Workday Wednesday - July 13th
Our regular "Workday Wednesday" crew arrived Fred's early this morning.
Their typical tasks would be mowing the lawn, weeding the right-of-way, raking the pine cones and pine needles, blowing off the tracks located near any foliage and checking out the turnouts with issues brought up during the previous operating session the Saturday before.
All this went out the window this morning. Why, you ask? Well...a number of locomotives derailed on Saturday morning on the big curve leading into Ironwood from Spruce. The situation required immediate addressing. And, with Bernie at the helm once more...the situation was ameliorated in a "big way".
Bernie didn't have to say a thing. He simply started into the job. When I arrived Bernie said to me, "Mike, it looks like we will be running the Craig Leigh & Ironwood RR this coming Saturday"...seeing as trains could now no longer run past Ironwood out from Craig Leigh! Yikes!
Four hours later with the labour efforts of six OVGRS members, the old rotten subroadbed was lifted and a new one was put in place.
It's not just a simple matter of lifting and re-laying. No, so much more must be considered along with a great deal of "measuring twice and cutting once".
Bernie and Lawrence get down to business.
It's Lumberjack Pat!
We even had to lift the far turnout to the west of Ironwood in order to pull the bracing beneath the existing planking which had rotten pretty badly.
Pat addressed some of the turnouts that required...well...addressing!
Here's the large curved section of track after it was lifted.
The area where the turnout into Ironwood from Spruce is located.
The rotten piece of lumber that acted as the bracing.
Working around the bend.
Lawrence determines the correct angle in order to have the "below track bracing" work around the bend.
Making his mark.
Pat takes charge of the sawing.
The laser helps to keep the cut straight.
Looking good there, Pat!
The new brace is in.
Mike is always screwing around! Hehehe!
The C-clamps sure help out.
The work continues around the bend.
Meanwhile, Uncle Fred finds a project for himself.
He is busy rerouting the drainage piping.
Looking good Fred!
Hey, Pat stumbled across this old planking that once stood in at Watkins Siding.
Pat Squared!
Are we getting intimate or what!
Time for a short break.
I'll drink to that!
Then it's back to work in the afternoon.
The final board is being measured.
Fred listens in on the conversations.
Our new retiree, Pat!
It's tricky sneaking in among the cedars, but the job has to get done!
Mike is all smiles!
Testing our levels.
Some of the planks require adjustments.
Pat takes the final outside measurement.
I've brought my locomotive along to act as the test engine. I've gone into the shed and taken a tray of standard gauge freight cars along with a heavyweight passenger car and the two Budd cars. Once we have the track in place, we'll conduct that test run.
A few final adjustments.
Coming together.
This is going out in the recycle bin.
Pretty rotten for sure.
Fred gets to work screwing the little screws in the rail joiners to ensure the curve remains a curve.
Finicky work, for sure.
Fred's able hands get the job done.
The subroadbed is looking great!
Through the pines.
A "work of art" indeed!
I get to join the final rail joiner in place.
Small tools for a small job.
Done!
Cleaning everything before our test run.
Cool.
Love it!
We relax after a hard day at work.
Lawrence is a happy camper.
Bernie too.
Pat as well.
"Hey, Mike...look at my new doorstop!" Pat calls out.
Last task is to nail the track in place.
Nicely done, Bernie.
Our first test run...
...finds Bernie still in the bushes!
But he's all smiles nonetheless!
Some video action!
Click on the white arrow in the middle one time and then again to engage the video.
The background noise is from a helicopter overhead and combined with some construction in the neighbourhood!
The tail end cars appear first because...
...we are conducting a back-up maneuver to truly test the trackwork!
More video of the reversal.
One final run...forward this time.
Then on to Craig Leigh!
Let's view the final video.
Just a quick note of advice regarding parking. Ensure that your tires remain on the shoulder and do not fall onto the grass...or By-Law might getcha!
A contented Fred after a very rewarding day of hard work!
Thanks go out to all our "Workday Wednesday" crew!
All the best, Mike Hamer, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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