WW&F Work Needs

[Jason M Lamontagne]

Some general maintenance concerns for which we are looking for volunteers.  These are operating maintenance items which in most cases currently lack dedicated volunteers (except as noted).  Anyone interested should check in with the  department manager indicated, and if a sub-manager is indicated, also that person.

Buildings, Brendan: 
Window Glazing (THIS ONE IS DESPERATE).  We have dozens of windows which require complete reglazing and then sealing.  Many are right on the Sheepscot campus.
Window casing repair: the north window casing of Sheepscot Station needs a complete rebuild.  The last paint job required some innovative patchwork to make it through.
Chimney flashing repair: Shop bay 4 chimney flashing requires repair.
Painting.  Stewart.
AC Platform rod. 
Shingle new electrical building

RR Operating Department, Jason:
Sign maintenance.
Car/truck/brake inspection.
Car Bearing Service.  Phil B.
Magneto Telephone system.  John M. (more dedicated help please!)
Track/ switch inspection (and light repair): (Currently Steve L, Mark C, Dan M, more division of duty is required)
Vacuum brake system technicians.  Jonathan (again more needed)
Wooden Rolling Stock Repairs (Coach 8 is growing desperate- it's now kept inside!, caboose 320 needs more, etc)
Rolling stock paint.  Stewart. 
Station supply keeper.  (I'd REALLY like to see this filled).
Bookkeeper (tracking conductor's reports, dispatcher needs, other office related needs).  (Conceivably this could morph into a Chief Dispatcher position)
Mechanical maintenance/ overhaul (Brookville- Jay B, Fluids and light mechanics in 52, light steam maintenance)

Grounds, Mike.  (Note that Mike directly manages and/or performs all of these so these are listed mostly for general info)
Ditching.
Culvert inspection. 
RoW smoothing for improved mowing.
General mowing.  Randy.
RoW mowing.  Mike.

Off-rail equipment, Mike.
Overhaul: Trailer, Mitsubishi, Loader, tractor.  Brendan.
Overhaul: Kubota.  Mike
Overhaul needed: Forklift.
Running maintenance: fluids and light mechanics in all equipment.

Thanks,
jason

[Mike Fox]

Very good list and great idea posting.

Please check with those mentioned before diving into any project, to make sure someone else has not already started, as some require planning ahead before work starts to acquire parts or whatnot, and to use the labor where needed most.

[James Patten]

Jason's bookkeeper can moonlight as a general office organizer - our filing system is terrible and needs someone to fix it.

[Bill Reidy]

I suggest we run this request for help in the January/February Newsletter.  It will reach a broader (albeit mostly away) audience.

[Stephen Piwowarski]

Great list.

Alna Center platform rot now off the list. Add to the list Alna Center sta. south side siding.

[John Kokas]

Add me to the wooden rolling stock repair team and since I have already volunteered with board blessing I will take on the signal and misc. oil lantern restoration, repair, and upkeep job.

Once we have a vaccine, I plan on spending more time in Maine.

[Bob Holmes]

Jason, is there a list of work needs that could be done off-site?  With COVID, I am reluctant to come over for long periods of time, but would be more than willing to:

1.  Support activities that depend upon computer or other home-based activities behind the scenes
2.  Pick up a particular project to work on at home, finish and return.

I suspect there are a few of us in this category, so please broaden your list in this direction.

Thanks.
Bob

[Jason M Lamontagne]

Hi Bob, John, all,

Following up- and I apologize for my delay, slowing the pace of this discussion.  We can look at off-site support roles (Bob), and lantern procurement and care (John) should have made my list- however bear in mind that Stewart currently manages that activity.  I certainly acknowledge the board’s action to authorize you to seek additional lamps and get them in working order; we very much appreciate that effort.

I want to point out the principal concern here is the lack of proactive, preventative maintenance regimens for existing, major infrastructure concerns.  In other words- I’ve listed many of our top problems- but checking these off the list doesn’t alone solve the problem.  We need personnel and systems in place to regularly and systematically identify and correct issues.  This is a dire need.  In the way that John M “owns” our mag phone system, every initiative- every event, project, or maintenance regimen- needs a champion.  This need for champions exists two dozen times over.  Some one person must be paying attention to each concern.  If we can achieve that, we will begin to get ahead of the curve.

I hope that makes sense.

Great credit and thanks to Randy for spending the week glazing shop windows.  They’re almost done (they need paint- Randy would love help).  Credit to Stewart for pushing ahead on the electrical building- as Brendan had me put shingling on the list.  Steve L, Mark, Brian W, Leon tackled and accomplished a major track geometry improvement at ToM this week.  One step at a time..

Thanks all,
Jason

[John McNamara]

Mention of the mag phone system in Jason's post reminds me that there are some projects available that don't require my "hands on" efforts. For example, a few months ago I prepared some some four-foot grade stakes, painting the upper few inches yellow and writing "MAG TEL" on them. I think they are in the shop building upstairs "Alice's Room."  If they were to reappear along the phone line at either side of Rosewood Crossing, that would be great! I suspect that the other "owners" of various areas would be happy to likewise list their no-supervision-needed projects.

[Stephen Piwowarski]

John M.- Sounds like a great John P. and Steve project- maybe we'll tackle this today. Will post back here later today if it gets done. It's done. See photos under 'Telephone improvement at Rose Wood Crossing' thread.

Also, AC platform has been repaired though it needs yellow paint for line which it might get tomorrow or wait depending on weather.