May 2023 work reports

[Graham Buxton]

Cody helped me install a french drain ...

Here is Dave pondering how the water is going to go from the drain up into the catch basin in the parking lot...

As Mike claimed its a "French" drain, Dave may have been thinking "Cette tranchée recouverte de gravier ou de roche ou contenant un tuyau perforé qui redirige les eaux de surface et souterraines loin d'une zone ne fera jamais monter l'eau !"




But perhaps Alain may be able to offer a better explanation. 

[Stephen Lennox]

Anticipated work for Tuesday and Wednesday 23-24 May 2023

*  Track prep, recover materials for Jane Way construction
*  Prep and move Tank car to TOM
*  Vacuum brake work
*  Passenger car truck rebuild
*  Coach #9 assembly/build
*  Small engine repair
*  SS campus clean up
*  Steam Charters Tuesday and Wednesday

[Dave Buczkowski]

On Saturday Ed recovered a message from the Sprague’s that the Dairy Car doors wouldn’t open. Marcel and I when to investigate. Two ramp boards were removed and brought back to Sheepscot for planing. They were then brought back and reinstalled.
Dave

[James Patten]

Anticipated work for Saturday May 27:

* Engine house construction work
* Boxcar 56
* Public train ops.
* The Archives room should be ready, so Linda will need some help moving some things down to it.  The Archives room will also be home to some gift shop items as the freight shed gets lowered, so there may be a need to move stuff from there as well.

[Stephen Lennox]

Work completed Tuesday and Wednesday 23-24 May 2023.

Tuesday:
*  Two charter trains (Bob L, Jason, JB Smith, Ben)
*  Passenger truck rebuild with vacuum brakes, it works!  (Jerry, Carlos, Jason)
*  Track crew preps materials for Janes Way Crossing, finish marking for ballast on Mtn Ext.
     (Steve Lx, Steve Lt, Leon, Joe D, Ty)
*  Gift shop/mail on going, open for Charters  (Cindy R)
*  Charter support  (Stewart R)
*  Coach #9 build continues  (Eric, Ron Harold)
*  Archives work continues (Linda)
*  Admin work  (Randy, Dave B)
*  Box car 56 work continues  (Marcel)
*  Support and vehicle repair  (

Wednesday:
*  One Charter,  (Jonathan, Eric, JB Smith, Scott)
*  Charter Support  (Cindy R, Stewart)dmin
*  Archives  (Linda)
*  Coach #9 work (Ron, Harold, Eric, Seth)
*  Admin  (Bob Holms)
*  Sheepscot campus mowing  (Fred)
*  Training (Jason, Pete S., Scott, Seth)
*  Trout Brook Station painting (Ty)
*  Track crew, prep for Jane ways, inspection main line, prep stage tank car at TOM
     (Steve Lx, Steve Lt, Joe D, Brendan)
*  Vehicle repair #52, battery switch replaced  (Brendan)   

[Bill Baskerville]

Thanks Brendan for replacing the battery switch on 52.  That was on my list for this summer.

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Tuesday, May 23rd -
As Steve noted, two charter trains operated on Tuesday.  The second run was a special for shooting a music video.  Nashville Recording Artist Cliff Gelina of Maine's Bluegrass band Breakin' Strings visited the museum with camera director Sandro Medici to shoot stills and performance video for the release of a new song written by Cliff.  Video was shot in a number of places along the railway including drone footage from near M.P. 7 to Alna Center and ground level video at the depot.  Cliff and Sandro both remarked at how well the shoot went with the train crew being so friendly and willing to work with them to get the shots they wanted.  Cliff had been to the WW&F a few years ago but to Sandro everything was new. They really had a nice time and spoke of coming back to ride the entire line.  Video locations included Sheepscot yard with water tank and turntable views as well as a rare move to stage engine 9 on the new Garden Track.  Cliff played his new composition on a guitar that his grandfather purchased in 1941 and the instrument is full of autographs of famous country and bluegrass stars.  It was a pleasure working with Cliff and Sandro and we look forward to seeing the music video and hearing Cliff's new song.  A few stills from the shoot are posted on the WW&F FB page.

[James Patten]

Work done on Saturday May 27:

* Boxcar 56: Marcel was working on the roof.
* Public trains: well attended.

Due to my involvement on the train, I was unable to see what others were working on.  There weren't a lot of volunteers today.

[Bill Reidy]

I counted 121 each way total for the three trains run today.  85 on our 11 a.m. train northbound.

As conductor, I couldn't take many photos, but here are three.

Early on, I took this photo in shop bay 4, where Harold Downey was busy staining window sashes for coach No. 9.

Two other photos from today.  Brilliant weather, with temperatures in the 70s.  The first is of hikers who joined the Midcoast Conservancy's Linc Oliver-O'Neil to explore the trails in the Trout Brook Preserve.  They rode our 11 a.m. train from Sheepscot and watched as locomotive No. 9 was turned on the Trout Brook turntable.


Two locomotives at Trout Brook station.  No. 9 (right) is on the main line, while No. 52 (left) is on the siding.  No. 52 served as the fire train trailing No. 9's public trains.


Dan Malkowski asked that No. 9 display U.S. flags to remember the fallen this Memorial Day weekend.  Since No. 52 was run as a second section for the fire train, No. 9 carried green flags to denote a second section followed, and No. 52 carried the U.S. flags.  Remembering the fallen, and thanking all who have or are currently serving.

[Stephen Lennox]

Anticipated work for Tuesday and Wednesday 30-31 May 2023

*  Jane's Way Crossing rebuild (Tues and Wed)
*  Passenger car trucks rebuild/test/vacuum brakes
*  Coach #9
*  Engine House
*  Vehicle/equipment repair
*  SS campus clean up