Weekly work

During the recent weeks I have been spending my time improving the Website and working on making the circuit boards for the semaphores. The key to the new design is that it has to fit easily into the semaphore box and the cable plug into the board to make it easy to sevice. We wanted to make it as a module to anyone could service a malfunctioning signal by swapping modules and getting the signal back up in just 2 or 3 minutes. The design is being fact checked for all of the components and the schematic is being compared to the board layout over and over to ensure the correctness of the drawings. I just descovered that the silkscreen was mirror imaged for the transistors so I found an error that was not obvious as the accompanying text was correct. Its these small things that keep you on your toes.

Recently we had to list two obits on our Website as two members died during a single week. Paul Allen and Roger M. Johnson both died and they were long time members. I got the info for their funerals and provided it on our Website. I also looked for photos with the members and I did find about 30 of Paul Allen so I did a slide show for members to reflect on his work at the track and remember him. After speaking to Dan I created a new page on the Website featuring members that have passed on called Commemoration which I hope helps members feel a connection and appreciation of the members.

Aug 29-30 Weekend

Rich and I got there a little after 9AM. We started checking the signals after getting out the Burlington 4180. We found that most of the 1.5" route working well. We did find that the track under twin bridges had some bond wire problems. We checked the inch route and found most signals working OK. We repaired as much as we could.

I started removing the control board from the other crossing signal and it was very corroded and had shorted transistors as well as the first board. I diagramed the wiring. I had traced the wires in the ground last weekend and removed the corssing signal from its base to follow the wiring from the ground into the pole base.

It turns out the signals are wired in an unorthodox manner and after diagraming the inside building wiring I realized that it should be rewired. Also it occured to me that a crossing bell should be added and talked to Rich about adding an outdoor speaker and using an electronic crossing bell circuit to the installation while we are repairing it.

I have ordered replacement circuit boards for the crossing lights that use LEDs instead of the lamps we presently are wired for. The boards arrived and I have assembled them. A call to Tommy scored a set of red 10mm LEDs - two for each signal to replace the auto tail lamps presently used. I am wiring them to new wire to snake through the signal arms to the base and connect to the new circuit boards. After talking to Rich we decided that maybe we should relocate the flasher modules to the building to cut down on corrosion and make it more easily serviceable. We can mount the circuits on the wall next to the track detector and just run the connections for the LEDs to the crossing signals. We will put the sound board next to the flashers so it will be all together and easy to fix near our workbench.

I am waiting for the bell cards to arrive. The cards will be put on the crossing light area and the other into the clubs F7 for a bell. I thought I might as well order two and put them together as the postage is the big factor in getting them.

Rich and I have talked and we decided to mainly work on getting the club equipment - locos and cars patched up during the meet. We have spent our time working on signals so much that we have not been keeping up with the wear and tear on the equipment.

Sunday was a Public Run Day for the club and I got started just before 11AM. I usually work as Stationmaster loading the trains and greeting the guests. Lately I have been working as a Conductor on the trains as we seem to lack people that are willing to do this task. Today I worked for three different engineers and got in about 20 rides on the system. My final run was at about 3:00 and I got my camera and started to photograph folks and video them for the next hour then I was called back to work as a conductor on Stuart's train. I did have three ries and the last one I took video as we went along and came up with a nice video that really gives you the experience of riding our trains. Goto http://stcroixrr.org/ to see the videos and photos that I have done. I had lunch at the SCRR and I have to admit we have a good food service operation. The mushroom swiss hamburger with sauted mushrooms and onions is a super deal and has a fantastic taste. Our chef is Jack Anderson and he really loves to cook good food.

Choo Choo Bob's Run Day - A special day!

It turns out, today we had a group who came to the track from signing up at Choo Choo Bob's Hobby Shop in St. Paul. Bob is a likeable fellow that really likes trains. Not only has he the shop but he also has a TV program about trains as well! Today as we were setting up in the depot area for running the trains I was asked if I had my camera available and to get it and get ready for an award presentation. I was thinking what had I done that they were about to give me another award? Turns out it was for Choo Choo Bob and I was just a photographer for the event. Darn.

The club had made up a placque that essentially reads that Choo Choo Bob is a "diamond" friend to the SCRR for his work promoting us to train fans. He has asked and gotten exhibits to place in his store to show people what kind of place we are and talked about us several times and encouraged people to join our organization. He is truly a good friend and benefactor. We wanted to signify that spirit and feeling for him by giving him something tangible. Our best wishes are nice but an award placque means we took the trouble to recognize his contributiuons and we appreciate them. I took several photos of Choo Choo Bob and Dan Bissonnette (our President) passing the placque and shaking hands over it.

I started as stationmaster with Dan and we got the ball rolling almost immediately. The rail fans were filling in the waiting line and we had trains ready so off we went. The folks who come to these events a more of the kind of people that we want to have as members. They love trains and do not realize that they cn be a part of SCRR and get to operate trains for very little money. I decided to try a different tactic to get people interested in membership. When I coould sense someones interest I would say "You really should consider joining." Usually the reply was "I can't afford it." I then would say all you need is about $7 a month to join as a member. I go on to point out they can then come out during the week as well as the weekends and after training can use the club equipment for free. They then feel it is too good a deal and it is hard to pass up. I suggest they get an application which has our contact information and talk to the Club President Dan if they want to follow it up. I talked to about eight people who seemed really interested so we will see if any do go on to become members.

One thing I do with this kind of group is give a narrated tour while we are on the train. I point out the buildings and some info about each on and explain what the signals mean and what the buttons do and that we have rules and operating standards. Since they are captive on the train it is a chance to "fan the flames" and get the people interested in considering membership.

After my last ride at 3PM, I got lunch then I took my camera and started getting as many photos of the group activities as I could. I switched to taking movies and got several train runs up to Summit on film. I told the folks on the trains that I should have a video on YouTube on Tuesday at the earliest so they can see themselves on TV! I think many of the people will really enjoy seeing their trips on the computer screen with their family and friends.

After being asked to step in on a phone call from a lost driver, I realized that we needed a sheet to help phone answerers so they have a clear message to help guide lost drivers to the location. There were three scenarios that I could readily come up with. The driver either got off of CTH F on Cove Road and simply went past our road and went to the end of South Cove Road and wound up at the boat launch landing. The driver turned wrong at the stop sign and went into Troy Burne or they missed the Cove Road turnoff on CTH F or had not got to it yet so we had to talk them to Troy Burne and Cove Road. Other than for those scenarios they had to go back to Hudson and come back down CTH F about 4 miles and and look for the South Cove Road. So I wrote it up in large type on a single sheet and I will hang it above the phone so others can help prople who are lost and call the track phone.

It also dawned on me that most of the members do not know the firestop number for emergency services of the location so if they are using a cell phone they do not know how to tell 911 where they are. I wrote up another sheet in large type with our location and firestop number and I will ut that over the building phone as well.

I spoke to Tommy at the track and we discussed the semaphore circuitry face to face and we refined his expectations and we discussed not having a display board as we presently do, to simplify things. Having all circuitry on one board and just having a single connector on the card for the pedestal wire to the wiring box below. Then he gave me three tomatos from his garden.

When I got finished at the trach with the movies I met a couple of folks that had gotten there late and I encourage the gentleman to come closer to the trains is he wanted to get closeup photos. His wife said he was a train nut and he had a train room at home and loved to spend his time there. I told him I coul give him a tour of the roundhouse if he and his wfe wanted to go and he eagerly wanted to go.

We come in the front door and the first steamer he started taking photos - about 10 and then the second many more so his wife said he couldn't take so many pictures as there were at least 40 more trains to see. I started uncovering locomotives and he snapped photos over and over and after about an hour we finished up with me pointing out detail work on locomotives and trucks which he dutifully photographed. His wife said I had made this the best day in his life so far!

It's after 2:30 AM so I think it is time to call this a wrap for the night.

8/14 Saturday

Today was a long day filled with trains and repairs. We arrived and found Chuck Park had arrived from South Dakota with sons and his friend. They brought an assortment of locomotives and cars that are beautiful.

First we wanted to inspect the condition of the inch and a half rails so we went around using Rich's Burlington locomotive and a work train and in the process found many signals not working. We were able to get some of them repaired but decided we needed to check out the inch line as well as the scope of the problem was not yet understood.

We wanted to see the inch line's condition as well. We got out the Club F7 and assembled a work train. Starting off we found the first signal not functioning then another and another. The storms during the week zapped about 20 signals so we had to replace the integrated circuits that sense the track and perform the logic to operate the signals. Don asked us to check the turnout at summit again as he had worked on it again and we found that it appeared to work fairly well. We did have a derailment but we determined that the car was not properly loaded so we gave the turnout a pass. We talked about it and decided to split up and I would do the inch line with Bob and Rich would take the inch and a half.

We decided to start working on the signals right off and dug out all of the spare chips we had and started off with out tools and work train. The idea was to put the train at Summit on the siding and work on signals that were malfunctioning in that area first. After the signal at Summit being repaired we decided to split up and we sent Bob off to disassemble signals that were malfunctioning so we could repair them faster. I started working my way back down the track checking and repairing as I went. I met Bob coming down the hill the other way and we walked together fixing signals and Bob keeping an eye out for trains and assisting me.

When it was time for lunch we had repaired many signals and still there were a few more to go. We talked with the guys and then back up the hill, this time on foot. We started back up fixing and testing and finally used up all of the ICs that we had. We did get it mostly working so tomorrow on Choo Choo Bob's run day the equipment should be working fairly well.

8/7/2010 Work Day

The SCRR gained another block in its signal system on the 1.5 inch line. Rich, Bob and I went back into Pine Grove and broke the block on the inner loop about 300 feet from the tunnel and added another pair of signals. The reason to add blocks is to give an engineer a green (or yellow) light sooner to speed up operations. The process is that we cut the rail to enlarge a gap between rails so we can isolate the electric signals. We also break the trackside cable that carries the power and the signals forward and backward to other semaphores. We wire a connection box at ground level and route the wiring into the new box. Then we add the semaphore connections to the terminals and finally test the system to ensure the signal is working correctly and sending and receiving correctly to the other semaphores. Finally we attach the semaphore, add a few mothballs to the box to keep out the ants and button it all up. Usually takes about two hours or so to install a new semaphore if everything goes as expected.

We then tested the one inch line to see if the club diesel could operate through the Summit turnout that Don and Dan had worked on last week and had a piece replaced during the week. I am happy to report that it worked flawlessly.

Work Day 7/31

Bob came along today with Richard and we got out to the track at the usual time. Jack arrived so today we started with checking out the locomotives. Doug's A-B-A set had been accidentally left on last weekend so they had run the batteries down in one of the units. The others seemed OK which means either the unit has a problem or the charger that was connected to it is bad. We decided to remove the shell and connect to the batteries with other chargers to see if the batteries would recover today while we were at the track. We checked out the 1 inch club loco and set up a work train to get going on replacing two of the semaphores with new style ones. First we wanted to take a run over the rails to see if things were working as they should. We found several places where Don and Dan had been working on the track and had improved the track and the roadbed. We ran back to the station and picked up our tools and equipment and went to the work site. We opted to replace two signals close to each other so we could work within sight and conversation range. Malfunction Junction turned out to be ideal so we set up there. Jack and Rich started on the signal at the end of the downhill trestle and I worked on the second signal in the up bound direction. We finished up with the conversion at the noon hour and after the dinner bell sounded we headed back to the station and the picnic area.

When we went past Summit we derailed at the turnout just past the trestle. After getting the train back on the track the second car came off the rails and the lead truck came off the car so we pulled the car off the train and agreed to repair it after lunch.