July 2014 Work Planning

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Work done on Saturday, July 12th -

* It was kind of an odd day since some of the regular volunteers were absent.  There was no fireman for the steam crew so we ran diesel trips all day.  The visitor count was low as well, possibly due to the Moxie Festival.  While it was quiet at Sheepscot, most of the action was at the north end of the railroad.

* ToM - Mike worked more magic with the excavator, rebuilding the ditchwork on the east side of the grade. He un-earthed a bearing shim in the process.  Fred and Gordon C. cleared more weeds and brush along the side of the grade.  The whole area is starting to look like a future railroad.

* Caboose 320 - Some work was done on the interior, cleaning and painting the south "room".

[Mike Fox]

Said Bearing shim, slightly used








Also unearthed a couple more joint bars. For 32 pound rail

[Eric Larsen]

I re-mowed from 218 south to trout brook and then lugged the mower over the brook and mowed up towards the mountian.  I got up into the first s-curve.  Left the mower up there so maybe I'll get back Sunday for a little more.

[John Kokas]

Hey Eric,

When you're traveling back up the ROW from Carlton Brook could you please take some pics of our future work area.  I know quite a few folks that have never been through that section and would probably love to see what the "future" mainline area looks like presently.    Thanks and keep up the great work..........

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Work done Sunday, July 13th -

* #9 - Brendan worked on the tender tank.

* Caboose 320 - More prep and painting of the south end.

* Chow - The kitchen crew made a nice ham and bean supper with sides of cole slaw and apple sauce.  Desert included chocolate pie, brownies and donuts.

[Fred Morse]

The broken trimmer handle has been replaced. If it does not rain, I will be at the museum Friday to cut grass.

[Dwight Winkley]

I will be at museum Thursday and Friday of this week.
dwight

[Eric Larsen]

Well it was hot and humid today but I spent about 2-1/2 hours mowing from trout brook, south to the 2100ft marker that Fred put up.  So that is probably about 2/3 of the way up the mountain.  Of course I don't recall were the 2100 feet was measured from but its coming from the other direction than I was working from.  So basically, from 218 south to the north end land purchased from the Kellys is mowed roughly the width of the top of the ROW.  There are several washouts and small treeish obstacles that still need a quick chainsaw attack.  I stopped where there were more substantial fallen trees and I could not get the mower through that area without cutting them up first.  More of a job for the weed whacker crews from this point on.  Sorry, no pictures because I have to lug everything in there by myself (mower, gas can, .45, water, manual branch cutters, ect.) and don’t have a cell phone that takes pictures.

[Fred Morse]

We started measuring from the end of track.

[John Kokas]

Eric,

Thanks for the report - understand the issue with having to carry everything.  Maybe Start, Mike, or others can get some pics.

This might be a good time to start planning an "expedition" during the fall work weekend for a crew with more substantial equipment and manpower to continue clearing the line from Trout Brook south.

Can anyone comment on the ability to get ATV's and/or 6-wheels up the ROW to move equipment and bring out logs/etc. or should we wait until track gets extended and create a log loading area as we clear ROW going north?

[James Patten]

We can't really go piecemeal past the top of the mountain, because of the problems involved and the lack of access.  From the road we put in at Judy Fossell's north to the trestle location, there's no other way in.  So the road has to become the access point for vehicles hauling in fill for the landslide and maybe for other areas that need culverts.  So we cannot wait for track to get in there.

[Eric Larsen]

I may be able to take some pictures if I can get up there this weekend.  I just don't want to bring my camera in there unless I have a light load of other work equipment with me.  We'll see.

[Dwight Winkley]

We may have to use Judy Fossell's road to bring in supplys to the south end of the bridge site. Plus fill and equipment to deal with the land slide. This will limit how far north the track can be built until the ROW is complete to Rt 218.
dwight

[John Kokas]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but won't we need to have an "improved" access to the south end of the bridge anyway to support bridge reconstruction?  If one needs to drive piles, move in timbers, etc.- those items and equipment are not small by any means.  Looks like improvements to the Fossell access road will be a necessity.

[Bill Fortier]

I re-mowed from 218 south to trout brook and then lugged the mower over the brook and mowed up towards the mountian.

Energetic fellow, you are. What's the elevation above the stream? Ten, twelve feet, easy. With a mower, yet.



Above, looking NW. Below, looking SW