April 2021 Work Reports

[Jonathan B. Smith]

Thanks, Dana, for acknowledging the crew of “schooner bums” who worked Saturday’s Tie & Dine.
They had a grand time. We’ll see some of them back in the future betwixt varied sea going duties.

[Stephen Lennox]

Anticipated work for Tuesday and Wednesday 27-28 April 2021.

*  Bridge work:  Install of ventilation ports, maintenance and repair.  (pending)
*  Vacuum brake work
*  Vehicle repair/maintenance
*  Coach #9, assist Eric and Ron  (Wed)

                   Rules and Standards for Operations 

XX.  Safety Rule (Rules 140-152)

147. Riding Locomotive Footboards and Foot Stirrups
        Employees shall not ride a locomotive footboard or end stirrup on the leading
        end of a movement at any time, nor ride on the trailing end of a movement
        when car are attached to it.

[ALAIN DELASSUS]

Thank you so much for that busy Saturday's report. You all did a good job of work the weather was good and I'm sure ticks and blackflies did not ruin the great atmosphere of those well-organized and efficiently led trackworks. One question yet, could you tell me the reason why you did not use the tie inserter Mike had  put in hours on repairing. Is there anything the matter with it.

[Mike Fox]

Alain,
It was starting hard since we had received it. Jay Barta looked into it and found the carburator was incorrect, and needed a rebuild or replacement. We have since had the proper used carburator donated for replacement, and is getting rebuilt by another volunteer Brian Whitney. He hoped the parts would be in so he could finish it and maybe put it together this week. I for one would like to see that being used.

[Wayne Laepple]

Glad to know there is some progress on the tie inserter.

[Jason M Lamontagne]

We fully intend to give it a shot when it’s ready to try.  I suspect it won’t debut for the second Tie and Dine as it’ll still be too new to us, and everyone is really comfortable with the current system, however we may get ourselves there by the third tie and dine, and certainly ongoing, presuming we get the mechanics worked out.

Brief update on Wilmar:  we are working through troubleshooting the electrical circuitry which controls the electric over hydraulic control valves.  These are all aftermarket so the manual doesn’t cover them.  Once diagnosed and we know that issue can be addressed relatively easily, we’ll disassemble it to address the mechanical concerns with the tamping mechanism.  Clean, inspect, repair and paint wash step of the way.  Some shop space for it will really accelerate the project.  Looking at mid summer for that.

See ya
Jason

[Stephen Lennox]

Work completed Tuesday and Wednesday 27-28 April 2021

Tuesday:

*  Bridge work:
     New ventilation added to both inside walls. (Randy, Brian W, Chuck, Mark, Steve L)
     Bridge inspection/final work plan for  bridge completion.  (Jason, Steve L)
     Bridge insect inspection, outrigger/support bar tightened. Steve L, Chuck Brian W)
*  Vacuum brake work, bellows function check  (Jonathan, Jay Barta)
*  Shop work  (Alan, Jerry, Carlos)
*  Archives  (Linda)
*  Gift shop  Cindy)
*  Model T repairs  (Leon, Jacob)
*  Helping every where (Fred)

Wednesday:

*  Coach #9 Letter boards planed, these boards are 40 feet long.
    (Eric, Fred, Brendan, Bryce, Dan, Randy, Leon, Jacob, Steve L, Jason)
*  Septic Heights clean up continues  (Dan, Bryce)

Note:  I left at 10AM Wed. More work may have been done but I was advised both Letter boards
           were planed. More work may have been completed during the day.

[Jeff Schumaker]

Did Dan and Bryce volunteer to clean the septic tanks, or were they voluntold?

Jeff S.

[James Patten]

Septic Heights is not where the tanks are - that's in front of the car barn extension.  Septic Heights is where the leach field for the Percival house was.  It's mainly grass up there.

[Mike Fox]

Dan and Bryce are trying to get that area cleaned up to use as a picnic area. It will be able to be mowed when they are done. Also on the plan is a new marker for Buttercup.

[Dwight Winkley]

Jeff,  Septic Heights was taken out of service when the new septic system was built for the new Restroom building.

[James Patten]

If we want to turn it into a picnic area, "Septic Heights" is probably not the name for the area anymore.  Maybe "Buttercup Heights" would be better.

[Jason M Lamontagne]

Wow I really like that James..

[Graham Buxton]

As 'Buttercup Heights' apparently is a former leach field, where is the current leach field for the septic system that the Restroom facility is connected to?

[James Patten]

The new leach field can be seen from the north side of the car barn.  If you look to the left of the Whitefield Section House you'll see a cleared area extending up the hill, at the top of the hill is the leach field.