Best Of Mike McGrattan Memorial Train - Admin Thread

[peteski]

So, uh, can someone blacken the trip pin on that observation car?

I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't call it out. 

Since you are one of the hosts of the train, I officially assign you to this duty! 

[chicken45]

I think I'm towards the END of the journey. That's the problem.

[peteski]

I think I'm towards the END of the journey. That's the problem.

Think?! Are you telling me that you didn't look at the spreadsheet containing the  the schedule Tim sent out before this all started?   Either way, you are on before me, so you better fix it before the train gets to me!   

[chicken45]

Think?! Are you telling me that you didn't look at the spreadsheet containing the  the schedule Tim sent out before this all started?   Either way, you are on before me, so you better fix it before the train gets to me!   

OMG PETE.  LOL. I am generally aware of the path. Start in Canada, work its way west to Doug,  then it comes back east to the mid Atlantic, and goes up the NEC to you guys.
I know it has to go to CA before it comes to me. Maybe @dougnelson can fix those trip pins.

[bbussey]

You should look at the spreadsheet.  It reaches a bunch of guys in the Baltimore area before it heads to Pete.  Scott and I are the last stop on the States leg, and I then ship the consist back to Tim for the final Canadian leg.

[peteski]

OMG PETE.  LOL.

Josh, you always bust friend's cookies so I figured you could take some cookies-busting yourself.  If you can dish it out, you should be able to take it too. 

[Angus Shops]

I agree, paint the trip pin. Or cut it off.

Geoff

[eric220]

Just a friendly reminder, I believe the plan was to present a hard copy of this thread, among others, to Mike's family along with the cars. I'd politely suggest that we maintain an appropriate, respectful level of decorum.

[peteski]

Just a friendly reminder, I believe the plan was to present a hard copy of this thread, among others, to Mike's family along with the cars. I'd politely suggest that we maintain an appropriate, respectful level of decorum.

Relax Eric - did you forget already?    This is the Admin version of the thread. - the one presented to the family will be the Photo thread.

[eric220]

@peteski regardless, I'd argue that the occasion calls for a higher level of respect and decorum than we usually hold ourselves to. Whether presented to Mike's family or not, this thread is still a publicly published record.

[peteski]

@peteski regardless, I'd argue that the occasion calls for a higher level of respect and decorum than we usually hold ourselves to. Whether presented to Mike's family or not, this thread is still a publicly published record.

What I wrote was not rejected by a naughty filter, so it is not all that bad.  This thread is not any more or less public than any other TRW thread, but I fixed it for you.  Happy?

[OldEastRR]

I didn't get a spreadsheet. Since Tim directly handed off to me, as the first US host, really didn't need one, but it'd be interesting to see it.

[chicken45]

I have no idea what's going on here, but it looks like Max is at the plate soon. I KNOW he has Neolube lying around. 

[BCR 570]

General Update 12 August 2016

This post is intended to address all of the concerns and questions recently raised, as I have been travelling or otherwise engaged for a while.  After a successful initial tour of British Columbia, our train crossed into the United States last week and will soon be on its way to its tenth stop in Oregon City with Max.


Reminder
You will receive an email from me when you are about to receive the train.  Please email me when you are about to send the train on.  I am relying on these to be able to alert the next person and provide them with contact information for the person they will be sending it to.  I am also recording dates of the stops in my spreadsheet.

Absences
If it looks like you might be away for a while around the time of your stop with the train, please email me the dates of your absence so that I can plan around it and avoid having the train sit in someone's mailbox or in a post office.

Additional Stops
Lee's reply addresses this topic perfectly; I am not opposed to one day stops elsewhere if you deem them appropriate and you are supervising the train directly, but we want the stops documented so I would ask you to provide the details to me when you send your email confirming despatch to the next person.  Please remember that the goal is not to run on as many layouts as possible, but to provide our membership with a way to honour our friend.
johnb - I will remove you from the list as requested.
Fliegerin & DeltaBravo - I will try to add you in if you are downstream of the routing; please provide the registration information as per the start of this thread.

Routing
I understand the desire to have the train in a certain area at a certain time but I hope you understand this is just not possible.  I structured the routing to minimize mailing distances and therefore keep mailing costs down, and I also structured it to take advantage of the offers for hand delivery thereby reducing risks during mailing.

Technical Issues
You will note from photographs that the baggage car and coach are prone to leaning on their trucks.  Unfortunately there just wasn't time to deal with this before I had to forward the train on.  I will find someone on the tour who is able and willing to address this.  Ditto for the trip pin; if it bothers people I will will get it blackened.

I did not see a need for lighting and there just wasn't time to look at getting it done; Goeff and I were under a very tight timeline just to get the train acquired, painted, decaled, and ready for service.  There was also the issue of cost; I am already into this project for quite a few dollars and had to draw the line somewhere.

Photo Hosting
Ed has raised the idea of a central respository for the photographs.  More on this when the details are worked out.

Decorum
Yes, please keep all discussion here relevant, on topic and cordial as I have provided the family with links to both threads. 


Good work so far everyone; keep it going!

Tim

[Dave V]

Sounds like it'll hit Colorado before Labor Day.  Nice!