Western Railroad Discussion > BNSF Steel gangs and TLMs at Lowell, WA

It's going to be a busy week at Lowell, WA with a steel gang on Lowell Siding and the TLM laying the new NP Bypass. Here are just a handful of pictures.

1) Very nice new Nordco spike puller.

2) A Swingmaster 181 throwing out the old rail.

3) Tie plugger. They inject a two-part epoxy into the old spike holes to seal them up and for something solid for the new spike to grab onto.

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4) Looking down towards the first part of the gang.

5) A Kershaw Kribber Adzer digs out the space between the ties and cuts down the top of the tie to a uniform height. The Pettibone Speedswing in the back begins to thread the new rail in to place.

6) Staying clear for the BNSF 5495 East.

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7) Holland flash-butt welder.

8 & 9) Two of the TLM.

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Mark, I really like your MOW photos and accompanying information. The photos are top quality and the text is educational, especially for us non-rails. Keep them coming.

Old Bob down in Lost Wages

I always learn here at TO. Never heard of a Tie plugger.
But can't move the spike to a different spot on the tie.
Maybe lift the tie and rotate 90 degrees.....
Like my dad's trick of replacing a loose wood screw in a hinge by dipping a wooden match stick
in Elmer's glue and breaking it off flush in the screw hole.

I see light rail uses those Pandrol plates/clips and a lag bolt with a triangular head.
Cal-P

Ties these days are 7x9, so rotating them 90 degrees isn't possible. It's best to just leave 'em in place. The stuff they are using is called SpikeFast. Once it's set, it provides bond just as strong as an unspiked tie. Here is the spec page of their website:

http://www.wvcorailroad.com/product-specs-performance.html

The location of the spikes is determined by the spike hole spacing in the tie plates. If you relay with heavier rail, the base width is different as is the hole arrangement from say, 133 from 136 even though they have the same 6" base width.

Most times the new spike will be driven in about the same location but if it's, say, a half-spike width different can cause the spike to wander off into the softer material.

This process replaces the old wood tie plug method as it is faster than hand plugging the ties. Wood plugs are still used in spot maintenance applicatiions and you can always find a bundle of them in a m of w truck.

Hey Mark,

What's going on with all the fill dirt piles at Delta Yard? Are those just piles being used by the road crews working on Marine View Drive, or is there a plan for some improvements to Delta Yard itself?

Thanks...

--Tom

Sasquatch Wrote:
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> Hey Mark,
>
> What's going on with all the fill dirt piles at
> Delta Yard? Are those just piles being used by
> the road crews working on Marine View Drive, or is
> there a plan for some improvements to Delta Yard
> itself?

More construction. Grading will be done for four new yard tracks with two of them being built for now.

Thanks Mark...I was wondering about that. Is there any truth to the idea of Interbay/Balmer being closed down and sold for development, and all the functions moving to Delta in the next few years?

--Tom

Sasquatch Wrote:
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> Thanks Mark...I was wondering about that. Is
> there any truth to the idea of Interbay/Balmer
> being closed down and sold for development, and
> all the functions moving to Delta in the next few
> years?

That rumor really heated up a few years ago. Not really a rumor, I guess. I remember hearing about it at a "town hall meeting" with Division-level people attending. I suppose the idea is on the back burner right now. It sounds like it comes and goes.

Thanks Mark; always appreciate the updates!

--Tom