Author Topic: 2009  (Read 7331 times)

Mike the Choochoo Nix

  • Museum Member
  • Hostler
  • ***
  • Posts: 299
    • View Profile
2009
« on: January 01, 2009, 09:04:02 PM »
Well 2009 is here. What does the board hope will be accomplished in the comming year. And please no wishful thinking by members, I want to know what the Board thinks can be completed.
Thanks,
 Mike Nix
Mike Nix

James Patten

  • Administrator
  • Superintendent
  • *****
  • Posts: 4,216
  • Loco for 6
    • View Profile
Re: 2009
« Reply #1 on: January 02, 2009, 05:58:51 PM »
In 2009 we hope to:
 - have enough people to maintain our track
 - have enough people be able to cut trees on the right of way
 - have enough people to cut grass in the summer
 - have enough people in high summer to run the trains and man the gift shop

For capital improvements, we hope
 - to finish the car shop extension
 - to build the access road from 218
 - to build the leach field access road

This is a partial list, certainly.  However, note the list at the top - we need volunteers!  Everyone gets excited over the sexy projects like extending track, but unexciting stuff like track maintenance, grass cutting, and meet & greet of the visitors keeps us going.

Mike the Choochoo Nix

  • Museum Member
  • Hostler
  • ***
  • Posts: 299
    • View Profile
Re: 2009
« Reply #2 on: January 03, 2009, 10:49:42 PM »
I sometimes wonder which is better for those of us who live farther away, Send the money, or spend it to come and help. In my case I usually can  take only one week of vacation at a time, so it limits the amount of time I could spend out there. I would like come and help some time, but I would have to plan at least a year ahead to do it.
Mike Nix
Mike Nix

Ed Lecuyer

  • Administrator
  • Superintendent
  • *****
  • Posts: 4,274
    • View Profile
    • wwfry.org
Re: 2009
« Reply #3 on: January 05, 2009, 08:02:27 AM »
Quote
Send the money, or spend it to come and help

That's a great question. I just came back from a 2-day WW&F weekend. The total outlay for gas, tolls, lodging, food, was about $200.

Most of what I did this weekend *could* have been handled by a day laborer. Let's say at $9/hr. I worked about 16 hours over the two days. $9x16 = $144.

So, technically, it might have been better for me to send in $200 and stayed home. But, there is little personal satisfaction in that. Plus, seeing my WW&F friends and spending time with my daughter is priceless.
Ed Lecuyer
Moderator, WW&F Forum

James Patten

  • Administrator
  • Superintendent
  • *****
  • Posts: 4,216
  • Loco for 6
    • View Profile
Re: 2009
« Reply #4 on: January 05, 2009, 10:10:57 AM »
Mike, that is a good question.

Certainly we need a certain number of volunteers in order to do the things we've committed to the membership and others to do: run trains, build the car shop extension, maintain our rolling stock, build the railcar.  We also need money in order to keep the lights on and pay the mortgages.

We have a certain number of people who are there pretty much every weekend.  This core group hasn't changed much over time.  Some of the core group are getting older and less able to do as much as they used to.

Then there's people that tend to show up about 2 out of 4 weekends a month.  These are all just as dedicated as the first group, just not as able to make it every weekend because of family, work, distance, or a factor of all 3.

Finally there's people that can make it less than a weekend a month (that includes those that show up for a week at a time once or twice a year).  They are just as valuable as everyone else, the trick in the future may be coordinating everybody so that we don't have a weekend with nobody followed by a weekend with everybody.

Ideas on this are more than welcome.

Matthew Gustafson

  • Engineer
  • ****
  • Posts: 548
    • View Profile
    • https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaj5Rrtw948oLXGLaqgUmDA
Re: 2009
« Reply #5 on: January 05, 2009, 11:02:02 PM »
And try to get #9 run again if we're lucky we could get her steaming this or next year once restoration is complete!  ::) :) ;) :)
Steam Department Volunteer at the Illinois Railway Museum.

Eric Bolton

  • Switchman
  • **
  • Posts: 89
    • View Profile
Re: 2009
« Reply #6 on: January 06, 2009, 01:13:15 AM »
Matt if there is one thing I have learned from working on steam locomotives is thats its done when its done. It seems to me that I have seen on here that the 9 will be done at the earlist next year. In a project of this scale nothing can be rushed.
Trainmaster/Designated Supervisor of Locomotive Engineers
Pennsylvania Northeastern Railroad