Author Topic: April 2018 Work Weekend prep and work  (Read 11599 times)

Joe Fox

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April 2018 Work Weekend prep and work
« on: April 02, 2018, 05:56:19 PM »
Jason and I walked the line today and established working limits for track to be removed, and much other needed work. 310' will be removed to allow a complete rail bed rebuild from the ditches up. There are around 200-250 ties to change outside of this, and the hope is to use the new tie machine for this. (To help pull ties out as that is the most tine consuming part) Prior to use, I hope to get in a test day or two with it to ensure things work as planned.

 I will be at the railroad on Tuesday April 24th, Wednesday April 25th, and possibly the 26th if needed. Then Friday and Saturday of the work weekend. There is much to do, and I hope to get as much of the prepping done as possible the few days I am there.

-Ties, we will need lots of ties that will be put in with a tie replacement crew. Those riding the train will notice several new dots. I hope to have these laid out sometime between the 24th & 26th.
-I anticipate the need to drill about 40 holes for new joint bars, depending on joint bar status will depend if this changes.

Bob Holmes

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Re: April 2018 Work Weekend prep and work
« Reply #1 on: April 02, 2018, 06:58:06 PM »
Fred has been cutting endlessly.  Do we have enough new ties for the SWW?

Bill Reidy

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Re: April 2018 Work Weekend prep and work
« Reply #2 on: April 02, 2018, 07:52:52 PM »
I believe Fred said 200+ were done when I spoke with him Saturday.  They were neatly stacked up in front of the center bay of the garage to dry out.
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Fred Morse

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Re: April 2018 Work Weekend prep and work
« Reply #3 on: April 03, 2018, 01:36:34 PM »
As of today there are 250 ties done. Steve Z. stacked them for me. Thank you Steve!

Joe Fox

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Re: April 2018 Work Weekend prep and work
« Reply #4 on: April 03, 2018, 07:51:28 PM »
That is excellent. I am unsure of the final count, but we will need 155 for sure on the track rebuild, and probably another 100-150 outside of that. I will be down Friday and maybe Saturday to take a look at more joint bars for the work weekend.

Bill Reidy

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Re: April 2018 Work Weekend prep and work
« Reply #5 on: April 14, 2018, 08:22:22 PM »
Percival house work weekend preparation today.

The spring work weekend will include construction on the north side of the Percival house of a replacement exterior stairway for the first floor door, as well as a new exterior stairway for the second floor door, by members of the same carpentry crew that did such a nice job with the new exterior ramp into the kitchen last fall.  Mike Fox and Zack Wyllie led a crew that got the frost posts set today for both stairways.

By the time this first photo was taken, Mike had dug the first frost post hole with the Kubota, picked up a frost post from near the car barn, and set it in the hole with Zack's direction.  He was now back-filling the hole, as president Dave (and others) looked on with shovels in preparation to finish up the shoveling work. 




Mike used the Kubota to lift, move and set the posts.  Next photo shows the second post being picked up as Dave and Zack look on.




The third and final post in transit to the Percival house.




Setting the final post, with John McNamara looking on on the left.




The three frost posts in place, ready for spring work weekend!

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Bill Piche

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Re: April 2018 Work Weekend prep and work
« Reply #6 on: April 14, 2018, 08:37:10 PM »
An appropriate amount of shovel leaning in that first picture.
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Steve Smith

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Re: April 2018 Work Weekend prep and work
« Reply #7 on: April 14, 2018, 09:57:11 PM »
Thank you for the pictures and captions Bill. Nice job!

Mike Fox

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Re: April 2018 Work Weekend prep and work
« Reply #8 on: April 15, 2018, 08:37:36 AM »
An appropriate amount of shovel leaning in that first picture.

Bill,
It wasn't in just the first picture. In fact, a saw horse was relocated for additional support. The shovels got heavy and were leaned on that...
Mike
Doing way too much to list...

Jeff Schumaker

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Re: April 2018 Work Weekend prep and work
« Reply #9 on: April 15, 2018, 01:43:05 PM »
With all the bodies standing around, watching, I thought it might have been a Maine DOT project. ::)

Jeff S.
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James Patten

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Re: April 2018 Work Weekend prep and work
« Reply #10 on: April 15, 2018, 04:59:56 PM »
I gave them pointers from the Official Maine DOT worker's manual, especially the section about how best to lean on the shovel.

Jeff Schumaker

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Re: April 2018 Work Weekend prep and work
« Reply #11 on: April 15, 2018, 06:26:49 PM »
I find it hard to believe there was only one shovel to lean on. ::)

Jeff S.
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Mike Fox

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Re: April 2018 Work Weekend prep and work
« Reply #12 on: April 15, 2018, 06:40:13 PM »
No job is complete without the proper amount of supervision
Mike
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Bill Reidy

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Re: April 2018 Work Weekend prep and work
« Reply #13 on: April 15, 2018, 07:46:20 PM »
Thank goodness you have us around Mike.  Otherwise you wouldn't get nearly as much work done.
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Wayne Laepple

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Re: April 2018 Work Weekend prep and work
« Reply #14 on: April 16, 2018, 06:37:59 PM »
Apparently the word has not yet gotten to Maine. No need for people to hold up shovels. A new, self standing model has been released recently.