May Order Board, Second Section

HELP URGENTLY NEEDED!

UPCOMING EVENTS AND PROJECTS

One of our major events of the year is fast approaching and we have a number of tasks to complete before Flagg Coal Company #75 returns to the Naugy.  Listed below are the schedule of classes and also various projects that could really use your assistance.  Every little bit helps – even if your schedule allows for a day or two, we appreciate it.   Please lend your museum and railroad a hand to get these things done!

Blue Flag Safety Class

Hal Reiser will conduct a Blue Flag safety class at the Volunteer Shop on the 14th of May (Saturday) 9:30am shop.  This will be a short class and it is recommended that all who might have reason to use the blue flag system attend.  Please register with Hal so he can prepare materials.  Please bring a pencil, pen and notepaper.

Other Classes
No other rule or air brake classes are currently scheduled.  Please contact Brent Bette concerning rules or Al Pomeroy about air brake classes. We will be scheduling Roadway Worker Protection and possibly Timetable classes at later dates, to be announced.

14 May:  Flagg Coal #75 planning dates with meetings at the Volunteer Shop, 2:00 pm covering operations, staffing & activities for the event.  Please bring your suggestions! 

PROJECTS AT THE THOMASTON VOLUNTEER SHOP

Car Department

Coach 4980 will have its floor painted this month. Coach 4990 is now in our regular lineup and a general refurbishing is underway. Work will concentrate on the interior.  To date, seat cushions and backs have been replaced where necessary and removed to allow access for interior cleaning.  The windows have been inspected and repaired as required.  Surface preparation is in progress – scraping, sanding and some light patching are the primary tasks, then vacuuming and a tack-cloth rub-down treatment will ready the car for painting, including the floor.  This is the first priority of the coaches at this time. This project will be ongoing on Wednesday and possibly Thursday afternoons/evenings as well as on weekends. Sam Walker is the project manager – questions or to conform Thursday call him on his cell phone 860.485.2569.

Coach 4992 remains in the north bay of track 5 in the shop.  Work will continue following the completion of pre-season work on 4980, 4990 and 5046. Coach 5046 is scheduled for a floor painting this month. Coach 5805 – most work suspended until active fleet is ready for service.

Locomotive Department

FL9 2019 is in service.

U23B 2203 is on the final stretch of its pre-season repair session.  Andy Kromer and/or Scott Paribello will be completing the project over the next few weekends and need at least one helper.  Besides mechanical/electrical completion, it also needs some minor cosmetic work before going back into service by 22 May.

MAINTENANCE OF WAY

Track projects are planned for the weekends of 14-15 and 21-22 May.  The first weekend will see tie replacement on the main line on the tangent just south of the south twin bridges in Thomaston, and the following weekend we will be doing some tie replacement and gauging south of the Jericho Bridge.  We can use at least 4-5 people on each track crew – please contact Howard Pincus for information, cell phone 914.907.7071.

THOMASTON STATION

We need a crew at the station to help ready the grounds for the Flagg Coal #75 visit.  The platform around B&M caboose C72 needs to be moved to allow switching – we will be moving B&M 1109 to the display track and switching out the crane and MEC gondola.  Rolling stock signs need to be installed.  Contact Celeste Echlin (cell 860.485.2567 or Tom Carver (cell 315.351.6680)

Volunteer Work Hour Records

As part of the renewed emphasis on obtaining grant funding, we must resume the recording of our volunteer time.  Please complete the Volunteer Worksheets that are available by the north door of the shop by the dispatcher’s area.  Sherry Edmonds will be recording the hours as submitted from these forms or also records can be e-mailed up to Louis Edmonds.

A Request from Our Treasurer

Louis Edmonds is looking for donations to help defray the expenses of re-roofing coach 4992.  These include plywood, supplies such as sandpaper and additions to our tools, the scaffolding, wood repair, and the rubber membrane surface and related installation items. These donations should be sent directly to the Treasurer, either to the Museum at P. O. Box 400, Thomaston, CT 06787-0400 or the Treasurer’s home address at P. O. BOX 443, GEORGES MILLS, NH 03751-0443 

FLAGG COAL #75 CREW CALL

I will need crews for May 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30 (Flagg Coal #75 trains). Please contact Barb Walcott at 860.283.5790 or by email.


WEDNESDAY PM WORK SESSIONS

Weeknight Work Sessions are being held on virtually all Wednesdays at the TSY, running from about 4:00pm until about 8:00pm.  Sam Walker is heading this – please call him if you wish to confirm the session on cell 860-485-2569.  Thursdays may be added if required.

NEXT MEETING

The next General Membership Meeting will be held on Saturday, 11 June 2011.  The meeting will be held at the Thomaston Senior Center, Town Hall, Main St. and is scheduled for 7:30pm.

That’s all the news that fits for now.  Thanks to Tony Pratt, Howard Pincus, Sam Walker, Pam Larson, Tom Carver, Celeste Echlin and others who helped with this issue.  —Bill Sample, editor

Here comes the Revolution…

It’s a quiet Saturday in Binghamton, NY; a local railfan is roaming the Delaware & Hudson yards with his camera, and is intrigued by three new diesel locomotives among all the D&H steam power.  Five days ago, on Monday November 13, 1939, Electro-Motive Corporation released these 600-horsepower switchers from their new plant in the cornfields west of Chicago, at LaGrange, Illinois.  EMC’s soon-to-be-famous Model 567 Diesel engines are inside those glossy black hoods, the first of that model to cross the Hudson River and enter New England.

Stacks covered and engines quiet, they are bound for the Boston & Maine Railroad and will be handed over at Mechanicville, NY by the D&H within hours of Mr. Humphrey’s picture.  B&M 1109, 1110 and 1111, the three sisters, will serve as passenger train switchers at Boston’s North Station until 1959, and will go on to have an after-life on two New England shortline railroads.  1109 and 1110 eventually will be preserved by Railroad Museum of New England.  On this quiet Saturday, they are the advance troops of the Diesel Revolution, ready to kill off the majestic steam power that rules the rails this November day.  Within 14 years, they will have triumphed in New England and the Northeast.

This small print was discovered in a batch of prints obtained at an auction by RMNE’s Al Galanty.  The EMC builder number for 1109 is actually 912; the “#192” on the back of the print is a typo.

—Howard Pincus

Order Board for May 2011

Col. Randal B Hathway, USAF (ret.), 1921-2011

RMNE member Randy Hathway passed away on Saturday evening, April 30, at his home after a period of declining health. Randy joined the RMNE soon after we began operations at the Naugatuck Railroad and was quite active in many projects, including the Thomaston Station rebuilding. He had been a Thomaston resident since 1931 and often shared his memories with your editor, including riding the last passenger train from Thomaston to Winsted and return.  A P47 fighter pilot in both the European and Pacific theaters of World War II, he flew many combat missions and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Funeral services will be held at the First Congregational church in Thomaston on Thursday 5 May at 11am.  Calling hours will be at the Lyons Funeral Home on High St, Thomaston, on Wednesday 4 May 4-7pm.

SUCCESSFUL EASTER SATURDAY

Our first operation in 2011 was the “Easter Bunny Express” service, which ran 3 trains consisting of FL9 2019 and coaches 5046, 4980, and 4990.  Despite the weather being miserably wet and cold, we had a very good crowd of over 550, almost equaling last year’s, which had benefited from operations being on a fine spring day. Retail sales were also strong and our new, state-of-the-art point of sale and ticketing accounting system was ready for the task, and Celeste Echlin, Lisa Drazen, Barb Walcott and Executive Director Tom Carver put it to work.  Now gathering the various income flows will be far easier and take a fraction of the time.

Tom recognized Sue Sample for leading the cleanup and decorating of the station, comfort coach, and train; and also thanked Kevin Meehan and his crew for finishing up the sheetrock installation and painting of the waiting room.  Agent Joan Jackson was also thanked for her part in helping to get the retail department ready for the opening day. Tom, Bill Sample, Stewart Crouse, and others helped keep the parking lot operating smoothly.

Train crew was Hal Reiser, engineer; Ed McAnaney and Bill Sample share the conductors duties, Matt Andel was the brakeman, Matt Lawson the student brakeman, car hosts were Lou Beres, Lee VanIderstine, and Joe Viener and the Easter Bunny was portrayed by Sue Sample. As noted, the day was wet and cold but the train was warm thanks to the efforts of Sam Walker, Jason Hartmann and other members of the shop crew who had all three cars heated.


UPCOMING EVENTS AND PROJECTS:  HELP WANTED

There are a good number of projects scheduled that could use YOUR help – please lend your museum a hand to get these things done!

Blue Flag Safety Class

Hal Reiser will conduct a Blue Flag safety class at the Volunteer Shop on the 14th of May (Saturday) 9:30am shop.  This will be a short class and it is recommended that all who might have reason to use the blue flag system attend.  Please register with Hal so he can prepare materials.  Please bring a pencil, pen and notepaper.

Other Classes

No other rule or air brake classes are currently scheduled.  Please contact Brent Bette concerning rules or Al Pomeroy about air brake classes. We will be scheduling Roadway Worker Protection and possibly Timetable classes at later dates, to be announced. An additional NORAC class may be offered if there is sufficient interest – please contact rules examiner Brent Bette so that arrangements can be made.


PROJECTS AT THOMASTON VOLUNTEER SHOP

Motor Vehicle Department

Bob Harrington reports that work continues on the Boom Truck, and the Gradall has been brought to the Shop Yard from Chase Yard for some maintenance work by Gene Pfeiffer.

Car Department

Coach 4990 was returned to service for use on the Easter Train.  Jason Hartmann, Terry Hannon and others replaced worn or damaged seat cushions and backs with some from the currently out of service 4992.  We hope to have some new paint on the exterior prior to the Flagg Coal weekends.

Coach 4992 remains in the north bay of track 5 in the shop.  Work continues on the roof, with repairs to the wood base being nearly completed in late April.  Other work that can be done while the car is in the comfort zone of the shop is a thorough interior cleaning and floor painting.  Please consider assisting us with this important project.  Please report to Sam Walker for instructions.

Coach 5805 - Interior woodwork continues to see attention from Stan Bogacz, Win Bissell, Kurt Wiener and occasional others, although some of the crew has been pressed into service on 4992.

Locomotive Department

Currently FL9 2019 is in service while U23B 2203 continues to receive miscellaneous repairs.  The rebuilt governor was installed in later April using one of the new forklifts donated through the effort of Jason Hartmann. 2203 is also receiving some cosmetic work, particularly on the nose and cab, which will help to give it a less-rusty look until a complete exterior repaint can be done.

Tom Carver has prepared and submitted a grant request to the National Railway Historical Society for funds to assist with the 1732’s diesel engine rebuilding.

THOMASTON STATION

Kevin Meehan and crew got back to work inside the station once the weather warmed up, continuing the wall improvement project.  The remainder of the east wall was patched and painted, and the south wall of the waiting room was sheet-rocked and painted, being completed in time for a pre-operation spring-cleaning. The station hasn’t looked this good since long back into the 20th century.

Tom Carver, Sue Sample, Lou Beres, Kevin Meehan, and others helped with the big cleanup while the final installation of the new Point of Sale accounting system was completed.  Celeste Echlin, Joan Jackson, Barb Walcott, and Lisa were in the first training class.  All gift shop stock was entered into system prior to the Easter train.


May 14:  Flagg Coal #75 planning dates with meetings at the Volunteer Shop, 2:00 pm covering operations, staffing & activities for the event.  Please bring your suggestions! 

Volunteer Work Hour Records

As part of the renewed emphasis on obtaining grant funding, we must resume the recording of our volunteer time.  Please complete the Volunteer Worksheets that are available by the north door of the shop by the dispatcher’s area.  Sherry Edmonds will be recording the hours as submitted from these forms or also records can be e-mailed up to Louis Edmonds at lrwedmonds@gmail.com.

A Request from Our Treasurer

Louis Edmonds is looking for donations to help defray the expenses of re-roofing coach 4992.  These include plywood, supplies such as sandpaper and additions to our tools, the scaffolding, wood repair, and the rubber membrane surface and related installation items. These donations should be sent directly to the Treasurer, either to the Museum at P. O. Box 400, Thomaston, CT 06787-0400 or the Treasurer’s home address at P. O. BOX 443, GEORGES MILLS, NH 03751-0443 

OTHER NEWS

- Membership Chair Pam Larson reports that about 100 members still haven’t paid their dues this year and a second and final billing will be going out early in May. PLEASE PAY YOUR DUES!

- Tom Carver reports that he and Celeste Echlin are resubmitting a grant request to Community Foundation of Northwestern Connecticut for stairway and signage supplies for exhibit track at the Thomaston station.

- Advertising is beginning for the Flagg Coal #75 visit and we will attempt to recruit school field trip visits to the Friday events.

- I will need crews for May 26,27,28,29, and 30, Flagg Coal #75 trains - Barb Walcott.  Contact Barb at 860.283.5790.

- Steve Butterworth would like to resume crossing signal painting as we get into summer and/or early fall

- Your editor has not heard any confirmation on any spring track project as of publication date.  Usually they are scheduled for May.  A special e-mail Order Board will be sent out if details become available.

WEDNESDAY PM WORK SESSIONS

Weeknight Work Sessions are being held on virtually all Wednesdays at the TSY, running from about 4:00pm until about 8:00pm.  Sam Walker is heading this – please call him if you wish to confirm the session on cell 860-485-2569.

NEXT MEETING

The next General Membership Meeting will be held on Saturday, 11 June 2011.  The meeting will be held at the Thomaston Senior Center, Town Hall, Main St. and is scheduled for 7:30pm.

That’s all the news that fits for now.  Thanks to Bob Harrington, Barb Walcott, Steve Butterworth, Pam Larson, Tom Carver, Celeste Echlin and others who helped with this issue.  —Bill Sample, editor