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Weekly News March 16, 2005Description
A favorite pastime in the early 21st century is blaming our problems on computers. That is my excuse for the lateness of the "Weekly News", but Butch Cannard repaired my problems last night, so here it is:
After my father's first Stanley in 1908 (a 1906 left-hand drive Model H), he bought a used 1908 Model K Semi-Racer in July, 1910. We have photos of both these cars at Auburn Heights. When my dad and Hyde Ballard discovered most pieces of the Model K in Avondale, PA, in 1945, and Hyde gathered them up for safekeeping, my dad wrote a short history of the car for Hyde which said in part: "I drove it 5 miles in 4 minutes on a good hard road near Quarryville, PA". I know he and two friends made a trip to Piedmont, WV, and return in 1910 or '11 in the Model K over terrible roads. A wrist pin or crank pin failed around Piedmont, he blocked the valve on center on that side, and came home on one cylinder! My grandfather, Israel, was on the Committee for the 200th Anniversary of Old Kennett Friends Meeting in September, 1910, and he wanted to go, so my dad took him in the Model K. It was a hot day, and they ran out of ice cream. The Model K with its driver went into Kennett Square, bought more ice cream, and saved the day. The Model K in our collection contains many parts from that original car.
The new Hewlett-Packard printer, now owned by FAHP, has been installed and the first flyers have been successfully printed, with very nice quality. Thank you, Butch. Progress on the 5 cars now under repair is moving along well. The tank is almost ready to go back in the Model CX, and then this car can be "buttoned up" and put back in the museum. Emil and Butch have worked long and hard in soldering this water tank, a most difficult job on a tank 100 years old. Jim has rebuilt two Stanley needle valves, one for the Model K, and is about to finish the "fix" on the leaking feed water heater on the Model 76. The fender installation on the 87 is about complete, and Emil will modify his flue design behind this fender apron. Railroad springs, both locomotive and passenger car, are progressing well (Loco. #402 has newly-rebuilt leaf springs installed due to the efforts of Jim Personti, and Steve Jensen is cutting coil springs he purchased to fit the passenger cars- the 4 cars require 64 springs!). The electric car is about to be tested when favorable weather permits this. Chuck Erikson is nearing the end of his "nuts and bolts" organization in the shop, and may welcome some help when other parts and tools are sorted in the near future. I am planning to take the 735 to Byrd's paint shop on April 18 for repainting, and "Bucky" is repainting the museum floor on the end toward the parking lot where water during the September flood lifted the old paint.
The chair of the Management Group, Bill Schwoebel, has done great work in organizing his committees and having them develop budget estimates. There have been 2 meetings of his Committee heads, and the Special Events Committee met on March 3, as reported last week. At the most recent Management Committee meeting on March 15, several committee reports were given. The Museum Committee and the Special Events Committee would like to establish a small gift shop somewhere in the museum and have it operable by May when the public is here. This idea was approved. Anne Cleary announced that the house at Auburn Heights will be open on Sundays, May 29, and October 30, the dates of two of our monthly openings. There will be a special theme each time, probably the Fourth of July for the June one, and Ghost Tours for the October one. Bill Schwoebel suggested he'd like a 100th Birthday party for the 1905 Model CX as a special theme for one of our public openings this summer. Rose Ann has plans for upgrading the museum interior, including painting and re-wiring on the electric train layout, and possibly ceiling treatment to lighten up the big display area. Jim Mitchell has agreed to sell his famous ice cream here at our 6 "Steamin' Sundays". I'm going to order a small pre-fabricated (6 x 8 feet) Victorian cottage to be located near the front gate and serve as our ticket office for special events. A lot is being planned, but this is that time of year!
Steve Jensen is planning his first work session for Auburn Valley track maintenance on Sunday, April 3, from 10:00 A.M. until about 3:00 P.M. He can use about 5 or 6 volunteers during this time or a part of this time.
Our introductory and refresher course on Stanley cars will have its first "lesson" on Wednesday, March 23, at 7:30 P.M. in the Museum. The subjects will be: Brief history of the Stanleys and how my father became a dealer and the beginnings of the museum (by myself), a history of the Steam Team since 1997 (by Richard Bernard), and the simplicity and workings of Stanley engines (by Mike May, our visiting Board member). The second session will be on Tuesday, March 29, at 7:00 P.M., at which time Bill Schwoebel will talk about burners and fuel systems, Butch Cannard will tell about Stanley boilers, and Bill Rule will conduct his "experiment" to show how a Stanley 3-tube water-level indicator works. The final session prior to driving lessons will be on Tuesday, April 5, at 7:00 P.M. Bill Rule, Jerry Lucas or I will explain how all the components work together, and fire up a car to demonstrate. New members wanting to learn the Stanley system, as well as those who want to refresh their memories, are urged to attend.
To fill you in on the special days at Auburn Heights in May, as we presently know them (some of this is repeated), here's an update. Sunday, May 1: Wilmington Friends School (a "charter") 1:00 to 4:00 P.M.; Wednesday, May 11 (rain date May 12), train rides for Pre-Schoolers, 9:30-11:30 A.M.- nothing else open or available; Friday, May 20, Technical School group under the guidance of Bob Wilson, a member of BRAACA, arranged for by Rose Ann Hoover- this will be a first attempt at an educational program; and Friday, May 27, a special evening for FAHP Advisors and Board members and their spouses, when we will do most of what we normally do including a limited house visit and a tour of some of the surrounding Preserve acreage, 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. Finally, our "Steamin' Sundays" public day with house tour on May 29, 1:00 to 4:30. In addition, there are 5 special events off-site in May, to which we may take cars. The End.
