April 2023 Work reports

[James Patten]

Anticipated work for Saturday, April 1 (no fooling!):

* Easter Eggspress trains, first Saturday.  Ground help needed.
* Vehicle repair.
* Back storage lot work.
* Enginehouse work
* Boxcar 56

[Ed Lecuyer]

Easter Eggspress itself is cancelled due to inclement weather. Public trains (without the excursion to SeaLyon Farm) will still run at 10am, 11:45am, & 1:30pm.

[James Patten]

Work done on Saturday, April 1 (no fooling!)

* Vehicle: Mike put on one of the bulldozer track chains, and started putting on the treads.
* Dave and Fred went to pick up a donation of railroad books from Camden.
* Public trains were run, due to the rain the patronage was light.
* Linda and I did some book prep work.

After all that, there was a Ham & Bean Supper at the Alna Fire Department - yum!

[Stephen Lennox]

Anticipated work for Tuesday and Wednesday 4-5 April 2023

*  Locomotive #11 work session
*  Vacuum brakes
*  Passenger car truck/vacuum brakes
*  Coach #9 build
*  Engine House
*  Track work, Inventory, inspection
*  Harsco Tamper prep for piston install, #52 servicing oil change (Wed)

[Ed Lecuyer]

First train to Trout Brook in 2023. Up to 1ft of hard packed snow was still present on much of the mountain which had to be shoveled out.

Steve Lennox photo.

[James Patten]

Anticipated work for Saturday, April 8:

* Easter Eggspress trains.  Ground help needed, especially parking control.
* Vehicle repair
* Engine house construction
* Boxcar 56
* Board meeting at 4

[Mike Fox]

We plan on cylinder installation on the Tamper Saturday after it gets moved to the ramp track this week. One needs to have a tab welded back on before install but that is the plan.

[Stephen Lennox]

Work completed Tuesday and Wednesday 4-5 April 2023

Tuesday:
*  Coach #9 assembly, staining and shellacking interior (Eric, Ron, Seth) (Mon thru Wed)
*  Engine house work, shingling continues, grounds clean up. (Stewart, Zack, Fred)
*  Passenger car truck assembly continues.  (Carlos, Jerry)
*  Archive work continues  (Linda)
*  Track crew, ties and bolts replaced, snow shoveled and tree removal from TOM to TBS.
    (Steve Lx, Brian W, Steve Lt, Leon, Dan, Randy, Tyshawn Dixon)
*  Locomotive #11 work session  (Gordon C)
*  Paul B. brakeman training  (Jason)
*  Admin projects  (Dave B., Jason)
*  General support for all projects (Brendan)

Wednesday:
*  Coach #9 interior work continued. (Eric, Ron)
*  Vacuum brake work continues (Jonathan-on and off site)
*  Parking lot clean up.  (Brendan, Steve Lx, Randy)
*  Yard switching, Harsco staged for Saturday work.  (Steve Lx, Brian W, Randy)

Notes:  Saturday Easter trains… volunteer help is always welcomed.

[Bill Reidy]

Work done on Saturday, April 1 (no fooling!)...

After all that, there was a Ham & Bean Supper at the Alna Fire Department - yum!

There's a nice report in the Lincoln County News on the revived ham & been supper (plus a photo of Steve P.!):

Record-Breaking Ham and Bean Supper Return Draws Hundreds to Alna

"A crowd of over 300 gathered at Alna’s firehouse to share a ham and bean supper for the first time since 2019 on Saturday, April 1, brought by local effort to revive the event.

"Records for attendance, donations, and pie auction bidding were all broken by a healthy margin, according to volunteers..."

https://lcnme.com/currentnews/record-breaking-ham-and-bean-supper-return-draws-hundreds-to-alna/

[Graham Buxton]

There's a nice report in the Lincoln County News on the revived ham & been supper (plus a photo of Steve P.!):

Lets not overlook young Johnny P, also in that same photo as Steve.   His head is partly obscured by the firefighter hat he's wearing but it seems to be Johnny.

[James Patten]

Work done on Saturday April 8:

* Australian tamper: the hydraulic cylinders which drop to the ground so that the tamper can lift/level track were reinstalled.   Some front plates and cylinders were removed to be worked on.
* Engine house: Stewart and Zack were shingling. 
* Book work: Linda, Gail and I met to discuss/work on an Images of Rail book about the Museum that is in the works.
* Easter trains: Well attended.
* Board meeting.

[Mike Fox]

We also worked on tightening some loose and worn parts. The rail clamp cylinders were removed because the spacers between the plates were worn and loose. New spacers and bolts are planned.

[Bill Reidy]

Some additional photos from today, aside from what I had opportunity to take for:

• Engine House progress.
• Archives room progress.
• Wilmar tamper maintenance progress.

Today's first public train returning to Sheepscot this morning.  The train crew was busy, as trains were well attended.


Snow can still be found in Sheepscot, if you know where to look.  West side of the car barn this morning.


A pleasure today to update the public signboard to, after three years, replace COVID public health guidelines with a note to our guests to pardon our appearance as we have many Sheepscot projects underway.


And our updated events calendar on the public signboard.  Good to see the many partnerships.


Current flyer for 2023 events.

[Stephen Lennox]

Anticipated work for Tuesday and Wednesday 11-12 April 2023

*  Engine house
*  Coach #9
*  Vacuum brakes
*  Passenger car truck rebuild
*  Track crew preps material for SWW

[James Patten]

Anticipated work for Saturday April 15 (got your taxes done?):

* Catch basin install - Mike (and likely helpers) will be digging to install another catch basin at the east end of the parking lot.
* Engine house construction
* Boxcar 56