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If this had been a government job, they would still be doing "studies."
What a fantastic article, photos, and video.
The level of support is remarkable, and our volunteers are amazing and do unbelievable things.
Good job Fred. Only another 500 to go..
Oh yes you do Ed! I savor each and every one. For those who would be interested, I am bringing a case of original recipe Moxie to FWW. The stuff in the cans is corn syrup sweetener and a slightly different recipe. My bottler in PA still makes it according to the original recipe with cane sugar and in glass bottles the way it used to be. You can easily taste the difference.
John,
Would that be the Catawissa Bottling Co.?
Jeff S.
Years ago, I ran a 90 lb air hammer for a street contractor. That thing was HEAVY, got heavier through the day, easy to do severe damage to back and shoulders.
Hand spiking is the last, great bastion of building our railroad by hand, as many other concessions are made out of necessity.
Handling those pneumatic spikers is no easy feat for those of us of “average” build. Anyone bulked enough to handle one properly shouldn’t be trifled with. I know from a touch of experience (trying to handle a pneumatic spiking hammer, not getting beat up by a pneumatic spiking hammer operator). There is no ability to finnesse track gauge by drawing a rail with spiking technique.
If the mood of the crew swings towards automation in this regard- we’ll certainlu give it fair consideration- as we always strive to do. We want to hear from those folks who would otherwise be wielding spike mauls. I figure this FWW we can take the crews temperature again. The introduction of such devices would be well thought out and executed. If a couple showed up by surprise, I’m sorry to say they’d likely go unused that weekend.
See ya
Jason
John Henry told his captain,
"Well, a man ain't nothin' but a man,
But before I let your steam drill ** beat me down,
I'll die with a hammer in my hand, Lord, Lord.
I'll die with a hammer in my hand."
** Power Hammer
I've used and been witness to using power hammers to do spike driving and they do have their benefits and drawbacks.
One big drawback (and you can see it in the picture provided) is that you need a pilot hole for every spike or you need them the be pre-set in the tie by somebody with a maul. You can't start them with the power hammer.
Another drawback is that you're more prone to bending spikes beyond recovery. Hand hammering is just as likely to bend the spike, but you can stop and bend it back out mid drive. With the power hammer you're liable to not notice it until it's too late. The possibility of bent spikes goes up if you're using smaller spikes than you see on 3' and standard gauge lines.
With the pine ties it seems easy enough to drive spikes that I bet the gangs will have no major problems putting down 300-500 feet a day. That's 150-250 ties and 600-1000 spikes. 800 ties and 3200 spikes in a weekend is a big order, but doable based on what has been done in the past. I believe the record years they were doing it with oak ties and no pilot holes, which from my experience in Portland I can tell you is no fun.
Turnout is never predictable but with how much it's been known that "new iron" is going down my understanding is that turnout is up, especially with the younger demographic. I believe Joe's spring tie replacement group had at least 8 guys under the age of 25. That's not the 100+ that have mobbed the fall work weekends in the past, but 75 or so replacements plus the wholesale track section replacement in 4 days is testament that even a small crew can get a lot done with the current materials.
My understanding is that we only want a maximum of 1600 feet this year anyways because the contractors are going to be accessing the roadbed from right next to where that 1600 feet stops. Equipment and additional materials and whatnot are going to come in through there instead of going over the bridge to reach the areas between the future EOT and the bridge site.
Contractor Jeff wants to haul the material in from the access road, versus across the bridge next year. So this moves up our culvert installation to this year.. Contractor Jeff will help so we can do it quicker.
The worst of the dam damage.. Steve Z is looking at the dam pictured in the second photo.
Jason called and covered the bases with the Maine Warden Service, eventually talking with a biologist I believe. We were given instructions on how to encourage the beavers to move on. He was told to just remove a little of the dam early in the morning so the water drops gradually. This will need to be repeated all summer when needed, until trapping season this fall or winter, when ever it is, when a trapper can come remove them. Jason was told that a big removal of a large part of the dam would result in a quick drop in the water, and the beavers would think the dam was weak and build it twice as strong the next time.
Yes! They would chew on the wire. When I was young, yes they had electricity, only our electric fence had a battery pack, Everything stayed inside but the goats. We even hook an extra coil to it and that didn't help.
