Model Railroading > Dirty Work

We are building a 1500 ft extension at the live steam track, bi-directional single track with passing sidings.

It is a group effort , and a lot of work, and this summer has been really hot and humid, but push on we must.

After cutting a lot of small pines, we graded the right of way.  Tractor and blade did most of the work.

Adding infrastructure such as power, singal lines, & water is much easier with a Ditch Witch.

Many spots required fill, such as this low spot filled in with red clay, prevalent here in East Texas

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Yesterday we started laying down sub roadbed. 
Crushed concrete forms the base, then track panels, then limestone ballast.

Here a bucketload of crushed concrete is dumped into the roadbed former.

Then the tractor turns around and pulls the former along the R-O-W

This location will have a 100 ft. passing siding so two strips of crushed concrete are required.


One can see the railroad in use looking at you tube, search for Windy Ridge SWLS meet, or similar..

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Thats the way to do it when putting in signals dig a hole as laying it just under the ballast later on doent work too well.

Looks great, thanks for sharing. I wish more live steam tracks had sidings and signals as opposed to a table top type railroad that goes in circles. 

Chris Donhost
Vacaville, CA 

Digger Wrote:
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> Looks great, thanks for sharing. I wish more live
> steam tracks had sidings and signals as opposed to
> a table top type railroad that goes in circles. 
>
> Chris Donhost
> Vacaville, CA 

Just like a model railroad, you work with what have.

Thanks for sharing. I'm looking for more progress photos.

Victor A. Baird
httpL://www.erstwhilepublications.com

Tuff thing about working on that track is humidity , trees cut off the wind.  hot temps and lotsa sweat!  I do mean lots of sweat.

tomstp Wrote:
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> Tuff thing about working on that track is humidity
> , trees cut off the wind.  hot temps and lotsa
> sweat!  I do mean lots of sweat.

I know they make large gas-powered portable fans. Have you tried that, or given it any thought?

(Don't give an engineer a problem you don't want solved. :D)

Arved Grass
Fleming Island, FL

Love the ballast spreader; sure beats dumping ballast using a front loader or a shovel and wheelbarrow!

Marty Harrison
Knob Noster, MO

Marty, that sounds like experience talking.

" I do mean lots of sweat"


Keeps the ballast dust from clogging you pores...