June 2021 Work reports

[ALAIN DELASSUS]

Thank you Graham for yor kind explanations and link. Actually a bush hog is bigger and heavier than a simple grass mower and needs to be pulled by a tractor it does not have exactly the same use as a grassmower In French we call it "débrousailleuse" that it's translated into English "bush cutter" according to my dictionary.  Finally Bush Hog is a make that has become a common noun eventually like Levi's or Bic  for a ball point pen in France.

[Carl G. Soderstrom]

Alain
I think you will find that the number of Brand Names the that have become Nouns
will fill pages.

aspirin is another story, and in Britain Hoover became a verb.(and a noun?)

[James Patten]

Anticipated work for Saturday June 19:

* Machine shop work
* Earthworks
* Engine house
* Public trains

[Ed Lecuyer]

We are expecting a very large crowd for public trains on Saturday. This will be especially true between 10:30am - 2:00pm.

PARKING AT SHEEPSCOT WILL BE AT A PREMIUM!

There are TWO charters (Masons & Cub Scouts), plus the special event BBQ/cookout at ToM.

Please park carefully, thoughtfully, and maximize space. Equipment not being used can and should be blocked in. Vehicles for volunteers who will be present all day (like mine) should be blocked in.

Stewart and Cindy have graciously allowed volunteer parking at their home; please take advantage of this, but please DO NOT BLOCK the garage (in case Stewart gets a fire call.)

Volunteers/Parking Attendants to help guide vehicles would be very helpful.

[Benjamin Richards]

Is volunteer parking available in either the new West parking lot, or the grassy field at the corner of 218/Cross Rd? I thought I had heard that mentioned previously, but wanted to clarify.

[Ed Lecuyer]

The West lot is stuffed full of equipment. Some volunteers may be able to squeeze a car or two in there.

The field at 218 is privately-owned and (at last check) has not been mowed. I suggest not using it for volunteer parking on Saturday.

[Brian Whitney]

I have a small Kia and can put it in tight places. Any volunteer parking available near or beside the storage containers? I plan to be there for the entire day so I can get parked in if necessary.

[Bob Holmes]

Not to be too snarky, but I thought the whole point of the West parking lot was to handle situations like this!??

[Bob Holmes]

Also, should we consider chalking parking lines (like baseball lines) to better control parking?  It's not permanent, and can be reconfigured as needed depending on how equipment is moved around...

[Ed Lecuyer]

The west lot got repurposed as a materials staging area, in order to make the rest of the railroad (mostly the main parking lot) more presentable. It will return to being a parking area as soon as the materials lot behind the containers is ready.

Striping/lining has been discussed. It is a project in need of someone to manage it.

[Mike Fox]

I meant to pick up a chalk line and try it out. They are not too expensive.. Maybe sometime.

[Stephen Lennox]

Work completed Tuesday and Wednesday 15-16 June 2021

Tuesday:

*  Flat #118, #9 Boiler removed, Benches installed  (Steve L, Jonathan, Jay B)
*  Shop work, the shop was busy with multiple projects going on.
    Bay #1 was getting the over head crane installed while Bay#3 was getting
    the over head crane bridge changed out.
    (Jerry, Carlos, Rick, Gordon C, Jason)
*  Shop work, machine rearranging.
     (Jason, Jay B, Jonathan, Gordon C, Steve L)
*  Shop work, the small lathe was removed and stationed by the container.
    Made a lot more working room.  (Jerry, Carlos, Rick, Jonathan, Steve L)
*  Truck unloading, steel for #11, containers for the electric shed.
       (Jason, Steve L, Jonathan, Rick)
*  Brookville work continued  (Jay B)
*  Looks like the Tool Shed shingling is completed.  (Stewart)
*  Coach #9 work continues  (Eric, Ron)
*  Box car rebuild continues  (Marcel)
*  Campus clean up, Fred
*  Round/Engine house, Brendan

Wednesday:
*  Dairy car #65 moved to Wiscasset and set for display
      (ML&MW crew, Brendan, Rick, Gordon C, Steve L)
*  Yard switching/car movement, Locomotive #4 moved to loading ramp, #67 to Woods track,
    Caboose #554 to Shop lead #3. Two Box cars moved to ML&MW. (Steve L, Dan, Chuck)
*  Shop work, over head crane work continues/completed  (Rick, Gordon C, Jason)
*  Brookvillle work continues   (Jay B)
*  Coach #9 assembly continues  (Eric, Ron)
*  Flat #118, Coach 2, Caboose 320 clean up  (Pete and Cody)
*  Round/Engine house work continues.  (Brendan, Fred)

I left after lunch, I’m sure more was completed.       

[Wayne Laepple]

Thanks for that report of great progress on multiple fronts, Steve. You must have really been cracking the whip!

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Thursday:

* Engine House - More earth work including reworking (lowering) the grade for the run through track from the north yard + trenching in most of the water line feed that runs from the water tank to the engine house.  The stone dust foundation fill was wet down again.
* Tool House - Shingle work was finished on the west side which completes all four sides. Work began on the inside snow brace / collar ties.
* Engine 11 - Rick & Gordon were at Sheepscot for design and fabrication work. More frame parts were made with the flanging machine.   
* Boxcar/tool car 56 - Marcel worked on the north end buffer beam and draft gear.
* Engine 9 - Steamed up for testing, and watering + a trip north.
* Gift Shop - Mail orders were shipped out.
* Campus - Some trash was organized to make collection easier on trash day / Friday.

[Bob Holmes]

Regarding chalking the parking lot, we would need one of those gadgets use by Baseball to mark field lines.  I would be glad to pursue that.

As for #65 to Wiscasset, there is a new vendor booth that blocks most of the entrance to the car.  It would be good to negotiate a moving of that booth so that the entrance to the car exhibit is at least as visible as it has been in the past.

Bob