Not a whole lot was done at the shop this weekend, because of the long weekend, however, some things were accomplished.? The pile of debris inside?near the north door was removed which has really cleaned up the shop.? A bit more track work was done, along with more grass cutting.? Less than 1 week to go before our big open house, and things are shaping up quite well.? Come out and support the NRM, and celebrate the 90th birthday of HEPC steam engine #46 this month.
September 6, 2010
September 3, 2010
Work Session Report – September 2nd, 2010
Had a decent work session on Thursday Sept 2nd.? 4 members came out, and got a fair amount done.? Eric & William spent the time sweeping and clearing debris out of the heavy repair bay.? With the upcoming open house, we wanted to get it cleared out to make is safe for our visitors, which allows us to open up another part of the shop.? Plus, we are expecting another piece of equipment to arrive on site shortly, and it will be going on that track.
Looking west down the heavy repair bay track.
Ken Sr. worked on cleaning the floors under the inspection platforms, and managed to get 90% of the debris from down there cleared out.? I spent my time doing some touch up painting, starting with HEPC E-7. 3 weeks ago I chipped away at some of the years of black and orange paint on the ends of the locomotive. I managed to get it down to bare metal, and on Thursday, applied a coat of flat black to the bare metal.? Even a little bit of paint makes a big difference, and shows that something is being done to preserve the equipment.
I also did some painting on our steam locomotive.? For the past 4 years she has had Niagara Railway Museum painted on the side of the water tank.? Well, now that she is inside the actual Museum, I felt it was time for that to go.? She didn’t wear that in service, and no longer needs to wear it now.? Also touched up a bit of the black on the cab.? The cab will be rebuilt, but just for photos, having a bit of paint on it makes for better pictures.
While we had people out, we moved the drive rods for the steam engine to a spot where people won’t fall over them, and the same was done to the footboards for E-7.? We cleaned the floor where the display cases and tables will be for the open house next week, and marked out the spaces for said cases and such.? All in all, it was a decent day, and we are looking forward to having a great open house, rain or shine, on September 11/12.? As the NRM crew was leaving, members of the Southern Niagara Model Railway Club turned up to work on one of the other tracks near the shop.? It will likely serve as a storage area for our boxcars and some other equipment until such time as we can get them
A little paint...
in the shop.? They cleared the heavily overgrown siding all the way to the wheelstops, which, including what was already cleared, is just under 1000ft.? They had previously cleared the? mudrails on 2 of the crossings on that siding.? They have been doing this on thier own time, and have been a great help to us.
The final note is a photo taken the other day by Ken Jones Sr.? We are working to get the grass cut down for better photos, but this shot shows the NS transfer returning to Buffalo.? The CN mainline is just feet from our doorstep, and one can see trains from CN, CP & NS.
The view from our doorstep!
August 29, 2010
Getting Ready for the Open House
Cutting grass at the shop
With the Niagara Railway Museum open house just 2 weeks away, work has been continuing at the shop.? Much of the grass and brush has been cut from around the former roundhouse/turntable area, as well as around the shop.? Some of the area where the turntable was will be used for parking at the open house.
Inside the shop cleaning is ongoing.? We’re preparing areas for the layouts and displays.? See our “news” section for everything that is going on a the open house.? Remember, 2010 marks the 90th birthday of HEPC 46, so come out andcelebrate a grand birthday.
HEPC 46 turns 90 years old in September
August 15, 2010
Progress on Many Fronts
Cleaning out the mud rails.
It has been a fairly productive 2 weeks at the shop with help from various people.? Members of the Southern Niagara Model Railroad Club in Thorold came out on Tuesday night and cleared out the mud rails of the siding where our boxcars will likely be stored temporarily when they arrive.? This job alone took them almost 3hrs to clean out 40ft.? One of our new members, William Cormier has been cleaning up around the site, and has cleaned out mud, grass and debris from the concrete fueling pads in preparation for relaying the track
Fueling Pads
There has also been work going on inside the shop, mostly with the removal of windows that were smashed in by the vandals who hit us a month ago.? We do not yet have new glass, but we need to remove the old glass to make is safe for our members and for visitors.? There has also been work done on our newest arrival, HEPC E-7.? Paint is slowly being removed, and the engine cleaned up in preparation for painting, which could happen later this year.
E-7 with newly installed window covers.
The cab of E-7 has also been cleaned out as it was filled with sand and other debris from years of sitting around.? Unfortunately, for some reason, while it sat at NRE in Capreol, the step ladders on the sides were cut off (since last year).? These will be replaced in time.? While E-7 is not in it’s original configuration, it will be repainted to its original HEPC scheme.
In keeping with the mandate of the NRM, part of the process of restoration is to have thesite showing as it originally was.? Part of this interpretation is the uncovering of part of the original turntable pit.? This was done this past weekend, and about 12ft of the top of the pit wall is now visible to visitors to the site.? Part of the turntable pit, along with part of a roundhouse stall, will be uncovered so people can see what was originally on the site.
We also now have an Architect working on the plans for the reconstruction
A portion of the original turntable pit rail
of the office area, which will create the main artifact display room for the NRM.??? Jason Pizzicarola of Jason Pizzicarola Design – Architects Inc. (www.jpdesign.ca)?has offered to assist the NRM with these plans.
I extend my thanks to those who have been working so hard to make the NRM a reality, and we expect great things in the future.? Our next big event will be on September 11/12, 2010, at our second open house of the year.? This open house will be bigger than the one in July, and will feature our 3 locomotives on display, track motorcar rides, model train layouts, railway artifacts, and possibly some other local history displays.? The event runs rain or shine, 9am-4pm both days.? Admission is by donation.
August 12, 2010
Weekend Work Sessions & Museum Open – Friday Aug 13th & Saturday Aug 14th
A busy weekend is planned at the NRM shop.? Work crews will be on site Friday, Saturday, and part of Sunday.? Scheduled tasks include paint removal from E-7, and general cleaning of the interior of the shop.? Outside work will include continuing the construction of track 2, including laying out ties and rail, and spiking every 3rd tie to start.? There will also be a membership meeting on Sunday afternoon at 130pm at the shop.
As always, with this amount of work happening, the shop WILL be open for viewing (9am-3pm Friday & Saturday), although our artifacts won’t be there.? Admission is always by donation.? Stop by and see out progress.? Drop us an email or give us a call for more information.
August 3, 2010
Work Session Notice – Saturday, August 7th, 2010
There will be a work crew at the shop Saturday August 7th at 930am.? Work scheduled is continued cleaning of the shop, paint removal on E-7, and weather permitting, tamping of the remaining ties on track 1.? As always, the shop and equipment will be open for viewing, by donation.
July 16, 2010
HEPC E-7 & 46 together again
2 of our locomotives have not been together in the same shop since 1922.? This photo was taken Friday at the NRM site.
HEPC electric loco E-7 & HEPC steam engine 46 are together again, almost 90 yrs later.
HEPC #E-7
With the recent arrival of our 3rd ex-Hydro locomotive, the NRM now has a very unique display. Both our steam engine, #46, and our electric, E-7 worked together during the construction of the Queenston-Chippawa Project.? Our Plymouth diesel was used during construction of Adam Beck G.S. #2, which creates a display of 3 locomotives from 2 of the most famous power projects in Canada.? I would like to take this opportunity to thank the various groups involved with this move/acquisition.
Villeneuve’s Steel Wheels – Floated the locomotive to our shop
NRE-Alco Locomotive Canada – loaded both the locomotive, trucks and other parts
Beam Excavating – provided the backhoe/operator to help move E-7 into the shop
PRW – supplied a 60ton Grove crane to unload E-7
The Northern Ontario Railroad Museum & Heritage Centre for not scrapping this surplus unit, and allowing us the time to acquire it from them
The dedicated members of the Niagara Railway Museum who worked to almost midnight to get E-7 on track and into the shop
HEPC electric locomotive E-7 has arrived!!
NRM's new locomotive, ex-INCo #102 (nee HEPC E-7) sits in the NRE yard waiting to move into the shop for loading.
After a very gruelling 18hr day for me, I am pleased to report that the NRM’s 3rd locomotive is now safe and sound inside the Fort Erie shop.
INCo #102 (ex-HEPC E-7) arrived in Fort Erie at 530pm Thursday.? The crane however, didn’t show up until after 8pm. We quickly unloaded the trucks, and moved the crane and float with the locomotive to the other side of the tracks.? Yes, it was unloaded in the dark.? Peter from PRW brought a 60ton Grove crane for the lift, which was a bit hairy at times, but it all worked out in the end, and after a bit of tweaking, the body dropped onto the trucks quite easily.? A lot of work was done this week to prepare for the move, from going to Capreol prep E07 for the move, to the NRM crew at the shop.? Track 2 was cleared out to accomodate E-7.? Steve, Ray, John, William, and?Ken spent time working on track 2.? Steve,
Ray & William also returned?Thursday afternoon/evening to help with the move, along with Ken?Jones Sr.?& Garry.? Beam excavating sent over a brand new Cat backhoe (6.5hrs on the unit) to help with the move, and the guys that came with it, Jeff & Paul were a great help, as they also pitched in during the actual lift
NRM's new loco, ex-INCo #102 (nee HEPC E-7) is moved into the shop by NRE's 25 tonner.
to hep get E-7 to where it needed to be.? This is the second time Beam has offered a machine to us, the first being when 46 arrived, and it was very much appreciated.? The crew at NRE in Capreol were great to work with.? The engine was jacked up, the trailer backed under?Wednesday night.? Don Villeneuve, Owner of Villeneuve’s Steel Wheels brought the body of E-7 down early Thursday morning.? My driver John, ?arrived at 650am Thursday morning, loaded my pick up onto the float (it died Wed. night) then loaded E-7’s trucks, the pantograph & steps, and we were on our way.? John?was a great help during the unloading?as well.? This move never would have been?possible if not for the Northern Ontario Railroad Museum & Heritage Centre in Capreol who managed to hold off on scrapping the unit untl we could actually acquire it.I had started dealing with Bob Michelutti some 4 yrs ago to have them hold off disposing of the unit.? Thankfully, they were willing to work with us on this, and it has paid off in the end.
Renumbered/relettered, HEPC E-7 is up on jacks, waiting for the arrival of the float trailer, to take it to the NRM.On the truck and ready to go. The body of E-7 is ready to leave Capreol for the last time, heading to the NRM shop at Fort Erie.
I am very pleased with how things went, and am very thankful to all who came out to help with the move, and the preperations that went into
getting E-7 to our site.? With the arrival of E-7, this completes the Hydro Locomotive Trilogy (so to speak) and now gives us a very unique display of 3 hydro units from 2 of the most famous power projects in Canadian history.
On the truck and ready to go. The body of E-7 is ready to leave Capreol for the last time, heading to the NRM shop at Fort Erie.
Thank you again to everyone who helped out. It was a lot of work, but we can be proud of what has been accomplished.? Now, get some rest, and I’m sure I’ll see some of you on Saturday as we have quite a bit of work to do, including door repairs, and a massive cleaning of the cab of E-7.
Ken Jones
President
Niagara Railway Museum
Jeff from Beam Excavating operates the brand new Cat backhoe, lifting E-7's pantograph and steps off the float to allow the trucks to be placed on the rails.
With the trucks on track 2 beside the crane, Peter from PRW starts to lift E-7's body off the float. It is 1030 at night, and the engine was back together by 1115.
July 11, 2010
Productive weekend
Despite more damage to the shop last week, it was still a productive weekend. Work continued on our 2 shop tracks, with track 1 compromise bars being changed to the correct weights, and track 2 has been gauged and spiked up to the start of the 80lb rail. The 80lb rail?will be finished up through the week. The problem now is we are running out of rail. We still need about 300ft of track (600ft of rail) to complete the tracks to where the switch will eventually end up on the CN. ?This includes 1 turnout to connect track 1 & 2, which is the track construction for phase 1.
NRM Site Track Plan