Maine’s WW&F museum cancels Spring Work Weekend
The WW&F Railway Museum in Alna, Maine, has cancelled its annual Spring Work Weekend due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The museum’s Board of Directors took the action at its monthly meeting on Feb. 13. The three-day work weekend typically brings 80 or more volunteers together to build track, construct and paint structures and rolling stock, spread ballast and similar activities that require lots of help. They often work in large groups and eat together, both of which are proscribed by pandemic restrictions. Instead of the large event, the museum plans nine one-day work sessions in the late spring and early summer. “We want to keep the numbers (of attendees) appropriate with the work being done,” said David Buczkowski, the museum’s president. “Both Vermont and New Hampshire residents can currently travel to Maine with no restrictions such as quarantining. We will absolutely be following the Maine CDC guidelines as well as others as appropriate.” — Wayne Laepple
Court halts work at three Maya Train locations
A district court has ordered suspension of work at three more locations of the Maya Train project on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, responding to requests from indigenous people in 40 communities. The Yucatan Times reports resolutions from the Fourth District Court orders Mexican tourist agency Fonatur to halt work “that implies deforestation or endangerment of native animal species” pending completion of environmental assessments. Similar injunctions have stopped work at two other sites on the 950-mile rail line to connect tourist and archaeological sites [see “Digest: Amtrak, Metra propose schedule …,” Trains News Wire, Dec. 9, 2020].
Grade crossing projects among those receiving federal funding in New York
Federal highway safety grants totaling $32.1 million, for projects including grade crossing safety, have been awarded to projects in New York State in fiscal 2021. Those grants are part of a total of $37.2 million in federal funds announced by the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo for projects that also include child passenger safety and police traffic services. A complete list of the awards, available here, includes a $67,000 grant to New York Operation Lifesaver.
