We plan to meet once-weekly from January through April; either Tuesday evenings at 6:30 pm for the metal-work projects at Dan’s, or outdoors at the park on suitable-weather days; perhaps Sundays at 1 pm. We’ll have our AGM one day in-Feb. Also, we’re converting our loco to hydraulic drive with a team led by Russ and Karl.
Next outdoor work party Sunday Jan 26 at 1 pm
– Install some 16×16 concrete tiles in the station, last 4 @ 24×24,
– move two 20′ track steel to tunnel
– move the bonfire ashes to the burn pile
– Complete installing the post blocks for the shed wall
– blow the track to keep wet leaves from composting
– move some windfall branches to the burn pile
– install some fence post re-enforcements
69 @ 16×16 concrete pavers on site, ready for installation
Read more for details on upcoming work parties
Next indoor metal work party at Dan’s
– finish the Track Post switch lever prototype,
– #10 Truck repair,
– plan a re-rail plate,
– Climax frame (weld on 3″ extensions to hold the floor plates)
– plan the climax follow-on car
– plan two more handcars
Our total technical upgrade program is outlined here (click)
Priorities include:
- Hydraulic conversion of our Loco #1 – Jan 11 to April 1 – (Russ Evans leading)
- Build the lean-to shed extension (Feb 2025)
- Track Post switch levers for several track switches (Karl/Rick/Dan leading)
- A re-rail plate to speed up getting de-railed trucks back on the track
- Load point track repair (Dan leading)
- Climax frame and the Climax follow-on car
- remaining three Infrastructure projects: Lean-to shed; gutters, station paving
Rick Lundgren has been working on the switch lever stands at his shop in mid January.
Russ, Rick, Karl and Brian Dixon did a worktable planning session
on the plumbing for the hydraulic motor, pump, HYD valve and flow control
Work done 10 am to 1:30 pm Monday Jan 13 Thanks to Dan, Bob, Russ and Dave for attending, and to Laura for donating some yummy, welcome muffins. Dan brought his tractor to move blasting gravel over.
We removed the gutter and battens. Russ took the battens home to store them and will return them when their height is known (for shed wall)
Bob and Dan installed and ballasted the switch and the 40′ of track. Many clubs would marvel at the quality and speed of what got done today.
Lots of grinding, drilling and bolting.
Using the wood ties for the first time
Post blocks partially installed
Battens came off best with a shovel. Only two nails each batten
Russ and Karl had moved the loco to Rick’s place, and stripped it down. Russ brought the wheel sets to the work party. They have been taken to Dan’s place where they will be refurbished, probably by smoothing the surface on the lathe and sweating on a tread made from a pipe.
The gutters are in reasonable shape and can probably be reused.
We had originally planned to put the post blocks flat side up like Dave Banks did in the other shed, but current thinking is to put them this way and have a 2×4 spine under the wall.
Work Completed Tues Dec 17 . Thanks to Dan, Bob, Russ and Dave for attending. Dan added the springs to the switch on Dec 21. The switch is ready to install near the shed!!
Work Party Monday Dec 9 from 10 am to 1 pm:
We got the decorations down with an efficient crew. Thanks to Allan, Karl, Russ, Leslie, Dan, Bob, Laura, Rob, and Dave for attending.
We stored the two picnic tables in the Quonset. Juhli moved them to the back of the Quonset rather than inside the front door where they would have interfered with Sunday winter markets.
The woodpile has the leftover bonfire wood; enough for next year, but more smaller stems or split-small wood is welcome from future windfalls
Bob/Laura brought rocks to pack around the switch post when modifications are complete. Dan will change the rod to a larger one and fix a sleeve so the rod runs easier. Then Rick will make 3 more switch posts.
Bob took the other truck from pax car #10 to Dan’s for wheel/bearing/axel refurbishment (the first truck was fixed last month; it was in steady use since before arrival from Nanaimo in 2011).
Looks well used!!
Dan took his green loco back home for around-the-farm duties, along with his pax car and his two hand cars. So the shed now has our pax cars #10, 11 and 12, the caboose, plus the loco and tender ready to go to Karl’s for the hydraulic mod being led by Russ.
Work Party Nov 27 from 10 am to 1 pm:
Go lots done from 10 to 1 pm; thanks to Dan, Bob, Laura, Russ, Karl, Allan, Dave:
Still to do:, date tba
– move the picnic tables out of the Station.- Bring split alder over for the bonfire woodpile
– install the remaining two fencepost repair bars on the broken fence posts
– install the footings for the shed lean-to, and review the planhttp://qathet.prfhs.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Shed-extension-NOT-as-RFP-Nov19-2024.pdf
Unadvertised specials:
1 After Dan and Bob installed the repaired truck to pax #10, Dan cut off parts of the awkward side bits that made loading difficult.
2 After digging out the hole location for the switch post and imagining which way to orient it, Dan concluded that how the post-switch is built inhibits connecting the necessary 5/16″ connecting rod to the track switch. Dan will make the necessary modifications, perhaps at the next Tuesday-evening metal-work session, and test it on-site so that Rick can make the follow-on switch posts to the same design.
3 Broken brake lever on #1 loco. The wrap-around headlight wire fiasco did some previously undetected additional damage: the brake connector rod was broken. Dan went home and made one; he, Russ and Bob installed it.
4 Russ and Bob built a hook for the blower so it’s easily accessible near the entrance to encourage frequent track-blowing.
cheers, Dave Florence
Done:
.. blew the track,
.. Lights:
– – re-installed the 336′ string,
– – installed lights over the ghost hoops and steam donkey,
– – added a string over the two horse crossings to avoid disconnecting;
– – tested the whole set.
.. re-installed the truck under pax car #10,
.. put up some Xmas decorations; Laura went and got some more at the Dollar store
.. tested the new loco #2
.. brought Rick’s switch-post on-site and finalized the design of the connecting bits (more below)
Some metal work at Dan’s shop in late September at 6:30 pm
Ad-hoc work party Thursday, Sep 12
Dan has been busy modifying the out-of-service bench eLoco with the new trucks and controller. Dave and Russ joined him at 10 am Thursday to bring it to the shed and test it. The photo-story is here
We drove the new Bench eLoco most of the way around the track. It works fine: Fast, great regenerative braking.
Dave blew the track of leaves in preparation for fall fair.
In-park Work Party Sep 10 from 10 am to 2 with Pizza
- Russ, Bob, Dan and Dave installed some of the 24×24′ pavers: story here
- done last Sunday: we drilled 1/2″ holes and installed two pencil posts to replace rotted/fallen pair
- Russ reviewed the paint that was stored near the Willingdon beach trail, now in the shed; we saved some and took the rest to Augusta
- deferred: Select, mark, and note the location of the worst danger trees and advise FAI
We had a great work party on Tuesday, Aug 13, from 10 am to 2:30 pm. Thanks to Russ, Karl, Mary, Bob, Dan, Leslie and Dave for attending. We got lots done and enjoyed a pizza lunch with the Farmers Market folks. Completed Tasks:
- we walked the track to collect windfalls and cleaned up windfalls from the loop/trestle areas. Chainsawed and stacked burnable wood for Ghost/Santa fires, and put the remainder in the fall-burn pile.
- we admired and reviewed the new switch-stand that Rick made. Minor adjustments are needed. Dan will make the required parts to install it on a track
- The electrician dropped off the 200′ of cable. Karl has his trench team ready for installation next week
- Dan, Russ and Bob reviewed the cone and planned the next steps
- Leslie and Mary did some weed removal
We had a great work party on Tuesday, July 23, from 10 am to 2:30 pm. Thanks to Karl, Mary, Bob, Aldo, Dan and Dave for attending.
A major task was to dig in the 3/4″ black poly pipe, connect it to a garden tap, and leave the other end to connect to the Water Tower. When we add gutters to the Station, this will collect rainwater for the garden
The above was the fun part. Then, when moving the windfalls, Dan’s eLoco quit working; no battery, but then mysteriously started working later.
While attempting to get the non-working eLoco home with the gas loco, the brakes failed. While looking at those Bob and Karl realized a weld job was needed so Karl took that home.
While looking a the brakes, Bob/Karl realized the rubber drive with chunks out of it wouldn’t make it next Sunday, so tried to install the new white cone. But it doesn’t fit. So they put in a new rubber one. We tested it, and it works fine. Yea!!
By now it was 2:30. We had worked past lunchtime; not a Pizza work party, so Mary’s blueberry muffins saved the day!! Thanks, Mary.
Read more for work done at previous work parties
Tuesday July 9 – at the park, joining the Farmers Market folks at lunch for pizza. Thanks to Dan, Bob, Rob, Karl, Mary, Russ, Dave, and new member Aldo Conti . Photos by Karl and Dave
We moved the fence to save a volunteer fir tree.
In discussions,
- we decided to expand the station pour to the south post line, making 15×37 rather than 12×37′
- We came up with ideas for a portable G-Scale display box for railroad logging rolling stock that Goeff may donate. e.g., make it 2′ x 8′ x 1′ deep with lexan or plexi viewing window that serves as a fold-back door to access the display. it could be locked in the shed in the summer, displayed on the 10′ trestle, and stored in a warm-dry location in the winter. Rolling stock would have to be clipped securely to enable moving the box without removing and packing the rolling stock. Interpretive photos of local railroad logging could complete.
Next outdoor work party Aug 8, 10 am to 2 pm, pizza lunch with the Market folks.
.. add Carb cleaner to the loco gas if not already done
.. Clean up windfalls from the loop/trestle areas and chainsaw and stack burnable wood for Ghost/Santa fires
.. move three 4x6x8′ boards from the Donkey to Dan’s; available for benches or whatever
… do the Ghost/Santa lights repair
Next indoor work party for Climax, right-hand switch and 80′ track for the shed TBA
July 5 – Dan made 6 new pucks from hockey pucks
Tuesday, June 18 , 6:30 at Dan’s shop:
July 6, Dan replaced the battery in #1 loco with this one that came out of Dan’s eloco
Shop tasks:
- Climax frame – continue welding the 3″ supports for the frame; drilling the side-frame with pins for the bolster
- continue on some switch-posts to replace some that we now kick
- make more rope-post steel supports: 30″ with 3 holes
See all our projects here
Upcoming Park tasks
- add carb-cleaner additive to the loco
- do any needed track levelling, and some hand-weeding
- Repair the Ghost/Santa Train light strings
- review signage and plan any new signs
Previous work below.
Tues June 11, from 10 am to 2 pm. Allen, Karl and Mary, Dan and Lynda, Russ and Dave met to complete park tasks and enjoyed pizza lunch with the Farmers Market folks.
- Dan adjusted the gas loco and easy access car brakes. A bigger job than realized; several members learned the process
- Oiled the track switches (actually done last Sunday)
- brought the five boxes of ties and a few laths from Dan’s, and installed them in the old shed rafters
- We all walked around the track and removed some windfalls; Mary drove the elloco with handicap car to move windfalls to the burn pile
- etched “PVR” on hidden spots under the picnic tables
- Russ did some major waterwheel maintenance; added a screen around the intake, balanced the wheel, etc. A new pump is in the shed but is not needed yet.
- Karl made and brought a good lever with bolt for derrails; its in a rack on a car. Russ made and brought a step-on 2×4 with roller to help the door closing on the old shed.
- Some ideas for a throttle extension were discussed with Dan
- Members agreed we need to have a unique place for many tools; Russ will add some tool holders and add silhouettes.
- We tested the brakes and provided engineer experience for Russ and Allen
- We installed a post support; only one remains.
Monday June 3: Thanks to Karl and Allen who installed the picnic tables on Monday afternoon with me. Welding and drilling the anchor parts was done at Karl’s place. The Market’s picnic table is now west of the loading ramp. The padlocks are slightly underground, the tables could be moved or stored inside for winter. Keys are in the sheds on the same ring as other locks.
On Tuesday evening, May 14, Dan, Karl and Dave:
- made more wood ties; remaining 2x2s will be stored for future
- Dan made some hockey-puck drive cones from hard pucks donated by Karl
- Rope-post repair: cut and drilled 30″ rail pieces and installed them
- April 16
- Apr 16, 9 am to 2 pm We got ready to open the railroad.! Seven members came out on April 16. We had a terrific work party; thanks to Dan, Lynda, Bob, Laura, Stephen, Geoff and Dave for being there…. and Juhli/Farmers Market for the Pizza lunch Done Apr 16:
… Stephen took the lead on the drive repair. Shortened the cone and used shorter bolts. A test run confirmed his re-design is right, but a new shortened rubber cone is needed
… Using Dan’s ATV and tailor, Moved the event-location woodpile and clean up partially burned wood to the main burn pile
… collected windfalls and had a fire in the main burn pile (but still have many windfalls to collect around the track)
… blew track, lopped low branches and cleaned gutters
… didn’t identify any track levelling problems on our one test run, but more testing is needed
… Laura tidied the garden in the Y and changed decorations on the station ropes
.. Dan brought the tractor down and moved some of the mulch from the tree grove area and other tasksRolling stock tasks
.. service loco oil … complete essential repairs on the loco drive (Stephen did this May 3)
Other tasks.. saw deck boards on Donkey (Mark Mathews did that another day)
