November 2020 Work Reports

[Stephen Lennox]

Anticipated work Tuesday and Wednesday 24 and 25 November 2020.

Tuesday: 
*  TOM, line track just north of the north crib. Slight ballast, lift and tamp
    time permitting.
*  Switch out box car #67 to ML&MW for roofing.
*  Shop work
*  Possible arrival of container box, Monday or Tuesday.
    (container box has priority of work)

Wednesday:
*  No work scheduled.

Note’s:  Don’t forget your mask’s.
              Looking for volunteers to help Line Track.
              Happy Thanksgiving!

[Ed Lecuyer]

Adding to this week's planned work/volunteer schedule:

FRIDAY 11/27
Mike Fox will be leading a crew to "Raise the Roof" on the Event Pavilion.

SATURDAY 11/28
1. Mike Fox will be leading a crew to "Raise the Roof" on the Event Pavilion. (Part II)
2. Steve Lennox will be leading a "Rock the Mountain" crew to ballast the new switch at Trout Brook.
These are "open call" volunteer activities; perfect for inviting new participants.

Details at: https://www.facebook.com/events/381141659799541

[Ed Lecuyer]

Since there was not a formal report for work completed on Saturday, 11/21:

* Sandy River Surprise!
#9, backdated to SR&RL #6 ran to ML&M to retrieve P&R Combine 2 and P&R Coach 4. Then operated 2 sold out ( <15 passengers per car) trains for photographers, families, and invited guests. Runbys occurred at Alna Center, Hummason Brook, and Sutters (1pm trip only). At the end of the day, the cars were spotted on the ramp track for loading. As dusk turned to night, P&R Coach 4 was loaded onto the ML&M flatbed with custom car length extender for the trip to Portland. See Facebook for (lots more) photos.

* Pavilion
Bracing is complete (or nearly so); roof assembly begins FRIDAY 11/27!

* B&SR 56
The siding is almost completely removed. Care is being taken to save as much material as possible. The tar-paper roof did a great job protecting much of the car's structure.

* Electrical Building
Shingling is complete on 3/4 of the building. The front needs the window installed before the shingling can be finished on that side.

* Other, but Equally Important
Gift shop was open and doing business.
Archives were hopping (with new volunteer Nicole helping Linda.)

Please add/correct as needed.

[Stephen Lennox]

November 28, we have Rock the Mountain and work on the Pavilion. I'm looking to see who would be coming in to help shovel ballast. At the moment, we re looking at 2 flat cars of ballast.

[Benjamin Richards]

I am thinking of coming up for the day. This would be my first "in-person" volunteer session, so I'll happily go where the need is greatest.

[Joshua Zukerman]

Ballast crew today (see attached photo). I didn't keep track of how many of us there were. We offloaded two flat cars near the Nature Conservancy trail head on Rt219. Something that I noticed with these loads of ballast were some large rocks, 6" or larger, that I did not notice in the previous ballast crews that I've worked on. Had fun. See you all on the next ballast crew.

[Ed Lecuyer]

Work Report, 11/28:

* Rock the Mountain
A crew of seven unloaded two flatcars of stone at the Trout Brook switch and along the curve leading to it. This was critical to hold the track in-place to avoid the sun kinks and other issues that had developed (and been addressed) over the last 13 months. Welcome and special thanks to new volunteer Ben, new(ish) volunteer Nicole, and occasional volunteer Josh.

* Raise the Roof
The roof on the pavilion is essentially complete, save for the final "trim" panels on the west side. Man, it is a fantastic building that will host great events for many years to come.

* B&SR 56
The siding is completely removed. More disassembly is underway.

*Other Stuff
Work continues in the Archives.
Electrical Building Shingling is complete; window to be installed soon.
Signage along the RoW was evaluated and some action begun.
Turtle Crossings at Trout Brook dug out.

Please add/correct anything I missed.

[Wayne Laepple]

But we are missing Steve L.'s excellent summaries of weekday work! Where are you, Steve?

[Jeff Schumaker]

Where exactly will the turtle crossings be located and what does this entail? I am aware of the reason for them, but not the work involved.

Jeff S.

[Dwight Winkley]

Joshua, If you had large stones in the ballast this means the front end operator dug to deep in the ballast pile and scooped the large stones from the gravel under the ballast pile.

[Bill Baskerville]

Where exactly will the turtle crossings be located and what does this entail? I am aware of the reason for them, but not the work involved.
Jeff S.

Jeff, My understanding is that the turtle crossing consist of digging out the ballast between two ties so a turtle caught between the rails (usually from a nearby crossing) will drop down and can then get out of the gauge.  In walking the track one day working on loose joint bar bolts I found a deceased turtle within the gauge.

[Mike Fox]

We had to actually study up on this. I think we had planned one every 100 feet out from the bridge in either direction, for a few hundred feet. I had put some thought into making them, planking the bottom and having a top so foot traffic does not suddenly find a hole in the gauge.but the top has to be partially open so if a turtle becomes trapped in the gauge he has a way out.

[Bill Baskerville]

I didn't know the background on this, but figured it would have been thoroughly thought out and planned.

[Wayne Laepple]

How about a discreet sign, maybe a yellow can lid with black letters tacked to a tie on each side of the crossing, with the letters T.C. in black. After all, it is considered bad form to be walking in the gauge unless you are inspecting the track.

[Keith Taylor]

How about a discreet sign, maybe a yellow can lid with black letters tacked to a tie on each side of the crossing, with the letters T.C. in black. After all, it is considered bad form to be walking in the gauge unless you are inspecting the track.

Yes.....but will turtles be able to read the sign?