Workday Wednesday - September 16th

Workday Wednesday Projects For September 16th

We check in with the "Workday Wednesday" work crew once again to see what they have up their sleeves this week!

No, the image above does not showcase any of the projects on the go during our Workday Wednesday sessions.  It's just a fun image of the museum room in Fred's place.

I arrived quite late this Wednesday.  Just as I was leaving the house Chris Lyon phoned me from his new home in Nova Scotia and we had a lengthy chat about things.  He says "hello" to everyone.  This is the first image I snapped upon arrival at Fred's place...Bernie is all dressed up for gardening it would seem.

Fred looks on as Bernie continues with his project.  Here's the description of the project in Bernie's own words, "I had intentions of mowing the lawn, but things did not turn out that way. When I arrived, Lawrence asked me for my opinion on the red crab apple bush at the corner of Lily leading into Nelson Yard. It has grown into the narrow entrance and my thought was that it should come down. Uncle Fred gave his blessing and I started to dig out the root."

So I catch Bernie hard at work.

This small tree had overgrown itself and really did need pulling out.

We catch Bernie and Lawrence involved in two separate projects.

You can barely see Lawrence amid the Lily of the Valley.

Aha!  We find him at the Brennan Gap!

He is reassembling the embankment.

This is hard work as those stones are heavy.

It is nothing Lawrence cannot handle, though.

Fred and I take on the commencement of the project in St. Helen's.  While we do not have the time to install the brake cables on this day, I wanted a look at the newly purchased cables at the far end of the table.

As always, Fred has other projects on the go in between our Saturday sessions, including this Alco AB tandem in CP paint.  Wouldn't they look awesome in the black livery of the IPP&W!

Still more projects for skipper Fred.

Aha!  Here are the new brake cables.  It's always good to keep some long ones in stock, as Fred says.  You'll never know when you will need them.

Fred asked me to remove the fascia boards near the entrance of Mount St. Helens.

In order to run the brake cables to the far turnout, the surface area between the track and the fascia will have to be enlarged.  Nothing a 2x4 couldn't handle.  We did not have time to cut them and install them on this day...that will be a project for next Wednesday!  (I am momentarily holding a 2x6 - not a 2x4 - to show you how the extra two inches would be sufficient for a cable to be run.)

Here is the area with the fascia off at the moment.  The cable will run the length of the line to the left of the track where the surface will be enlarged with the addition of the previously mentioned 2x4.  In fact, the 2x4 may end up acting as the fascia board...or the existing fascia board can be installed in front of the 2x4.  We'll determine that next week.

Looks like Lawrence is finished with his job and has headed over to where Bernie is working.

Once the small tree was removed it was a simple matter of replacing the brickwork.  Did I say a "simple" matter.

No...it was darned hard labour on the part of these two lads.

As always, measure twice and cut once!

Lots of stones to be replaced.

Finicky work for sure!

Impressive!

A true work gang!

Remember how Bernie's sole intention on this day was to mow the lawn?  All that changed when he and Lawrence came up with the idea of the tree removal.  In Bernie's words..."This meant removing some of the blocks along the north side of the isle way. After the roots were removed, Lawrence thought it would be a good idea to straighten out the blocks to provide more room for the the Nelson Yard yard master and visitors. And so it went, the bush is removed and the blocks straighten out. The grass is still long!"   The photo above and the next three come from Bernie's camera.  Caption from Bernie for the above photo...After removing all the blocks from the step, Lawrence starts to excavate."

"Lawrence smoothing out the bottom foundation where stone dust will be poured and leveling of the blocks to be done."

"Lawrence taking a well deserved rest while looking at his handiwork."

"The blocks from the concrete step used to curve out into the aisle making it somewhat narrow at that point. Although the corner into Nelson is still narrow, the aisle at the west end is now much wider." 

Thanks, Bernie, for those four photos and story!

Remember...playing with trains keeps the youngster in us alive for railroading in any scale is fun!

Fred is content in the knowledge the railroad is being well maintained and always ready for both freight and passenger trains to run along the route!

Have a great rest of the week everyone!

Mike Hamer, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada