September 29 – Rail Delivery
The second load of rail from Snoqualmie, WA arrived in Como on September 29 at the same time as sunrise - and was quickly unloaded by our onsite team.
51 sticks of mostly 28’ rail
2 medium-size frogs – one small one
5 guard rails (although 3 are still attached to a rail)
A big thank you to Bob Schoppe, Bob Revis, Bob Peterson, and Bob, I mean Chris, Tome.
Sunrise rail delivery being unloaded
October 10 – Winter/Engine Workday and Added Track Workday
The first Winter/Engine Workday of the season was held on October 10. We have added “Winter” to the name, as there is always work going on that is not directly related to KMR#4 (sometimes even outdoors!). The Track Crew also added this day in order to work out a rough spot by the depot that our train rides revealed this summer season.
Work day began with Dan Silbaugh and Alex Hois outlining work to be accomplished.
New Volunteer Jim Sylvester has initiated and taken on organizing the work shop - constructing new parts bins, organizing tools, expanding fire safety - long overdue. He and his wife Judy most recently donated some very useful plumbing tools that have been put to use immediately as the Engine crew is fabricating new replacement plumbing of Locomotive #4.
Jim Sylvester in the rapidly improving tool room
Locomotive KMR#4 work continues with the focus on the plumbing. It is amazing how much of this “from scratch” work we can now perform ourselves at the roundhouse.
The Engine Crew: Bob Peterson, Jon Dierksheide, Tom Clay (both in the pit under the locomotive fire box) Mark Kahre and Dan Silbaugh installing and fitting oil piping to the locomotive fire box.
Mark Kahre and Bob Peterson threading oil line pipe for the Locomotive.
Bob Schoppe and Mike Pieza relocating recently milled staves from the sawmill area for the water tank construction (and they brought in the highway banner frame for the winter!)
Noah Beachamp & Mike Satterly working on rider box car #203.
We had quite a few visitors and Jimmy Scoville was a very busy host.
Todd Hacket, an old Como friend who helped Bill Kazel with preservation of the Roundhouse and began laying the first track in Como, is pictured with Tom Lawson. Todd is now living in Hawaii and showed up to photograph details for a train layout, It was great to see him in Como.
Unfortunately, we did not get a photo of Alex Hois and track crew realigning rail in front of the Hotel / Depot. The fun will continue with a Winter Workday on Halloween including a Como Cemetery tour. Come join us!
October 23 & 24 – Water Tower Stave Milling
Stave milling lead Mike Antolin put out a call for the Como Sawyers and the response was good enough to put in two 6 hour sessions that produced 30 of the 100 final staves needed for the water tower.
Mike Antolin (peeking in from the business end) and George Firstbrook worked the mill both days. Jon Dierksheide came up on Friday and is not in the photos
Tina Bogani, Jimmy Scoville, and Tim Clay stage the raw logs for the mill while Mike and George prepare for a cut. We got 4 staves out of this one! Yes – it is about to snow.
Paul Blanchard (working for once), Tim Clay, Mike Antolin, and George Firstbrook finishing off a stave.
The Sawyers finish off the last of the leftover sausages from Oktoberfest while roundhouse dog Izzie watches for drops. The grill sorta smoked up the place…
