Track Work

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

All,  Fred called me to ask about crew size during the week before the picnic.  He will be fixing lunch for us those days.  I know a number of you are planning to be at Sheepscot on Weds, 8/6 through  Friday, 8/8.  Friday is the track work day and if you  plan to attend, please notify Fred so he will have enough chow.  James can provide his number and email.

Stewart

[James Patten]

Fred's email is sharron42943 (at) yahoo (dot) com

The address was broken up so that Fred won't get spammed by the Internet.  Replace the (at) with @, etc.

[Dave Buczkowski]

Dana;
        Are you still planning to move rail and ties this coming Saturday the 30th?
Dave

[Dana Deering]

Dave and all,

     I plan to be at Sheepscot on 8/30 and if we get enough crew we can begin moving rails or ties, whichever makes more sense based on the crew size.  I have to do some measuring for locations of tie piles and for the second crossing.  James will be organizing a track crew first thing in the morning and once trains start running we'll switch to tie or rail moving.  I won't be able to do a lot of heavy work thanks to my herniated disk but I'll do what I can and curse what I can't. 

Dana

[Dave Buczkowski]

Dana;
     I'll see you Saturday morning with a strong back.
Dave

[James Patten]

As Dana says, my plan is to run a track crew Saturday morning (Aug 30th) first thing before trains.  We'll be working between the trestle and Phantom Crossing.

I may also try to do the same thing on Monday the 1st (Labor Day).

[Mike Fox]

I'll also attend. See you then.

[Duncan Mackiewicz]

Hi all, I might as well throw my hat into the ring for work this weekend also.
Duncan

[Gordon Cook]

For the record, two fifteen foot long 'equalizer' rails were moved to Sheepscot by Steve Z last week to be drilled, then transported back north and spiked down at the end of track on Saturday by an energetic and, might I say, very talented crew!! 
This put the joints back in alignment and also out of the way of the next grade crossing.

[James Patten]

As we were unable to do any tamping Saturday morning, I will be doing it Monday morning.  Leaving at 7:30.

[Josh Botting]

James's track work was accomplished this morning.  A couple of sags were raised and tamped.

[Ken Fleming]

Can we use a set of rail tongs?  A front loader, some log chain and rail tongs makes loading/unloading rails a lot easier on the back.  How tie tongs?  Several are currently listed on eBay.

[Ira Schreiber]

Ken,
The way rail is moved on flat cars and the narrow ROW, there is no real access for a loader. We do have rail tongs, but it is actually easier with 60# rail to use 6-8 people per length. When rail is slid into place for spiking, we do use tongs. There is not much that can be mechanized and besides, except for mules and horses, we do it in the early 1900's style.
We loaded 20+ tons of rail Saturday and used no mechanical assistance, just manpower and brains plus some oil.
I hope this explains how we do this a little better.
Ira

[James Patten]

As further explanation, for the most part the loading was done by sliding rails along other rails.  Rarely did we have to lift a whole rail from the ground to the flatcar.  During the work weekends the rail is moved from railpile to car the same way, but at the end of track there's 20 people gathered around and can easily lift a single rail and move it.

[Mike Fox]

Rarely did we have to lift a whole rail from the ground to the flatcar. 

Well we did once Saturday. We had it on the car but it did not stay!