June 2024 work reports

[James Patten]

Anticipated work for Saturday, June 1:

* Email cutover day: John Orminski is cutting over our mail to Microsoft.  Onsite help will be available from Ed and I, with John available remotely.  Anyone that has an @wwfry.org account will need to change their settings in order to get email from the new source. Postponed.
* Lower the freight shed: As of a few days ago, Brendan's plan to was lower the freight shed on Saturday in order to take advantage of many people on the jacks to lower in unison.  Once that's done we can start building the platform between the freight shed and station (to give access to the gift shop again) and by the tracks.
* Train crew training: Pete is running a day of crew training to advance people.
* Grounds work

[Mike Fox]

Any Grounds work will be done before or after the lowering of the Freight Shed.

[James Patten]

Work done on Saturday June 1:

* Platform project: The freight shed/gift shop was successfully lowered this morning with nobody losing any fingers.  After clean up/organization of the loose timbers, Brendan and Joe removed the temporary long beams under the shed.  Then Brendan dumped large rock in each bay on trackside.  While he did that, Zack cut stringers to length for the first set on the trackside, and after Brendan was done I built the first section of stringers.  Brendan and I continued on the second and third sections.
* Train crew training: Pete spent time training a good sized crew of trainees.
* Boxcar 56: Marcel was putting some almost finishing touches on the boxcar.
* Archives: Linda and Cody were doing some scanning.
* Gardening: We had a new volunteer, Wilma, doing some gardening.
* School Charter: HC2 was delivered to AC to be used during a school charter on Tuesday.

[Mike Fox]

Also, a little organizing of the storage area was done, building a short dual gauge track to store wheel sets

[Jeff Schumaker]

What are those odd looking wheel sets behind the work flat?

Jeff

[Mike Fox]

There are 3 standard gauge Fairmont axles and wheels alternating with the 2'wheels. I did it that way to save space.

[Jason M Lamontagne]

Crew Call
Wednesday, June 5, 2024

Ballasting and Tamping

Dan will be leading an effort to ballast and ramp a short segment of main track in Sheepscot Yard tomorrow, and would love some help.

If this effort is successful we plan to place SS platform back in service for this Saturday.

Please come if you can!

Thanks
Jason

[James Patten]

Anticipated work for Saturday, June 9:

* Public trains.
* Finishing touches on the Sheepscot platform.
* Boxcar 56
* Loco 11 work
* BOD Meeting (4:00pm)

[Ed Lecuyer]

Dan and crew have been busy getting the mainline repairs in-place to allow the platform to be re-opened as soon as it is ready.

Jason sent over these photos of the newly-reinstalled switch.

[Ed Lecuyer]

...And the repaired main line (many new ties, jacked, leveled, and aligned.)

[Jason M Lamontagne]

Yesterday- Dan, new volunteer Ben and I replaced the head blocks on the SS South Switch, and reinstalled and readjusted the stand. 

Today, Dan and I ballasted 60’, tamped about 100’ of main which was 1” out of level, retamped a slight out of level in front of the new platform, dressed the new ballast after tamping, and blew fire-hazard pine needles away from the main.

Big thanks to Dan for prioritizing this in support of the platform reopening, which should be soon (based on Brendan’s schedule).

Jason

[Mike Fox]

Working on some more bench seating for the Pavilion. These are to replace a couple of seats in use now. Some all new benches will also be constructed to increase capacity.

[John McNamara]

Cup holders?

[Bill Baskerville]

Cup holders?

Since you asked, I have cup holders for the spray car and 52 to install next week. Right now they are with me in NY, halfway between VA and Alna. They will go well with the new seats I am bringing for 51 and 52. Fifty-two will get a new fireman’s side seat, both hinged so one can access the battery box.

[James Patten]

Rotatable seats for 52?