February 2022 Work Reports

[James Patten]

Anticipated work for Saturday Feb 12:

* Steam & Sleighs trains.  Hopefully there'll be snow left on the ground at the end of the week.
* Top of Mtn cutting
* Board meeting 4:00

[Stephen Lennox]

Tuesday:
*  Track work, track continues to work on ice problems at crossings, Open car #130 moved
    into the SS yard as a back up coach. (Steve Lx, Steve Lt, Chuck, Scott H)
*  Shop work, vacuum brakes design/build continues  (Jonathan, Randy)
*  Loco #9 test run, training for Bryce, Jay and Joe Monty  (Jason)

Wednesday:
*  Track work, salting of crossings and ice work,  (Steve Lx, Brian W)
*  Shop work, vacuum brake work continues  (Jonathan, Randy)
*  Vehicle repair, #52 air line issue resolved  (Jonathan, Brian W, Steve Lx)
*  Running inspection of Combine #14 (Jason, Steve Lx, Brian W)
*  Archives work  (Linda)
*  Gift shop/mail is continually working  (Cindy R)

Note:  Fred was in both days to insure everyone was working and not sitting around the kitchen.

[Ed Lecuyer]

WW&F Work Report makes the Wiscasset Newspaper:
https://www.wiscassetnewspaper.com/article/wwf-rolls-winter/156726

[Mike Fox]

That is what teamwork is all about. And the photo chosen for the article shows that.

[James Patten]

Work done on Saturday Feb 12:

* Inspection train: An inspection train ran up the line to check crossings, most of which didn't need any work.
* ToM cutting: Mike and Brian were busy cutting and burning, joined by 3 workers who went up on the inspection train.
* Steam & Sleighs: Much better conditions than last week, much fuller trains that last week.
* Machine Shop: Bryce did some welding, Alan did some fiddling.
* Board meeting at 4.

Today was high 40s or low 50s, lots of thick mud everywhere.

[Mike Fox]

Brian and I started with one burn pile. We had already made good progress.



I let Ed know that Brian he freed up the switches at TOM, and he responded with help was coming.. So that, coupled with Brian, I knew we needed a second fire..





Brian really piles it on.. And goes to get more





End of the day. I had thinned more next to the tracks..



A pretty good chunk cut today. The extra help really made a difference.



Steam and sleighs

[Stephen Lennox]

Anticipated work for Tuesday and Wednesday 15-16 February 2022

*  Main line crossing clean up, switch inspections
*  Vacuum brakes
*  Passenger truck rebuild (pending)
*  Coach #9 assembly (pending)
*  Caboose repair
*  Campus clean up
*  Prep wood for locomotives test and Saturday operations

[Graham Buxton]

Here is another Steam & Sleighs photo that I found interesting: 



That photo is from a thread titled "Saturday, the WW&F, and only a cell phone" at the NGDF forum:

https://ngdiscussion.net/phorum/read.php?1,434794

[James Patten]

Anticipated work for Saturday Feb 19:

* Last Saturday of Steam & Sleighs.  Sold out or nearly so.  Let's hope there's some snow left.
* Top of Mtn cutting.
* Machine shop
* Boxcar 56

[Ed Lecuyer]

We could really use a parking attendant to help manage parking at Sheepscot on Saturday. 9am - 12:30pm is the most critical timeframe.

Regardless, all volunteers should please park considerately and block in those who will be staying later. (For example, please feel free to block in my silver Honda CR-V.) Please pull all the way forward when parking along the east/Percival side of the lot.

[Stephen Lennox]

Work completed on Tuesday and Wednesday 15-16 February 2022

Tuesday:
*  Track Crew, main line inspection, ice chipped at Rosewood (see photo), switches checked and oiled.
    (Steve Lx, Brian W, Steve Lt, Paul R)
*  Caboose repaired replacing brake beam hanger pins.  (Brian W)
*  Shop work, Vacuum brakes design/build and testing.  (Jonathan, Randy)

Wednesday:
*  Shop work, Vacuum brakes continued.  (Jonathan, Randy)
*  Coach #9, assembly continues.  (Eric, Ron)
*  Archives work on going.  (Linda)
*Track Crew, flat car #34 loaded with fire wood and staged for the steam locomotives (Steve L, Chuck)

NOTES:
*  Fred and Zack were doing repairs on the rest room building.
*  Cindy R. works through the week on gift shop sales and RR mail.
*  Stewart R. has been handling campus clean up and dump run during the week. 

[John McNamara]

What's that wire in the Rosewood picture?

[Bill Baskerville]

Thanks John, I had the same question.  Aren't you glad it is on the wrong side of the track to be a phone cable.  It looks like the edge of a generator on the right side of the picture and a drill or saws-all in someone's hands to the left.

[Steve Leet]

Electric hammer drill/jack hammer

[Stephen Lennox]

We have been experimenting with different methods and tools to make the ice removal easier as the mid week crew
is working regularly trying to keep up with this years icing. Steve Leet brought in his electric jack hammer that he uses and it looks like a tool for us. It's light weight, can accept standard jack accessories ie a longer shaft paddle like on Big Joe. With this and any of the portable generators we have on hand, looks like we can cut our work on iced up crossings down and makes life easier for the track crew. Presently, we are researching different hammers.