July 2024 Work Reports

[James Patten]

Anticipated work for Saturday, July 27:

* Last Saturday of Lavender trains.
* Loco 11 work
* Engine house work

Saturday is also an Albion celebration, their 200th(?) birthday.  I believe Dave will be bringing a handcar to the Albion station.

[Pete Stevens]

* Jerry and Carlos are trucking along.

I saw what you did there.

There was at least one additional detail written in Edlish.

[James Patten]

Work done on Saturday July 27:

* Trailer repair - Mike removed rotten boards from the trailer, scraped, and painted a portion of it.
* Bulldozer repair - Mike also worked on the big dozer.
* Lavender trains - with 2 classes of trains.  Almost sold out.
* Albion - Steve P and Dan loaded a handcar on his trailer early in the morning and took it to Albion for their 200th birthday.

[Mike Fox]

Not sure if I had more paint on me than the trailer.., but I used up all the paint left over from the dozer and a little left from when Pete and Cody (with held from a few others) were painting a while ago. Their efforts really made finishing up that area easy..

[Ed Lecuyer]

Job well done.

Today we carried a record ~250 passengers to the Lavender Fields of SeaLyon Farm; a new record for this event. Coupled with the regular Sheepscot Valley Steam Train, we hosted nearly 400 passengers today.

Over the course of July, we carried ~900 lavender picking passengers. July netted 38% of our 2024 revenue to date (excluding the winter photo charter.) We are well on track for record attendance and revenue in 2024.

At the end of the day, it's about what we accomplish together. By harnessing our strengths and forgiving each others shortcomings, we put smiles on the faces of each one of our guests, and remind them of the simple joys of a train journey through rural Maine.

Photo by Ben Bourrie of Dante Lakin wiping down #9 at the end of Lavender season, 2024.

[Bill Baskerville]

Well Done everyone!

[John Kokas]

In addition, I dropped off nearly 1/2 ton of castings for #11 which Jason put into the container.  Items included all the eccentrics and straps for the running gear the valve chest valves and a spring return tube.  I believe Jason took a picture or two of the items.
I am returning to Cattail Foundry with the Valve Chest, valve cover, and balance plate patterns which Cattail shall have on Mon. 7/29.

[Dan Malkowski]

Work done Sunday July 28th,

Myself, Nick S and Dom N re-lifted and tamped about 60?70 feet of mainline track just north of the end of the Platform.

In the afternoon, Dom lead a crew and continued to fit piping on the Class 1 consist for the eventual vacuum brake system. His crew involved Nick A, Dante L, and Chris B.

[Dave Buczkowski]

Hi Dan, et al,
You guys rock!!! Many thanks.
Dave

[Bruce Wilson]

Not sure if I had more paint on me than the trailer.., but I used up all the paint left over from the dozer and a little left from when Pete and Cody (with held from a few others) were painting a while ago. Their efforts really made finishing up that area easy..

  To the rear of the trailer photo that Mike posted, is a coach or combination car. Can anyone identify that car?   Not familiar with that one in present configuration.

[Philip Marshall]

Hi Bruce, I believe the car is B&SR baggage/mail/express No. 11.

[Jason M Lamontagne]

Anticipated Work
Week of July 29, 2024
(Sorry I’m late)

Monday (reported after the fact):
Computer work for coach platforms
XCart bearing work
Smokejack work
Sign making efforts. 
Fire car work
Sand hopper planning

Tuesday (back to predicting the future):
VacBrake Engineering Meeting
Smokejack Work
Switching (or Wednesday)
Loco9 Maintenance afternoon
Fire Car Work
Build11 Harold Work
Coach 9 work
Sign Work (maybe offsite)

Wednesday:
XCart Wheelsets
Smokejack Work
Switching (or Tuesday)
Build11 Harold Work
Fire Car Work
Sign Work (maybe offsite)

Thursday:
XCart
Smokejack
Fire Car
Sign Work (maybe offsite)

Friday:
XCart
Smokejack
Fire Car
Sign Work (maybe offsite)

[Jason M Lamontagne]

Hi Bruce,

Phillip is correct- the combine is B&SR 11.  It is the property of Maine Locomotive & Machine and is currently sitting in their truck awaiting unloading and movement to their siding.  It is parked out of the way in the back of our lot in the meantime.

Thanks
Jason

[Bruce Wilson]

Hi Bruce, I believe the car is B&SR baggage/mail/express No. 11.

Thank you both to Phillip and Jason, info very.much appreciated. No. 11 is "an old friend" from my Edaville days. It was a favorite car to seat senior visitors to the railroad and I always enjoyed showing customers to the comfortable seating within...as opposed to the hard wooden benches in the Hamilton built coaches. Hopefully the old girl will soon receive lots of TLC. Again, thank you both and to Mike for his devotion to the long job of painting that trailer frame.