of ROW on Clark's: 650-something feet.  Then a trip to Porcupine Palace was in order.  Fred's already talking about clearing out the little trees....
* Percival organizing: Cindy, Brigid, Jodi and Courtney did some organizing of lunch material in the house, including cleaning out of stuff.
* Telephone: John M attempted to troubleshoot the magphone system.

[Mike Fox]

675', End of track to property line. About 400' gets us past the crest of TOM.

[James Patten]

Anticipated work for Saturday May 10:

* National Train Day: The WW&F has a table at the Brunswick train station for NTD.  We'll be in company with several other museums and organizations.
* #9
* Track: there may be some track construction in the north yard.
* Landscaping: I'm sure Mike and/or Brendan will be landscaping.

[Dave Buczkowski]

Friday May 9 is the Board meeting at 4:30. All are welcome.

[Mike Fox]

Weather depending, I may finish one ditch and start another. Plus Ichabod has a task to do in the morning. So plenty to do.

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

This Week -

* #9 - Jason and Jonathan worked on the cylinder head plates, turning and lapping them to fit the sleeves.

* Track - The south switch on the upper yard spur got attention including setting the switchstand and spiking in some of the slide plates.

* Media - Monday was Time Warner cable install day. DATA: The museum now has internet and a wifi unit has been installed in the shop.  A bit more may be needed to ensure that the signal is strong around the campus.  VOICE: The telephone system now has a second line.  Please use LINE 2 on the Executone phones when calling out in order to save LINE 1 for inbound calls.  This is because LINE 2 cannot be answered from the house.

* Outreach - Two dozen students from RSU 18 (Belgrade & China) toured the museum today.  They were impressed with coach 3 and engine 10.  Many said that they want to come back to ride the train.

* Comm - Fred and John M. did more work on the railroad's crank phone system, fixing the line to AC.

* Mainline Extension - With expanded R-O-W comes the need for rail.  A donation $10,000 was given by a long time member to purchase more 60 lb rail.  The new rail will allow for extending the mainline closer to the Trout/Carlton Brook bridge site.

[Duncan Mackiewicz]

And a very hearty thank you to the long time member!
Duncan

[Brendan Barry]

Sheepscot Telephone in action.

[James Patten]

Work done on May 10:

* Landscaping: Mike, Brendan and Fred were busy on tractor and excavator today.  Some more work was done in the west parking lot.  Mike dug out behind the oil shed and helped move the shed back.
* Archives: Peter Barney and Allan Socea were busy in the archives office.
* Percival organizing: Brigid, Courtney and Cindy spent time organizing food and material.
* #9: Gordon spent time trying to figure out where the injectors would go on #9.  He was thumbing through some pictures of SR 5/SRRRL 6/KC 4/WW&F 9 during operation.  SR 5 as delivered had injectors outside of the cab.

[Brendan Barry]

Prepping to slide the oil shed back.

[Mike Fox]

What a difference it has made in the view lines. Now to relocate the steam engine and surrounding parts...

[Mike Fox]

Spring time in Alna.....




But with the gravel that was put on the parking lot last year, I was able to drive out of it, Candid Courtney photo

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Mike,

I'm sure your additional ditch work will put an end to the quicksand corner of the parking lot.  Good idea to use old logs as a curb to keep visitors from driving into the ditch.  The new ditch runs the length of the west side of the parking lot.  After today's t-storm and downpour it was doing a good job!