December Report

MOTIVE POWER REPORT

Boston and Maine SW-1 1109: It's ALIVE! Well, sort of. Using a spare 74v battery charger from the shop Jason and Mike got its interior cab lights lit using its own low voltage side of the electrical system. Now it seems to have some life to it too as part of the display. Some work towards this was started last season but ran out of time. No shorts were found before hooking up the charger and no modifications done. It's all hidden and can be removed easily. The "toolbox" charger is hidden under the cab floor and the 110v cord ran out through the engine compartment and down through a hole shared with piping. 1109 is decorated too as part of Northern Lights Limited on the display track in its normal spot.


Canadian Pacific 1246, 4-6-2:  Now on Track 5 decorated for lights as part of Northern Lights Limited. Stewart continues painting the unit and has been getting some assistance from others. Part of the electrical system was tested and a few lights lit. It remains off now and not part of the display until other repairs are done.


Maine Central RS3 557: The fuel and air tanks on both sides have been painted black. A lube oil swap with cleaner used oil was attempted but was given up on by Jason for now as being too messy. 557 lacks an oil drain valve like our other RS-3's 529 and 1508 have. Jason will request shop time next year to add a valve to this unit. Water drainage in the radiator compartment will be looked into, as it holds water (unlike the radiators!) after storms.


NAUG US23B 2203:  The replacement oil cooler was installed and the unit returned to service. Unfortunately the oil cooler had a failure again within a week. This time it's an external oil leak. The unit remains in service as needed for the NLL runs and the oil level will be watched carefully, but it will need another oil cooler replacement.

CDOT/RMNE FL9 2019: In service for NLL and as usual running dependably.


RMNE 42, GE 45-tonner “the Critter”: Another attempt was made at starting the unit, unfortunately that attempt went up in smoke... literally! Once the batteries were fully charged and the start button pushed an instant "fizzt" sounded and smoke started filling the cab. A portion of the bad battery cable and battery post were vaporized. No further work is planned for this unit at this time. A new cable and battery would be needed just to start the engines, and it would still be in need of other work to make the unit serviceable for what little use it could be to us. Decisions would have to be made on what to do with this unit.

THIRD CALL – 2013 NORAC RULES CLASSES 

In order to give all plenty of notice, Rules Examiner Brent Bette has announced the 2013 Rules Classes.  February 23 will be the Novice class, with Advanced classes being offered on March 2 and March 9. Location is likely the Senior Center at the Thomaston Town Hall but details will be confirmed later this year.  Please notify Brent of what class you wish to take.

THOMASTON SHOP YARD

Schedule Change:  Weekday work sessions are now held Tuesdays from 4:00pm-8:00pm

My Last Run: This will be my last regular edition as editor of the Order Board, a publication that I originally started in January 1998 to get project news out on a more timely basis, inspired by the “Working Member’s Newsletter” from the Severn Valley Railway in England where I have been a member for many years.  Since then the O/B has evolved from exclusively hard copy to virtually a total e-mail publication. Starting in January 2013 Brent Bette will assume the position of editor, and I will retire to devote more time to producing our printed journal Along the Line on a more timely basis.  See you Along the Line! —Bill Sample

Thanks to Celeste Echlin, Bob Harrington, Barb Walcott, Jason Hartmann, Jon Chase, Brent Bette, Kevin Meehan, Pam & Kent Larson, and Sue Sample for their assistance.