08-18-2018, 09:20 AM
Morning all......We have been plugging along with lots of chores on the F's. Next weekend we plan to put the 3 units together and perform a load and brake test through the MU line of the B. This will insure that will be able to have proper control of all 8 throttle notches and that there are no problems with the air system in the "B". We are not worried about the brakes so much as we did a lot of work to them back when NS took them down to Spencer for the Streamliners festival. If the independent and automatic brakes did not function correctly NS was not going to move them. As for the trainline MU, I have checked it over several times with a meter and found it OK. We have never done a practical real world test , we are confident that it should be fine . I'll give a walk through of how that works when we try it out next week. The two "A" units have been in constant usage this summer pulling the yard shuttle two to three days a week, and excursions every Saturday and Sunday. so squeezing in time for maintenance has not been easy.
As for other goings on,,, Steamtown will be getting a new director, the current one will be filling a new position inside of the NPS. A temporary Director will be appointed from Steamtown until a new one is found. This should not effect us as we are in the middle of a 5 year contract with the parks department.
It also looks like we, ( the ARHS volunteers ) will be given hostlers training. This will allow us to move our equipment around inside the yard and shop area without the need for a Steamtown crew.
The last thing that I want to get to is the weather....The rain and Hot, Humid weather has been relentless this summer leading to some equipment problems and crew fatigue. It has also taken it's toll on the railroad. At this time there are several wash outs on the Pocono main. Yesterday after time spent working on 664 and the "B", Toptrain and I went to check one out at the western portal of the Nay Aug tunnel. These washouts have put this part of the main out of service for the next two weeks. So now hopefully we will be able to get some restoration work completed and the main will be open for Railfest and our convention.
As for other goings on,,, Steamtown will be getting a new director, the current one will be filling a new position inside of the NPS. A temporary Director will be appointed from Steamtown until a new one is found. This should not effect us as we are in the middle of a 5 year contract with the parks department.
It also looks like we, ( the ARHS volunteers ) will be given hostlers training. This will allow us to move our equipment around inside the yard and shop area without the need for a Steamtown crew.
The last thing that I want to get to is the weather....The rain and Hot, Humid weather has been relentless this summer leading to some equipment problems and crew fatigue. It has also taken it's toll on the railroad. At this time there are several wash outs on the Pocono main. Yesterday after time spent working on 664 and the "B", Toptrain and I went to check one out at the western portal of the Nay Aug tunnel. These washouts have put this part of the main out of service for the next two weeks. So now hopefully we will be able to get some restoration work completed and the main will be open for Railfest and our convention.
My other car is a locomotive, ARHS restoration crew