Some photos from the work weekend. Tonight is the first chance I've had to post them since returning from Maine.
Friday -- Davis Grade track reconstruction:Early in the day, showing the work train positioned to provide rail as the track was extended northward.
The goal for the day.
Crews lined the track as it advanced northward.
I was pleasantly surprised to see the west rail landed perfectly to mate up with the existing rail to the north. About a half-inch needed to be cropped off the east rail. Dana Deering handled the cropping.
The last of the spiking was completed just as the rain set in before 5 p.m. Friday.
Saturday -- Davis grade:The rain had passed but it was still very damp first thing Saturday morning. Here crews arrive to prepare dumping ballast and later lifting and tamping track.
Ballast being dumped by one crew, while another replaces ties on Davis grade a little bit further north. Ballast and tie replacement work were performed along most of the grade, not just the 300+ feet that was torn out and rebuilt.
Big Joe:Jay Barta spent a good portion of the late winter and early spring installing the replacement compressor and making other improvements to the tamper. Here Jay is making final checks late on Friday so Big Joe would be ready on Saturday.
At the insistence of one individual who shall go unnamed, Jay added a cup holder for the operator.
On Saturday, Jay showed Dave Buczkowski the changes made to Big Joe. The same individual who wanted the cup holder also wanted an umbrella, so an umbrella he got!
Dave operating the improved Big Joe on Davis grade. Adding to the ambiance, we found the vibration of the tamper in operation caused the umbrella to slowly spin. Since our president is a frequent operator of the tamper, some wise guy put up "TAMP FORCE ONE" signs on Big Joe during lunch Saturday.
Tie replacement and tamping continued on Sunday, up to the area just south of Sutter's Crossing. Here was the view from the tamper of the newly rebuilt 300+ feet of track as the work train and Big Joe both headed back for Sheepscot around 2 p.m. -- all ready for the start of the 2018 season. The weather was with us -- rain set in around 3 p.m.!
Aside from the Davis grade work, much work got done in Sheepscot.
A busy crew rearranged machinery in the shops.
Much work on the stairways for both doors on the north side of the Percival house was completed.Late Friday:
Late Saturday:
And grab irons and other metal appliances were painted on newly restored B&SR box car #67:
The best part of the weekend was seeing many old and new friends. I understand 50+ volunteers signed the volunteer log on Friday and Sunday, and 80+ on Saturday. I know I had many good laughs with friends while working much harder I normally do at my desk job!
