March 2019 Work Reports

[Joe Fox]

The car host program led by Steve P was a huge success. The gentleman to the left of the photo was extremely pleased by our hospitality and really enjoyed himself, along with the others. He loves to do wood working and mold making, and will definately be back to help on various projects along with being interested in being a car host. Today was a very good day I thought.

[Fred Morse]

Kevin was doing more work on the crane rails in bay Three and I saw Joe stacking some of the wood that was split. Dave and Bill have got running the wood splitter down pat! I used the tractor bucket to carry the wood to the wood crib. Zack was putting more planks on the flatcar and fitting the stakes into the pockets. I was worn out after lunch and went home early, Wish I could still do more!!

[James Patten]

Anticipated work for Saturday March 30:

* Car host workshop
* Flatcar 34
* Car shop: insulation, sheathing, crane rails, etc. etc.
* Outdoor work: Depending on the frost/mud we may be able to do something outdoors.  But I don't know what's on the schedule!

[Joe Fox]

I had hoped to be at the museum tomorrow, but will be working instead. Maybe we can try in the next few weeks to do some track work around the yard.

[James Patten]

Work done on Saturday March 30:

* Spring cleaning!  In preparation for the car barn expansion work, the area around the car barn was cleaned up.  Junk wood went to the transfer station.  Everything else went over to near the storage box (but stacked neatly, of course).  This includes the couplers and wheelsets that were along the east wall of the barn. 
* Fireup wood: Fred brought over a bunch of wood that had been split to the wood shed outside Bay 1 where it was stacked in the shed.  Then the long pieces got cut up and the large pieces that need to be split were brought over near the garage to be eventually split.
* Flatcar 34: Folks were busy working on the wheels and trucks, painting and grinding.  Both trucks are assembled, one is painted.  The brakes on the unpainted one have to be fixed.
* Phone line: John M made a trip north to work on the phone line somewhere.

The snow is essentially gone, but in the shadowy places the ice still lingers.  Mud season is in full swing.

[Mike Fox]

3 trips were made to the transfer station with the pickup today, getting rid of the load Brendan had put in the truck during the week, and 2 loads of junk pallets, rotten wood, and other dump worthy items. We were very pleased at the end of the day with the visual improvements.

Steel has also been sorted and readied for scrapping. Hoping a dumpster magically appears so we can load it..

[Bill Reidy]

A few photos from today, not capturing everything going on, I'm afraid.  Anyway, bombs away...

In the morning, Fred Morse led a crew to fill the wood crib between shop bay 1 & 2 tracks for use in firing up steam.  Fred and assistants have worked on this the last couple of weeks.  I understand the stacks within the crib will supply the steam crew into June.



Focus then turned to cleaning up the grounds along the south and east sides of the car barn, which are the directions the barn will be expanded this year to provide exhibition and storage space for the Narrow Gauge Collection collaboration with Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad and Museum.

Volunteers clearing the area south of the car barn.





Moving East Broad Top couplers and other material for storage from the east side of the car barn.



The car barn area cleaned up.  Now just waiting for spring weather to dry out the ground so foundation preparations can proceed.

[Paul Uhland]

You expect car barn expansion work to be done by FWW?

[Bill Baskerville]

Wowie Dowie, that last picture... the area never looked so good.  Just let the ground thaw, the mud dry and it is ready for foundation piers.

[Mike Fox]

There are a few more items to move, but this is how I would like to see this area stay. Neat and presentable.  I have been trying to develop a permanent storage area around the container. Some of it got levelled last fall, and immediately got filled up trying to clear the parking lot up.

There is more to do. Jason suggested a spot for Boxcar 56 to go, so Dave and I took measurements and did some preliminary planning to have it at its RIP (repair in place) spot. That may be the area we focus on this weekend if we have time.

[Jeff Schumaker]

That's the cleanest I've seen the car barn area!

Jeff S.

[Fred Morse]

The part of the car barn were doing this year will be done before FWW. I don't know if it will be painted or not. Hope so. They may be clearing the area at Alna Center as well as loading stone on the SWW, or putting the drainage in around the South end of the car barn. I only work there or as the pictures show, sitting in a chair.

[Bill Reidy]

Fred -- you were sitting in a chair most of the day yesterday -- the tractor's seat!

Both the tractor and Fred got a good workout yesterday.

[Jeff Schumaker]

Who is the young fellow in the third photo?

Jeff S.

[Mike Fox]

The young fellow is Leon Weeks grandson, Jarred, if I remember his name correctly. He had been working with us several Saturdays on the extension helping with the brush.