Not shown here is that we did parts of this twice. When we first started, we planned to buy No. 4 turnouts (over $8000 a piece). So we laid out the track centerlines based on that assumption, laid out switch timbers for those No. 4's, and then put one set of rails back so we could keep using the track until we had the funds to buy the turnouts. Then Tony was able to acquire No. 5 turnouts (slightly sharper angle between centerlines), so we had to rip out the old ties and reset new centerlines. More work but we saved a lot of money.
We only need one turnout for the two Stall Tracks, but we decided to install another for an eventual Loop Track while we were here.
This may all make more sense if you look at the Site Plan (click on the image to get full-sized zoomable pdf version).
Our original plan had been to line up Stall One Track of the new Carbarn with the centerline of the House Track. This plan was foiled by the building code requirement that the new Carbarn be at least twenty feet from the Visitors Center.
Here is where we started in Spring 2014,
the Grain Shed has been removed, the New Carbarn will be where the orange fences are,
and we need to install two turnouts between here and the pumpcar.
Eventually there will be a two stall Carbarn here.
We started by removing the rails.
Then we yanked the ties out of the ground with the Boom Truck.
All cleaned out and ready for grading.
The Boom Truck earned its keep on this job.
Dick uses the tag line to control the rail as Larry brings it up to the truck and Dave G oversees.
The rail can swing uncontrollably without Dick's and Larry's guidance.
Is that enough room for a No 5 turnout?
It took some careful detective work to figure out what ties to put where. The turnouts had been tagged somewhat when they were disassembled, but we received five of them so it wasn't always clear what went where. We hoped to use the old spike locations to aid in reconstruction, which mostly worked.
Here we have started poutting down ties and the specialized tie plates.
The points and stock rails are loosely in position.
These turnouts have guarded points and guarded diverging stock rails.
Here goes one of the closure rails.
Sam and Larry discuss alignment issues.
Turnout 5 is in and the ties are laid for turnout 7.
The ties have been numbered and the tie plates laid out.
The string helps keep everything straight.
In the foreground is the frog for turnout 7, and the rest of turnout is taking shape.
We've started spreading stone in turnout 5 for tamping the ties up.
It is tight clearance to the corner of the dock, but this track should only see No. 10, which is a narrow car and will clear it.
TO 5 has been lined and tamped and TO 7 is mostly complete.
Now what do we do?
Tom, Dick, Wyatt and Jordan used pnuematic tampers to tamp up TO 5.
Notice the New Carbarn foundation has been poured in the background.
Track gauges, level boards, jacks and lasers help to get everything right.
Amber and Mark keep up the tamping.
Looks pretty good from here.
More stone to spread.
Here you can see the 'mismatch' (due to the Fire Code requirement) between the House Track and Stall One,
which has been laid in the Carbarn so we can pour the floor.
Looking west.
A crew of UMass Civil Engineering students came out to help lay ties for Stall One Track.
Lots of supervising....
Trying to get it all right the first time. It usually was.
Predrilling the spike holes made spiking easier.
Making sure the ties are evenly spaced.
All the ties for Stall One Track are in place.
Time for more rails.
We bent these rails in place with a chain hoist.
Some of those rails need to be cut to fit.
Spreading more stone so the bent rails wouldn't move the ties over.
South rail is in and spiked. You can see the chain hoist for bending the north (righthand) rail.
Both rails are in and spiked. Betsy watches Rowan and Polly on the first trip into the Carbarn.
Still needs some lifting and leveling, but we want to keep a sag here to keep water away from the Carbarn.
Good enough for a Trackmobile.
More jacking and tamping.
The pneumatic tampers are back-breakers, but still better than shovels or forks.
Two tampers work opposite each other while a third worker forks in stone as needed.
We cross-bonded the rails here, with another wire to the other track for
grounding the power supply once it is moved over here.
We spread barrier cloth before putting down the top gravel fill to keep the stone ballast clean(er).
Meanwhile, all the joints from here to the end of the House Track need to be bonded.
Here is the cart loaded with the hand-cranked drill and bond wires.
Here is the hand crank drill ready to drill a hole in the web of the rail.
We laid 75# rail on its side to make flangeways.
Larry torched out sections to go around the joint bars.
Larry gets Stall Track Two's bed ready.
Ready for ties.
The stacks help to get the 180' radius curve right.
Stone has been placed on the outside of the ties to hold them in place when the rail is bent.
The south rail is bolted up to the Carbarn rail.
The UMass CE students came back for some rail placing, bending and spiking.
We used the hydraulic (hand pumped) rail bender this time.
Bend a little, spike a little...
More spiking.
Closing the gap.
A better view of the rail bender.
When it was first cut this joint wouldn't quite close. A few hours of cooling and it fell right into place.
Ready for the last two rail lengths.
Now Stall One Track can be filled and graded so trucks can access the Carbarn.
The UMass CE's are back for more bending and spiking.
This time we used a hydraulic ram to push the rail into the proper curve.
Getting the last rail ready.
All that's left is some tamping.
The 3TM can go into either stall now.
But we left one spike out, so that on Nov. 1 2015, during Volunteer Appreciation Day,
we could have our very own Golden Spike Ceremony.
President Sam Bartlett made some opening remarks.
Dave G did the honors,
with a golden spike and a golden spiking maul.
Done!
And ready for some inaugural caboose rides.
First 'revenue' trip into the New Carbarn.
These are tight turnouts, the telephoto view makes them look even tighter.
No. 10 squeals going through these curves.
Looking west, the grade crossing has been installed in Stall Two Track.
Compare this to where we started a the top of the page.
So that project is essentially done and paid for, with help from our members, supporters and volunteers. But there is still much trackwork to do on the rest of the House Track, as well and many other projects. If you want to support our future trackwork or restoration projects (caboose CV 4015, PCC car MBTA 3321, Fitchburg and Leominster No. 60) you can Renew your Membership or Join us as a new Member or join our crew of volunteers or make a donation at the bottom of the Membership page.
