Greetings one and all!
August 31st, and Labor Day weekend. Traditionally, the end of summer. Had some hot, hot weather this past week. Storms through last night and then a lot of rain came in today.
Doug Kosloske was working with future conductors in a training session in the NKP kitchen car.
I arrived right during some heavy rain this morning. Bob Barcus, conductor for the passenger trains today was soaked from getting the passenger train ready to go. I tried to turn on
the signals, but was raining too hard to make it to the electrical signal box, so turned on the light on the train order signal at the depot. Finally made it over and turned on the signals
hoping that the top blade on the double semaphore (signal 948-1) would go to green. Turned out that the single semaphore (signal 921-1) wasn't working at all, so became a "red"
signal meaning that the top blade on signal 948-1 only had to go up to yellow when the block cleared. Whew! Had a big group of Mennonite folks on the 11:00 train and fortunately,
the rain let up just before departure. Not sure what the total passenger count was. Train consisted of the EL Alco #310, LIRR passenger car #2937, MKT flat car (open car) #13833
and B&LE caboose #1989. EJ&E transfer caboose #184, which has our wheel chair lift on it, was again, not on the train due to flat wheels. The 11:00 train departed on time with
John DeGan at the throttle. Joe Kingsbury and Randall Downs were car hosts, with Steve Henrichs, conductor trainee, riding along.
The rain is sorely needed here as it has been a particularly dry August, so although heavy, it was very welcome.
Meanwhile, another crew (with John LaOrange as engineer) and using GE 95-ton diesel #11, had been out east of Main Street with EJ&E #184, grinding down the above mentioned
flat spots on the wheels using a set of abrasive/grinding brake shoes and running the 11 and 184 up and down the track. The operation was a success and after the 11:00 train departure,
the GE put the 184 back into the Shop and then took number 11 back east and set it on the long storage track before breaking for lunch. After lunch, the crew took number 11 and did
some switching. There was more heavy rain, lightning and thunder before the 1:30 p.m. train departure and the open car was closed to riders. After the 1:30 train left, the switching
crew brought the Alco C-420 over west and parked it next to the Shop in preparation for a possible eventual move from the museum.
Light work crew today because of the holiday, but Bob Albert continued with interior work on the IC yellow display caboose.
I managed to finally get a pattern made for the grab iron that has to go onto the TTX flat car. I also managed to give Dave Cook and Cory Bennett a hand with brake shoe replacement
on EJ&E #184, after the abrasive/grinding shoes were removed.
Steve Newland continued work on the interior floor of Grasselli Tower around the chimney area where the floor had deteriorated and the floor boards need replacing.
Sun finally broke through around 4:00 promising a muggy Sunday, before more rain is supposed to move in and cooler temps arrive next week.
Have a great holiday weekend everyone. Enjoy this "last gasp" of summer.
Les
P.S. Remember next Saturday is the open house for HVRM. Many activities
are planned for everyone, kids to adults. Bring your appetite, a hog roast
is planned for lunch. Many tents are planned on being put up Thursday
morning.
Come on out an enjoy the fast approaching FALL weather, see all the
newly painted cars from over the summer. The gift shop is stocked with
everything from train pictures to T shirts.
Stop by Grasselli Tower and see all the work accomplished over the summer.
The lower level is accessable now around the boiler.
Be looking for you at the HVRM's OPEN HOUSE 7 September 2013!!!
Tom Travis
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