Summer Day on the Railroad

Frank writes...

Sunday I signed up as motorman on the wood train.  It was a quiet day; there wasn't much of a crowd despite the weather being pretty nice, in the low 80s and sunny though with some humidity.  My conductor was Mike McCraren, shown below boarding passengers for one of our trips.

The cars ran well though a few minor issues cropped up.  The most significant was that one of the armrests on the 309 came loose, but between trips I was able to take it over to the car shop and effect a quick repair.  We also need to look at a baulky take-up spring on one of the 309's retrievers.  Each retriever has two springs, a "catcher" or take-up spring which simply keeps the trolley rope taut and a powerful retrieve spring that yanks the pole down if it dewires.

"Doodlebug Dan" Mulvihill went for a training trip with us later in the day, after which I needed to leave early - fortunately our indefatigable crew caller Jim West came to the rescue and took the 308 and 309 out for the last trip of the day.  Thanks, Jim!