Submitted by Steve Winicker
LAST WEEKENDS SHOP ACTIVITY
Monday was spent writing reports and organizing the shop.
Sarah did some organization and setting of the new generator on Tuesday.
Wednesday was spent working on reports, generator wiring and putting Christmas stuff back on shelves. Sarah and I managed to get all but one on a shelf. That one is a bit of a load and we though we would wait for assistance.
Thursday Tim arrived and supplied the necessary muscle to get the last container on a shelf.
Friday saw a large crew that worked hard. Projects included: tearing off rotted wood and purchasing supplies for the Wabash caboose, rounding up tender parts for #1’s tender setting up the stage for the reconstruction of the tender. An effort was made to seal up and protect #1 as it will need to spend some time outdoors to allow room for the 141 (NKP Caboose) to be kept largely inside. Time was spent working on scaling the inside of 765’s tank. Zach Hall got the scaling project started off with several folks working on that project over the course of the day. That work will continue for the foreseeable future. Zach also met with Dan Puta and Barney Gramling to develop a plan for proceeding with several Society projects.
Saturday more scaling was done in the tank, in fact it went on throughout much of the day. Austin, Brody, Sarah, Tim and possibly others beat off rust from inside the tank. Austin worked on getting the right-side sheet cleared of piping aided later in the day by Jeff Rayner. This work was needed to provide access to the stay bolts we are replacing. Jerrad, Carl and Brody worked on the #1 tender frame, drilling holes and bolting the side beams to the end beams. Rich Wolfgang worked on putting in a new beam under the cupola of the Wabash Caboose. It was a spectacular job with mortise and tenon joints at either end. I finished polishing and installing the brass surround for the back-head badge plate.
Sunday saw a much-reduced workforce. With Matt Lee and I being the morning crew. We continued work on removing piping from the side of the 765 and now have nearly all removed that will need to be for the stay bolt work. We were forced to use the unusual use of the forklift to turn some of the pipe unions. None of these appeared to have been coated with never seize prior to being put together and the heating and cooling of the pipe had come close to welding everything together. Everyone should be vigilant in coating bolt threads and pipe connections with never seize or teflon tape or pipe dope prior to putting them together. Tim arrived in the early afternoon and went to scaling in the tender as well as grinding some on the 358. Sarah showed up later in the day to assist and they are busy knocking off rust as I write.
UPCOMING ACTIVITIES
Next week more of the same projects. There will be a board meeting on Saturday, off site, so I will leave a list of projects that can be done and will plan to get the shop open. I am sure that there will be some scaling or cleaning of the 765 tender to do and more cleaning in the coal bunker to get it ready to paint. During the week we hope to continue with some ultrasound thickness testing of #1’s boiler and early in the week I need to pursue some purchasing and cost estimates for a number of projects. For those who may be interested I believe Tuesday will see the shop closed while the rest of the week someone should be there much of the time.
SAFETY SENSE
Winter Slip and Fall Protection
A small patch of ice on the stairs, a puddle on the floor, or snow on the sidewalk can put you down. Use extra caution to keep you on your feet this winter.
· Don’t hurry when conditions are likely to be slippery. Give yourself plenty of time to get to your destination.
· Wear slip-resistant footwear, appropriate for the weather. Leather- soled shoes for men and high-heeled shoes for women are especially hazardous in winter.
· Practice good housekeeping habits. Clean up small spills immediately.
· Keep skid-resistant door mats near entrances to dry your footwear. Check the bottom of your feet every time you enter a building, and clean off the accumulated ice and snow.
· Anticipate hazards as you are walking. When you come to a corner, slow down. If you think a surface might be slippery, take short sure steps, somewhat like a penguin walk, instead of longer strides.
· Make sure you can see over the top of anything you are carrying while you walk. Try to keep one hand free to use handrails on stairways.
· When getting in and out of vehicles, always keep at least one hand on the handle or grab bar so you can catch yourself if you start to slip.
· Try to avoid climbing ladders in cold weather. The rungs could be covered with clear ice. If you must climb a ladder, examine it carefully and proceed with caution.
· Keep pathways at home, and else ware, clear of snow and ice. If possible, turn on extra lights at night to illuminate the area.
· Pay particular attention when you are walking after dark. Remember that drivers will have a difficult time seeing you, so be sure to wear light colored clothing, preferably high visibility yellow, and watch out for vehicles.
Sometimes, even though you have tried to be careful, you may fall. Don’t move until you are certain you haven’t broken any bones.
SAFETY IS JOB 1
SAFETY FIRST ALWAYS
