CMO Status Report

June 12, 2021

Welcome everyone to the first General Membership meeting in more than 15 months.

For those of you who haven’t been here we have been doing small projects; electrical installations, tool car jobs including 480 pass-through brackets, interior painting, generator installation equipment and also fabricating new doors.

Our AMTRAK inspector was here last Saturday. I requested an answer one way or another regarding our frame repairs. After several letters and conversations since December, he finally agreed to provide us with a letter to proceed. I’m still waiting on that letter.

Matt C. and Spargo have been working the folks at NMDOT for an operating agreement. This has been in the works for several years and the delay has been blamed on PTC and COVID to mention a few.

We are planning to do a hydro in the near future. We have done some welding on the boiler so by code we need to do a hydro plus one should be done every year. I’ll keep all informed.

The first move will be a test run on compressed air as a safeguard. After that we’ll do a 5th steam-up and let her roll. Everyone will be given notice as to when this will happen. It all depends on when we can have a large contingent of volunteers who may want to be present for the first steam move.

We currently have a problem with our track and Frank has been heading that up.

As everyone knows we are officially in the heat of summer. Stay hydrated. We provide water so when you get a bottle put your initials on the cap. We find half drank water all over the place. If you get a bottle please drink it all, squash it and place in the recycle bin.

If you feel hot or flushed get to my office or the reefer to cool down for a few minutes. The coolers have been turned on and they stay on. Also, don’t forget the sunscreen prior to leaving your house and if need be use it during the day as well.

Keep on Steamin’,
Rick Kirby
CMO, NMSL&RHS