WDWD Efforts on Another Hot July Morning
Hi folks, while the traffic getting to Fred's managed to 'heat me up'...
...the early morning temps added insult to injury.
The lads worked hard throughout the morning and early on into the afternoon.
This is the general area we are concerned about seeing as the trackage heading across to Lilly is currently out of commission.
Our goal today was to lay the subroadbed in for the two mine tracks.
Once pencil lines were drawn Bernie got the circular saw out to do the cutting.
Looking good there Bernie!
One down with another to go!
The crew for the first part of the morning was Bill, Mark, Bernie & me.
Chris joined us later after his car was available for pick-up from the shop.
Then Pat arrived to pick Father Fred up to go to their luncheon.
Bill had marked the angle and the two boards went in beautifully.
Father Fred kept himself busy all morning as well contributing greatly to the scene in the backyard.
Chris arrived in short order and got down to business right away.
We see him installing the lights at the terminal area in Craig Leigh.
When Pat arrived to pick up Fred for lunch he helped with the weeding.
This next large batch of pics come from Bernie's phone.
Here we see Mark assisting Bill with the alignment of the two spur subroadbeds leading into the mine.
Bill will use the long level as a tool to help him draw the angled line for Bernie to follow when he goes to cut the end of the piece.
Bill supervises as Mark & I place a crosspiece 'brace' beneath the two spurs at their far end.
It's time to screw the whole assembly together.
This whole process took some time as we had to add stones beneath the boards to ensure they were level in all directions.
Here I am adhering the older angle section of wood to the new planking.
We won't fill in the entire area with stones until we get the choke cables installed to control the three turnouts located here; two that are seen in the image and a third out of the picture to the left.
Mark gets the stones ready taking a few handfuls out at a time with a small trowel.
Teamwork as Bill holds the cross brace aloft while I dump the stones in and around the area.
Father Fred looks on as I check the level across the two wooden planks.
You can see the third turnout on the new planking to the right of my right shoulder.
With no kneecap on my right leg, the heavy duty piece of foam is the perfect 'kneeler' for me!
Mark continues to send me more gravel as the work continues.
A view from another perspective.
Bill is also good at screwing.
Oops...did I just type that!
Anyway...before we determined the final placement of the two spur roadbeds, Bill suggested that we measure the opening to the Fallentree Mine.
Now...that's a very good idea!
So Bernie & I headed over to the safe place where we had put the mine during all of this refurbishment...
...and we measured the opening.
In fact all was well because we also had the aid of the positioning of the two turnouts leading into the mine which offered roadbed placement accuracy as well.
But...as the motto goes..."Measure Twice - Cut Once"!
Bernie found us taking momentary breaks to continuously check the level in all directions.
Man, the heat is unbearable out in the full sun!
I'm tacking down the turnouts but not hammering the nails all the way down as a temporary measure.
We now needed some track sections cut in order to fit to measure.
Fred will do the cutting so he needs the WDWD wagon as it has a vice on the end.
The vice holds the track down as he saws the section.
Bernie captured Fred at work and off in the distance so did I!
Fred studies the Sharpie mark I made on the side and top of the rail.
Bernie tells him which side of the Sharpie mark he should cut.
Video of Father Fred hard at work!
More video of Freddie - this time filing the rough edges where the cuts had been made.
Bernie found me placing the new track sections in between the various turnouts.
A view from the far end of the peninsula at Lilly.
Chris is conducting some necessary weeding in and around Nelson Yard.
When he walks past the work area I seek his advice on something.
We realized that the heat and the rains put a slight 'cant' in the long board leading to the trestle as it had been placed in Craig Leigh a couple of weeks ago waiting to be installed.
The three cars angle ever so slightly to the left while on the main board...not the bridge so much.
We study the situation.
Ultimately Fred came up with a solution.
We should install a cross brace beneath this roadbed and extend it far over to the existing roadbed leading over to the other bridge named after Father Fred.
Then...when we screw it in place the cant should level up.
But this is work for yet another Wednesday.
While I seem to appear in many of the images in my purple t-shirt, it was this gentleman, Mr. Scobie, who did yeomen's service out in the heat of the sun.
As did Mark & Bernie on this very hot day!
The level is constantly being checked in all directions throughout the process.
And I mustn't forget Chris on the left who always puts in a diligent effort...oftentimes helping Fred on non Wednesdays and non Saturdays!
Indeed time for a wee break in the shade of the lounge!
As always, Pat's contribution in arriving the property to pick up Father Fred to drive him to their "History Circle" luncheons is always greatly appreciated!
Video of a 'test run' through the installed trackage.
After Fred & Pat had left, Fred's wonderful neighbour, Mike Charlebois, arrived with a gift for Fred.
Mike tells me that it is an electric 'foot warmer' for Fred to use while at his computer down in the coolness of the basement.
Don't forget to unplug it or turn it off when not in use Fred!
The work gang was still there when Pat drove Fred home after lunch!
Hey Fred...this was another great day in your backyard!
Thanks for hosting the work gang!
And...thanks to the work gang for all of their hard efforts!
We are the WDWD crew of the OVGRS here in our nation's capital of Ottawa!
