Improved Efficiencies & Mechanization for Track Building?

[Wayne Laepple]

Here's the bottom line, Joe. If you really want to concentrate on trackwork, you have to assemble a crew of four or five guys who are willing to show up early and do trackwork to the exclusion of anything else that comes up at Sheepscot. You have to have a dedicated schedule that is inviolable except for heavy rain or some major crisis, and you have to stick to it no matter how much hassle you get from others. You have to be willing to start early so you can get some good track time without any interruptions, and you have to stay late so you can wrap things up after the last train has run.

[Joe Fox]

Unfortunately, it is hard to get a crew together on any day ready to leave before 9a.m. On a normal day now very few arrive before 8 which is why weekday track work is critical. Thus allowing a normal departure time of 9:30, back for lunch, and then go out again to be back by 4. Many of the weekday crew said they would be willing to bring a lunch if we get to the point of being further away from Sheepscot, and or leave a vehicle at Alna Center. On days when we advertise a weekend track crew no one shows up or ready to go till 9. Which doesn't work well. After the last few years we have gotten away from weekend maintenance and just this year started weekday work or non operating weekend day. Which I think works very well.

[Richard Cavalloro]

I could make a weekday but someone would need to teach me what to do.....

[Joe Fox]

We are always eager to teach people. Sharing knowledge is always fun, and enjoyable with those willing to learn.

[John Kokas]

Joe,  the reason I suggested work weekdays is so "out of towners" like myself could come up and work without dodging trains.  Also, there are other experienced hands with trackwork that can lead teams.  Both Wayne and I have done more than our share during our careers although we're not as fast as we used to be.  At the least we can teach others how its done.

[Jason M Lamontagne]

John,

I appreciate your offer and agree on weekday work, though the plan Wayne suggests for weekends has worked for us in the past and is still viable. 

I want to bring a little emphasis to the fact that we aren’t looking for a lesson here.  We’ve been doing this for a while too.   We’ll listen to new ideas and implement them when they make sense.  Experienced help is great- we want it and will happily add it to our collective. 

Thanks,
Jason

[Paul Uhland]

That tip car sure looks handy.
Advanced Culvert Fix, Ditching, Dirtwork---A++

[John Kokas]

For the ditching work they seem to be fine.  Maybe we should reactivate more of them.  That and hi-rail gear for the kubota or finding a mini-excavator to hi-rail.

[Paul Uhland]

I'd help Mike  retro-fit the Kubota with his salvage hi-rail wheelsets, rebuild the super-handy tip cars. If nothing else, they make great trash/ballast/fill mini-haulers,
 
When youz get time 

[John Kokas]

Has anyone given any thought to make a hopper and ballast chutes on a tip car frame?  May not work for big jobs but for spot work they may be just what we need.

[Vincent "Lightning" LeRow]

It's not hard to imagine the Kubota fitted with hy-rail gear and link/pin couplers, taking a couple tip cars out and ditching... all with one operator.

[Mike Fox]

It's not hard to imagine the Kubota fitted with hy-rail gear and link/pin couplers, taking a couple tip cars out and ditching... all with one operator.

Exactly. Our problem will be where to dump out the ditchings. There are a few places that could use the extra fill, but hopefully not too far from the ditching project. All in due time...

[Wayne Laepple]

Concerning using a tip car or two for spot ballast work, adding a couple of sliding gates similar to those seen on the rear of a dump truck to the slopes of the tip car would place ballast where needed. Something like this.....

[Mike Fox]

We had one that would tip onto the tracks, but someone unmodified it to try and use the frame for something else..

[John Kokas]

Wayne, you must have been reading my mind - that's exactly the type of slide gate we need - maybe you, me, and Mike should get together (hopefully) during FWW and draw up a prototype unit.