Oops. Don’t need the ;s even easier to post pics. OK, so in this whole process, I decided I was going to rebuild the Millersvillanova, too. The plan called to build it further down the line, making the backyard more ‘kid’ friendly. Oh, and also during this time, we found out we were having baby #2, due in September 2010. So, We called the RR museum, and told them we wouldn’t be on the tour because of the sewer project and the baby project!! In December, I jumped on some track from the going out of biz Ridge Road Station, and doubled my trackage to about 500 feet. In preparation for this build project, I anticipated the railroad being out of service for a few months. To bridge the gap and fulfill or need for trains, I built a small two track affair for my son and called it the Pietown and Western.
(http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/251780_2040975634082_1535050491_2200376_4675619_n.jpg)
I held off on doing any work to the railroad until after Memorial Day weekend, since I didn’t know how long it was going to take to get things operational. But that following week, I removed all the old track:
(http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/253535_2040977114119_1535050491_2200381_5622_n.jpg)
(http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/246785_2040977714134_1535050491_2200383_5893147_n.jpg)
(http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/246860_2040985274323_1535050491_2200407_3143205_n.jpg)
Saturday June 4, I laid out the new railroad. I only had a few things that I really wanted to include in the new railroad, the double crossover and the turntable.
(http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/248755_2040979234172_1535050491_2200387_7606248_n.jpg)
Got working Sunday only to see my neighbor loading dirt in his pick up truck. Turned out he was taking it to the dump, so instead of burning gas, we wheelbarrowed it over to become the basis for my inner loop crossing over the outer loop.
(http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/250570_2040980874213_1535050491_2200393_1987712_n.jpg)
All those pavers are from the old back patio. We call this part the East End, and the mountain is Mt. Ault (for our neighbors)
(http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/251300_2040982354250_1535050491_2200397_1200220_n.jpg)
I laid out the outer loop first:
(http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/260171_2049501847232_1535050491_2209871_8170423_n.jpg)
(http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/248810_2049502127239_1535050491_2209872_4911966_n.jpg)
(http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/259803_2049502487248_1535050491_2209873_8075072_n.jpg)
Located some of the bridges and then laid the track.
(http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/249950_2041003674783_1535050491_2200448_3189223_n.jpg)
Before tightening everything on the outer loop, I made sure the inner loop was also going to fit,
(http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/254472_2049502927259_1535050491_2209874_1004152_n.jpg)
Here are my two larger spans:
(http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/254287_2049503327269_1535050491_2209876_7107189_n.jpg)
The one in the front my dad, grandfather and I built in 1995. The one in the back was a ‘temporary’ bridge to span the ever sinking sewer line last summer. All it is is a 2x4 with a 1x6 on top. THe arch is purely for looks. Painted with kilz primer and ‘stone’ spray paint. Didn’t come out too bad for a temporary structure.
(http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/255108_2049503767280_1535050491_2209877_1112235_n.jpg)
The focus was really on the East end because of all the work I had to do there. But the West end came together nicely:
(http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/247071_2049505607326_1535050491_2209882_7054747_n.jpg)
Rock work on the East End inner loop:
(http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/247284_2060466961353_1535050491_2222429_7547363_n.jpg)
9:47pm, Friday, June 17, I got a call from my parents. They were bringing a busload of seniors to my house to see the trains on Monday. They were unaware that the old railroad was gone and the new one was only together ‘for looks’. Saturday, June 18 (2 weeks in to the project), we were able to run the first train around the outer loop. Luke loves to push the trains (as Ric may recall from the ECLSTS this year), and I took this old big hauler with a stripped gear and made it a push train.
(http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/251075_2074805879817_1535050491_2242104_426179_n.jpg)
All the screws were tight and I ballasted that line, so we ran the first train that evening. Luke also checked the inner loop while he was at it. I wonder if he was having fun?
(http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/254400_2074806479832_1535050491_2242105_2471438_n.jpg)
First ‘run’ train, mallet 3177 pushes the track cleaning caboose. The rails were extra slippery from either smoke fluid or stone dust.
(http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/262665_2074807799865_1535050491_2242107_6503518_n.jpg)
Watching…
(http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/254975_2074809399905_1535050491_2242109_7817410_n.jpg)
Checking clearances:
(http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/255745_2074808999895_1535050491_2242108_3538931_n.jpg)
I only have 3 bridges, so the other crossing on the East End is going to become a tunnel.
(http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/264735_2074810199925_1535050491_2242110_2668747_n.jpg)
Monday, June 20, 3:10 pm, I finished the inner loop ballasting and ran to meet the 6 seniors (the bus decided not to come to my house). The first trains ran when they were here. Amazingly, everything worked well. Then I got sick. We’ve been running trains almost every day to try and pack down the ballast. I’ve got some low spots that need more ballast, which is the goal, finding the problems now and fixing them.
(http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/263162_2152249055848_1535050491_2265899_4216791_n.jpg)
Amazingly, the double crossover, misaligned slightly as it is, works fine for 99% of the equipment. The budd car is still having problems with the outer loop at the crossover, but I suspect it is actually the yard lead switch that is the problem.
(http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/269972_2152252335930_1535050491_2265905_2457452_n.jpg)
(http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/267917_2152252535935_1535050491_2265906_3266364_n.jpg)
I’m originally from Bethel, CT, and the New Haven (despite being gone 9 years before I was born) influence is apparent. I’ve even placed my request for NH FL-9 2019 when Wayne gets around to building them. Anyway, it’s been a busy month of work, but the trains run, and run well. The yard is the next project now that the turntable lead is in place. I’ll keep you guys updated, if you’re interested. Also, I’m under a time crunch since this year’s garden RR tour is Oct 9. Not that far away…