August 2018 Work Reports

[James Patten]

Anticipated work for weekend of August 4-5, 2018:

* Mountain extension.  Mike is prepping for the blocks?
* Bridge.  Interior still needs stain, as of last weekend.
* Car shop/machine shop organization.
* Caboose 320.

[Mike Fox]

Yes. One tree to get on the ground, hopefully with the stump still attached. I want to clean that up then start prepping for the wall.

[Paul Uhland]

Terrific to see so much varied progress, especially by volunteers fitting this work into their daily lives.
But, I'm always concerned too many projects will overwhelm available doers.
So far, planned improvements...TOM track extension, Trout Bridge preps, caboose/box 67 rebuilds, machine shop re-dos, with track grade help by contractor Verney, are exciting to witness.
 
Could be my impatience to see everything done by tomorrow is showing? 

[Bill Baskerville]

Today the two fuel filters, the hydraulic oil filter, the air filter, the oil filter and the oil was changed on 52. Last week it was pressure washed inside and out. You can now actually see daylight thru the radiator. Work on the front headlight is progressing.

[James Patten]

You can now actually see daylight thru the radiator.

Hopefully no daylight seen from within the radiator!

[Jason M Lamontagne]

Additional Saturday Aug 4 projects:

Bridge beam drilling and bolting (Joe)
Crane tower fab (Alan)

[Bill Reidy]

You can now actually see daylight thru the radiator.

Hopefully no daylight seen from within the radiator!

I thought that too, James, when I read the post!

[Fred Morse]

I'd like to let you know that we have enough ties at TOM to do a little over 900 ft. What we have cut at sheepscot will probably be used on the temporary bridge. I hope none will be needed from TOM. One truckload of ties will probably get us to 1200 ft. if we get them cut to length. We could use a lot more help in the coming 9 weeks, I hope some people from away can visit us for a week vacation before Fall work weekend. If the rail isn't moved I don't know where people coming for the work weekend will park their cars as it will take a lot of room to park cars. A little reality check, also we should not place rail and ties on the roadbed where trees have to be cut and ditches dug. I think we have about 1200 ft cleared now.

[Bill Baskerville]

You can now actually see daylight thru the radiator.

Hopefully no daylight seen from within the radiator!

I thought that too, James, when I read the post!

Ok, it was late and I was tired. The fan blows forward out thru the radiator so there was a lot of gunk buildup on the inside, which is now gone.

[Joe Fox]

Later this month, closer to the third or fourth Saturday of August, I hope to start getting the rail prepped, which will require 2-3 guys per day. We need to get 100 rails ready, mark the center line of each rail, inspect each rail, crop and drill as needed. In September we will sort through the joint bars and get them ready to go as well. Stay tuned for a Fall Work Weekend prep page that I will be starting in the next week or so. We have enough material to build 1500' of track this fall, but that will depend on how far beyond the 1200' mark the grading goes. Preferably 1400' because that will put us in a very good spot to complete the track over Trout Brook Bridge next fall.

Joe

[Bill Baskerville]

Yesterday bullet Bob and I completed the annual track grass and weed exploration and persuasion adventure.  That is we found all of the little rapscallians and hopefully persuaded them to go live somewhere else, like in grass and weed heaven.

Today the 52 headlight refurbishment was completed.  This included cleaning, painting, new glass, a full set of seals and two new stabilizing braces.  Of course in the process of reinstalling the braces and headlight I managed to succesfully remove all the remaining black, greasey, grimy dirt that I missed during the cleaning process by transferring it to my hands, arms, neck, forehead, gloves, shirt and pants.

[Carl G. Soderstrom]

Bill you are a dirt magnet - I have a brother like that - walk 10 feet from dirt
and it jumps at you. You could hire out - just walk through a house and it would be clean.

[James Patten]

Work done on Saturday Aug 4:

* Mountain Extension: Mike took some culverts, pipe, and road cloth up this morning, and came back without them this afternoon.  I think Fred helped move out some more wood.
* Machine shop: Things happened (sorry, I don't know enough to be more specific than that).  I do know a newly arrived saw (think continual loop saw blade) got some attention.
* Caboose 320: Marcel was working on the vertical pieces.
* Bridge: Holes were drilled in timbers and timbers bolted together.  Zack kept at attaching ties to the bridge timbers.

[Ed Lecuyer]

HELP NEEDED THIS WEEK!

Tuesday 8/7 and Wednesday 8/8 are bridge work days. There are PILES of tasks to be completed. Get out of your CRIB and come help us. This will be a major work effort at the bridge site and many hands will be needed to keep the project on schedule and moving forward. No RSVP required, APPROACH dressed in work clothes, boots, and gloves. Work will begin at 9am.

This is just the beginning of the big push to set the bridge in-place before the work window expires this Fall. Other opportunities to help will be announced when they are finalized.

In addition, there will be prep work for the Annual Picnic occuring on Friday, 8/10. Additional help (especially a switching train crew) would be greatly appreciated.

[Jason M Lamontagne]

Thanks, Ed.

Friday switching will be steam.  We should already have a crew for that.  Additional crew welcome.  Bridge work too.