November 2022 Work Reports

[Bill Reidy]

The car was placed on the ramp track Tuesday morning for the trip back to Portland.

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Today - Saturday November 26th:

* Operations - Switching the consist + setting out the SR&RL combine for gift shop duty and running the Christmas Trains to Sea ToM took most of the volunteer time / labor.

* Engine House - The one exception of the day was Fred and Zack adding a bunch more shingles to the west wall.  Zack installed flashing above the last window + the door so shingles could be applied above them. 

[Stephen Lennox]

Anticipated work for Tuesday and Wednesday 29-30 November 2022

*  Engine house build
*  Vacuum brakes design/test and build
*  Passenger car truck rebuild
*  Coach #9 assembly/build
*  Locomotive #11 work session
*  Service track pit rail work
*  SS clean up

[Bill Reidy]

A few photos from yesterday, Saturday, November 26th.

Conductor Bryce Weeks leads a crew briefing prior to the day's public trains.


The day's train consisted of WW&F flatcar No. 118 (at the south end of locomotive No. 9 for the day, to handle transport of Christmas trees purchased by our guests at SeaLyon Farm), and north-to-south, Franklin & Megantic coach No. 2 (courtesy of Maine Locomotive & Machine), W&Q coach No. 3, WW&F coach/combine No.8, and WW&F caboose No. 320.  Here's most of the consist is seen here on the Turntable lead track where our passengers boarded, with Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes combine No. 14 on the House track on the right serving as our gift shop while our station platform is being rebuilt, courtesy of Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Co. and Museum.


A view looking back north from the temporary platform ramp.


A view inside our temporary gift shop inside SR&RL combine No. 14.


Fireman Dana Deering fills No. 9's tank, as brakeman Dan Malkowski oversees operations.


A couple of Saturday engine house photos have also been posted.

Apologies for volunteer names missed in the above captions.

[Bill Baskerville]

This FWW when I delivered 10 new skates several folks said we needed more so we would have one for each car.  Hence I have just completed 12 more skates.  However, when cleaning up my mess after painting SKATE on the first 10 I mistakenly discarded the hand made stencil.  Hence, I will have to make a new stencil to label the 12 new skates.  I will bring them up in April for the SWW.  I actually don't know how many cars we actually have since we are constantly exchanging rolling stock and loco's with MNG.  Thoughts anyone?

[John McNamara]

While on the subject of home construction projects (Bill Baskerville's skates), here's my most recent project - completing Steve Lennox's request for more InstraTrak units. The one at right is a sample; the other five are brand new ones that are the traditional style but have mahogany slide plates to prevent splitting.


-John M

[Bill Reidy]

...However, when cleaning up my mess after painting SKATE on the first 10 I mistakenly discarded the hand made stencil.  Hence, I will have to make a new stencil to label the 12 new skates...

I personally don't think you need to worry about labeling the new skates with "SKATE" but perhaps my view is in the minority.  Regardless, the new skates are greatly appreciated, Bill.  Thanks!

[Mike Fox]

The new design is very professional looking and the word "skate" being painted on there adds to that I think. Plus an easily spotted visual reminder that the skate is present.

[Bill Baskerville]

John,  great looking insta track. I like your mahogany idea. Thanks.

[Stephen Lennox]

To both builders John and Bill, the new pieces are greatly appreciated. The additional InstraTrak improves our track building ability as well as retire a few old ones. The skates are working out great specially with center block allowing the skate to be used on either side of the car. The more skates we have available saves brakeman time from hunting for the skate that you really need and it isn't any where around. Thanks guys.

[Anthony Vo]

I actually don't know how many cars we actually have since we are constantly exchanging rolling stock and loco's with MNG.  Thoughts anyone?

I counted 15 pieces of WW&F-owned equipment not including MOW.  This includes future locomotive 11 and future coach 9. The number increases to 33 pieces of equipment with all the equipment that is owned by others, especially MNG. As far as including MOW equipment, from what I counted on the website would be an additional 13. The numbers may be off, anybody is free to correct me. In any case, depending on how many you end up making Bill, there should be spares with the coming and going of MNG equipment.

[Benjamin Richards]

If we have enough skates to assign 1 per car, perhaps it would be good to stencil the car number right onto it. At least for WWF-owned equipment Any spares could be left with no car number, for visiting equipment.

Also I do agree it is professional-looking to have SKATE stenciled on there, it's much in the same vein that derails have DERAIL stenciled on them. It's not so much for telling you what it is. It's more to make its presence known. Being literate, our brains are naturally drawn to words, much more so than just a plain yellow rod.

[Bill Baskerville]

A prominent and regular member at Sheepscot said that skates, alignment bars and many other pieces of hand equipment are regularly thrown into the woods.  This was said somewhat in jest, but I am sure there are a lot of tools just off the roadbed along the railroad.  Hence the need for constant replenishment of easily misplaced hand tools. 

Thanks to all for the encouraging comments, and to Anthony for the equipment count.  This FWW I found two short handled skates and found four of the original single ended long handled skates.  I tweaked their handles so they didn't hit the underside of a car.  Someone suggested leaving the short handled ones for the display equipment in the car barn.  This spring with the new twelve will give us about 28. 

Without commenting on numbering skates, I have wondered if there were someway to hang a skate on each car, near the non brake end, without compromising the historical accuracy of our fleet.  Suggestions anyone?  right now we just throw them onto flat cars, coaches, cabooses (cabeese?).  On our visitor cars they can eastly become a trip hazard.

As to the MOW equipment, that is usually parked with trigs, except for the larger pieces such as the Dozer 'trailer'.  I made and labeled about 20 or 30 trigs a bunch of years ago and most of them are now only ash between the rails in front of Bay 1.  Someday when I have time I will make a bunch more and bring them up.

[Wayne Laepple]

Rather than figuring out where to locate or store a skate on each car, wouldn’t it make more sense to simply leave several skates in the areas where cars are normally parked? Maybe put a skate on each locomotive for the occasion when a car or cars may be left at some unusual location.

As for trigs under work equipment, what about hardwood blocks cut to match the wheels of the vehicle, secured to the frame of the car with light chain, along with a hook from which to suspend the block. A pair of the blocks, one at each end of the car would be sufficient.

[Stephen Lennox]

Work completed Tuesday and Wednesday 29-30 November 2022

Tuesday:

Engine house shingling on west and east sides  (Fred, Stewart)
Passenger car truck build, 2 truck frames assembled  (Jerry, Carlos)
Locomotive #11 work session  (Gordon C, Rick)
Coach #9 assembly/ build continued (Eric, Ron)
Track crew working on pit rail, spacers set, joint bars to be welded
  (Steve Lx, Steve Lt, Brian W, Paul R, Leon, Dan, Scott, Randy)
SS clean up and dump run  (Stewart)
Locomotive #52 maintenance  (Brian W)

Wednesday:
Vacuum brakes design/build/test continues  (Jonathan, Jason Randy)
Locomotive #11 work session  (Gordon C, Rick)

Note:  Foul weather for Wednesday, heavy rains and wind.