Along the Line

As soon as Essex Steam Train & Riverboat's busy, 7 day-a-week summer schedule relaxed after Labor Day, the facilities crew immediately embarked on its next “Accessible History” infrastructure project. Improving on April’s new Dickinson Crossing at Essex Station, the Main Entrance was completely re-graded and paved -- from Route 154 , across the tracks, and over to our main parking areas. For 41 years, this entrance was traditional gravel; depending upon the season, it could be dusty, bumpy, muddy, or any combination of the three!

To facilitate this project, a short unused section of Track 7 was removed where it passed through the driveway to allow proper grading for drainage.

This Main Entrance upgrade was a joint project with the owner of the Witch Hazel Works, an office condominium located across the tracks in the former Dickinson Witch Hazel Distillery building. By working in partnership, we improved the comfort and safety for patrons of both venues. Road markings and clearly denoted pedestrian pathways make future arrival at Essex Steam Train & Riverboat and the Witch Hazel Works, more welcoming and easy to navigate. 

Rob Bradway

VP, Track Superintendent & Property Manager

Rob Bradway directs passenger traffic around the Quarry Paving vehicles. 



Along the Line

While Essex Steam Train & Riverboat possesses many unique features, perhaps the most engaging is our "accessible history" - - up close and personal, not behind a rope barrier, not behind glass, not in a book. Unimpeded access to our active artifacts, people, and natural setting in the lower Connecticut River Valley, is a significant part of what makes a visit with us so engaging, exciting, and unique.

Along the Line...we've just completed 2 projects that further enhance visitor accessibility.  The Essex Station platform has been widened to provide a larger area for photography, chatting with our locomotive crews, or just standing in awe at the sight of a live steam locomotive. A new pedestrian ramp makes access to the platform from the parking area more direct and comfortable. And, a strip of green grass is growing nicely to separate the platform from the adjacent parking area.

Further up the railroad, select brush clearing has been performed along the tracks at Pratt Cove, the largest tidal estuary on the Connecticut River. Now, there are more expansive views of this pristine tidal preserve to enjoy during your Essex Steam Train and Essex Clipper Dinner Train excursions.

Visit us this summer, and see how we make history "accessible"...and more fun for you and your family!

 

Rob Bradway

VP, Track Superintendent & Property Manager

Along the Line

The Track Department has tackled another railroad crossing upgrade, this time at the Essex Hardware crossing. 

Smaller in size than the recently rebuilt Dickinson Crossing, the hardware store crossing posed a unique challenge -- performing the work as quickly as possible since the driveway is the primary access to the busy Essex Hardware Company. The Track Crew and some members of the Friends of the Valley Railroad put in a 12 hour day to remove the old pavement, ties, rail, and ballast, and build new track through the crossing, as well as tie upgrades on the approaches. A new ballast subgrade drain was installed to keep the foundation dry. Rubber rail-seal was used, and new pavement installed. Just a quick two-day crossing rebuild, but of VITAL importance to both rail operations and the convenience of a popular local business.

Rob Bradway

VP, Track Superintendent/Property Manager

Spring Training!

I would be remiss to talk Spring Cleaning without mentioning Spring Training.

Under the leadership of Bob Wuchert, Operations Manager here at Essex Steam Train & Riverboat, 62 members of the railroad operating department completed a comprehensive Training & Rules Exam, March 31 and April 2. This dynamic training program and exam is the culmination of months of work by the Operating Committee, Supervisors of Locomotive Employees, and Trainmasters. Tailored to each individual railroad position, the training is integrated with the NORAC Rulebook, Valley Railroad Timetable and the new Valley Railroad Air Brake Rules book.

Once again, our qualified and skilled Train Crew is ready to roll in 2012!

~ Susan

Spring Cleaning

Essex Steam Train & Riverboat is taking Spring Cleaning seriously... rebuilding the 40 year-old “Dickinson Crossing.” This crossing takes visitors over the tracks from Essex Station’s Main Entrance into the Parking Lot, as well as to offices in the original Witch Hazel Works building and to neighboring residences.

The project started when the track crew removed the crossing’s gravel surface with a backhoe. Next, a Kershaw Tie Handler was operated to pull up the rails and remove the old crossties. The track bed was prepared, new crossties were placed and rails were installed.

Rob Bradway, VP, Track & Property, says, “While modern machinery certainly helps, there is a huge amount of good ol' fashion back work including shoveling, spiking, bolting up the rails, lining and leveling the track, and tamping the gravel beneath the ties.” Perhaps that’s why we call Rob our Hero of the Rails!

A BIG thanks to the Track/Engine House crews, and the Friends of the Valley Railroad for their long, hard days. Essex Steam Train & Riverboat looks forward to welcoming our passengers in 2012 with a smooth crossing!

Happy Spring!

~ Susan

No. 97 Inspection

J.David Inspecting Smokebox

March saw a brief flurry of activity on No. 97 as it was inspected by a crew of Valley Railroad staff and various Freinds. Ron Olsen began the work by loosening numerous nuts on the smokebox front and other parts. J.David removed all of the front end netting and baffles to access the front tube sheet for ultra-sonic inspection. By the 16th the locomotive had been moved to the shop. Paul Scarbrough and Pete Barrington gridded out the firebox and Burt began polishing spots for U-T testing. On the 17th Wayne Hebert and Dave removed the steam dome cap and inspected the boiler interior and water side of the firebox.


Wayne Removing Crown Stays (note gridding)
Several staybolts and crown stays were removed to assist with thickness testing and checking for any cracking of the firebox sheets. Dave and Burt removed the valve and cylinder heads while Wayne began the U-T work. On the 18th, Bill Wolf came in to inspect and measure the valve and cylinder bores. All of the wheels were measured as well.


Bill Measures A Driving Wheel
It is hoped that the inspection will be completed next week. Once Dave has all of the data, a scope of work and budget can be created. Figuring out where the funds necessary to accomplish the work will come from will take far longer than the planning. No work will be done until funding is in place.
J.David

The 2011 Season is finished and thus begins the work of preparing for 2012.  Engine 40 has completed it's annual inspection and has had a "caps job" done.  Bill Wolf has been very busy working to machine a new wrist pin for the fireman's side crosshead as well as making new studs for the air compressor bracket and  preparing the fireman's injector to be ready for the upcoming season.  Others have been working on re-installing the lagging, piping, brakes, and water-glasses.  The air compressor was removed and had several boiler studs replaced and the bracket was repaired.   Interesting note that #40 has 292 service days remaining that need to be "used up" over the next two seasons, so we can expect to see 40 pulling quite a few trains this year. 

Wallingford was in the shop for maintenance and repairs.  Having completed most of the work we now have 1000 in the shop getting its "M&R" for the upcoming season. 

During 2012, Engines 40 and 3025 will be operating; however, 40 will see more service because we need to use up the valuable 1472 inspection days.  Engine 3025 is new and has many, many years left to use up its days. 

The tentative 2012 Motive power operating schedule (which is subject to change)
Engine 3025 will start the 2012 season in Fri, April 13 and operate until May 20, 2012 (weekends). 
Engine 40 will operate May 26 through June 29, 2012
Engine 3025 will operate June 30 through July 30, 2012
Engine 40 will operate July 31 through August 30, 2012
Engine 3025 will operate August 31, Sept 1-3, 2012
Engine 40 will operate September 7 through October 22, 2012
Engine 3025 will operate October 26 through November 4, 2012
Engines 3025 and 40 will both operate Christmas starting November 16 through December 27
Please remember and don't be disappointed if your favorite engine isn't operating a particular day.  You can always call the office to verify; however, under certain circumstances the schedule may be altered at the last minute. 

3025 in the SUN!

3025 was out of the shop for a few minutes this afternoon. The tender was filled with coal and some firewood was put on board. We are getting ready to fire it up for the first time since it was re-assembled. A myriad of small tasks remain to be done before it will run, but it is getting close. Stay tuned...
J.David

3025 BACK ON ITS WHEELS

We reached a major milestone in the rebuilding of No. 3025 this afternoon, raising the locomotive nearly 5 feet, sliding the wheels under it and lowering it onto it's rebuilt running gear.

The lift was a long time in coming. The entire running gear had to be disassembled, all parts cleaned, inspected and repaired or replaced.

In addition to all that, early this year we acquired a set of 4 Whiting 30 Ton locomotive jacks. Prior to getting these jacks, we either hired cranes or used our air jacks (and a lot of oak blocking) to wheel and un-wheel our equipment. We beleive that the jacks will pay for themselves with about three or four uses.

Once moved to Essex the jacks were rebuilt by our Master Electrician, Paul Horgan (right) and Contractor, Dave Wantz. Paul made the electrical repairs and modifications (including conversion fron 575 Volt to 480 Volt) while Dave disassembled each jack, making a thorough inspection and replacing worn parts.

Now the push will be on to reassemble the rest of the locomotive and place it in service so it can begin to repay this major investement for our company.

J.David

3025 BOILER STEAM TESTED

April 5, 2011, Wayne Hebert Looks Over His Work
3025 has slid in and out of the shop several times in the last month. The final step in making an alteration of a boiler under FRA (Federal Railroad Administration) jurisdiction is a steam test of the boiler to operating pressure. We did this for ourselves in March to be sure that we wouldn't be wasting the FRA's time coming up to witness the test. Once certain that all was in readiness, we scheduled the inspection.
April 5th wasn't a good day weather wise, but for the No.3025 project, it was excellent. The FRA was pleased with the test, so now we are clear to apply the insulation and boiler jacket.
J.David



Eric Seamans Tends the Fire