Author Topic: Victorian Christmas 2015  (Read 27480 times)

John McNamara

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Re: Victorian Christmas 2015
« Reply #15 on: December 20, 2015, 03:59:46 PM »
Nice stuff, Hansel. You had a couple of new angles in there, especially one close to a tree at Humason Trestle. I gather that you, or someone, got some good stills at Cockeye Curve, as I could hear a shutter clicking. I did notice, however, that a certain piece of motive power was not included in your otherwise excellent production.  :P :P

-John

Richard "Steam" Symmes

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Re: Victorian Christmas 2015
« Reply #16 on: December 20, 2015, 04:20:30 PM »
Nice video Hansel, but I wish you'd gotten some of the "folks" enjoying the event.  Especially up at Alna Center, with Santa, etc.  This clip was fine for the railfans, but a little human interest would have told the WHOLE story.  Perhaps next year?
   Richard

Stewart "Start" Rhine

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Re: Victorian Christmas 2015
« Reply #17 on: December 20, 2015, 04:45:52 PM »
Check facebook for lots of Santa, people (and horse) photos!

Mike Fox

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Re: Victorian Christmas 2015
« Reply #18 on: December 20, 2015, 05:22:57 PM »
Nice stuff, Hansel. You had a couple of new angles in there, especially one close to a tree at Humason Trestle. I gather that you, or someone, got some good stills at Cockeye Curve, as I could hear a shutter clicking. I did notice, however, that a certain piece of motive power was not included in your otherwise excellent production.  :P :P

-John

Yes, the high speed work horse was left out...
Mike
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Richard "Steam" Symmes

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Re: Victorian Christmas 2015
« Reply #19 on: December 20, 2015, 05:25:31 PM »
You mean that "smelly" green contraption?  Only the color fit in with the atmosphere of the event!
   Richard

Joe Fox

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Re: Victorian Christmas 2015
« Reply #20 on: December 20, 2015, 05:27:30 PM »
I am going to say its safe to say, 55-60 out of the 300+/- people I talked to came because of the Hometown Maine segment that first aired yesterday morning. I am very excited that they were able to come up to film an episode. Along with that, and having hit up 6 & 13 for the events page, I think we found something very useful. I hope to get more news coverage for future events as well.

 http://m.wmtw.com/news/hometown-maine-alna/37045000

John McNamara

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Re: Victorian Christmas 2015
« Reply #21 on: December 20, 2015, 05:27:53 PM »
Yes, the high speed work horse was left out...

I hope its operator was wearing hearing protection. The "high speed work horse" whinnies very loudly!
-John

Steve Smith

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Re: Victorian Christmas 2015
« Reply #22 on: December 20, 2015, 07:33:36 PM »
Stephen, thank you so much for those FABULOUS pictures! Would love to have a Christmas card with your shot of No. 9 coming onto the trestle over Humason Brook. And Brendan, thank you as well for your photos, so helpful in giving us an idea how Jason’s A- and B-Train plan worked.

Mike Fox

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Re: Victorian Christmas 2015
« Reply #23 on: December 20, 2015, 09:19:16 PM »
A and B plan worked well. The crew and train always did the same thing. A train would load and back into track 2, awaiting arrival of B Train, then go north to AC. When B Train was loaded it went North to AC. At AC, A Train would arrive as normal at the station, the locomotive cut off and run around the train, and wait for the arrival of B Train. B Train would always take the siding at AC, and continue North until clear of the North AC switch, and then reverse down the Main to the station after the departure of A Train. The locomotive would then run around and then procede south when ready.

3 locomotives was the trick. The southbound train would pull all the way in at Sheepscot. The next locomotive in rotation would couple on and depart when ready. Depending on which train it was is what was done next (proced to track 2 or AC), so the locomotive crews had to pay attention.

Once uncoupled, the locomotive that just brought the southbound train in would move to the run around when the train was clear, and do it's servicing to get ready for the next train. The locomotives would have 2 successive trips, then a break of 15 or 20 minutes, awaiting the A Train.

This set up worked very very well.
« Last Edit: December 20, 2015, 09:21:06 PM by Mike Fox »
Mike
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John McNamara

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Re: Victorian Christmas 2015
« Reply #24 on: December 20, 2015, 09:35:41 PM »
One of the advantages of the A/B system was that the number of people unloading and loading was halved versus megatrain. At AC (and I presume at Sheepscot) there has always been a trainload unloading into a trainload of people waiting to load. In the A/B method, this was still the case, but "a trainload" was half the former size.

-John

Wayne Laepple

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Re: Victorian Christmas 2015
« Reply #25 on: December 20, 2015, 09:40:11 PM »
That's an excellent point, John, and one I hadn't considered previously.

Stewart "Start" Rhine

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Re: Victorian Christmas 2015
« Reply #26 on: December 20, 2015, 09:46:26 PM »
As John stated, 

At AC it was easier to get people to cross the tracks from the Santa side when clear and have them collect on the east side of the main away from the track so the new arrivals could detrain.  Having less people waiting on the east side left more room for the operation.

The reverse was also true, less new arrivals crossing the tracks made it easier to guide people to the 3 attractions on the west side.

Bill Reidy

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Re: Victorian Christmas 2015
« Reply #27 on: December 20, 2015, 10:05:22 PM »
Whew! Another Victorian Christmas under our belt and arguably the best one, yet. Our fifteenth year but notable for a number of firsts. A record 1558 passengers were carried. Three separate trains run. Two steam locomotives in operation.

Anyone involved in an event of this size knows that it doesn't just happen. A tremendous amount of preparation by a dedicated group of volunteers spent weeks ahead of time prepping and planning. Kudos are due Jason Lamontagne for an operating plan that worked perfectly and kept wait times to a minimum. Brendan Barry for caboose haulage and flatcar benches. Brian Fanslau for use of his caboose. Joe Fox and Stewart Rhine for publicity. Linda Verney for the last minute addition of another horse drawn wagon when we looked to have a high turnout.

Finally, thanks go to all the volunteers who turned out on the day, 60 at last count (Mrs. Claus and I didn't get to sign in until this morning.). It was truly an "all hands on deck" effort and it couldn't have been done without you. I'm proud to be associated with you all.

Merry Christmas

Steve Zuppa

Amen.  A tremendous achievement after a year of amazing achievements by our Museum.  What a year this has been!  Harry must be smiling down from heaven seeing all that's been accomplished since he founded the Museum in the late 1980s.  I can hardly wait for 2016!
What–me worry?

John McNamara

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Re: Victorian Christmas 2015
« Reply #28 on: December 20, 2015, 10:16:16 PM »
Because A/B failed at a previous event, I had my doubts. However, Jason determined the causes of the previous failures and calculated the necessary train capacities and timings. After some slight roughness at the beginning, it all worked very well. Holding the second AC arrival at the north yard limit also helped prevent congestion there.

Paul Uhland

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Re: Victorian Christmas 2015
« Reply #29 on: December 20, 2015, 10:47:53 PM »
OUTSTANDING WORK!
Thanks.
Paul Uhland