The weather for Mother's Day was perfect. This brought out 420 paying riders at the WF&P our largest crowd for this date. Thanks to all who took the time away from family to volunteer on Mother's Day, your help was very much appreciated. Power for the day was 400, 535, 13 & 5205. 535 made one trip but broke 2 piston rings on the right side as the piston came loose and moved a little bit too far. Tabernacki has 535 repaired with new rings installed as of yesterday (Wed.) and it will be in operation on Sunday.

 

Best wishes to Herold Wind who had hip replacement surgery on Tuesday (one side). Louise emailed me and said he did very well but would need a long recovery time. Herold & Louise will be down for Member's Day to visit. It was good to see Greg Waplehorst who made the long trip from Mississippi to spend the weekend with his grandson Andrew at the WF&P.

 

Congratulations to Ed Moore who has been appointed Safety Director of the WF&P. Ed had held that capacity a number of years ago and has generously volunteered to do it again. Ed has strong credentials as a safety officer in the military and your cooperation with Ed's ideas will benefit all of us.

 

Wednesday (yesterday) saw Lorance & Welch repairing the Glencoe turntable and spraying for weeds over the entire ROW as well as Glencoe yard. Keeton & Scott beginning the conversion of passenger car 1300 to have doors on both sides & Tabernacki with Owens repairing 535 and working on 400's reverse lever. That evening Wildwood had invited the property owners, along the proposed trail from Glencoe to Route 66 State Park which would run along the Meramec using part of the old MoPac ROW, to Glencoe for a catered dinner as well as some rhetoric to encourage them to provide easements for the new trail. The WF&P was invited and we provided a early evening train ride behind 13. Thanks to those members who stayed over after spending the day at the WF&P to help with the train operations.

 

Dale has installed a west bound signal at the west end of Bluffs (see photos). This is working as a block signal and is also tied into the yard limit signal. As expected it will give a green signal for a clear block, yellow for a restrictive block prepared to stop at the yard limit and red which is an absolute stop indication. Thanks to Dale for adding to what has become a very dependable system.

 

Thanks to Neubie who made a special trip down to Glencoe on Saturday to help Bob T. repair the door on 5205. This allowed us to put it back in service for Sunday.

 

We now will have a snow cone vendor at the WF&P on Sundays. They are fully licensed and provide hot dogs and snacks as well as drinks. Prices to WF&P volunteers are half of the listed price. Thanks to Wayne Mosbacher for making the contact.

 

Jim Strain