TRACKWORKS MY TWO CENTS
Hello ! Every tourist RR owner knows that the MOW is essential in many respects but it's a never ending task that calls for time, money and quite a lot of workforce. Track works are mostly gruelling and tedious plus they don't save the volunters' back and joints. Calling on external contractors costs an arm and a leg and ,sad to say, the work is often botch.
I think that the best bet for a tourist RR is to maintain the track by itself but to this end it has to purchase or build machines and equipments that relieve the volunteer pain and save time. The AMTP does not own anything but an old gas engine powered coachscrew driver. On the contrary,the WW&F owns quite a lot of rig like tamper ,rails and crossties gantry, tie changer machine etc.
IMHO the only equipments that might improve the trackcrew efficiency and save time and pain would be a couple of customized hoppercars to spread evenly and precisely ballast between and around the ties and an electric automated hammer to drive the spikes in.
In order not to be burn as a French heretic in the #9 firebox I 'm making things clear, hoppercars and automated hammers are only intended for MOW not for Montain Extension long work weekends. If you burn me all the same you won't be surprised if you find clinker on the grate,I'm not first rate fuel anymore.