Spring 2018 Work Weekend

[John McNamara]

Before the advent of Insta-Track, a cart with eight sticks of rail was brought to the work site, and two sticks were placed, but not yet spiked or gauged. To install more rail, workers went back to the cart and carried off two more sticks, walked past the sticks just placed, and placed the additional sticks. As this process was repeated, each cycle required walking back and forth an additional rail-length to reach the cart and to reach the placement point. Insta-Track allows each set of sticks to be held together sufficiently to allow the cart to be brought onto the freshly-placed sticks. This eliminates the constant expansion of the cart-to-placement distance. Further, the constant forward progression of the cart is followed by spikers who properly gauge and safety-spike the rails. I'm not sure who originated the term "Insta-Track," but it may have been me.

[Marcel Levesque]

Ask the duck.

[Gary Kraske]

Thanks to you all for the explaination, it's apppreciated.  After the 1936 flood MEC used movable, by crane, rail flats to move a locomotive used in ripping up the Rumford to Rangel branch from the north side of the Androscoggin across a highway bridge and back to rails on the other side of downtown.

[Bill Reidy]

Alan Downey posted some photos his mom took during the Fall 2014 work weekend.  One showed newly placed rail with insta-track in place.

The forum thread:  http://forum.wwfry.org/index.php/topic,2315.msg21355.html#msg21355

Here is the photo:

[Mike Fox]

I recognize that dirt as being TOM dirt...

[Bob Holmes]

For us newbies, where is Davis Grade?

Thanks.

[Bill Reidy]

I recognize that dirt as being TOM dirt...

Better man than I.  For no good reason, I thought this was the north yard.

[Dwight Winkley]

Leave Sheepcott headed north, go around the first curve and you are headed down Daves Grade. At end of this grade ROW passes under the large electric transmission line.

[Bill Baskerville]

If Davis grade runs from the first curve to the power lines that appears to be about 1,500 feet of track.

About where is the 600 feet of track we are going to rebuild? 

I seem to remember that the track is embedded in mud from the old logging crossing thru a small cut to the north which might be about 300 feet.  I think the turtle pond is just after that.

Am I remembering the correct crossing and cut?

[Dwight Winkley]

Bottom end of the grade in the cut. No level ground to "dump" the ties (for later pickup)that are removed.   Bill, where you have been change out the joint bars.

[Bill Baskerville]

Dwight,

The places I have noted that still have missing joint bar bolts are:

3 places missing bolts twix Sheepscot north yard limits and Jayne's Way Crossing
2 bolts missing near Sutters Crossing South Whistle Post
9 places missing bolts twix four joints south of Albee's crossing and 2nd Phone Post North of Alblee's Crossing
2 places missing bolts south of the old TOM Rail Pile south of the South TOM switch

There are also a few bolts missing from the frog on both Alna Center switches which will take some care in installing them as the quarters are so close.

This doesn't include inside the SS yard limits where there are lots of missing bolts.

When I did my last slow travel of the line a couple of years ago, this was all that was left to do on my attempts to complete this project.

If nothing else happens between now and my summer visit in July and August perhaps I will be able to complete this project.  Of course, as so often the case, something else more important or more urgent comes up and jumps in the front of the 'to do list' line.

Bill

[Ed Lecuyer]

[Moderators Note]
A discussion regarding caps was moved and combined to the Vintage Clothing topic: http://forum.wwfry.org/index.php/topic,2317.0.html

[Joe Fox]

We are doing the work at the South end of Cockeyed curve, north end of Davis grade. This is the area where the ties are literally in the mud.

Just over a 1/2 mile from Sheepscot.

[Bill Reidy]

[Moderators Note]
A discussion regarding caps was moved and combined to the Vintage Clothing topic: http://forum.wwfry.org/index.php/topic,2317.0.html

Thanks, Ed, for a cap on that discussion.  Hat's off to you!   

[Ed Lecuyer]

I am not even going to dignify that with a response. I can't be constantly coming up with new jokes off the top of my head.