Resolution of Ground Relay Issue on GP-9 1741

Today an ongoing ground relay issue was resolved in 1741. Mark Gray assisted with Cory Fothergill and Wayne Allen fixed an issue by hi-potential testing the electrical system on 1741. All traction motors tested fine, and the main generator was cleared of issues by correcting a terminal stud that had become no longer insulated. That being said 1741 is fit for service mechanically and electrically. The transition system was tested and will be tested in the field down the road. Ryan Fothergill continued to repair damaged foot boards on the locomotive and Jim Hamlin helped remove rusted out metal for work to continue.

Conway Scenic Railroad early operations, Railfan's Days and Steam doubleheaders by Ron Johnson

Ron Johnson, who was hired by the Conway Scenic Railroad in 1974 to be the official painter and letterer of buildings and equipment on the property in North Conway, will present a program of digital slides and sound movies of early operations plus Railfan's Days and steam doubleheaders covering the 10 years he worked for the railroad.  He lived in his ex-GT caboose (with a piano to play railroad tunes).  He painted the station twice single-handedly.  He has many insights to share about Dwight Smith's vision and how the weedy yard and decrepit infrastructure was transformed into the vibrant tourist railroad it is today.  He also would appreciate other contributions to this program from the mid-1980's on to the present.  He can be contacted at collron2@gmail.com  

Conway Scenic Early Operations

The video will start with a blank screen.  Click on the video progress bar at the bottom of the screen and drag it right to a time of 17 minutes where the video starts 

                                                                                                      

April 13-14 Work Session on GP-9 1741

 This weekend Cory Fothergill and Wayne Allen did some more work on 1741. The rear mu was reconnected and reinstalled after the stand needed replacement . More cleaning in the electrical cabinet and inspections conducted . Finally a bent hand rail, and a GP7 style handrail were replaced on the front of 1741. You will note the green and yellow paint on the replacement parts. Yes, GP9 1757 scrapped several years back is still providing parts to restore our locomotives. Have a good week!

March 23-24 Work Session on GP-9 1741

 This weekend the snow did not keep the crew from working on 1741. (Although it did keep them from getting home quickly!) Wayne Allen performed maintenance on the main generator and load regulator on 1741. Ryan continued welding pilot plates and re-installing the mu stand on the long hood end of the locomotive. While we probably could have purchased a newer style one fairly cheap, Ryan rebuilt the original GP9 style receptacle bending sheet metal and forming it back to its original shape. Eric Grover and Cory worked in the cab. All the plywood flooring was removed and several trash cans of rusted metal were vacuumed and scrapped out of the cab area. New flooring was cut with laminated 1 inch think plywood, once complete it will be covered in anti-skid black rubber flooring and trimmed out as we did in 4268. The original flooring that was removed was charcoal covered on the lower side. We believe this is the original cab floor from EMD and the fire damage that occurred to the cab of 1741 back in 1974.

March 20th Meeting "Special Delivery via Railway Post Office, Maine to New Jersey" by Frank Scheer of the Railway Mail Service Library

 The 470 Railroad March 20th meeting featured a presentation by Frank Scheer of the Railway Mail Service Library titled "Special Delivery via Railway Post Office, Maine to New Jersey". The presentation explains how a letter moved through the RPO network from Lewiston, Maine, to Camden, New Jersey. RPOs were once included in the head-end traffic of passenger trains along with storage mail cars, express, and baggage. Modelers will develop a better understanding of how the mail transportation network functioned through closely and scheduled connections so mail moved nearly as quickly between two points as a traveling passenger could. After the presentation, if members have questions about RPOs on specific trains or railroads, Frank can provide more information in a follow-up email. The presentation notes pages will be available to all members as an email attachment for future reference.

Special Delivery via Railway Post Office

February 2024 Annual 470 Business Meeting and Ghost Train of the Allagash by Terry Harper

 The February event include the club's Annual Business Meeting and Terry Harper's presentation on "Ghost Train of the Allagash"

Annual Business Meeting

The 470 Railroad Club By-laws specify that our Annual Meeting must be held in February of each year. This year, our Annual Meeting will be held in conjunction with the Membership Meeting on February 21, 2024 at 7:00 P.M. There will be three agenda items for this meeting: 

1.The club’s financial statement for the past year will be reviewed

2. The review of activities done by the club in regards to restoring and maintaining our equipment at North Conway.

3. The election of Trustees for 2024. The By-laws require that the Board of Trustees consists of 9 members, each elected for a period of three years. These Trustees are in three classes, with three members elected each year. We also will be electing three Alternate Trustees, who serve for one year each. All current members of the Board are willing to continue serving on the board and therefore the Board is nominating them for re-election. They are:

TRUSTEES - Class of 2024 (serving until 2027): Len Bachelder, George Small and Roger Tobin

ALTERNATE TRUSTEES (serving until 2025): Cory Fothergill, Dan Small and Eric Grover.

Nominations will also be accepted “from the floor” by a method that will be explained at the start of the meeting. Any member in good standing may be nominated with his or her permission.

The  Ghost Train of the Allagash by Terry Harper

Terry Harper, in front of a 1934 Lombard Tractor-Truck made

in Waterville, ME. Photo is by Herb Crosby.

Today they are known as the “Ghost Train” of the Allagash-two standard gauge steam locomotives rusting away since 1933 in a small clearing in the heart of Maine’s Allagash Wilderness Waterway. Situated fifty miles from the nearest railhead, surrounded by a sea of spruce, the 13-mile-long Eagle Lake & West Branch Railroad is truly a railroad from nowhere with a fascinating story to tell. Drawing on over 30 years of research of primary source material including corporate documents, first person accounts, period photographs, and boots on the ground, Historian Terry Harper will guide us on a journey exploring the remarkable story of the Eagle Lake & West Branch Railroad, the people who built and worked on it and herculean efforts to preserve the locomotives and their place in the mechanization of Maine’s early lumber industry. Terry has a deep interest in the early mechanization of Maine’s logging industry. He is a member of the Board of Directors and a volunteer at the Maine Forest & Logging Museum in Bradley, Maine and particularly enjoys maintaining and demonstrating the Museum’s collection of steam and gasoline powered Lombard Log Haulers and Tractor-Trucks.

The attached video contains both the Annual Meeting and the Ghost Train Presentation

470 Business Meeting and Ghost Train Presentation

March 16th Work Session on GP-9 1741

 

Saturday Cory Wayne and Ryan worked on 1741 again. The charging issue involved flashing the auxiliary generator to help it regain a charge. The voltage regulator was also replaced as well . The locomotive is now charging on its own. The unit was tested on the hill within yard limits . We have an occasional ground we are trying to find but otherwise it is operational. Ryan worked again on rebuilding the rear pilot and walkways . Safety covers were reinstalled on the main generator. Traction motors were all inspected and serviced again. More for another week.

1741 in Motion