The Train -Sheet Preserving "The Feather River Route"
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The Train -Sheet Preserving "The Feather River Route" May/June 1990 Issue No. 43 Our beloved WP 805-A; EMD FP7 A; the last unit in existence that pulled the California Zephyr; as it stands in our engine shop undergoing restoration. photo by John Ryczkowski Inside: -Results of the election of officers -Upcoming events -Much more Volume 8 Number 3 FRRS A recent editorial in the Locomotive & Railway Preservation expressed concern as to where museum groups such as ours will be in 25 years . I too Feather River wonder. After Hap, Barbara and I are gone or at least have become inactive, Rail Society who will take over? There will probably be no shortage of persons who Preserving would like to be president. general manager and the like. but who is going to "The Feather River open the gate in the morning, close it in the evening, check on visitors Route" throughout the day. empty the garbage cans, mop and check the restrooms PO Box 8 and keep up the thousands of little things that make our museum a nice Portola, California 96122 place for visitors to see? Gordon, Bruce, Sue, Hank, Ken and others do a lot of work on building. equipment, track and so forth, but there is so much The FRRS. a tax exempt public benefit California corporation. is more to be done . Office work alone is a full-time position. the historical society for the We are not ready to quit, but we have grown so large that a full time Western PacifIC Railroad and op paid staff has become a near necessi ty. 'The big question is how are we going erates the Portola Railroad Mu seum In Portola. California. The to be able to pay for such a staff. The Nevada State Museum in Carson City FRRS is not associated with or has 9 paid staff people, and they are smaller than we are. Of course they supported by the Western Pacific are state funded. I don't believe we want to become a governmental unit. Railroad. But we do have to find funding for our operation, whether it be private or FRRS Tax id number is 68-0002774 governmental grants . I don't believe we can generate enough revenue from visitors and members to have a paid staff. Our present income comes from membership dues, donations. gift shop profit, locomotive rental, train rides and a few miscellaneous sources. The TR~N gift shop does a good business on a day-to-day basis. We have a very large selection of railroad items - - over $50.000 in inventory. It is encouraging I ........ f!"".OJ A_U- Itfc. to get notes with membership renewals saying we are doing a great job. but Board of Directors Brian Challender a $100 check would be nice. too . Bruce Cooper's locomotive rental idea was Bruce Cooper super. It has gained us nation-wide notoriety and has made a lot of money Norman Holmes for the museum. Just the other day, Bruce had a call from an eastern din Kent Stephens ner train outfit that wanted to try the same thing on their property. Wayne Monger Hank Stiles Passenger cars have been in short supply at our museum. We have Gordon Wolleson missed several chances to have movie or commercial work because we do Train Sheet Editor not have a passenger train. We are getting a passenger car from the Air Membership Secretary Force at Hill AFB and an Army guard car. These cars will be at no cost to Ed Warren . 110 Date Palm Drive the museum. Sparks, Nevada 89436 Where are we going to put all this equipment? That is becoming a prob (702) 673 - 3610 lem. We have room for a few more tracks, but we will have to really think Membership about space. Associate $15.00 Active $25.00 Our museum is six years old and we are at least as far advanced as most Family $30.00 groups that have been in existence for 25-40 years. I hope we can continue Life $300.00 to improve our museum, but it is going to take more than a few of us who Dues are paid for 12 months from time live here . If you can help by working here, or can help financially, or can of receipt All memberships have one vote except for Associate. Associate help us find funding, or volunteers , we sure would appreciate it. members also do NOT receive the quarter1y publication - The Headlight. Page 2 --Norman W. Holmes Hav e You Noticed the ,What's Happening in the Gift Shop Lat ely ? We now have the nicest and best-orga nized gift shop in the world! Barbara Maintenance Department Holmes masterminded and implemented inspections, the inspections the improvements. We have now made the IIJ !=============== should be thorough, and if best utilization of the space available. Many --to keep everyone properly performed, will not more people can now be in the gift shop at ~ be easy work. For this rea- one time, and yet all can be watched by the up-to-date on the son, this task should be assigned to a con- person behind the counter. This was not scientious and careful worker, and to be as- true in the past. Fresh paint and new fix process of repairs tures make it a top notch gift shop. It's a sisted by a department assistant. B I and restorations. A second objective of preventive main- a-;p;..l_ea_s_ure_ t_o_b_e_i_n_t_he_re_ . Th_ ank__ s,_ a_rb_a_r_a_. _ The foHowing is a brief example of tenance is to cause all maintenance to take I>oes anybody know what a preventive maintenance program will place by intent, and to eliminate all unsched- ? be like at the Portola Railroad Museum. This uled maintenance to the maximum extent your name department was formed in January of this possible. The measure of success for this ob- If you w ould like to have year to help maintain FRRS equipment in jective lies in the reduction of unplanned or people know your name when running condition; and at the same time, Erv unscheduled maintenance or repairs because ever you are at the museum, Hartung, Jr. was appointed as chief Mechan- these items are often the result of breakdown consider p urchasing a nice- ical Officer. or failure which are allowed to occur through looking engraved nameplate to WHAT IS rreventive malntenarce7 inattention or neglect. wear on your hat or shirt. We A preventive maintenance program is a A third objective of preventive mainte- offer green nameplates that regularly scheduled program for inspections nance is to control when and where the main- have your name on the top of locomotives, rolling equipment, and pas- tenance inspections are to take place . Inspec- with Feather River Rail Socie senger equipment. Preventive maintenance tions, maintenance, lubrications, and repairs ty on the bottom. They are rea also includes routine maintenance oper ations activities are easler, more cost-effective, and sonably priced, too. I f you such as changing filters, changing oil and generally more effiCiently performed IN a w ould like to r eceive one by making periodic adjustments as required for regular maintenance shop. mail, the cost is $4.50; and you various components. The key word is SCHE- Achieving these preventive mainte- can get it by sending your or- DULED . nance objectives makes GOOD BUSINESS der to: The schedule for preventive mainte- SENSE. - -Erv Hartung, Jr. Gary L . Cousin nance operations could be based on the calen- ••• p . O. Box 1300 dar, it could be based on miles traveled, or it Redding I CA 96099 could be based on some other measurable pe- See wasn't that easy? ri ~ru~as ti ~~~~donan~~~te~ ~ ___________~~~~~ ______________~ For example; oil in an engine might be changed every three months (calendar Feather River Shortline Update based); it might be changed every 20,000 by Betty Boynton miles (miles-based); or it might be changed Jim Boynton, John Marvin and I concentrated on painting projects on #8 during the every 500 hours (clock-based) . There is no weeks before our first operation on May 12- 13, 1990. \\'hen the engine came out into the requirement that any particular maintenance sunshine for the first run of the year, results of the hours of busy paint brushes were very operation be performed on a specific basis. evident. \\'hat is required is that the maintenance of John Marvin sanded, primed and painted the roof of the engine cab, and Jim did the the locomotive or car be performed on a same on the oil compartment of the tender. scheduled bas is , that the schedule calls for John and Jim painted the front of the engine cab and the boiler while inspection frequently enough to detect devel I did the lower areas. oping defects before they become serious, and [][] ;; Jim and I painted #8's smokebox graphite gray and gave the smoke- that the schedule is actually followed . ., box door a fresh coat of silver. Jim polished the number plate and the And for the reasons stated above, the ~ l metal parts around the front of the engine. Maintenance Department of the FRRS will One of my "specialties" in the upkeep of #8 is the painting of the "white sidewalls" on schedule inspections based on actual time in the wheels of the engine and tender. This was done , plus a touch-Up on the choke chains. operations of each unit from an hour meter The water has been changed in #8's boiler and the window behind the fireman's seat has installed in each power unit, and once- a-year been installed.