Report on FEBT Rockhill Work Session of
September 27-28, 2003
Report by Lee Rainey

The eighth Rockhill work session of 2003 was held Saturday and Sunday, September 27-28, 2003. We had 25 volunteers on both days, making it our largest session ever. Fred and Kevin Kuhns of Memphis, TN again took the distance prize, narrowly edging out John and Barbara Morgan from Ontario.

Those participating included Fred Kuhns, Kevin Kuhns, Dick Ullery, Dean Mellander, Charlie Wootton, Jim Bacon, Chris Coleman, Pat Coleman, Ginny Rainey, John Morgan, Barbara Morgan, Alan Cupp, Jim Vliet, Bill Adams, Shawn Stauffer, Tom Kozub, Tom Diehl, Dennis Marquette, Wade Woodcock, Bob Goldby, Bud Goldby, Dan Cupper, Jim Sucke, Doug Linebaugh, Steve Jacobs, Don Schultz, Jane Clarke, Pete Clarke, Reggie Arford, and Lee Rainey.

TRACK 3
The crew finished inserting new ties into the trenches already dug, completed the spiking of all new ties, and made a start at leveling and aligning the track. In the meantime, an RTY crew put the switch at the south end of the track back into operation. The session ended by running the M-7 over all the new track to demonstrate what the crew had accomplished.

ELECTRICIAN'S SHOP
Working around torrential rains Friday and Saturday night, the crew installed the roof eave trim and south-end battens that had been prepainted at the last session. Final work was done on several windows. The surface preparation was completed and the building received a white primer coat on Saturday and a finish red coat on Sunday.

GLASS CREW
The glass crew as always was busy salvaging glass for the repairs in the main shops.

MAIN SHOPS
Some work was done at the double door of the main shops to prepare to insert the repaired sash. Chris Coleman finished installing this sash the day before the Spectacular.

All in all, with the help of the largest crew we have ever had, we met our two stretch objectives and finished our showcase projects for the Spectacular. It is quite a sight to see 25 people swarming over the yard working on various tasks and it's a sight we hope to repeat in the future!

The final East Broad Top Rockhill work session of 2003 will take place on Saturday and Sunday, November 1 and 2.

Friends of the East Broad Top

webmaster@febt.org

I, for one, certainly find Lee Rainey's reports informative and inspiring. It just goes to show that such work, when done by dedicated people, is not rocket science and can be accomplished without expensive government studies and corrupt contractors overuns. Imagine what could happen if the FEBT were given a million or so in a grant!

ryarger@rypn.org

AMEN, those of us who "run" a family would know how to make that "Million or so" sit up and scream. We know how to squeeze a nickle! And we don't need any politicians helping!

Again, the best of praise to the twenty five volunteers at the September work session. Keep up the good work.

de Don, N2QHV

The change that allows the Friends fo the EBT to do building repairs and restoration is possible because of a younger generation on the Kovalchick take an active part of the family business.

Also in recent years, they have sold track to the WW&F Museum in Maine who are putting it down on the old right of way.

The EBT is a railroad time machine. I sure hope I am there to see something good happen there.

Perhaps this recent building work and the return of two wooden cars from Colorado are profits of more good things to come.


ted_miles@nps.gov

> The change that allows the Friends fo the
> EBT to do building repairs and restoration
> is possible because of a younger generation
> on the Kovalchick take an active part of the
> family business.

Actually it's my impression that Mr. Joe K. rathern than his children is still very much in charge, so credit should go to him along with Friends preisdent Hank Inman, for the blooming cooperation between the railroad and the Friends.

eledbetter@rypn.org

> The change that allows the Friends fo the
> EBT to do building repairs and restoration
> is possible because of a younger generation
> on the Kovalchick take an active part of the
> family business.

> Also in recent years, they have sold track
> to the WW&F Museum in Maine who are
> putting it down on the old right of way.

Just so there's no misunderstanding, the "they" refers to Kovalchick Salvage, from whom we've bought some truckloads of scrap rail (most of it rolled in the late 1800s) torn up from other railroads.

WW&F Railway Museum