Wow guys, that was awesome! what a party that was. the spragging games were the best. my favorite part was when we got the car sailing down the track, miner mike missed with both sprags ending up on his face with the car blasting down the track....... then we realized it was heading for the drop off in the woods and we took the motor out of the way to stop it from doing that! banks and i chased it down the tracks, his little sister bailed off (yes we did have live cargo during the spragging games) and we got it stopped just before it knocked the bitty car off the end. speaking of bitty cars....... john k and banks bought 2 mine cars from the bituminous coal fields of western pa and were delivered the night before the party. they are small little buggys with brakes! that opens up a new world of possibilities for maybe a gravity railroad down the back so, yea it was a fantastic party and im glad you all were able to make it out for this occasion. even mike piersa was able to bring along a double drum steam hoist for us to "operate"

good times guys, good times!

pics:

Page 1 - http://www.ironminers.com/mineforum/vie ... php?t=2345

Page 2 - http://www.ironminers.com/mineforum/vie ... php?t=2344

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got some videos to upload tonight too, those are good.......

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Guys NICE JOB! ! John & Banks the new cars are awesome! Those are a traditional style "old" bituminous cars (high & low seam). Looks like the party was a blast. I figured between all you guys there would have been a massive bond fire to throw stuff into though. Chris & the crew nice hard work on the track construction. The party made it all worth while we hope. We wish we could have been there.

Mike, Cool steam hoist ! What was the capacity ?

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Pioneering the next INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION (Preservation ! ). . . Saving equipment (1) mine site at a time.

That was a great time Chris! the spragging games were the best!
but no one could seem to get the 3rd sprag in. I guess we will all have to practice up before next yr!

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only do as much damage as you have to

I had a great time at the party! I put some photos online at:
http://news.webshots.com/photo/2359443220095054516UPNEli
And a video at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzFWRpz8ScQ#
The steam hoist had the capacity to develop .0042 horsepower from the cylinders.

yes, and part of the cylinders, connecting rods and side frame had just the capacity to fill my belly

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Great footage Mike!

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only do as much damage as you have to

Oh MAAAAAN.......... Partys don't get any better than that! Seriously.... That was a blast! The pictures tell the story pretty well.... but i feel sorry for those who missed out! Next year a think we need the gasoline loco to push the mine cars back up the grade for spragging.

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This ain't longwall... this is long hole!

Wow! that party was a blast!
you know that when all the abandoned mine research teams from the northeast get together for a party its gonna be crazy!!

the spragging games were nuts, i loved seeing people dive to the ground and throw their last sprag in the wheel.

i liked the coal fired camp fire, and driving a vintage mine motor was really neat.

it seems we set a new standard for mine research partys!!! whens the next one gonna be??

Well CT Mike.... I think you might have one coming up in October eh?

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This ain't longwall... this is long hole!

Yes, this was definitely a blast. Had a really good time. The only thing that could have made it better was if the railroad was under ground ... but then again, we wouldn't have been able to light an anthracite fire.. I'll be posting up my pictures shortly. The spraging games as well being pushed while testing out 150 year old brakes on a wooded vintage bituminous car couldn't be matched at any other party..

Miner Greg

not only in a 150 year old car....... but on century old rail at that

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Just posted up my set of pictures from the UGM Labor Day Party. See below:

http://www.ironminers.com/mineforum/vie ... php?t=2351

http://www.ironminers.com/mineforum/vie ... php?t=2352

I like the one where i'm losing my helmit! At least I got her spragged. That photo was taken during the video of me spragging.

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This ain't longwall... this is long hole!

yea if you watch the vid, you can see where your helmet flys off and gregs flash fires. nice pics greg! did you take any video? adam took actual video footage of alot of the party, id like to see that

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