Tie Changer Machine - Official Work Thread

[Mike Fox]

Yes. I have a couple of things to try and do to it, but it will be there.

[Bob Holmes]

Mike, why orange and not yellow?

Thanks...

[Mike Fox]

It was orange when we got it, so I figured it was easier to match. It actually should have been red, following our color scheme. For the most part, Red is equipment with a motor, yellow has no motor.

[John Kokas]

Then orange is the proper color.  Red - it has an engine,  Yellow - no engine for movement,  thus -  Red + Yellow = Orange     Enuf Said...….

[Paul Uhland]

So Mike...is the tie puller ready to go?
Many backs and arms will bless you!

[Mike Fox]

It is all set, on the tracks, ready to go. There are a couple of ties in the yard we could try it on, but that will be up to the track department. Ground work will be starting soon.

[Michael Bosman]

I slobbered a little orange pain on tonight, and patched the gas tank. More paint tomorrow after a quick weld job. I will see if my little welder is up to the task of welding 1/8 inch steel.

yes its looking good, I also make a water tank of steel with welding.
https://welderchoice.com/best-welding-helmet-for-beginner/

[Rick Rowlands]

We just acquired one of these machines for the J&L Narrow Gauge.  We will also be making the same conversion.  Ours has the hydraulic rail jacks and I will be adding a hose reel and hydraulic tool circuit for a spiker and tamper.  It seems that the Bucksgahuda & Western Railroad over in St. Marys, PA was the first to modify one of these tie inserters for 24" gauge.  That is where I got the idea to convert the one that we just acquired.  The photo is of the B&W's machine, which also is capable of being used on 36" gauge track.

[Wayne Laepple]

I saw the B&W machine at the East Broad Top several years ago. The EBT subsequently got their own and it has been used hard, especially in the past year. That’s where I got the idea to get one for the WW&F. During my short line railroad career, I bought one for my railroad. With a six-man crew, we could easily replace 75-100 ties a day.

[Mike Fox]

Get the manual. It tells you everything you need to know about how to use the machine changing ties. Basically, not prepping the tie for removal and inserting the new tie withough a little prep of the crib will cause the oil to overheat. Then you fry all the rubber o-ring seals in the cylinders and they leak because they are then hard. They are easily replacable, but why work the machine that hard..

[Brian Whitney]

I have rebuilt the carburetor and put in a new spark plug. It now starts on 3 pulls and runs very smooth. The plug was quite fouled, it is burning a little bit of oil but the motor is from 1958! Running it will be good for the motor. Wisconsin makes good engines. It has been a long time since I had to wrap a rope around the flywheel to start an engine!
We can now put it together and check out the hydraulics and start to learn the machine.

Brian W.

[Dave Buczkowski]

Nice work Brian. Did you leave at three pulls instead of one so we don’t get soft?
Dave

[Benjamin Richards]

How does that old saying go... "Never trust a man with two first names."

Or is it "Never trust a motor that starts on the first pull"?

 

[Graham Buxton]

Dave, the first two pulls are to ensure the engine oil gets distributed properly, before the engine starts running, to minimize wear and prolong the engine life. 

[Brian Whitney]

Also,
The engine has a lot of compression so we can't get too soft or we won't be able to turn it over! The wrap around rope is a thing of the past, very functional but probably foreign to the younger generation.