January 2023 Work Reports

[Stephen Lennox]

Anticipated work for Tuesday and Wednesday 3-4 January 2023

*  Coach #9 assembly/build
*  Vacuum brakes build
*  Engine House
*  Harsco Tamper repairs
*  General maintenance
*  SS clean up

[James Patten]

Anticipated work for Saturday Jan 7:

* Vehicle repair
* Engine house construction
* Fuel tank work

[Stephen Lennox]

Work completed on Tuesday and Wednesday 3-4 January 2023

Tuesday:
*  Passenger Truck rebuild continues with assembly.  (Jerry, Carlos)
*  Brake beams, new brake beams being manufactured (Randy)
*  Equipment maintenance and repair, 3 Harsco Tamper pistons removed for repairs.
     (Mike F., Jay Barta, Brian W, Steve Lx)
*  Archive work continues  (Linda)
*  Gift shop/mail on going.  (Cindy R)
*  Engine House build, shingling continues.  (Fred, Stewart)
*  SS clean up,  (Stewart)
*  Building repairs, locks being re-keyed.  (Brendan)
*  Coach #9 assembly build continues with interior work.  (Eric, Ron)

Wednesday:
*  SS station piling work prep. Stone cover track for excavator work.  (Brendan)
*  Archive work continues  (Linda)
*  Brake beam work continues  (Randy)
*  Vacuum brake work continues on the brake testing rig.  (Jonathan, Joseph)
*  Coach #9 work continues  (Eric, Ron)
*  Train Ops and training.  (Dan, Scott)
*  Engine House build continues.  (Stewart, Fred)

Notes:
*  Monday work:  Vacuum brakes Jonathan and Joseph set up for cold weather brake test.
                              Archives work on going.  (Linda)
                              Engine House build continued.  (Stewart, Fred)

[Mike Fox]

Also on Wednesday the cylinders were dropped off for repair. They were not any lighter unloading..

[Jeff Schumaker]

Mike,

What needs to be done to the cylinders?

Jeff

[Mike Fox]

2 need to be repacked with new seals to keep the oil in. The third will be getting a new rod and seals because it is too pitted to save.

[Mike Fox]

Depending on crew size, I am thinking about cutting brush along the ROW Saturday starting at Brook Crossing and going North.

[Bill Reidy]

Depending on crew size, I am thinking about cutting brush along the ROW Saturday starting at Brook Crossing and going North.

Hope to join you on that.  We'll see if work allows...

[James Patten]

Work done on Saturday Jan 7:

* ROW clean up: A crew of Mike, Bill R, Brian, myself, Scott, and Dave cleared the sides of the right of way from Davis to Sutter's, removing trees and heavy brush with chainsaw and weed whacker.
* Office clean up: This week we got a printer/copier lease, so a chunk of the office got cleaned.  This morning Brendan and I cleaned out more of the office. The closet (and office) is now pretty decluttered.  While it was clean, I moved around files, making way for 2023 files.
* Brendan had the forklift going with some timbers, don't know what they were for.

[Bill Reidy]

A few photos of the brush cutting effort today.

A couple of inches of snow overnight set the winter scene at Sheepscot.


Our work train at the section house:  No. 52 with WW&F flatcar No. 126.  Tools have been loaded from the section house and the Fred Shed.


The morning focused on the lower portion of Davis grade.  We're looking south, toward Sheepscot.  Brush has been cleared from the east side of the right-of-way, a big improvement.  Work is underway on the west side.  The sapling across the track in the foreground is an example of some of the brush cleared today.


Late morning, James Patten cleans Sutter's crossing.  The Jayne's Way, Brook and Sutter's crossings were cleaned today.


The work after lunch focused on the upper portion of Davis grade.  In this view, No. 52's train is at Brook crossing.  James P. on the left, Scott Higgins at the throttle, and Brian Whitney on the flatcar.


We receive presidential approval of the work done.  Dave joined us after lunch to help complete the work.


Light snowfalls so far made it possible to complete this work today.  ROW brush clearing is miserable work during hot (and buggy) weather, and impossible if there's deep snow.

[Mike Fox]

When we got to Davis Grade this morning, I thought that maybe my plan of cutting between Brook and Sutters Crossings might be a little ambitious. But happily we succeeded.

A couple of before shots..





The snow covered everything, making gloves good sponges.. And at this point I am saying to myself, wtf was I thinking..



Brian and James found some shade from the hot sun..look closely



Sutters seems so far away...





Cleaned up most of the East side of the curve on the North End of Davis Grade. This will improve visibility to Sutters Crossing. I need to bring my pole saw the next time we work and prune more.



Looking South at the guys way down by the rail pile.



Headed south but I am looking north at the cut.



The President approved todays work effort so he allowed us to quit at 2...



One more look North from Brook Crossing. A huge dent in sapling control.. Not sure if I will be able to move Sunday morning but very happy we got this much done..
 


I will watch the weather closely, and perhaps next weekend we can work between Sheepscot and Brook.

[Jeff Schumaker]

Thanks for the photos, guys.

Jeff

[Stephen Lennox]

Anticipated work for Tuesday and Wednesday 10-11 January 2023

*  Vacuum brake work/testing/design
*  Coach #9 work continues
*  Passenger car truck rebuild
*  SS freight station work
*  Engine House work

[Ron Ginger]

There will not be any coach 9 work this week. Eric and I are off on a road trip. The main event is the Cabin Fever model engineering expo in Lebanon, PA, but since we are going in that direction we have rented a U-Haul truck and will be hauling to Cat tail foundry some patterns for the Engine 11 project, and bringing back some finished castings, among them parts for the vacuum brakes.

Nothing better than a road trip that involves a foundry tour and a show with model engines, boats and trains.

We will be back to coach 9 and starting the paint and varnish prep. Cleaning bay 4 to a level to support the paint and varnish finish we intend to apply is going to be fun.

[Stephen Lennox]

Ron you and Eric have a great time, you guys deserve a fun road trip. I love that show.