Apparently new track work to be accomplished thru here soon. It is quite an active line thru here...
Quentin
Tie gangs work around the system/railroad they work for and thanks to a track supervisor I got to know I was given the opportunity to photograph them in action. No trespassing; long lens. It is a well chorographed operation. Each person knows their duties and follows them to the letter. Spike removal tools removed spikes, then old ties were pushed aside. Other equipment followed. The guys on the "donkey cranes" operate them smoothly like a second arm, shoving old ties out and replacing them with new.
Old ties were removed and new ones slid into place with a flick of the operator's wrist. Other guys follow and plug holes in ties that are still viable. Some rode machine and others were on the ground. It appeared to me that none of this was easy work even thoug machines were doing most of it. The operators had to keep a sharp eye on what was occurring. One had to have their senses alert while doing their tasks.
Other machine operators followed, doing their chores in proper sequence followed up by someone checking gauge and looking for level track without dips or jogs. They were a joy to watch as they worked. Each individual had a particular task that was accomplished in a few seconds per tie. At the end of the day they parked their equipment on a siding and went for dinner and rest.
The whole scenario is about keeping the railroad available for revenue traffic as much as possible and tieing it up as little as possible. The day I photographed that operation both the track supervisor and track foreman were present. They both reviewed my photos and thought they were an accurate representation of the operataion.
My second chance at observing a crew in action I caught a CSX curve rail gang. Much different operation than replacing ties. Watching and photographing them was an interesting and informative experience as was the CN operation. In the process I made a few friends at CSX.
I would like to post the photos I have taken of those operations, but they are saved to my computer and Kalmbach will not accept them without a URL, hence, I can't. They would be informative to those here who are interested in MOW.
Norm
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
At 2:00 in the video, the operator pulls a spike and then after pulling it out tries to pull it again even though it has already been pulled and there is no spike to be pulled. The machine operator has a good acuracy on engaging the spikes. Just wonder why he thought this one was still there.
I've watched the BNSF 's tie replacement train that has two men in control cabs hung under the backbone of the machine and they stop over the tie they are working on to pull the spikes out of that tie as the train moves slowly forward, then zoom forward to the next tie and stop and repeat their task on it. It is a fascinating thing to watch them play leapfrog. Meanwhile the tie delivering shuttle is running back & forth above them to retrieve a block of new ties and deliver them to the machine behind them for placement.
Electroliner 1935At 2:00 in the video, the operator pulls a spike and then after pulling it out tries to pull it again even though it has already been pulled and there is no spike to be pulled. The machine operator has a good acuracy on engaging the spikes. Just wonder why he thought this one was still there.
Just a guess on my part, but it looks like the inner and outer claws are ganged together. Maybe it missed the inner one and he was repeating the motion to try again to catch it.
_____________
"A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner
Some years ago, here on the forum, someone posted a picture of a contraption. Kind of a Rube Goldberg device, wheels, cams, levers, a motor, who-knows-what.
Turned out it was a home-made spike puller.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
Hello Quentin,long time since posting .I recall the days we were living in Muncie and the days of the NKP rumbling by the house on Maceidonia st.Some days after work I would visit my tower friend Murrey Woods. There was a lot of info I gained from him on the operation of the tower and why things work. Those were the days my friend and fondly looked back on.
Respectfully, Cannonball
Y6bs evergreen in my mind
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