Opening Workday 2026 Season Held on May 16!
A big thank you to the 27 volunteers who showed up on Saturday for the SPRS opening workday. The breadth of the projects was wide and the depth of the participation was deep. And as always, enjoyment and camaraderie were at a premium. We welcomed 5 first timers who quickly engaged with the veteran team on the variety of projects.
The day started with an extended morning briefing to include introductions, site familiarization, safety, and an update on Klondike Kate Progress (Photo: James M.)
Track Crew
The track crew set out to the sheds to bring out the tool cart and do a quick first day inventory of the tools. The primary activity of the day was to level and strengthen Track 11, which was beginning to show its age and had some incorrect spiking patterns. This task helped introduce some of our newest volunteers to the tools of the trade, and a good portion of the tasks involved in laying track.
Roadmaster Alex Hois, Mark Vecchiarelli, Dale Shallenberger, Gary Roper, and Noah Beauchamp working on Track 11 maintenance
Matt Hutson, Noah Beauchamp, Dale Shallenberger, Gary Roper, and Mark Vecchiarelli using the tools of the trade. How many track tools can you spot? Answer at end of update
This year’s new track project is Track 16. Track 16 will come off the south side of the turntable and run south, eventually crossing the nearside parking lot and switching into the Gunnison Main. A tail will be added to the Gunnison Main and extend almost to the pasture parking lot gate, allowing for a multiple car train to switch on to the main. This will provide a second route from the roundhouse to the northern tracks. Stay tuned for a drawing that will be easier to follow (still in work).
Left: Track 16 turntable exit location. Right: Track 11 stakes (zoom or squint)
The track crew also joined with the engine crew to start loading the “Band” flat car with the too-short water tower staves. These will be moved to the lumber car shed (see Track 11 far side beyond cone above) to keep them out of the elements. The Plymouth will move the flat car near the shed for unloading.
Engine Crew
The Durango and Silverton Mechanical team trained SPRS Engine volunteers on rolling boiler tubes May 11-14. On Saturday, work continued on cutting, loading, and rolling the tubes. A full update of the week with photos will be on the SPRS website in the near future. For now, see below for workday photos w/ description on the process.
The tube runs from the rear to front tube sheets varies in length by location. We have 5 different lengths to cut. Below Left: Jon Dierksheide demonstrates the cutting process to Matt Hutson.
After the tubes are loaded, the tube is expanded to bond to the tube sheet hole. Below Middle: Dan Silbaugh explains the tube expanding process to David Winner and Paul Marizza. We now have 8 volunteers who have expanded at least 3 tube ends each.
Below Right: Paul Marizza using air-powered tube expander on a tube at the rear tube sheet (Photo: Dan)
Left: Tina Bogani prepares to expand a tube on the front tube sheet. After being expanded, the tubes on the front tube sheet are “beaded” around the edge, at which point this end has been “rolled”. Right: Amanda Berreth, Paul Marizza, and Tim Clay at the rear tube sheet. On this end the tubes are expanded only for now, D&S Mechanics will return to bead and then weld the tubes on this end.
Other activities campus wide on Saturday included:
· Cleanup of the scrap wood pile
· Merchandise Store preparation
· Locomotive part machining
· Survey of campus grounds
· Tractor repair
· Tours
Pete Organsky, one of the parent chaperones from High Rockies Community School, loads scrap wood into a dumpster he helped coordinate with Darrell Haggard of Summit Rolloffs (Photo: Chip)
Recognizing our need for firewood, Paul Greguoli spent several days salvaging a lot from the scrap pile – before we haul most of it away. THANK YOU PAUL!
Outgoing store manager Lauren Revis-Hebert goes over inventory and sales process with incoming manager Nancy Santagata. A big SPRS thank you to Lauren who oversaw many improvements in our merchandise sales process
Left: Jim Vanore welomed the sunlight on the bridgeport mill, after many dark winter workdays where he happily toiled in the machine shop. Right: Aaron and Takoda Myers resumed work on the vintage tractor, tackling the (gulp) wiring.
Mike Bottlemy provided tours to the visitors who saw the campus open and stopped. We continue to get interest anytime the gates are open. Anyone who enjoys giving tours should contact me as we expand this service to our visitors outside of Open House days.
Gus Chambers surveys the property for potential future work that includes the trestle across Park Gulch. James Mackay assists in background (Photo: Chip)
The First Happy Hour of the season. See y’all at the next one!!
A huge thank you to the team. Simply awesome workday across the board. Oh – and the answer is nine (9)
