Lake Shore Live Steamers.com

Located at

Penitentiary Glen
8668 Kirtland-Chardon Rd
Kirtland, Ohio 44094

Today's the first work session out at the track and inspecting the track we found several areas where the frost heaved the track out of the ground. This example is track number five at the Willis Car Barn storage area.

Looking back towards Mackey's Run from the end of the Big Bend Bridge the track doesn't look too bad, it fared pretty well this winter. Dave Hird, who is on the switch committee, was working on a switch by the Park Access Road on the mainline near Lester.

By the time the water drains down the grade from the Park's equipment area, it picks up enough debris and soil that accumulates in the low spots, which happens to be the switch throw. Ken Brooks arrived bringing the first load of equipment from Hose Master, our winter headquarters for repairing equipment.

The straddle cars are going to be offloaded first before the engine will be removed as Ken watches to make sure the equipment doesn't derail moving across the transfer ramp section. Greg Guy was working to blow the leaves away from the steaming bay's as you don't want wet leaves piling up.

Dave is all smiles at the moment but I'll bet his knees are getting a workout from not doing anything like this over the winter break. Went back to where they offloaded the engine but it wouldn't start up, it turns out one of the fuel jets was turned all the way in and closed.

Dick Clark arrived from Hose Master and backed up to the transfer table as Ken and Dick Schmidt get ready to offload the equipment. They offloaded a pair of trucks that were rebuilt at Hose Master with new bearings and lubed along with the brake cylinders and linkage.

Well, the crew got the Park engine running so they moved it over to the Stanek Car Barn to pick up some cars and take it for a test run. Wayne Boron at the controls of the Park engine with Dick Clark sitting behind him, Frank Smoley sitting in front of me as we left the yard.

Ron Malinowski, using the hand blower, is blowing the leaves in front of the station off the slight grade up to the sidewalk. In front of this station Greg Guy was working his way towards the cameraman blowing the leaves out that had accumulated over the winter.

That's a lot of leaves Ron is blowing, they're going to have to be bagged and moved off into the woods. Wayne working on the the throttle lever as it seems to move on its own from vibration but he found out it had a shoulder bolt so he couldn't just tighten it.

Frank Smoley was working on the U bolts for the safety chains on a couple of the straddle cars. Back at the station I found out Greg Guy had been up on the roof and blowing all the leaves and debris from the winter off the roof.

Ron taking time out to fill the gas tank and relax a bit before he continues with the dispersing of the leaves and blowing them into a pile. At the station there was 6 x 9 beams the Park had dropped off for a display they're going to set up.

A closer look at the beams which are a little too big for ties for our railroad in the woods. A view of the front of the station with all the debris removed from the roof and in front of our seating area. Hats off to Ron and Greg whose arms and back, I'm sure, will feel it tomorrow.