Some glitches to report.  The parts were not in for the furnaces so the installation will take place next week.


We cancelled the CSVs for November 25 and 26. Outside work was too cold, and we need to have Calder heated so they can work on the steam parts boxcar that is inside. However most of the track jewelry was sorted and the tie plates piled.  Much of the rest has been put in container/barrels.  New barrels are in the works. 

The bulldozer resists repairs and is being repaired in spite of itself.

Arrangements are being finalized to bring the Trackmobile from Camrose to the Museum. It weighs about 7 tonnes and needs some work on the engine to put it back into service.

Stephen has been working with Prairie Gardens to put in a railway information display. The Garden Railway folks are involved as well.

The Annual General Meeting is scheduled for the Namao Community Hall at 11 am on January 21, 2012. Lunch will follow the meeting and progress reports will be presented. We have much to celebrate!

Herb

We have had our first real taste of winter.  Now that we know what it feels like, we would like to go back to +/- 2C. Please?

This week will see the installation of the new furnaces in Calder Shop.  They will make a significant difference to the heat in the shop and cut our use of propane. Thanks Terry!

We are also having the CSV crews out for Nov. 24, 25 and 26. That should take care of some unfinished tasks.  Snow shoveling is high on the list. Thanks Barry!

December 10 will be a work day to re-clad 1392 in preparation for her summer debut. Most of the major work has been done including putting the insulation on the barrel of the boiler. Plan to be there to help if you can. Nothing brings visitors to the museum like 1392. 

The bulldozer is back in service after repair of a leak in a hydraulic line.

As of last week the track is buttoned up to the gate.  The half-moons are bolted to the ends of the rails which completes the track work.  Thanks to PNR for their help.  Ballast will have to wait until next spring, but the track is ready for occupancy.  Nice to see that job finished.

Herb

Ivan has drawn a schematic of the proposed mini-rail attraction which the board discussed on Wednesday. The proposal was approved in principle. It is intended to attract mini-rail enthusiasts who will set it up and run it ...as well as attracting visitors who wish to ride it. Ivan is our main contact with the mini-rail groups.

We also discussed a Garden Railway attraction. More discussion is to take place. Stephen is working with the Garden Railway group to set up a display at Prairie Gardens. They wish to incorporate a railway display for a few weekends before Christmas.

As winter keeps threatening to raise its ugly head, we are finishing up on the outside work and concentrating on projects that can be done inside.

Cleaning up the area east of Peavey Station is high on the list - track materials, ties, plates, spikes - all have to be gathered and moved to make way for the Kid's Car.  Terry is going to cut some 45 gallon steel drums in half for moving and storing the jewelry. 

At the board meeting it was agreed that the two track side buildings that are northwest of Calder would be moved farther down toward Soneff Junction. In addition,  a lay-down area would be built there to store the track jewelry, rail and switch materials from east of Peavey station.

When the Kid's Car is moved, it was agreed that the beautifully restored Engineering Car would be switched into its place.  The Engineering Car is very much a part of the track gang display and it is not getting the attention it deserves. When the Refrigerator Car is  completed it will take the Engineering Car's place in the string behind 73. 

We are getting ready for the furnace installation in Calder Shop on November 23 and 24.

We say goodbye to the Community Service Volunteers at the end of the month.   Some snow shoveling may be scheduled this winter. We look forward to CSV participation in 2012. This has been a good summer and we appreciate the enthusiastic cooperation that we got along with a huge amount of work.

Herb

The year-end is upon us. All the posting to the ledger is nearly complete. Gloria, Cathy and Rosemarie spent most of October 27 doing the inventory in the gift shop. That is a tedious job and I am pleased with the results. The inventory sheets have gone to our bookkeeper Connie  in Spruce Grove.  She will amalgamate the results into our financial statement in  preparation for the final report which will go to the board in early December.

PNR has removed the storage container from the parking lot and Scott tells me that he will  be moving his trailer in the next few weeks.  We  will miss having him and the crews on site. He is doing a bit of work on the bulldozer to stop an oil leak.

We are planning to move the Kid's Party Car from the line-up in front of the steam crane to beside Peavey Station.This will re-orient the tour beside the work equipment and make the Kid's Car a destination and more accessible for family use. A deck in front of it will provide a shaded area for visitors to sit

Now that the collection is looking better elsewhere on the grounds we will concentrate on the MOW display - scraping, repairing, painting and interpreting.  There is a lot  of scrap wood to be removed from the track and walking areas, track materials to be moved and some landscaping. More planning is necessary of course.


This has been a good year for the Museum. Thanks to all of you who put in the time necessary to make it happen!

Herb

We have tackled a number of new challenges. Cleanup at the gate has begun, including moving some ties and rail.  They will be taken away and stored elsewhere.  The base of the entrance sign has been filled and levelled. 

The rail that was in the parking lot is now ready for loading on flat car NAR 16511, thanks to Don Weymouth and the CSV crew.  We have decided not to replace the decking on the flat car because it will be used for rail storage.  The rail will be stacked on the flat car which will take the rail off the ground.  Moving the flat car will make the rail available wherever we need it.
 
Sidewalks to the washrooms are being repaired/replaced as well as the sidewalk to the water tank.

We have now confirmed a CSV work schedule for November.  Crews are booked on Wednesdays, November 2, 9, and 16, and Saturdays, November 19 and 26. These are days when our members are usually present and they will be able to take advantage of the extra help.

Irene and I made a visit on Saturday to Iron Horse Park in Airdrie to see the mini rail set up.  We were treated like the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, including a complete personal tour (by rail) of their entire site. We will be able to take advantage of their experience when we begin planning for our mini rail.  President Alan Pile expressed an interest in having some of their folks visit us as a group when 1392 is running next summer. It is very encouraging to talk to such enthusiastic people.