We will be having a voluntary session for the D&R #9, this Saturday 5/14/22. Start time will be 10am until complete. We will be continuing to knock out small tasks in preparation for the next phases of cosmetic restoration. I hope you can make it. – Jason Reiman
The #9 crew got together this last Saturday for our first working volunteer session of 2022. Unfortunately, Fletcher was not able to join us again, as he was attending a birthday party. But we continued our efforts to prepare the Tender for its first coat of paint. We fully removed the tarps that protected the Tender all winter. We also oiled the journal boxes, and strapped up loose chains and hoses so they wouldn’t drag when the tender is moved.
The #9 itself didn’t get much attention on this day, but we did oil the rods and some other moving parts in the event the loco gets moved. Finally, we inspected the #9’s window frames in the car shop. They are coming along nicely. We had an enjoyable day, and we are all excited to be back at work. Many thanks to Steve Pahl and Mike Laabs for all the hard work.
We are tentatively looking at our next volunteer session on Saturday, May 14. We will confirm that within the next couple of weeks, and hopefully we will see you there.
Jason Reiman
Sorry this is coming out so late. But we will be having a volunteer session for the #9, tomorrow, Saturday, April 23, 2022. The start time will be 10 AM until complete. We will continue to knock out small tasks in preparation for the next phases of cosmetic restoration. I hope you can make it.
– Jason Reiman
Update by Jason Reiman
Fletch and his crew survived winter, and did not waste any time as a small group of us met this last Monday, March 21. Sadly, Fletch was not able to join us on this day, as he was in school. As you know, meeting during a weekday is not when we normally work on the #9, but we took this time off to be able to conduct what we dubbed a “leader meeting” or “leaders’ recon”. Those of you with a military background are probably familiar with this concept. After the winter season, we wanted to check the current condition of the #9, and for the most part she looked good. A couple of the lighter tarps had partially blown off, but all in all she was intact and still hibernating well. After we felt the #9 was looking good, we started brainstorming our first phases of 2022. We re-affirmed our first priority of this year will be to get the loco staged for what could be her first coat of paint. With that comes move requests, coordination with painters, volunteer sessions, and watching the weather. We left that day with a good “To-Do” list, and once we solidify some volunteer sessions, we will let you know.
By Jason Reiman
If you have kids, you know what it’s like to tuck them in and night, and then right before you go to bed, you pop your head through the door to make sure the little ones are still sound asleep.
That’s what our team member Frank Fisher did this month when he swung into the museum grounds to check on the #9. As most of you probably experienced in November or December, we had a few days of high winds and snow, and Frank volunteered his time to go and make sure all the protective tarps and coverings we put on the #9 this last fall were still secured down. Frank was happy to report that it looked like the day we put her away, with the exception of the snow.
It was good to get this report from Frank, and I am looking forward to our next post when we will hopefully be putting out dates for our first volunteer sessions. The day we can unwrap her and get back to work is fast approaching. Please stay tuned in to the museum’s Facebook page and website for further updates.
