Author Topic: Rescheduling the SWW? Speculation Thread  (Read 12005 times)

Bill Baskerville

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Rescheduling the SWW? Speculation Thread
« on: March 15, 2020, 04:27:41 PM »
Other events, such as Spring Work Weekend, will be dependent on what the situation is at the April meeting.
I know how much we all love the Work Weekends, and those of us who live further away, really need our twice a year WW&F 2 Footer Railroad Fix. 
We miss the smell of steam and coal;
the sound of the whistles as the train comes from far away with lunch or to pick us up at the end of a satisfying day of working harder then we ever would at home,
the renewing of old friendships and making of new friends,
the great food that is not on our usual diets, and (for most of us) no one is monitoring our choices,
the satisfaction of helping to accomplish something greater than ourselves and that will outlast most of us.
The last point being that most of us are in an (age) group that places us in a club that we didn't ask to join.
We can't foresee the conditions a month from now, but I trust that our leadership will make the correct decision as that magic date approaches.
I am sure those wise ones who are our leaders, who along with their predecessors have gotten us to this point in our Railroad journey, will, if necessary, come up with an alternative SWW, perhaps a Summer Work Weekend.
Stay Safe Everyone.
~ B2 ~ Wascally Wabbit & Gofer ~

Al Michelis

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Re: Rescheduling the SWW? Speculation Thread
« Reply #1 on: March 16, 2020, 04:31:10 PM »
The CDC is now recommending groups of no more than 10 people.

John McNamara

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Re: Rescheduling the SWW? Speculation Thread
« Reply #2 on: March 16, 2020, 04:57:15 PM »
I regret to report that if Spring Work Weekend does occur, telephone sanitizers will not be on duty, and readers of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy are doubtless aware of the unfortunate consequences.

Joe Fox

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Re: Rescheduling the SWW? Speculation Thread
« Reply #3 on: March 17, 2020, 06:12:18 PM »
May I suggest if we have to cancel the Spring Work Weekend, may we try to reschedule it instead? I fear the loss of even one work weekend will dradtically change the opening of the Moutain we have all wirked tirelessly to try to keep on schedule.

Ed Lecuyer

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Re: Rescheduling the SWW? Speculation Thread
« Reply #4 on: March 17, 2020, 06:16:51 PM »
While no one can't predict anything at this point, I would imagine that Spring Work Weekend certainly falls under "to be postponed" in list of events presented.
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Bob Holmes

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Re: Rescheduling the SWW? Speculation Thread
« Reply #5 on: March 17, 2020, 06:17:36 PM »
Joe, that would be wonderful.  But we cannot predict at this point what our world will be like in the coming months.

Just keep your optimistic thoughts coming and stay safe in your own community.

John Kokas

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Re: Rescheduling the SWW? Speculation Thread
« Reply #6 on: March 17, 2020, 06:29:21 PM »
FWIW, In lieu of a rescheduled SWW,  I would suggest several "mini-weekends" during June/July/August where groups can still come for scheduled work but on a much smaller and manageable scale.  Many folks have jobs that don't allow them to make major rescheduling of vacation time unless its done far in advance.  But if we did several weekends where folks can make just the weekend or can take one Friday off we can still get a lot done.   I would suggest (2) weekends in June, (1) in July, and (2) in August.
Moxie Bootlegger

john d Stone

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Re: Rescheduling the SWW? Speculation Thread
« Reply #7 on: March 17, 2020, 06:35:55 PM »
I really enjoy the work weekends and it is such a shame that this strange world development is infringing on our fun! The SWW has been on my mind most of the day and I was afraid that the crisis would be far from over by the end of next month. I'm sure that I speak for many of us when I say that I would gladly come up at a later time. I know that the momentum of this museum's efforts will not be halted by this thing, only slowed a bit.

john d Stone

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Re: Rescheduling the SWW? Speculation Thread
« Reply #8 on: March 17, 2020, 06:41:55 PM »
Maybe Mr. Kokas' idea of mini-weekends is worth exploring. I would be up for the idea of scheduled days to work with a small group spreading ballast. Maybe when we can get a better handle on how bad things are going to get and whether travel restrictions will be in place this could be do-able.

Ed Lecuyer

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Re: Rescheduling the SWW? Speculation Thread
« Reply #9 on: March 17, 2020, 06:50:18 PM »
(Jumping the gun, just a bit, however...)

One thing to consider is that the SWW falls outside of our normal operating season. This allows up to three trains (and crews) to do the work.

Once this pandemic ends, assuming we start regular service, we'll loose the operational and man-power flexibility we get each Spring. It would still be doable to have several mini-weekends, but it makes things a bit more challenging - especially where we will need to be running stone loads from AC to the work site between scheduled trains.
Ed Lecuyer
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John McNamara

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Re: Rescheduling the SWW? Speculation Thread
« Reply #10 on: March 17, 2020, 06:53:55 PM »
It would still be doable to have several mini-weekends, but it makes things a bit more challenging - especially where we will need to be running stone loads from AC to the work site between scheduled trains.

Mixed trains and lots of magphone calls - I love it  ;D
-John M

Ed Lecuyer

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Re: Rescheduling the SWW? Speculation Thread
« Reply #11 on: March 17, 2020, 06:58:46 PM »
Mixed trains and lots of magphone calls - I love it  ;D

GREAT! Thanks for volunteering to dispatch!  ;)
Ed Lecuyer
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John McNamara

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Re: Rescheduling the SWW? Speculation Thread
« Reply #12 on: March 17, 2020, 07:10:07 PM »
No, no. You are the traditional dispatcher, and I'll be too busy emptying the coin boxes on the new magneto pay phones. I guess I haven't told you about those yet.....

John Kokas

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Re: Rescheduling the SWW? Speculation Thread
« Reply #13 on: March 17, 2020, 07:18:34 PM »
 ;D ;D ;D  John, I assume they will be BitCoin operated?   :o 8)
Moxie Bootlegger

Wayne Laepple

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Re: Rescheduling the SWW? Speculation Thread
« Reply #14 on: March 17, 2020, 08:25:57 PM »
Maybe hold two mini-work weekends back to back. The first one Saturday-Sunday-Monday and the second on Friday-Saturday-Sunday. That way, if there are folks who can stay around, they could work during the week without any trains to be worried about. And two of the six scheduled days (Monday and Friday) would also not have train service except for the ballast trains. That's not to say ballast trains would have to run the whole time. There will be plenty of surfacing and lining to be done as well, so at least a couple of days could be devoted to that task. How about the first two weekends in August, leading up to the Annual Picnic on the 7th and 8th?

With a smaller crew, only No. 52 would be needed for the ballast trains, and while the unloading crew waits for the train to return from Alna Center, they could dig jack holes for the tamper crew. Or just rest....

« Last Edit: March 17, 2020, 09:48:56 PM by Wayne Laepple »