May 6, 2008 - "Building" Track
Chapter volunteers Luther Brefo and Mike Roqué measure, gauge, and spike an additional track panel on track 8 to extend it towards the south end of the restoration building.

May 6, 2008 - Bulldozin' for Track
Construction department volunteer Dan Waterstraat works to box out the location of the track extension at the south end of the restoration building.

May 6, 2008 - Bulldozin' for Track
Volunteer Dan Waterstraat operates the museum's Caterpillar D7 bulldozer in preparation for the southward extension of track 8 from the restoration building.

May 6, 2008 - EK6 Electrical Work
Volunteer Jim Johnson works on wiring beneath GE 80-tonner EK6's deck with brake shoes installed earlier in the week visible to the right.

May 3, 2008 - Back together...
After a lot of work, EK6's brake cylinders have all been re-assembled and its rehabilitated hand brake mechanism reconnected.

May 3, 2008 - New shoes...
Along with the cylinder and hand brake work, several new cast iron brake shoes were purchased and installed on the engine. One of the new shoes is shown here.

May 3, 2008 - Another step...
The third switching step for RG&E #1941, the museum's GE 45-tonner, has been cleaned, primed and reinstalled. Finish painting will take place later in the summer when all of the mechanical work is complete on the engine.

May 3, 2008 - Back together...
At the other end of the building, the Oliver Cletrac engine in our Fairmont A4 track car TC-2 is back together after receiving new rings and a valve job. The R&GVRRM relies heavily on its two A4 track cars for its Sunday public operations. The museum is also seeking to add a third car of similar size to its fleet. Do you have a car we might be interested in?

May 3, 2008 - Prepping for more track...
Volunteer, Dave Luca, navigates the R&GVRRM's Bobcat 610 out of the restoration building after doing some leveling work on the grade inside of the building to allow for track #8 to be further extended south out of the shop. The museum is currently seeking a donation of new or good RTO rims for our 610 since the current rims are starting to show wear around the lug nuts from years of service. Please let us know if you can help.

May 3, 2008 - Track...
After the grading was completed, another section of track was laid out in the building; ending just a few feet shy of the south door. Once some grading outside of the building is completed, the track will be extended out of the door. This track is temporary to allow addition use of the building. Through its 'Building Tracks to the Future' capital fundraising campaign, the museum hopes to raise all of the necessary funds to install a concrete floor and inspection pit in the building. Can you help with a donation?

4/22/2008 - Reassembled...
To allow for some work to take place on the R&GVRRM's seven ex-New York Central 'Empire State Express' passenger cars, the entire train was re-assembled into a single train.  Here we see the cars stretched north through the restoration building yard and out on to the museum's mainline.

4/22/2008 - Looking south...
Here we see some of the train stretched back toward the museum's restoration building both from the hill alongside the building and down at ground level.

4/22/2008 - Out on the main at the other end...
We find the museum's Fairbanks-Morse H12-44 #1843 along with Lehigh Valley #211 at the head of the train out on the mainline.  The 1843 was used to put the train together having been recently woken back up from its winter slumber.

4/22/2008 - Window replacement...
The R&GVRRM has an program in place to replace much of the glazing on its six Budd-built coaches.   Here we see one of the cars with plywood replacing many of the windows that are in the process of being rebuilt.  We also see the one of the new windows already installed.  At over $100.00 per window for glazing alone, the museum could use your help.   Would you adopt-a-window with an online donation to the museum?

4/19/2008 - From the top...
Looking down from the walkway of the R&GVRRM's GE 80-tonner #6, we see the top of Plymouth BL #1 and all of the new roof sheet metal along with the new replica front grill.   We recently confirmed that our #1 was Plymouth serial #969 built in September 1920 for the Merchants Despatch Transportation Despatch Car Shops and then sold to the Odenbach Shipyards where the museum acquired the engine in derelict condition many years after it was last used.

4/19/2008 - Going back together...
Here we see the piston and return spring for ex-RG&E #1941's 12-inch brake cylinder.   A new rubber packing ring has been secured in place on the head of the piston, and both will seen be put back into the cylinder.

4/19/2008 - Going back together...
Back on the engine, the rebuilt non-pressure brake cylinder has been remounted and is waiting for the piston to be inserted from the rear end of the cylinder since the rear cover remains off.

4/19/2008 - Done!
Here we see the newly rebuilt brake cylinder complete including some newly machined pins and all new cotter pins.

4/19/2008 - Still waiting...
At the other end of the shop, 80-tonner #6's brake cylinders are still waiting to receive their COTS (Clean, Oil, Test, Stencil.) and to have their rebuilt pistons reinserted.

4/19/2008 - While up in the cab...
A new water temperature gauge (top left) has been installed amongst all of the other air and engine gauges.  A custom voltage converter board was created by an R&GVRRM volunteer to allow 12-volt auto gauges to be used with the locomotive's 64-volt electrical system.

4/19/2008 - Straightened!
Back down on the ground, we find EK6's switching steps back together after being straightened the week before.

4/19/2008 - Back outside...
Outside we have a shot of the north end of the R&GVRRM's restoration building.   To aid in clearing the land south of the building to allow for track construction, two of the museum's storage trailers were moved next to the building to leave them easy to access, but out of the way.

4/19/2008 - A clear view...
With the storage trailers moved, a clear view of the museum's ex-Wellsville, Addison & Galeton snow plow could be seen again including new primer applied to the plow.

4/19/2008 - Snow's over...
But when it returns, the R&GVRRM has this snow sweeper which could be sent out to remove the snow.   This unit is part of the museum's maintenance-of-way collection.

4/19/2008 - A clearer view...
With the storage trailers moved, we get a better view of the south end of the restoration building, and the land that will soon hold new yard tracks to store the museum's railroad collection.

4/19/2008 - More MOW...
To aid in the trimming of the museum's grassy areas and right-of-way, the R&GVRRM rosters this Farmall Cub with attached mover deck.  The unit runs great and provides a lot of use to the museum.

4/19/2008 - Big digger...
The museum rosters this Bucyrus-Erie 20-H hydraulic excavator as part of its construction equipment collection. The unit is a good runner and will see a lot of use in 2008 in the ongoing excavation around the museum's restoration building.

4/12/2008 - Repaired...
Here we see the non-pressure brake cylinder head from the museum's GE 45-tonner RG&E #1941. The two brazed patches can be see here prior to final machining.

4/12/2008 - Painted...
With the final machining done, the non-pressure head along with the rear portion of the brake cylinder can be seen here in new black paint in preparation for cylinder re-assembly.

4/12/2008 - More paint prep...
Along with all of its mechanical work, the #1941 is also receiving a complete cosmetic restoration. Here we see Project Foreman, Joe Nugent, cleaning up one of the switching steps prior to priming, finish paint, and installation.

4/12/2008 - Bent!
Back on Eastman Kodak Company GE 80-tonner #6, we find another set of switching steps in need of help. In this case, the steps tangled at one point in their life with a track bumper and lost being bent up. As part of the work on EK6, it was time to repair these steps and bend them back into shape.

4/12/2008 - Heating them up...
Museum volunteer, Pete Gores, heats up one of the verticals on the switching steps. Once hot, a large wrench was used to apply enough pressure to reshape the step.

4/12/2008 - Straightened...
On the engineer's side, the grating had to be removed to make the repairs. Here we see the straightened step supports. By the end of the day, the grating was bolted back on completing the repair.

3/29/2008 - Changes out on the mainline...
For the past several years, the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum's partner museum, the New York Museum of Transportation, has been installing overhead trolley wire over the portion of the museum railroad which they own. The R&GVRRM owns up to approximately milepost 0.5 and the NYMT owns from there on although the museums share the maintenance and usage of the railroad. This winter with help from R&GVRRM volunteers and using R&GVRRM's equipment the NYMT has nearly completed the install of all of the poles along their portion of the railroad. Here we see a view looking north from Scanlon's Curve where you can see all of the newly installed poles to the right of the railroad.

3/29/2008 - Changes...
In these views, the newly installed poles can be seen at Scanlon's Curve and looking south toward the R&GVRRM. In this heavily wooded area of the railroad, it is sometimes hard to tell what are the poles and what are the trees.

3/29/2008 - Changes...
In this view of the pole install, we see a view looking south toward Scanlon's Curve from Reid's Crossing.

3/29/2008 - Changes...
In this view, we are north of Reid's Crossing looking south...

3/29/2008 - Changes...
Spinning around, we are now looking north toward milepost 0.8. This is the area traditionally used for the R&GVRRM's Diesel Days special event. It hoped that for 2008, the R&GVRRM's will actually meet NYMT's trolleys! Stay tuned...

3/29/2008 - Changes...
A telephoto view looking north of milepost 0.8 with BOCES crossing in the background as the tracks curve to the left.

3/29/2008 - Setting poles...
In this set of pictures, we find the combined R&GVRRM and NYMT pole crew digging the hole for the second to last pole using the R&GVRRM's auger truck. This hole was a fighter with steam rising from the hole when the drill bit was removed, but it finally relented and the pole was eventually installed.

3/26/2008 - Back in the shop...
We find Machine Shop Foreman, Kevin Klees, braising up the 1941's non-pressure brake head to build up enough new metal prior to machining back to round which should give this old part many more years of reliable service.

3/22/2008 - Rebuilt!
Again we find ourselves under the deck of ex-Eastman Kodak Company #6. This time, however, we find the same hand brake pulley all rebuilt with two new pins, a new chain, and brand new spring hangers to hold the chain up when there is slack. Nice work!

3/22/2008 - And at the other end of the chain...
At the end of the chain from the pulley above, a second pulley is found. This pulley also had its pin drilled out, the pulley cleaned and a brand new pin installed. We also see a second of the new spring hangers, and the new chain connected back up to the truck.

3/22/2008 - A little engine work...
The R&GVRRM's Fairmont A-series gang cars are the backbone of its Sunday operating fleet. Here we see one of the museum's cars, TC-2, in the restoration shop for some engine work. In order to remove the oil pan, the car, shown here, had to be blocked up and the front axle split in half to allow access to the oil pan. The museum is seeking another A series gang car to add to its collection. Do you have a car we might be interested in? Please let us know.

2/16/2008 - Time for some improvements...
With the engine shutdown for the winter, it was a great time to start looking at what repairs and improvements could be made to our ALCO RS-1 #9. Here we see one of the traction motor blower ducts that channel air from the frame mounted blowers down into the trucks and traction motors. From many years of use, the ducts have torn reducing the effectiveness of the blowers. So it was time to get new ducts made up.

2/16/2008 - Awaiting replacement...
Here we see the rigid ductwork after the flexible canvas duct was removed. The engine has four of these, and they all will be replaced before spring startup.

2/16/2008 - More locomotive parts in need of repair...
Inside of our restoration building, the museum's ex-Rochester Gas & Electric GE 45-tonner #1941 has been receiving both mechanical and cosmetic restoration work. As part of the mechanical work, it was time to COTS (Clean, Oil, Test, Stencil) the brake cylinder. Once removed, it became obvious the non-pressure brake cylinder head would need some work to rebuild one piece which cracked off and rebuild the hole in the center showing heavy wear from the hollow push rod.

2/16/2008 - And more parts...
Also in the restoration shop is the museum's ex-Eastman Kodak Company GE 80-tonner #6. The loco is receiving brake work including a full cylinder COTS on all of the truck mounted cylinders and a rebuild of the hand brake. Here we see one of the pulleys in the hand brake system. After attempts to knock the pins out holding in the pulleys, it was decided it would be easier to drill them out and machine new pins. Here we see a pilot hole drilled into the pin at the start of the removal process.

2/16/2008 - Cleaning up window frames...
As part of the work on the museum's passenger cars, all of the windows are receiving new glazing. This is a very complex and tedious process with the need to remove, retap, and replace MANY screws along with many pieces that make up the window frames to clean and rework. Here we see museum volunteer, Bill Blaesi, wire wheeling one of the pieces of one of the window frames. Necessity is certainly the mother of invention...

2/16/2008 - And back up in the window shop...
Once he completed wire wheeling the window frame, Bill headed back up into the museum's window shop where we see him re-assembling one of the window modules including re-tapping the many screw holes that hold the module together. Each module takes a $100 piece of polycarbonate. Want to help us and adopt a window? Make a tax-deductible donation online.

2/16/2008 - Snow now... Rail soon!
In this view looking north from the south end of the museum's property toward the restoration building, we see snow now, however, the museum plans to install both tracks leading out of the building out to this point to give the museum more track storage space. Interesting is that this area is now 20+ feet higher than it used to be as the museum has filled this area using the soil excavated from the north end of the building. That is a lot of dirt moved!

1/26/2008 - New siding progress!
As part of its "Building Tracks to the Future" capital fund drive, the R&GVRRM is working to raise the funds to build a 1400 foot siding west of the Livonia, Avon & Lakeville Railroad. This siding will eventually hold the museum's ex-New York Central 'Empire State Express' passenger car set once the work on the cars, currently stored up by the museum's restoration building, is completed. To get the process started, the museum has contracted with and paid for the installation of the switch that will feed the siding. To get the process started, the LA&L Track Department seized on some decent weather this January to build up the switch as a panel for a spring install in the mainline. In this view looking south toward the museum, you can see the new switch waiting install.

1/26/2008 - New siding progress!
In this view looking north, you can see the new switch and the LA&L mainline.