Nostalgia & History > What are they doing?

I found this picture on the Historical Society of Pennsylvania Digital Library. 
 
http://digitallibrary.hsp.org
 
Picture 1, “Pennsylvania Railroad work crew.”  What are they doing? 
 

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Manual tie plug insertion for a rail relay. Pretty tedious work when I did it. The machines behind are tie adzers to provide a level surface for the tie plate.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/22/16 11:40 by King_Coal.

Changing out rail on track 1 at the east end of the Schuylkill River bridge.  Old rail is in the gage, new rail is in the 6 foot. Plugging the ties then cleaning up the plate cuts and plugs with a power adzer.  The old rail was probably rolled into the track center with rail forks, and the burro crane in the back is setting the new rail in place, and probably loading the old rail on a cart. Great picture of an age old process.

They are both correct with there answers. upkpfan

Note the shin guards on the adzing machine operators.

Thanks to everyone for the comments.  What are the wheels on the upper left for?  Do they function as flywheels?   
 

The wheels folded up out of the way when using the machines and folded down to make a cart to move the machine to and from the work area.

Funny thing looking at this picture again, I suddenly realize that I probably changed out the rail they are installing.  Figure this picture to be taken in the 1950s the rail would have been over 30 years old when we ran CWR through there in the '80s. That rail is now looking back at it's 30th birthday.