And another day in the record books

I remember someone saying that to me many years ago in regards to the end of the day.
Here it is Sunday, a day later and 6:03pm.
I waited until today to write my blog due to the fact that we were visited this morning by a troop of boy scouts from Babylon courtesy of our fellow volunteer, Elliot Courtney. More on this later........

Yesterday was a beautiful day-sun was shining and there was a slight breeze off the water.
I showed up a little after 9am and found Ronnie & Rich chatting it up on the bench waiting for me (someone) to open up the shop so we could get to work.
The focus was to finish up the painting of the turntable arch.

Mark, Elliot, John, Peter and Gerard  showed up a bit later and then Wayne, Mike, Steve & Leon came over.
Mark and I began the task of setting up the ladders to paint while I had Ronnie take the other guys over to #35 in order to open up all of the valve and steam cylinders for inspection and its annual cleaning + lubrication.
While they were hard at work, Elliot & Peter were set up to lubricate the rocker gear on the pilot truck frame of #35. This is a very important component that allows the pilot truck to actually "lead" the Locomotive into the turns while also providing some springing action to soften the impact of the turn.
All the while, Leon and Rich were busy working on mounting the donated call phone into the crossing shanty and Mike was busy welding up #50's crash beams. These beams had some rust spots that needed to be repaired.

Steve & Wayne took a trip to Dodds and Eder our local garden center to pick up some plants for our entrance. after getting everything installed and watered, some of the guys built rain barrels so we could have an ample supply of "free" water which will save us the energy of having to set up a hose from the fire hydrant and dragging it across the street to water the plants.
Even though this is not something that helps us get our equipment restored or helps in normal museum operations, it does make our little corner of the world a lot less "industrial" and a lot more friendly (read: pretty!) to those who are visiting the park.
At the end of the day, unfortunately, we did not complete the goal of getting the arch finished. Next work session, we'll have to set up the ladders again and paint-paint-paint! we'll "get 'er done" and then??
the volunteers will be finished with our end of the turntable restoration and will have to wait for the electrician and LIPA to get us hooked up to the grid.
Josh came by to drop off a set of legs for the pot belly stove that was given to us by Wayne's grandfather and is being set up in the crossing shanty. A bit of welding repair needs to be done before they will work.
Also we have still to finish the welding repairs to the stove top from #12 AND the removal of the battery box from the dinky #397.


Today, Elliot courtney and his boy scout troop from Babylon arrived at the LIRR Oyster bay station around 12:50 and I was there to meet & greet them.

We had 12 scouts and their troop leaders join me for a walk over to the Historic, Oyster Bay train station to show them around and give them a brief history.

A lot of questions were asked as to its history and upcoming restoration which I was more than able to answer, then it was off to the visitors center up the  street where the scouts found their respective "groove".
After all, they are growing boys and what boy doesn't like to ring bells and play with trains?? I don't know any myself......
After an hour we took a walk through beautiful Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park and arrived at the display yard where after opening up all of our equipment, the scouts ran in and out of the cars.
After a little while, I took them aside to instruct them on the differences between electric, diesel and steam locomotives. This went on for a while and they all took the time to look into the boiler and firebox of #35, the engine compartment and transmission of dinky #398 and the M1 simulator.  around 12, the troop left to get a bite to eat in the park and get back to the train station to begin their trip back to Babylon. I received a text from Elliot around 1:30 thanking OBRM for hosting the scouts. I would do it again in a heartbeat!!


On another up-note, the Town of Oyster Bay installed a visitors kiosk on the western platform of the Historic train station. This will act as an additional resource for people to stop and visit and maybe lead them to our museum's visitors center in town.

A bit of an Eastern glare, but......

a much better shot looking west.
Well!  Just another day in the record books.
Don't know what will be on tap for next Saturdays work session but, never the less, it will be memorial day weekend.

Please remember those men & woman who gave the ultimate sacrifice so that we may live free.
Thank a veteran and FLY YOUR AMERICAN FLAG PROUDLY !!
Regardless of our flaws, The USA is still the best country in the world to live in.
Buy American.
Gary

Have we forgotten something?

Hi all,
a brief update on last weeks work session:
another great day with lots of hands on deck.
We started out removing the batteries from Dinky #397-thats the grey & blue one with the blown engine.
We will have enough sheet metal to renew on this bad boy and don't want to risk having any acid leakage spoiling the fun! will need to remove the battery box in the future.
Welded up a few spots on caboose #50 end beams-these spots were never done in the past
removed the stove top from #12 and with a great suggestion from our fearless leader STEVEN TORBORG (how's that for recognition?) and with input from Mike Efthymiou, it was determined that our best course of action is to cut out a section of the top and weld on a new piece to finish up the restoration.
Over at the train station, the display case was moved away from the fireplace to show it off AND the #35 smoke box mockup was removed from the baggage cart and placed on the floor against the electrical panel wall. This gave us a spot to display the vintage baggage on the cart as it would have looked "back then".
The mock-up of the display yard was moved next to #35 and this opened up the operators bay for a similar display. Also the TV D VD player was moved out of the visitors center and into the station for future use when the station is finally open to visitors
Also accomplished with the aid of Scott Lindsey (via phone) was the jacking up of the boiler from #35 and the replacement of rotted ties. This was a safety concern and all is well.
Just as an fyi-Sagamore Hill is undergoing some work and is  temporarily closed, so the National Park Service has been hosting a TR history walk around town and one of the stops is our train station. I actually listened in on one of the tours and the ranger was able to talk about and show via photos all about TR and our station building.
Since I was listening, I offered to open up the station for the visitors and after their surprise wore off, I spoke to them and answered their questions regarding the building itself and about OBRM.
Now where did I put the paint so we can finish the turntable???
Gary

How's it hangin"??

Or more likely, who is doing the hanging?
When we started the 2012 work season, little did we know that we would be 2 weeks late. That hung us up a bit.
So, we did what any self respecting crew would do-we hung in there!
I know, pretty lame, BUT, we still got it done.
UPDATE*****
the crossing shanty has had a temporary firewall installed and a steel plate bolted to the floor in preparation of installing a coal burning stove, courtesy of our own Wayne Beers.
It now only needs a set of legs or a stand and the smokejack to be installed.
As for the Worlds Fair cab, John Specce donated a sound unit to be installed. Why a sound unit?
Because its cool and also gives the visitor the sounds to go along with the sights.
When I wired up the unit, I installed outlets in the nose for the side lights so there are places to plug it in.
We have been hard at work welding up the stove in #12 caboose. The cast iron has been rotting away through the years due to water and normal corrosion, so over the course of the next few weeks, we should have it completed. However, it will not support a fire, so we do not intend on lighting her up anytime soon. Its for show-not for go!
And that brings me to this seasons one major task-GET THE TURNTABLE OPERATING!!!!!!!!
Leon & I picked up all of the elcrical components from Wit-Craft Electric in Farmingdale and Bill D. gave us a wiring book to have an electician wire it up for us.
We have been pounding nails, painting metal and installing everything we have to  get us to our goal. Having it operational in 2012.
I believe we can do it. It's just a question of when. And speaking of when, when the Town of Oyster Bay signs the contract, #35 will begin heading to Steam Operations Corp in Mussel Shoals Alabama.
Scott Lindsey is the resident steam expert and his portfolio of work is impressive. Need I say more than the Norfolk Southern Steam Program and the #611? Nuff said.








Folks, it takes people, like our devoted volunteers to be able to do what we do.
I am damn proud of each and everyone of them for giving of their time and of themselves.
We come from all walks of life and interests, yet we all see the big picture.
As you can see from the above photos, yes, we really do work.
And yes, I do have to put up with Steve Torborg!!!!!!

I know, you have all seen this last photo in another blog before, but, oh... what the heck. I like it and its a picture of me! so,  deal with it.
Until next time-same train time, same train station!!!

spinning wheel, round and round

Thats what the turntable will do when we get it runnng.
The plan is to have it up & running this year and we are awaiting an electrical drop from LIPA in order to power the turntables motor. Now I know what you must be thinking-Gary, how much electrical service are you going to need?
Good question! According to the electrical contractor that rebuilt the motor, we only need about 60 amps of power because the motor is a high torque low horsepower unit., It only provides 2.5 horsepower!
But that horsepower can't be harnessed unless we have the control stand to operate it.
Well, as of February 13th, we do!
Leon & I took a trip to Farmingdale, actually to ....get this! Motor Ave, to pick up the controller & the starter.
We hauled these pieces back to Oyster Bay and proceeded to place them onto the turntables walkway where they will be permanently installed when we begin work sessions in the spring.
Here are a few pictures from that day.
The first one is a bit dareker baut shows the units on the right walkway looking from one end of the TT to the other end.
The next two shows the 2 units together, but not bolted to each other or to the walkway. We will install a steel plate to make this installation easier and safer for the operator.





Gary

And the year starts on a high note!

Hi folks and WELCOME to 2012-cue up the applause!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As you all know, my job became overpowering in June and I had to curtail my OBRM time including my being a trustee, so I had to take a leave of absence. I appreciate all of the well wishes and the questions of when I will be returning.
OK-I'm back, although I won't be back 24/7, like I used to.
Yesterday, Saturday February 11th, we kicked off the new year with a clean-up session.
For those of you who were at the station building last year when we had the memorabilia sale, you will recall that the building was looking kind of...well, ratty.
Our beloved President John Speece had the Town of Oyster Bay (TOB) drop off a huge recycling bin in front of the station building into which,
John, Steve Torborg, Wayne Beers, Leon Daitz, John Speece Dave Morrison, John Grocki, Bill Krushinski and I (although I didn't show up until 11:30-although with coffee & donuts for all) proceeded to remove as much trash, litter and unwanted/unneeded items and dump it all for removal.
When we were done around 3pm, we left a building that could be occupied quite easily with room to display alot and still have another memorabilia sale this spring.
Quite a bit of stuff was earmarked for movment to the yard area where we were able to easily move the items into the shop or our new storage container. This container has proved a godsend to us as we were able to take stuff out of the "shop" trailer which did not belong and just cluttered up the area. I went in there for the first time since the new trailer arrived and can tell you that there sure is alot more room to move around and work in.
Over the course of the next few weeks we should be bringing back the rest of the turntables operating system. Keep your fingers crossed!!!

Gary

HOT HOT HOT!

A beautiful day after a week of rain and only  a few brave souls ventured forth to Oyster Bay.
Yesterday I picked up a gallon of custon paint in order to put the finish coat onto the Worlds Fair cab display. I think I finally got the correct color for "Goodfellow" grey to go along with the orange.

Ronnie, Paul, Gerard and I were able to get a first coat on and will finish up in 2 weeks.
There will be no work session next week for the memorial day weekend.

John Specce, the OBRM President came by with the new signs touting our "spend a day in Oyster Bay program and we put one up on the fence and the other was destined for the back of the Worlds Fair Cab.
James, our Barry Tech intern, spot welded 5 studs to the back sheet and we hung the sign and bolted it down. No more double sided or duct tape for us!.

I was the only docent on hand today as our regular docent Harvey, was unavailable and we had over 50 visitors to the yard. A cub scout troop from Sea Cliff came by to visit. They were so cute in their uniforms and they also had a group photographer with them.
Feeling good today (because of the weather, I guess), I asked them if they wanted to take a photo on the turntable. No surprise to me, they did and I even got into one shot with the kids.
All in all, a nice day.

Just so you all know, I did not take any photos today and I plan on making this my last blog for some time.
I am too busy now with work and will not have any extra moments to spare on the weekends.
I may do a once a month blog.
Gary

workng stiffs

Hi all
Yesterday wasn't so bad a day.
If you remember, last week, we cut down 2 trees that were against Duke Electrical Supplys building in front of our gates.
We began by painting the enitire side of the building white to cover the graffiti and brighten the "joint" up a bit.
Pete, Duke Supply's owner, thought it was a great idea as it makes both of us look good.
Next week we will be adding a new facia board on the rear section of the building in order to put up a new gutter and leader for water control.
We also plan on putting up 2 more gutters which will take the water from the front sections scuppers and direct it all to the street, so it will not flood out Duke. All in the name of being good neighbors!
We'll ask him to put up new exterior lighting to bathe the yard at night.

We also built 2 new planting beds outside the front gate using our forklift to move some of the old railroad ties into plce. we first laid down some weed control fabric that we had stored inside a a locker in #50.
While this was going on, we had a couple of guys finishing up the handrail on the M1 simulator and staining it.
We also stained the 2 steps that we use to get our visitors up into the Ping Pong coach.
Still waiting on the control stand for the Turntable, but on Monday 5/16/11, I understand we will be having a visit from some folks from LIPA and maybe the Town of O.B. to see how to get us new power to the sight. We went over our needs for now and the future and sent in our proposal.
The old power pole behind the turntable is infested with carpenter ants AND we do need a new pole installed on the other side of the turntable in order to apply the guy wires to hold the electrical box on top of the turntable steady, so it doesn't move.
We also have a few minor tweaks to the Worlds Fair cab, caboose #50 & #12.
Manpower as always determines our actions.

As for todays Memorabilia sale at the historic Oyster Bay Train Station,
we had a full crew there all day and sold quite a bit of everything and made a lot of money while offering a fantastic deal on our stuff.
Everyone left happy enough that we plan on doing this again during our railroad days in August.
Lauren Godoy, Leon Daitz, Wayne Beers,  Gerard Jewel, Steve Torborg, Doug Kasner, John Specce, Ben Jankowski, Elliot Courtney, Mark Bridges, Rob Brusca, Bill Bell & I held down the fort at the station while Harvey kept the yard huming and Alex (wo)manned the visitors center.
Gary