Billerica & Bedford Track Day

[Ed Lecuyer]

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Billerica & Bedford Track Day has been converted from the pre-July 2008 WW&F Discussion Forum.
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Dave Buczkowski wrote:

All;
The small but intrepid B&B Track Crew put another length of track in "service" today.  The conditions mandated by the town require us to keep the 4X6 ties level with the adjacent bike trail and to not leave any unfinished and unsurfaced track overnight. While power tamping the sections completed last November we discovered a few large boulders preventing us from locating the ties at trail level so we had to lift the track in order to dig them out. While grading the next section we ran in to many more boulders which took us some time to dig out even with a Bobcat.
The ties and track are spiked on the bike trail, then carried by the Bobcat and set in place. Stone dust is then used as ballast (again, a town requirement). We are now more than half way to the Great Road, our ultimate terminus. We must now await the moving of two trees by the town before proceeding further. Apparently self-help is frowned upon. I'll try to post some photos on Monday if I can find the cord for my camera.
Dave

Dave Buczkowski replied:

All;
As promised, here are a few photos from Saturday. The jack hammer was used early in the day to tamp and then drove in two spikes. Since it didn't work too well we did the rest the WW&F way - by hand. The M.O.W. flat is on loan from the Cedarville RR.
Dave

Dave Buczkowski replied:

Also, I want to say thanks to Steve Hussar for his help in posting the photos!
Dave

Mike Fox replied:

Hey, that's cheating! And is that 60 lb rail? With joint bars? No wonder why the pile seems smaller after Dave has visited. Just kidding. Thanks for posting the pics. Glad to see progress is being made to restore the original Stateside Two-Footer.
Mike

Dave Buczkowski replied:

Mike;
Did you notice how old the crew is? We need all the help we can get! We use 35 lb rail. The joint bars came with the rail. We have enough to get to Route 4/225 and then some. At the rate we're going the WW&F will be at 218 before we reach 4/225. After reaching our destination we hope to construct a siding and build a car barn for future rolling stock. I'll let you know next time we have a track day so you can show us how it's done!
Dave

Mike Fox replied:

I won't make any promises Dave but I do like that sort of thing. The sense of accomplishment at the end of the day is the main driving force behind some of my motivation.
Mike