Sunday, February 15, 2015

February 14 Work Session

We tackled a number of projects at our special Valentine's Day work session. Alex made some repairs to club cars, and then began to catalog the full inventory of club-owned equipment and "mystery" cars without identifying dots. This catalog will help us better understand how much stuff we have on hand, and possibly identify the owners of the mystery cars.


Collum, Joe, and Elliot worked on fitting in the last piece of masonite for the backdrop behind the Erie Canal in Lockport. After a little cutting, fitting, sanding, and filing, the piece was finally installed. A preliminary coat of mud and taping for the joints was applied. While we had the drywall mud out, Matt covered over the screw holes on the permanently installed fascia in Irondequoit.


Nick and Otto worked on adding concrete paving to the unloading tracks at the chemical plant in Niagara Falls. Risers made of .080" stock were used to support sheets of .040" black styrene sheets. The black was chosen as a better base for the simulated concrete. If the paint ever becomes scuffed or damaged, only black will show through, not the usual white. They completed most of the area before running out of materials.


Spencer spent most of the day wiring up the Tortoise switch machines that were installed in Albion during a previous work session. Power was connected and the accessory numbers were programmed by the end of the day. Matt tackled a surface-mount installation which was required because there was no clearance below for the switch machine at the east end of Albion siding. The Tortoise will be hidden inside the Ontario Foods warehouse, connected by a long throwbar that will reach under the building and hidden by scenery.

Otto took more measurements for the highway overpass he is building at the north end of Irondequoit Yard. Parts to complete the project were ordered and should be delivered in time for the next work session.

Some of our members took the day off and went to the Hamburg Train Show, sponsored by the Western New York Railway Historical Society and hosted at the fairgrounds just south of Buffalo.

More photos posted to our Facebook fan page. Check em out!