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Sunday I went over to help out on Public Run Day. Walt was there and several trains were being made up on the inch and a half line. Don and Stewart were getting their trains ready on the inch side so it was all falling into place. I talked with Walt and we seemed to have it all well in hand. Tom Prescott was there and had his train out. He told me he was parking his locos and was going to be conductor for someone else and it turned out after a few hours I was working as an conductor as well. After the first few hours the standing in the sun gets to be old. The temperature was 84 in the shade and I had to keep hydrating. When I was told we were short of conductors, I volunteered and the chance to ride with the moving air was appreciated.
During the early runs 500 had the compressor car come off the track. The car has a seat bolted in the wrong place so if an adult and child sit in the car with the adult behind, the car can derail as the second seat is back up against the compressor. This puts the weight on top of the rear truck and if the rider leans back it raises the front coupler and the car derails. IT tore up a few feet of track as well so they did a crossover back by Wellington so the trains did not use the Welling Tunnel and pass the damaged track. It made the trip 1/2 as long so they went around twice for the riders until the track was repaired and opened again.
My first time around as conductor someone apparently operated the turnout on the roundhouse lead as the conductor's car came off the track just past where bad track section was repaired. Tommy and Bob Bump were working on the damaged section replacing ties etc. and they do an excellent job. It seems that someone just pushed a remote button while our train was just about clear of the turnout but not quite. After Bill got the car back on the rails we were adventure-free for the rest of the afternoon.
About 3:30 Tommy came up to the station and asked if I wanted a break. I readily agreed and went over to the concessions area and got some lunch. Jack made me a mushroom and swiss burger with fried onions which was really great. When I went back to the station area the inch and a half was done with rides so I got my stuff and headed down to the lower lot area. I noticed that there were still quite a few folks in riding line so I got my camera out and started to take pictures and movies of the groups on the inch line. I spent about an hour with the visuals and then said my goodbys and headed home.
When I got home I showed my pictures and movies to Cindy and Michael and then felt quite tired as it was a full day. I wrote up some of Saturday on the Blog and then it was time to start cooking dinner.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
7/25/2010 Work Day
We arrived and Rich started out describing what he wanted to do today. First was to check the inch and a half line for signal problems, the inch and finally install a new block near the roundhouse. We had rain Friday evening into Saturday morning and the ground was somewhat mushy in some areas. The roadbed was firm but some of the areas alongside the trackbed were squishy when you walked on them and there was some standing water. 1280 was brought out of the roundhouse with some riding cars and we discovered that the North side had considerable problems where the track was the wettest. Not only had the dirt washed down the hillsides but the track joints were not conducting well where the new track had been laid a few years ago. This is a common problem that the joints work very well when new (electrically) but as they age the resistance goes up and they need bond wires across the joints to ensure connectivity. Tommy had purchased stainless-steel tie wire used to secure pins and nuts on equipment subject to vibration for us to try in place of the aluminum bond wire we had been using. The only drawback so far is the stiffness of the wire so it is harder to shape into form for the bond.
We started by the roundhouse and put the new signal block up. The block requires a new semaphore and base box which contains two terminal strips - one for each head going in each direction. After getting Jack started with adding the track sensor connections, I went down to the North end by Twin Bridges and started adding bond wires. I had to drill quite a few holes and preform the bond wires. Of course some of the screws had to breakoff whil installing the screws in the track so it slowed me down a bit. I did get done at lunch time with about 16 locations and after being out in the sun while it is in the high 80s. We had lunch and I got a chance to talk to Fred for a while about his writing. I am trying to encourage him to write some of his tips and construction information for building his locomotives. I am a fan of his Shay as well as Trish locomotives as I love his construction techniques and details. Fred just has a gift for mechanical construction. I set him straight that he owns the rights to any story he has written unless it was covered by a contract and there was a quid-pro-quo as it is refered to in law. He is thinking of collecting his "Soup to Nuts"
We started by the roundhouse and put the new signal block up. The block requires a new semaphore and base box which contains two terminal strips - one for each head going in each direction. After getting Jack started with adding the track sensor connections, I went down to the North end by Twin Bridges and started adding bond wires. I had to drill quite a few holes and preform the bond wires. Of course some of the screws had to breakoff whil installing the screws in the track so it slowed me down a bit. I did get done at lunch time with about 16 locations and after being out in the sun while it is in the high 80s. We had lunch and I got a chance to talk to Fred for a while about his writing. I am trying to encourage him to write some of his tips and construction information for building his locomotives. I am a fan of his Shay as well as Trish locomotives as I love his construction techniques and details. Fred just has a gift for mechanical construction. I set him straight that he owns the rights to any story he has written unless it was covered by a contract and there was a quid-pro-quo as it is refered to in law. He is thinking of collecting his "Soup to Nuts"
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Wednesday work day
Tom Prescott called me the other day and asked if I wanted to go over to the track on Wednesday afternoon. I agreed and we went out this afternoon. He had been asked if he would spray some weed control product on the right of ways. When we arrived Don Seybold was already working on cutting the grass and brush. Tom got his sprayer out and mixed the weed killer while I got out a locomotive and riding cars for the inch track. We met at the depot and discussed the plan of how to proceed. We hit on going around the route twice and spraying on one side then switching over to the other side when we came to the depot again. Going slow and steady we ran the route and stopped at Summit to refill the sprayer. We had to refill again at the depot and at the end of the run he refilled again and went off on foot to finish up. I walked around the property after putting the train away and picked up debris left over from the last run day. After about three hours we ended up and headed for the barn.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Saturday work day and run day rolled into one
Rich got here as usual and we went directly to the track. We went over what he wanted to do today and Jack showed up a little later. We got out a pair of work trains so we could check the inch line rapidly as we need both main lines to be working tomorrow as we have a large group coming. Don, Dan and Stewart were already at the track when we had arrived. Don and Dan were clearing brush from the inch line and between cutting small saplings and removing vines they were well into the work day. It was expected to get into the high 90s today so we all wanted to get our work done in the morning hours before the heat of the day.
During our checking the inch line we saw Dan suddenly fall backwards and hit the stone wall and cut a gash in his forearm. Rich went over to help and took Dan to the Hudson ER to get it looked at and if he needed stitches he wanted him to be able to get them. They gave him a tetanus shot and bandaged him up.
Jack and I worked on the signals that we found malfunctioning and got them repaired by noon. We decided to break for lunch and Rich and Dan came back while we were going up to get our lunches. After lunch we measured out where a new block was going to be created in the track by the roundhouse in an area we call Glacier (because it is where the ice melts last in the Spring each year). We got the measuring tape out and measured to the center of the existing block and prepared the site for the new hardware. Jack and I removed the splice plate from a track joint and Rich brought the Saws-All so we could remove a section of the rail to create a gap at that location for the signal system. Jack did the honors and we then used the fibre-glass track splice plates to reconnect the track mechanically again. Rich then said he was told that we needed to get the track ready as some folks from the ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) were coming to ride and view the facilities this afternoon. I had forgotten about it myself so we were caught unawares. I offered to get out our club diesel "4180" and Rich went to get our club F7s some riding cars. Tom got his new locos out so we had three trains ready to go in about 20 minutes. It appeared that five adults and four kids came totally, so we were readily able to handle the group.
I was able to take them on both lines so they got the full experience of the two different routes It was quite a good time as I got to pull in on the inch and a half line and transition over to the inch line and take a trip up to Summit with the same people. I narrated the trip as we went along and the kids seemed to get a real kick out of it.
During our checking the inch line we saw Dan suddenly fall backwards and hit the stone wall and cut a gash in his forearm. Rich went over to help and took Dan to the Hudson ER to get it looked at and if he needed stitches he wanted him to be able to get them. They gave him a tetanus shot and bandaged him up.
Jack and I worked on the signals that we found malfunctioning and got them repaired by noon. We decided to break for lunch and Rich and Dan came back while we were going up to get our lunches. After lunch we measured out where a new block was going to be created in the track by the roundhouse in an area we call Glacier (because it is where the ice melts last in the Spring each year). We got the measuring tape out and measured to the center of the existing block and prepared the site for the new hardware. Jack and I removed the splice plate from a track joint and Rich brought the Saws-All so we could remove a section of the rail to create a gap at that location for the signal system. Jack did the honors and we then used the fibre-glass track splice plates to reconnect the track mechanically again. Rich then said he was told that we needed to get the track ready as some folks from the ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) were coming to ride and view the facilities this afternoon. I had forgotten about it myself so we were caught unawares. I offered to get out our club diesel "4180" and Rich went to get our club F7s some riding cars. Tom got his new locos out so we had three trains ready to go in about 20 minutes. It appeared that five adults and four kids came totally, so we were readily able to handle the group.
I was able to take them on both lines so they got the full experience of the two different routes It was quite a good time as I got to pull in on the inch and a half line and transition over to the inch line and take a trip up to Summit with the same people. I narrated the trip as we went along and the kids seemed to get a real kick out of it.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
July 11
Today was a private run day. Tom Prescott came by this morning and I went out to the track with him to get him in and spend some time with his new train. A few folks got there ahead of us and Bob Bump joined us as well. He remarked that his was the furthest he has driven in recent years so I told him he was doing quite well. He had wanted to bring his son out but his boy was stuck on a keyboard and could not make it he said.
The train was working quite well and Tom told me that he had not charged the train yet. We decided to run it for awhile to see how long it would run without charging and it ran for several hours. The man he got it from told him it probably needed charging because he had not charged it lately. Tom was pleasantly surprised that the train seemed peppy and was holding the charge quite well. It uses sealed gel lead acid batteries which are very durable batteries. We used to use them in security applications at the university.
Tommy and his wife showed up and while she got out her train, he sat and talked to me and showed me Chuck Hackett's semaphore head. He has the parts plastic molded and made the circuitry PCB on his Sureline mill. It had excellent resolution on the copper foil board. I hope it works out for Chuck as a commercially produced semaphore for the hobby would make it easier for railroaders who are not electrically inclined.
Tom asked Tommy about the rocking of the riding car seat and we all delved into the problem. It turns out that the seat is firmly on the platform of the riding car and it is the bolster play as well as the truck springs are too soft. Since the riding car is a one truck car, the weight of the operator is entirely on the four springs of the truck and they are compressing about 1/2 way with just his weight on the car. Tommy thinks they could be a bit firmer and this might take some of the tippyness out of the ride. Also the bolster angle could be too great so it will be looked at a day at a time.
Tom came back from a trip on the track and asked me if I wanted to go. I said sure and got to run his new train. It is fun to operate and being so large it it rode fairly smoothly. I liked the sound generator and the last owner put in a mechanical bell that has a great sound. The air horn is too loud so we are thinking about the solution to this problem. The loco actually has a horn in the sound board and we may try hooking that up again and see if it is loud enough and sounds good enough. I got to go around several times and after figuring out that the riding car was hitting a stone by Twin Bridges I removed the rock and then the trips were quiet. The car base overhangs the side of the track about 6 inches or so.
The train was working quite well and Tom told me that he had not charged the train yet. We decided to run it for awhile to see how long it would run without charging and it ran for several hours. The man he got it from told him it probably needed charging because he had not charged it lately. Tom was pleasantly surprised that the train seemed peppy and was holding the charge quite well. It uses sealed gel lead acid batteries which are very durable batteries. We used to use them in security applications at the university.
Tommy and his wife showed up and while she got out her train, he sat and talked to me and showed me Chuck Hackett's semaphore head. He has the parts plastic molded and made the circuitry PCB on his Sureline mill. It had excellent resolution on the copper foil board. I hope it works out for Chuck as a commercially produced semaphore for the hobby would make it easier for railroaders who are not electrically inclined.
Tom asked Tommy about the rocking of the riding car seat and we all delved into the problem. It turns out that the seat is firmly on the platform of the riding car and it is the bolster play as well as the truck springs are too soft. Since the riding car is a one truck car, the weight of the operator is entirely on the four springs of the truck and they are compressing about 1/2 way with just his weight on the car. Tommy thinks they could be a bit firmer and this might take some of the tippyness out of the ride. Also the bolster angle could be too great so it will be looked at a day at a time.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Julu 10, 2010
The SCRR was showing some signs of life when we arrived a little after 9AM. We discussed what we would do today and I pulled out my multivibrator circuit to show to Rich. In the bright sunlight it did not work as well as I had hoped so I put it away and went on to other things. Rich brought out some stuff he wanted to do and the four of us, Rich, Bob, Jack and I went out to get a work train together. We were going to survey the inch line for signal problems and get a couple of the new semaphores installed on the inch line as they just needed to get done.
What is involved is that we have to remove the old semaphore and base by opening it up and removing all the wires then physically pulling the wires out of the device and then threading the wires into the new base, wiring the terminal strip, cutting and stripping the wires to fit their new places and getting them screwed down on the terminal strip. Then the semaphore head is prepared by adding lugs to the wires and marking them with colored tape to make it easier for the next maintainer. Then inserting the lugs into the terminal strip and screwing them down. Then the box is mounted to the pole and inserted into the ground and the semaphore is attached to the box and if you wired it correctly it should all work.
We did two of these changeovers and I reglued some of the light shades on a couple of more semaphores where they had fallen off. I also tried to take some pictures as well.
Bob Bump came out with us and he was able to help me several times. I am glad he decided to come out and work with us. It is always good when we get a chance to work with more people even if it is just for company.
We went back for lunch and I got to take some more pictures back at the picnic area of the people who came out today. I wanted to get a picture of Stewart but he had to run off so I will have to get it another time - he has changed so much.
After lunch we went back to work on the signals and when we were done we came back to the main area to find Tom Prescott had arrived. Dan called out to us that Tom had brought goodies and we should come and see. We put the work train away and went down to see what the commotion was about.
Tom had a new set of locos that he had just brought back from Oklahoma. They had lived in Texas but the gent brought them up to Oklahoma to save Tom part of the trip. They were detailed with the Texas Republic Railroad which appears to be a fictious road name. The set of two locos and a riding car were in the back of his pickup and I got my camera as they were about to touch SCRR track for the first time in their lives. I started taking photos while Dan, Jack, Tommy, Karol, Tom and Bob worked and watched. I switched to taking movies and after about a half hour they had it on the track. Then Tom started to go around the track and I was thrilled that it was such a great experience for everyone.
It was time to finish up for the day and so I collected my things and finished up at the SCRR. I got home and after showing the photos and movies to my wife, I started putting them together for a show and after a few hours uploaded them to YouTube and the pictures to Picassa Web Albums. Then only the Blog is yet to do...
What is involved is that we have to remove the old semaphore and base by opening it up and removing all the wires then physically pulling the wires out of the device and then threading the wires into the new base, wiring the terminal strip, cutting and stripping the wires to fit their new places and getting them screwed down on the terminal strip. Then the semaphore head is prepared by adding lugs to the wires and marking them with colored tape to make it easier for the next maintainer. Then inserting the lugs into the terminal strip and screwing them down. Then the box is mounted to the pole and inserted into the ground and the semaphore is attached to the box and if you wired it correctly it should all work.
We did two of these changeovers and I reglued some of the light shades on a couple of more semaphores where they had fallen off. I also tried to take some pictures as well.
Bob Bump came out with us and he was able to help me several times. I am glad he decided to come out and work with us. It is always good when we get a chance to work with more people even if it is just for company.
We went back for lunch and I got to take some more pictures back at the picnic area of the people who came out today. I wanted to get a picture of Stewart but he had to run off so I will have to get it another time - he has changed so much.
After lunch we went back to work on the signals and when we were done we came back to the main area to find Tom Prescott had arrived. Dan called out to us that Tom had brought goodies and we should come and see. We put the work train away and went down to see what the commotion was about.
Tom had a new set of locos that he had just brought back from Oklahoma. They had lived in Texas but the gent brought them up to Oklahoma to save Tom part of the trip. They were detailed with the Texas Republic Railroad which appears to be a fictious road name. The set of two locos and a riding car were in the back of his pickup and I got my camera as they were about to touch SCRR track for the first time in their lives. I started taking photos while Dan, Jack, Tommy, Karol, Tom and Bob worked and watched. I switched to taking movies and after about a half hour they had it on the track. Then Tom started to go around the track and I was thrilled that it was such a great experience for everyone.
It was time to finish up for the day and so I collected my things and finished up at the SCRR. I got home and after showing the photos and movies to my wife, I started putting them together for a show and after a few hours uploaded them to YouTube and the pictures to Picassa Web Albums. Then only the Blog is yet to do...
Monday, July 5, 2010
Saturday Report
Rich's wife had surgery last week and she came home on Friday so he wanted to care for her at home. Jack Kobler stopped by to give me a ride to the track on Saturday morning and we got there about 9:45. Dan Bissonnette, Tim Kirby, Danielle Bissonette and Barry Solomon were there working on the fence project in the area facing Croix Ridge Road.
After parking, Jack and I talked and decided to get a train out and fix the signals that were malfunctioning. Dan had brought out the repaired signal head from Rich and some other materials for us. I brought out the switch machine motor that I had repaired and showed Jack the microswitch diagram showing the modifications needed to make the switch correctly operate with the cam on the motor shaft. Jack told me he was going to help the fencing crew and I went off on the train to repair the signals.
I had noticed that someone had repaired 4180 so it was out on the rails working this morning. Thanks to anyone and everyone who got it going again.
On the inch line, the second signal showed yellow and this led me to the third signal which was stuck red. This turned out to be a bad logic chip so both signals now worked correctly after replacement of the chip. I went on and put the repaired signal from Rich in the head that it came from and it too was working properly. I went on to see if more problems were in existance and all the signals seemed to be working until I got to the trestle before Summit where I encountered some large block piled on the bridge so the train could not pass. Since I have the spinal damage I cannot lift or pull heavy weights and this made me decide to back the train down the track. I paused at the cuttoff track at Summit and decided to take it and then continue to survey the track the rest of the way. I threw the turnout and proceeded to back through the turnout but the cars derailed so I had to get them back on the track and I decided to abandon the idea of crossing over. Although the turnout appeared to be working like it should it did derail the cars so it must be acting up. I then backed down to the station and walked over to the fencing area and took some pictures of the crew. Then it was lunch time.
Jack and I had our lunch with us so we headed to the picnic area and soon Danielle came back from Hudson with subs for the guys who did not have their lunch with them. We ate and talked and had a good time. I asked Jack to drop me off at home as my neck was starting to ache. Probably the lifting of the cars was a little too much for me as I had to put a collar on at home for a few hours to relieve the ache in the neck area. I called Tommy and Dan and cancelled my participation in the July 4th get together.
After parking, Jack and I talked and decided to get a train out and fix the signals that were malfunctioning. Dan had brought out the repaired signal head from Rich and some other materials for us. I brought out the switch machine motor that I had repaired and showed Jack the microswitch diagram showing the modifications needed to make the switch correctly operate with the cam on the motor shaft. Jack told me he was going to help the fencing crew and I went off on the train to repair the signals.
I had noticed that someone had repaired 4180 so it was out on the rails working this morning. Thanks to anyone and everyone who got it going again.
On the inch line, the second signal showed yellow and this led me to the third signal which was stuck red. This turned out to be a bad logic chip so both signals now worked correctly after replacement of the chip. I went on and put the repaired signal from Rich in the head that it came from and it too was working properly. I went on to see if more problems were in existance and all the signals seemed to be working until I got to the trestle before Summit where I encountered some large block piled on the bridge so the train could not pass. Since I have the spinal damage I cannot lift or pull heavy weights and this made me decide to back the train down the track. I paused at the cuttoff track at Summit and decided to take it and then continue to survey the track the rest of the way. I threw the turnout and proceeded to back through the turnout but the cars derailed so I had to get them back on the track and I decided to abandon the idea of crossing over. Although the turnout appeared to be working like it should it did derail the cars so it must be acting up. I then backed down to the station and walked over to the fencing area and took some pictures of the crew. Then it was lunch time.
Jack and I had our lunch with us so we headed to the picnic area and soon Danielle came back from Hudson with subs for the guys who did not have their lunch with them. We ate and talked and had a good time. I asked Jack to drop me off at home as my neck was starting to ache. Probably the lifting of the cars was a little too much for me as I had to put a collar on at home for a few hours to relieve the ache in the neck area. I called Tommy and Dan and cancelled my participation in the July 4th get together.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
This week
I spent some time this week working on the WEB site and refined some of the features. I added another photo gallery page with the latest pictures and removed the password from the forum again. Tim showed me a BBS that his ISP has available and I think it will work just fine. I just have to get the particulars from him and add it to the site.
I have been working on the LED dimmer circuit for Tommy. I just got the latest package of parts and it included the photocells that I wanted to use in the experiment. The circuit seems to be working just like it should. I will take the prototype on Saturday and see if Tommy likes the circuit.
I have been working on the LED dimmer circuit for Tommy. I just got the latest package of parts and it included the photocells that I wanted to use in the experiment. The circuit seems to be working just like it should. I will take the prototype on Saturday and see if Tommy likes the circuit.
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