Overlook Ridge retaining wall cement pour
October 22, 2020 Operations Council Meeting Minutes
President Bob started the monthly meeting at 12:34pm; 10 members were in live attendance, 2 connected via Zoom and two guests.
Guest introduction by Bob: “Fin” Finbarr is a high school student with a strong interest in trains. He’s hoping he has time in his schedule to come out and work on trains with us on some Thursdays.
Treasurer’s Report
Kevin: We have $8,452.60 in our checking and savings accounts. Accounts Receivable are $0 with $1,847.12 in Accounts Payable.
Caboose Loop Project year one budget. Good weather has allowed us to continue extra work days in small groups per Covid protocol, making up for time lost when we were shut down earlier this year. The enthusiastic pace of our dedicated work crew, greatly aided by recent new members, is allowing us to purchase and use needed materials, raising spending closer to the planned budget. In short, we are now essentially on time and on budget. Extra thanks and congratulations to the team.
Membership is 69 all are current.
Project Status Reports
Lumber Camp Bridge - Carl
LC bridge. Remaining guard rails are awaiting holes to be dug for them. The auger we had planned to use is deemed trash, so we will use our jack hammer and dig it by hand.
Signals - Complete. Item to be removed from discussion.
Plaques - The Lumber Camp plaque was installed and Carl is working on the new silver bridge plaque. Bob will take pictures and share in the Run Day photos on our website.
Caboose Route
Bruce - Concrete is done on the east portal. All the I-beams are painted. The west portal I-beams have not been installed yet. We ran out of concrete on the Overlook Ridge’s foundations, so will need more to finish the west portal with hand mixed concrete. We need to measure and order the wood for fill in and beam facings. Grading on the caboose route will commence soon. Then we can put in gutter boards (which we have) and add base rock. We won’t get access to the larger tractor until next year when the ranch is working on their roads.
Overlook Ridge
Bill - First, some history. When we originally designed the route and pioneered it with a bulldozer, it had a hair pin curve below the Overlook House with too tight a turn for our standard 50’ minimum radius. One plan was to take out a tree, move a lot of rocks and add an 8’ wall on the inside of the curve, or perhaps a short tunnel. Both are costly. Instead, we decided to bulge out the ROW on one side; leaving an 8’ wide area inside of the curve. While this is not normal for a mountain route, it is in an area with a gorgeous view of the RR environs if we trim a few trees.. It will be a nice shady place to stop and have lunch on a 40’ spur track which can also be a normal siding. But, it is on a 2 % grade, as is. We have enough space to grade it to a flat, level, usable spuris, notwithstanding buried pipes at the end that will just fit.. We’ve staked it out for folks to take a look. Might be able to put in two tracks, but recommend one only To enter it, You would go past the Overlook point 70’, then back into the siding. Would love your views on the idea. Steel is in; we’ll measure for the wood today, order by the end of the year. And order steel planking at the end of the year or early next year.
Mike asked what happened to the plastic flooring material idea.
Bill replied that we found a better alternative. 12 gauge pierced steel sheets that are made into planks with 2-3”” height;up to 24” wide, from 2-12 feet long, all are galvanized. Holes are oval, we have ordered a sample to see if our ballast falls through. The lead time is seven weeks, and the transportation will be expensive. This is a link to the proposed material.
Little Buildings - Bob for Dick
Bob for Dick - Dick is working on the fire tower building at home; he has pictures to post this week on the progress. Randy has been helping out there too and plans to be there on the 24th. The fire tower includes an Osborne fire finder. Bob suggested we call it the “Osgood” fire finder.
Switch Stands
Tom - Working on 20 switch stands, 10 of which will be remotely operable. Going to manufacture all and then start installation.This will take about 2 weeks.to finish manufacturing
Track Fabrication –
Bob - Work is everlasting, and Kevin is building switches into the far future for the caboose route.
Budgets -- Bob
A few weeks ago, the board put together a wish-list of expenses for the rest of this year. They will further refine to get non-imperatives out so we can stay within budget. We ordered new tie plates through Mike Massee; due next week. We have not ordered the new “H” tie material from RMI yet. We have to verify that there is enough room in the budget to do so this year. Bruce found a great deal on Makita drill motors and batteries which we need to make production more efficient.
Future Work and Run days
Work day in November Thanksgiving work day will be on Wednesday. We think we can run/work on Thanksgiving. Christmas week work day will also be Wednesday. Don’t yet know about running in December.
This Saturday’s run day is now a work day. If you wish to bring a guest, notify a board member.
The family is hosting an event next week, and we (several RR members ) are helping out - we have enough volunteers, don’t want to overwhelm the party. We will eat separately. .
Questions - final remarks?
Tom: “Everything is running beautifully, I have no questions.”
Carl: in building 4 next to the Metal workbench, there is now a sign out list on the cabinet. If anybody is taking tools away from the area, or borrows for home, you must sign it out - list the tool and your name, and return in a timely manner. Too many things are walking away and some are not coming back. (Mike was heard to say: “I got that!”)
Bob asked members to let us know iIf tools are broken, let us know and we’ll get them fixed or replaced.
Bob closed the meeting early at 12:56 pm.
