May 2015 Work Planning

[Paul Uhland]

I understand eventually moving the switches to Head Tide, and now also your intent to return TOM track to its historical state. Thanks.

[James Patten]

Anticipated work for weekend of May 23:

This is Memorial Day weekend - so it's the first weekend of our summer operations, Saturday and Sunday.  We're running steam.

* Loco 9
* Kubota work
* Garage re-organizing
* Train crews, of course
* Whitefield section house prep work
* Rules review 8:30 AM Saturday.

[Jason M Lamontagne]

Rules review 8:30 am

[Ed Lecuyer]

On SUNDAY (May 24) in the late afternoon I would like to take a small crew to do some survey work between TOM and Humiston Brook. This will be after the last train of the day arrives back at Sheepscot and would require someone to bring us back up to TOM (#52 or RC4?) [otherwise we'll have to hike in]. Once there, I have some new professional high-accuracy GPS equipment that we will use to map all the areas that need attention on the ROW.

This is weather and crew permitting.

Mike Fox will be using the data we collect to construct a plan of attack for the mountain grade.

[Mike Fox]

Did that last weekend with the wheel, but will gladly see how the gps compares. All for future reference.

[Eric Larsen]

How clear was the grade from EOT to the brook?  I cleared the main falls and debris last fall but I'm sure the winter produced some new obsticals?  Then there is that darned appple tree in the s-curve.  That needs to go and spring or fall when there are no leaves or hornets on it is the time to do it.  My chainsaws are in the shop at the moment.....

[Stephen Piwowarski]

Annie and I might be able to help with that Ed.

[Mike Fox]

Several fir tree tops were there, as well as some hardwoods toward trout brook.

[James Patten]

Work done on Saturday, May 23:

* Kubota - Mike was tinkering with the Kubota, I think working to on the mower attachment and getting the hydraulics working better.
* Rules Review - Bob Longo had a rules review in the morning in the Percival basement.  We also introduced the new time table.
* Car barn - Zack put in a space for a door on the SE corner of the car barn.  Fred, myself, Alan and Harold worked on purlin spacers and the top purlins on both east and west walls. 
* Loco 9 - Marcel was working on the cab roof.  The roof is nearing completion before the covering goes over it.
* Shop organizing - Steve P and Annie worked in Bay 2 on organizing some things.
* Top of Mountain - First scheduled train to operate to TOM, and first scheduled train where the locomotive switches ends there too.  Yesterday a new switch stand was put at TOM, and on the first trip many of us went up to check it out.  The pin was pretty tight so I believe that Brendan fashioned a new one.

[John McNamara]

Am I correct in assuming the cast of characters is front row Mike Fox, Leon Weeks, Dave Buczkowki, John Robertson, and rear row is Zack Wyllie, and Wes Carpenter?
-John

[Dave Buczkowski]

Yes and all giving advice to Leon.

[Bill Reidy]

Yes and all giving advice to Leon.

We're good at providing advice for whoever's doing the actual work.

[Brendan Barry]

Work done on Saturday, May 23:

* Kubota - Mike was tinkering with the Kubota, I think working to on the mower attachment and getting the hydraulics working better.
* Rules Review - Bob Longo had a rules review in the morning in the Percival basement.  We also introduced the new time table.
* Car barn - Zack put in a space for a door on the SE corner of the car barn.  Fred, myself, Alan and Harold worked on purlin spacers and the top purlins on both east and west walls. 
* Loco 9 - Marcel was working on the cab roof.  The roof is nearing completion before the covering goes over it.
* Shop organizing - Steve P and Annie worked in Bay 2 on organizing some things.
* Top of Mountain - First scheduled train to operate to TOM, and first scheduled train where the locomotive switches ends there too.  Yesterday a new switch stand was put at TOM, and on the first trip many of us went up to check it out.  The pin was pretty tight so I believe that Brendan fashioned a new one.

A behind the scenes photo.

[James Patten]

Anticipated work weekend of Saturday May 30:

* Car barn - the roof rafters will go up this Saturday.  The crane will be here that day, so we need as many people as we can get for the rafter raising.  We'll need people who won't mind clambering up the rickety rafters to make them more firm.
* Loco 9
* Train crew

[Paul Uhland]

Great nooz!
Please take tons of pics.
I don't think it'll be as much work as it seems, once action starts.