| Work parties continued through the remaining months of winter and even though not much was done outside there was plenty of activity inside and now our depot layout is totally electrified. |
 "(c)2015 Robert Snyder - Bob R. (our chief electrician) and Alex T. can be seen completing lighting on the winter section of the layout. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (150K)") |
All of the buildings are now lighted. To do that the Depot Crew had to put paper over every window in every building to defuse the interior lighting. Without the paper the interior lights could be seen along with the undetailed insides of the buildings. Once the lights are plugged in the lighted buildings added a totally new dimension to an O scale layout that is really shaping up. |  "(c)2015 Robert Snyder - Alex T. can be seen as he tackles clean up duties. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (150K)") |
| In other news our annual beginning of the year planning meeting was held at the House of Pancakes at 3019 Union Rd. in Orchard Park. Our breakfast meeting set several goals the most important of which is the finishing of the work on the BR&P caboose. Roger Smith, project foreman, intends to continue the exterior residing when the good weather returns and hopefully complete everything on the exterior during our good weather months. We also discussed: the annual chicken BBQ (to be held at the Depot on August 16th), installing two large brass plaques awards (one on the building and one free standing), garden work, repainting the trim on the depot windows, the Orchard Park Garden Club's annual May plant sale at the depot, a possible grant from a local Western New York company and getting the part of old South Lincoln Street that passes our depot lowered (a big project involving the Village, Town and our Society). |  "(c)2015 Robert Snyder - Roger S., project foreman plans to continue the exterior residing when the good weather returns. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (150K)") |
 "(c)2015 Robert Snyder - Framed 8x10 photo of an original BR&P steam locomotive. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (150K)") |
On a recent trip to the Orchard Park Antique Mall I was lucky to find a framed 8x10 photo of an original BR&P steam locomotive and an 8x10 photo of an original BR&P motor car. Those photos can now be found in the agent's office at the depot. |
 "(c)2015 Robert Snyder - Framed 8x10 photo of an original BR&P motor car. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (150K)") |
 "(c)2015 Robert Snyder - A large tree that had fallen on the far side of the tracks had to be attended to by the whole Depot Crew. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (150K)") |
As the cold winter weather quickly changed into spring, with some very warm days, the Orchard Park Depot Crew transitioned from inside projects to out side projects. Due to the damage from last winter storms the Depot Crew had plenty of landscape work to do at the depot. A large tree that had fallen on the far side of the tracks had to be attended to by the whole Depot Crew. A chainsaw was used to do the work of cutting the big tree into small pieces that were easily disposed. |
 "(c)2015 Robert Snyder - Alex T. works with Bob R. to clean up around the center island garden. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (150K)") |
Our beautiful Catalpa trees always leave a mess and Jim Slominski and Bob Rynders were up to the task of clearing the debris. Later that same Saturday Alex Trank worked with Bob Reynders to clean up around the center island garden while Roger Smith assisted Gary Ludwig planting several new spiraea shrubs in the depot corner gardens. |  "(c)2015 Robert Snyder - Roger S. assists Gary L. with planting several new spiraea shrubs in the depot corner gardens. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (150K)") |
 "(c)2015 Robert Snyder - Roger S. hits the weeds around the center island garden. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (150K)") |
With beautiful weather in May, our lawn and weeds grew at an exceptional rate. Roger S. and yours truly, gave the stubborn pants a generous dose of roundup. It takes almost a full Saturday to mow the entire lawn. |  "(c)2015 BReynders - Bob S. hits the weeds at the front entrance. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (150K)") |
 "(c)2015 Robert Snyder - The Orchard Park Garden Club held another very successful annual flower sale at the depot. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (150K)") |
The weekend of May 16th the Orchard Park Garden Club held their annual flower sale at the depot. This two day sale is staffed by many Garden Club members and it brings in a large crowd of buyers. I set up a table to promote and sell chances on the August Nickle Plate #765 train trip going to Corning while the plant sale was going on. We were told the flower sale was another huge success. |
 "(c)2015 Robert Snyder - Bob R. uncovers another window on the exterior of the depot. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (130K)") |
The large windows, on the west side wall of the freight house, are being restored by Bob R. I have not seen those windows in the 22 years that I have been working at the depot. They are uncovered on the inside and Bob uncovers them on the outside when he works on them. A profession glass company did an on sight installation of new exterior glass. Acrylic covers will be put on the outside to help make them vandal proof. |  "(c)2015 Robert Snyder - Newly restored windows on the Freight House. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (150K)") |
 "(c)2015 Robert Snyder - Alex T. can be seen pouring Woodland Scenic Water into the water scene on our O Guage layout. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (150K)") |
One of our work parties was forced to do indoor work due to rainy weather. Alex and yours truly continued building the latest scenery on the O scale layout, a water feature. Alex T. can be seen pouring Woodland Scenic Water into that scene. |
 "(c)2015 Robert Snyder - Our new National Register sign the center island garden. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (120K)") |
Our new National Register sign, provided to us through a grant from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation, was placed in the center island garden by our depot work force. The sign actually came late last year but do to severe early winter weather conditions it could not be installed until this spring. Its central location proudly announces that we are on the National Register of Historic Places. |  "(c)2015 Robert Snyder - Our new National Register sign the center island garden. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (120K)") |
| The BR&P caboose restoration, our biggest project, is once again being worked on. Roger Smith and Jim Slominski have started working on the cupola. Roofing material was measured, cut to size and a layer was applied on May 27th while a coat of roofing tar was applied by the guys on June 6th along with a second row of roofing. |
 "(c)2015 Robert Snyder - Roger S. applies another coat of liquid ashphalt. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (120K)") |
 "(c)2015 Robert Snyder - Roger and Jim S. apply another strip of rolled roofing. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (120K)") |
 "(c)2015 Robert Snyder - Roger and Jim secure the strip of roofing. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (120K)") |
 "(c)2015 Robert Snyder - Roger and Jim nail down another strip. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (120K)") |
 "(c)2015 Robert Snyder - Alex T. can be seen pouring Woodland Scenic Water into the water scene on our O Guage layout. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (150K)") |
Our last bit of news is the visit of preschool children from Orchard Park Ed U Kids. The teachers tell me the visit is a real highlight for the children and that they look forward to it with great anticipation. Just a reminder: the Orchard Park Depot Chicken BBQ is scheduled for the morning of August 16th. Come early and help support the depot. Look for us on facebook. |
 "(c)2015 Robert Snyder - Bob R. stands next to our mounted National Register of Historic Places plaque. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (150K)") |
It's been a busy couple of months at the Orchard Park Railroad depot. We hosted the Village's annual Ice Cream Social, we had our annual BBQ chicken fund raiser, we had a visit from a man who worked at the depot in the late fifties/early sixties, we painted all twenty of the passenger station's windows, we mounted our "National Register of Historic Places" plaque on the depot, we brought a broken |  "(c)2015 Robert Snyder - Jim S. knocks down weeds next to the tracks. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (150K)") |
| refrigerator up the stairs from the basement to be thrown out, we replaced all three windows on the West end of the freight station, we toured visitors through the station and we did some work on the O scale layout. While all of that was going on we still had to take care of the usual landscaping duties, cutting and trimming grass, trimming shrubs, spraying weed killer, etc. |
 "(c)2015 JKocsis - Hundreds of people lined up for Ice Cream on a beautiful July day at the Depot. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (150K)") |
The Ice Cream Social on Friday July 24th was its usual huge success. On the 22nd we cleaned the depot and made it ready for the Social. During the Social we sold water and operated the O scale layout, the layout was well received by visitors of all ages. Fireworks finished the activities and on the 25th several of the Depot Crew returned to the depot for cleanup. |  "(c)2015 JKocsis - Regular visitors to the Ice Cream Social knew to bring their lawn chairs for the fireworks later that evening. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (150K)") |
| On August 8th Nan Ackerman and Fran Hogenkamp stopped by to deliver a check for an engineering study of the track side platform. The study will hopefully help us to obtain funding, through a grant, to fix the track side platform and roof supports. |
 "(c)2015 RSnyder - Bob R. and Jim S. install the Chicken BBQ sign. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (150K)") |
On August 16th we held our annual Chicken BBQ. The diners went on sale at 11 am and by 2:30 we had sold all 240 diners. Special thanks go to Judy Ludwig, Maureen Slominski, Sue Koronowski, Marykay Biddle and all of the Depot Crew for help making the fund raiser a success. During the sale we had a visit from a very special individual, Mr. William Fleckenstein. |  "(c)2015 RSnyder - BBQ crew (L-R) Jim Slominski, Duane Warchocki, Judy Ludwig, Maureen Slominski and Sue Koronowski. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (150K)") |
 "(c)2015 RSnyder - Mr. William Fleckenstein former depot employee in the agents office where he used to work. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (150K)") |
Bill who worked at the depot from 1957 to 1966, was brought by his daughter. She read about our BBQ fund raiser in the Orchard Park Bee and knew we would be at the depot. Mr. Fleckenstein was so happy to see how good everything looked. After a tour of the depot we retired to the agent's office and talked about the good old days of working for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad at the Orchard Park Depot. |
 "(c)2015 RSnyder - Bob R. applies grey paint to the windows frames. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (150K)") |
All 20 of the passenger station's windows were painted in August. The wood frames got a coat of grey while the wood sashes were painted in satin finish black. Bob Reynders did the grey while Gary Ludwig and yours truly did the black. The restoration project to restore the three windows on the west end of the freight station by Bob Reynders, has been completed. Bob painted the wood frames and sashes after a |
 "(c)2015 RSnyder - Gary Ludwig applies satin black paint to the sashes of the station windows. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (150K)") |
| professional glass company installed six large panes of glass, two pieces for each window, in the three windows. The work was finished off with large full sheets of clear acrylic covering each window. We now have daylight coming through the windows at that end of the freight station and one more piece of the depot's history has been saved. |
 "(c)2015 Robert Snyder - All three newly rebuilt window are now covered with a sheet of acrylic for extra protection. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (150K)") |
The Orchard Park Depot Crew worked at the depot every Wednesday and Saturday from 8:30 until noon. In September, the last window on the West end of the freight house was covered with a sheet of acrylic for protection. The windows on the East end were caulked and the trim around the door and windows were painted. We also replaced the bottom panel of the entrance door and repainted the door. |  "(c)2015 Robert Snyder - Window frames, trim and door on the East end are caulked and painted. New bottom panel on the door really improved its function and appearance. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (150K)") |
 "(c)2015 Robert Snyder - Alex T. now capably handles our lawn mowing. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (150K)") |
We also did a thorough cleaning of the passenger station washrooms, the freight house floor was cleaned, the grass was cut, a donated rototiller was taken to Aurthur's Hardware for a tune-up, our box car dehumidifier was cleaned, a broken refrigerator was dismantled and many visitors were toured through the station. |
 "(c)2015 Robert Snyder - Bob R. repairs the door lock on our BR&P caboose. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (150K)") |
In October, Bob R. repaired the door lock on the BR&P caboose while inside, new doors (scratch built by Gary Ludwig) were hung and the caboose got a good cleaning. We also reworked the entrance gate to the depot to allow for a wider opening. (not complete at this time) The freight house outside lights had their bi-annual replacement and stored items inside were reorganized. |  "(c)2015 Robert Snyder - Bi-annual replacement of the CFL bulbs keep the freight house well lit. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (150K)") |
 "(c)2015 Robert Snyder - New sidewalk leading to Green Lake on Bank Street. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (150K)") |
 "(c)2015 Robert Snyder - Rails are still in the street but were removed under where the new sidewalk was poured. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (150K)") |
Recently it was discovered that the town of Orchard Park removed two sections of the old BR&P rails leading to the station from Buffalo. A new sidewalk was put in on Bank Street leading to Green Lake where it crosses the tracks at that grade crossing. This is the end of an era in Western New York railroad history and the Orchard Park depot. |  "(c)2015 Robert Snyder - Two sections of rail now lay in the weeds that once connected the Orchard Park depot to Buffalo. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (150K)") |
 "(c)2015 Robert Snyder - Scissor arms on the phone and telegraph are part of our Station Agents desk display in the Depot. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (150K)") |
Work at the Orchard Park depot has slowed down for November and December. Our outside projects, painting the baggage car roof, finishing the rebuilding of the BR&P caboose and reworking our gardens will start up again in May. Bob Reynders attached a scissors phone and a telegraph sounder box to the desk in the agent's office. |
| Here are a few of things we did in the last two months. We decorated the Depot for the holidays. We moved the heavy steel track switch machine, tie plates, rail joiners, boxes of railroad records and various other railroad pieces to the museum on Lee Street. Caryl Youngers volunteered to do the hauling for us with his truck. Foit Albert stopped by to do topographical and historic preservation studies at the Depot and then gave us a presentation on what they have accomplished. |  "(c)2015 Robert Snyder - Foit Albert talks with the Depot crew. (10K) - CLICK to Enlarge (150K)") |
| We moved the cut up rail from the Bank Street crossing to a spot on the ground next to boxcar one with the help of Gary Schneider a member of the WNY Garden Railroad Society. He moved the rails with his bucket tractor and trailer that he brought up from Cassadaga. We also moved one intact crossing arm and one busted crossing arm, from that same location, to storage inside the freight house. we took the battery out of our lawn tractor for the winter season and we cleaned both depots. Part of the Depot Crew (Alex Trank, Jim Slominski, Gary Ludwig and Bob Snyder) made it's annual visit to the Polar Express train, December 6th, to work as conductors helping passengers on and off the trains. The mild weather, the Polar Express actors and the enthusiastic passengers made the day go by quickly. Kudos to chief conductor Rick Henn and to the Medina Railroad Museum. Jim Slominski has been working as liaison to the Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail for our Society. He attends monthly meetings which helps us to keep informed on their progress. He also attends meetings of the Orchard Park Village Board. He has given presentations about the BR&P to both Erie/Cat and to Orchard Park. Work sessions will continue every Wednesday and Saturday mornings from 9 to noon. Anyone interested in spending some time at the depot please call our number, 662-7002, and let us know you are coming. |
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