July 2019 Work Planning

[Bill Baskerville]

TOM crossover switch was raised, leveled and tamped. Switch now throws freely. (And the train crews rejoiced.)

Hooray and rejoicing for Ed and gang who finally fixed the cross over switch. 

I am guessing this was this the north mainline switch and not the wishbone powered switch on the stub track.

If so, perhaps we can now find a solution to keep the rails from creeping down the stub end with the heating and cooling to make the wishbone switch easier in the summer heat. 

Perhaps hook the two rails to a sturdy tree to the north of the stub?  I know, a TOM water tank with a slow leak that is positioned to drip on the rails and keep them cool?

[Paul Uhland]

In the always-immortal, ranting words of SNL's late Gilda Radner..."If it aint one thing, it's another!"   
She was hysterical!

[Graham Buxton]

If so, perhaps we can now find a solution to keep the rails from creeping down the stub end with the heating and cooling to make the wishbone switch easier in the summer heat.

Here is one way that larger railroads might handle a situation where the rails are known to expand and cause a problem ...

(photo credit to this Wikipedia page:) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Track_(rail_transport)

[John Kokas]

Do we need creeper clips?  The question will be, does someone make one to fit a 60 lb rail base.....?

[Jason M Lamontagne]

We are proceeding on a lead to obtain rail anchors for our rail.  The main concern is the mountain, however other areas will benefit.

Thanks,
Jason

[Paul Crabb]

I hope it was the stub switch on the crossover not the mainline switch that was fixed. It took two train crew personnel to throw the crossover switch and it flexed badly when the locomotive crossed it.

[Wayne Laepple]

Loosen the joint bar bolts on the rails on either side the stub a little so the rails can run a bit. In some places, track crews actually grease the web of the rails at joints so they can move with expansion and contraction. Driving the spikes down tight to the rail base can also impede expansion and contraction, which is why it's acceptable to leave them an eighth of an inch above contact with the rail rather than down tight.

[Fred Morse]

Another bundle of ties were cut early this morning. We're chipping away at them, will soon be done.

[Mike Fox]

Headed down the Mountain to touch up a few spots today, and be clear for anticipated tamping tomorrow. Luckily, I brought a saw..



Ditched the east side on the south side of location 3. Realaignment of the track to give spirals to the curve has pushed the track slightly off center, and I was concerned with the ditch plugging up. We are installing wrapped perforated pipe, then it will be covered in stone. Like a french drain.



Location 5, on the north east side, needed improving. I added some depth to try and catch more surface water, before it gets to the wall.



And location 7 had slumped, so I enlarged it.



Then I finally finished the drain from the wall. I extended it to get it away from the grade. There was some nice cool air coming out of the end of the pipe. I then covered the pipe with the dead wood to camouflage it.





Some staining of the blocks, starting to make them look like they have been there a while.



And I found two of these teenie ticks. They are the bad ones. The two I found won't be biting anyone.

[Paul Uhland]

Mike...how often you figure you'll have to clear the ditches, a never-ending task.
Would lining them with ballast help?

[Jeff Schumaker]

Another bundle of ties were cut early this morning. We're chipping away at them, will soon be done.

What will you do when you've cut all the ties, aside from sharpening the chainsaws?

Jeff S.

[Fred Morse]

Got to paint the cut ends with copper "green liquid stuff", count them an they have to be put into stacks of Fourteen so they can be stacked on the car next to the rail when the time comes. I hope we'll be building the addition to the car barn soon or starting work on the bridge before the ticks carry it away.

[Bill Baskerville]

What still needs to be done on the bridge?  Perhaps a refresher course on final bridge construction?  I think three was talk of a few more ice dam posts and some more rip rap.  Did I miss anything?

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Once the rail has been laid across the span, the rest of the decking will be installed.  After that, the interior sheathing will be painted with a second coat. (The outside sheathing already has two coats). 

[Kevin Kierstead]

Any more thought or action on bundle strapping for the tie stacks?