Author Topic: Fall Work Weekend 2018  (Read 53933 times)

Wayne Laepple

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Re: Fall Work Weekend 2018
« Reply #45 on: October 04, 2018, 08:31:13 AM »
"The good news is that it only takes six people to pick up, move, place, and bolt a stick, and it's fast and smooth..."

So what happens to the other 68 people? They can't all drive spikes!
« Last Edit: October 04, 2018, 12:41:16 PM by Wayne Laepple »

Alex Harvilchuck

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Re: Fall Work Weekend 2018
« Reply #46 on: October 04, 2018, 10:18:36 AM »
Thats awesome. Well done.

And in the Narrow Gauge Tracklaying Arms Race, The Yankees of Alna have responded to the challenge from Miners of Como and brought out their heavy track weaponry.

So why don't we tell MNG to have a stack of rail and ties plus a truckload of Moxie and we'll get their track in place to Gray.  ;)

Dana Deering

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Re: Fall Work Weekend 2018
« Reply #47 on: October 04, 2018, 10:55:10 AM »
Wow, that crane is impressive.  It's great to see it working as it was envisioned.  I hope everyone understands that the spikers are going to have to pace themselves.  It's all well and good to say that we will have to keep up and keep the insta tracks coming but it's easier said than done when you're not the one swinging the hammer.  The idea for the rail crane, as I understand it, was for safety, not too turn this track laying into a sprint.  If I have anything to say about the process, we will be breaking into teams and each team will have their spiking job, and we will get a flow going. And we are not gong to rush.  It takes as much energy to drive the last spike as it does the first and there is no point in wearing people out.  In my younger days when we were haying my grandfather would say: "pace yourself, boy!". We have laid 1300 plus feet in a work weekend using the old method and I see no reason to hurry the crews this weekend with the new.  We will establish a pace and we will get it done and have some fun at the same time.

Alex Harvilchuck

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Re: Fall Work Weekend 2018
« Reply #48 on: October 04, 2018, 11:15:44 AM »
Wow, that crane is impressive.  It's great to see it working as it was envisioned.  I hope everyone understands that the spikers are going to have to pace themselves.  It's all well and good to say that we will have to keep up and keep the insta tracks coming but it's easier said than done when you're not the one swinging the hammer.  The idea for the rail crane, as I understand it, was for safety, not too turn this track laying into a sprint.  If I have anything to say about the process, we will be breaking into teams and each team will have their spiking job, and we will get a flow going. And we are not gong to rush.  It takes as much energy to drive the last spike as it does the first and there is no point in wearing people out.  In my younger days when we were haying my grandfather would say: "pace yourself, boy!". We have laid 1300 plus feet in a work weekend using the old method and I see no reason to hurry the crews this weekend with the new.  We will establish a pace and we will get it done and have some fun at the same time.

I'll bring up the heresy again without comment....


Dana Deering

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Re: Fall Work Weekend 2018
« Reply #49 on: October 04, 2018, 12:59:10 PM »
People don't come to the work weekends to stand and watch automated track laying.  They come to participate and to experience some of the old way of doing things, in my opinion.  That is what makes the WW&F unique.  I'm not interested in turning the WW&F into the fast paced rat race I'm trying to get a break from when I go there.

Ed Lecuyer

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Re: Fall Work Weekend 2018
« Reply #50 on: October 04, 2018, 01:03:29 PM »
Quote
I'm not interested in turning the WW&F into the fast paced rat race I'm trying to get a break from when I go there.

Well said. Amen. (And happy birthday.)
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Wayne Laepple

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Re: Fall Work Weekend 2018
« Reply #51 on: October 04, 2018, 01:56:39 PM »
Hear, hear, Dana!

Joe Fox

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Re: Fall Work Weekend 2018
« Reply #52 on: October 04, 2018, 04:21:38 PM »
Said it before and I will say it again, any kind of automated hammer sucks to carry. Bring in an automated hammer, and I will not be spiking any more. Hate those things. Get hung up on everything, tripping hazards everywhere. Especially one that will drive spikes into solid ties.

Worked professional track crew for a few years and our most productive spiking days were the days when the hammer was busted. Were we glad to have a hammer back, yes. But we hand spiked over 800 ties in a week all done by hand with two spike maul operators.

Bill Reidy

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Re: Fall Work Weekend 2018
« Reply #53 on: October 04, 2018, 04:41:36 PM »
Quote
I'm not interested in turning the WW&F into the fast paced rat race I'm trying to get a break from when I go there.

Well said. Amen. (And happy birthday.)

It's Dana's birthday?  Happy birthday!
What–me worry?

Ed Lecuyer

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Re: Fall Work Weekend 2018
« Reply #54 on: October 04, 2018, 04:56:47 PM »
Dana had a BIG "odometer flip" birthday on Saturday, Sept 29th. He spent it at the WW&F trying not to make a big deal about it.
Ed Lecuyer
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Bill Reidy

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Re: Fall Work Weekend 2018
« Reply #55 on: October 04, 2018, 04:59:52 PM »
He hit 200,000 miles?

Fortunate for him he has friends like us to make a big deal about it! ;)
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Bob Holmes

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Re: Fall Work Weekend 2018
« Reply #56 on: October 04, 2018, 06:21:52 PM »
Wayne there is much to do other than tracklaying...especially with the backlog created by the bridge project.  And some of the 68 are getting older and less able to wrestle rail sticks...

Wayne Laepple

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Re: Fall Work Weekend 2018
« Reply #57 on: October 04, 2018, 06:52:18 PM »
I totally understand that, Bob. I'm one of those folks who's getting older -- 71 last July. I stopped working on track about four years ago. My point was that it seemed that all effort was to be concentrated on laying 1400 feet of track over the weekend, to the exclusion of the usual roster of less taxing additional projects.
« Last Edit: October 04, 2018, 06:54:17 PM by Wayne Laepple »

Mike Fox

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Re: Fall Work Weekend 2018
« Reply #58 on: October 04, 2018, 07:55:03 PM »
Jason's Pictures from Thursday



Mike
Doing way too much to list...

Steve Smith

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Re: Fall Work Weekend 2018
« Reply #59 on: October 04, 2018, 08:17:22 PM »
It would be great if somebody posted a bit of video taken as it goes through that curve just north of it in the last picture.