Rail by Rail: Track Installation to the Turnout

[@RossBrown-x8f]

Really fun to watch. It brought back memories of building a couple of switches and installing a new bypass we called the west branch at the railroad in Eau Claire.

[@mattkabful]

I very much enjoy watching the team prepare, build, and maintain the railroad. Hoping to lend a hand in the coming year.

[@denden_jp]

This is very careful work. It's exciting. I have helped lay narrow gauge tracks before, but the sleepers and rails are heavy, and bending the rails was difficult (a rail bender was used for the sharp curves). When gravel was put under the sleepers, the track gradually became a slope, and it was difficult to make it level. What I felt most was the presence of the colleagues who cooperated with each other. It seems that your group has built good relationships as well. I look forward to seeing the train running through the beautiful scenery once it is completed. From Japan.

[@EauGalleScenicRailway]

Thank you for the kind words. We're glad you are emoting it. And, thank you for following our channel.

[@stevemartin6934]

Love this channel ,,thank you for recording the process,,,,,Steve Martin ,,,retired Mechanical Engineer and long time model railroader !!!!!!!!!

[@EauGalleScenicRailway]

Our pleasure!

[@zachthorn237]

We use very similar pre made switches at the coal mine i run locos at here in WV. Love your videos.

[@EauGalleScenicRailway]

What gauge are they running? Thanks for following our channel.

[@WorldofColor-ng5yc]

Thank you for putting together an in-order-of-work sequence. Although your work method could be understood from your previous videos, having it all in one (apart from topping off and tamping) is very helpful. I'm sure a lot of viewers will appreciate your approach to the job which shows that tracklaying doesn't necessarily have to involve complex or advanced technologies. Using a few simple hand tools an excavator, a quad bike, a forklift loader and a few willing bodies, the job gets done.

[@EauGalleScenicRailway]

Thanks. I'm always impressed with how simple it can be. And thanks for following our channel.

[@MartinQuinn-i7f]

You always keep me engaged with your clear explanations.

[@EauGalleScenicRailway]

Glad to hear it. Thanks for following our channel.

[@PlanetMojo]

Great job folks! This is a lot like the things I do - you start to get real good at it, then you're done. I just built a post frame, and by the time I was done I was very good at it, but there was nothing left to build. 😉

[@EauGalleScenicRailway]

Sounds about right

[@davidakridge2831]

Keep the longer videos coming. I like the detail. Keep up the great work.

[@AurigaMV]

Very interesting video on the track-laying process! I especially enjoyed the detailed steps of installing and aligning the rails. This thorough approach really helps to understand the whole process.

[@EauGalleScenicRailway]

Thanks for following our channel.

[@mischef18]

Yep really did enjoy this video bro it had great content. Safe travels. Ken.

[@EauGalleScenicRailway]

Thanks

[@PaulWilliams-h1y]

When you use time lapse photography, track seems to go down quicker than it does in 0 gauge. LOL. Seriously, that was a heck of a job very well done, and well documented too. Regards, Paul, in Cornwall. U.K.

[@EauGalleScenicRailway]

Thanks for following our progress, all the way from the U.K.

[@railroad9000]

You automatcally get a thumbs up as soon as I click on! I know it will be good!

[@EauGalleScenicRailway]

Thanks. That's very kind

[@RFMCabooseNP1713]

Looking great.

[@EauGalleScenicRailway]

Thanks!

[@royreynolds108]

The "spike" pattern you are using on the ties helps the ties stay straight across the track instead of skewing which would tend to make the gauge get narrower as the rails become closer together. The spikes are in a large V pattern looking down on the track. You guys still need at least 2 track jacks, 15-ton capacity, along with a pry bar for each to operate them. It is the safest way to jack up the track or move the track sideways. To raise track in ballast, place a jack so the toe is under a rail, use the lining bar to work the pawl to catch the rail base and work it up and down for the amount of raise you want. If the rail rises more than you want, wiggle the lining bar sideways a little so the whole jack settles into the ballast, then tamp the ballast under then around the ties to keep everything where you want it.

[@EauGalleScenicRailway]

We have those jacks and use them quite regularly. We just might not have used them in a video yet.

[@glennfoster2423]

Roy, you are obviously a gandy dancer from years ago. That is the way the old section foreman showed me 45 years ago when I showed up day one as green as the grass in the drainage ditch.

[@royreynolds108]

@@glennfoster2423 Well, I am 77 and was a track foreman on the Huckleberry RR for 4 years, 79 to 83.

[@EauGalleScenicRailway]

Thanks for following our channel. We love hearing how the real men did it back in the day. We know we're just playing with toys.

[@royreynolds108]

@@EauGalleScenicRailway Yes, toys that can hurt, maim, and kill if you are not careful. Be careful.

[@mixmaxermixer8005]

Hey that looks like the boss man himself running the excavator at 28:40

[@EauGalleScenicRailway]

Wow, you've got good eyesight

[@theodorekiefer6095]

When you were pulling the rail with the winch a person was often on the outside of the rail if the winch cable suddenly broke that rail would spring back violently seriously injuring anyone standing in range of its return. Steel is very unforgiving. I enjoy your endeavors very much.

[@EauGalleScenicRailway]

Yeah, I rewatched the video during the winch portions. We will reconsider how we do that.

[@franciscoppola1129]

I was wondering have you guys thought about building panels? You can build them at your leisure and when you’re ready to lay track roll them up on your flatcars and lay them into place. I know when I worked on the railroad that’s what was done to lay track quickly. Great videos and a great job your crew is doing. I wish there was a project like that near enough to me on Long Island I could volunteer for.

[@EauGalleScenicRailway]

We definitely thought about it. If we were a smaller guage, we probably would have been more likely to go that direction. With the 3' gauge and 40lb rail, a 40' panel would have weighed about 2000 pounds. We would have needed enough room for a skid loader to maneuver along the entire length of our track, which we only currently have for about 20% of our roadbed. Getting that amount of space for our entire line would have required clearing lots more land and cutting many, many more trees. Beyond that, we believe the ride is smoother with offering joint bars. We also believe the offset joint bars make a more stable and reliable track, which requires less maintenance.

[@franciscoppola1129]

@@EauGalleScenicRailway yes you are correct about the ride and stability of staggered joints. Then again the railroad did use Burro cranes to off load and set in place. You guys have a great system for laying rail so why change what works well for you. One of these days I would love to get up there and see your railroad in person. Keep up the great videos

[@EauGalleScenicRailway]

We look forward to your visit.

[@dathanpoole871]

Another great video , I love watching you all put it all together. But as I've stated in the previous video, please do not stand on The Far Side of the rail when you're pulling it with that winch cable, if that breaks or something goes wrong that rail slinging right back to where it was. And it's going to hurt. I've seen it happen. Work safe lady and gentlemen.

[@EauGalleScenicRailway]

It's a good point, and we can be better. But, it's really not as dangerous as it appears, because while the rail looks very curved, it's not being pulled very far because of how much has already been spiked.

[@dathanpoole871]

@@EauGalleScenicRailway oh I trust that you know what you're working with. I just know from experience with working with passenger rail, higher web profile and things like that I've seen those things jump even when we're just threading in the rail with the speed swing. Just looking out, be safe

[@EauGalleScenicRailway]

You're very right. We've also seen rail slip and make some crazy movements. We appreciate the concern and the feedback. As a matter of fact, we had a meeting this morning and agreed that we can't have anyone in the cribs on the wrong side of that bend when we're winching.

[@dathanpoole871]

@@EauGalleScenicRailway excellent, that's great news and it makes me feel good that hopefully by raising the awareness, I have hopefully saved someone from Serious injury. I think what you guys are doing is great, and I can't wait to see the rest of the project out. You all stay safe out there.

[@davidmorris7696]

Any place to get merch?? Love the progress.

[@EauGalleScenicRailway]

We're working on it. I'm hoping we'll have something to announce within a few weeks.

[@snchilders]

I'd love to be part of that daily crew, but I'm in Delaware, over 1000 road miles away.

[@EauGalleScenicRailway]

Maybe a once a year trip???

[@daletrongale2606]

IS there a reason why you don't alternate the bolt heads on your joint bars? Any track laying videos (and actual track laying on the Sumpter Valley Ry. in Oregon), the joint bar bolts were alternated.

[@EauGalleScenicRailway]

We laid the first 1.5 miles or so of our track the traditional way, alternating the bolts, as you mentioned. That was with the old 1890 recycled rail from the Pike's Peak Cog railway. When we received the new bolts for the new Chinese rail, the nuts were extra large. They would just barely contact the flanges of our largest wheels if installed the same way. So we put all the nuts on the outside.

[@chucklavoie674]

Great work, everyone knows their job. Why no tie plates? Is this to save money?

[@EauGalleScenicRailway]

Thanks. Yeah, the lack of tie plates is simply a money and availability thing. We hope and think we can get buy without them. We originally estimated that tie plates alone would have added over $100,000 to the cost of the railroad. If we ever come across a mountain a pile of used ones (for 40lb rail) at a decent price we would love to have them.

[@cheeseburger9232]

I used a demo bar looked like the one you using called a Burke Bar

[@EauGalleScenicRailway]

Just like that... we learn more here by accident than elsewhere by design.

[@southern207hobbies]

your tie sucker is basicly a paw bar its a multy tool as it can be a crowbar to pull spikes or lift ties , a jack handle for budda multi jacks ( can be used in rail car repair ) and with a rail bender

[@royreynolds108]

The bar to pull regular cut track spikes is called a spike puller, that is all it is made for. I have pulled many spikes and have driven many with a spike maul. The other bar is a lining bar to be used to operate a Budda or Simplex Track Jack or line or pry on things as needed. It is either wedge-shaped or pointed on the big end and can be as long as 60 inches. If it is heat treated, it is less likely to get bent in use.

[@southern207hobbies]

@royreynolds108 that also depends on witch coast your on as and if you grabbed a tamping bar as southern railway on the east coast did try to be economical

[@arkansas1336]

What weight is the rail and what size are the ties?

[@EauGalleScenicRailway]

The rail is 40lb, and the ties are 6"x8" around and vary between 5' to 6' in length

[@larrylawson5172]

Maybe you have discussed why you are not using tie plates. Cost would be one. Are the bolts that hold the rail something special? Is there increased maintenance with this method? Are there other advantages or problems? Direct us to the other video if there is one. Thanks.

[@EauGalleScenicRailway]

It's a great question. We would love to be using tie plates. If we had been able to find lots of them cheap, we might have used them. The main reason was the cost. We figured that for our approximately 2.5-mile plan, tie plates would have added somewhere around $100,000. An impossible number for us. Beyond that, we envisioned our rolling stock to be light weight. And the screw spikes seemed like they could adequately hold our rails in place. The screw spikes are working great for now, but we don't really have any idea how well they'll hold up long term. We're in a similar situation with our ties. They are recycled guard rail timbers, and we really don't know how long they'll hold up. We think they'll do well, but only time will truly tell.

[@larrylawson5172]

@@EauGalleScenicRailway Thank you. Great information.

[@glennfoster2423]

​@EauGalleScenicRailway The industry often augmented the rail fastening (plates and spikes) where curve geometry, like 8 to 10 degrees on 2 plus grades, using beefed-up plates screwed down to the ties, particularly on the high side of a curve. The beefier the fastening the less incidents on rail overturning problems and/or gauge widening. Even applying the bumped up fastening to every second or third tie would increase the security of the rail-tie-fastenings structure. You might consider such an approach on the Eau Galle Scenic with a few plates on curves down the maintenance road. The economics of railroad existence are primary, from the bottom to the top. Fred Harvey even chastized the crew in the dining cars to "... cut the ham thinner!"

[@EauGalleScenicRailway]

Yep, adding a few plates on outside rails of curves is something we have thought of. We have a small supply of tire plates just in case.

[@jessejames586]

Were the rails custom made for you?

[@EauGalleScenicRailway]

No, most of our rail came in 30' sticks and was made in 1890 for the Pikes PEAK cog railway. They upgraded about ten years ago, and we purchased the used rail from Harmer Steel. When they ran out of that rail, we were forced to buy some Chinese steel. On the positive side, it came in 40 sticks, which makes the laying process go a little faster.

[@jessejames586]

Thanks

[@Bushey_Miniature_Railway]

I see one of your guys has a t- shirt on with 'Safety Second' on it. It worries me a bit regarding the safety of part of this process where safety may well be coming Second. When you bend the guide rail with the electric winch on the buggy, isn't it a bit risky if the guy who has just hooked the winch cable onto the guide rail, stands behind the rails as it's bent? If the hook slipped off or the cable or winch failed, the power in the rail springing back would surely cause a serious leg injury?

[@EauGalleScenicRailway]

The t shirt is a Mike Rowe joke thing. And we changed our setup and our process on that winch process. Your point is well taken.

[@jessejames586]

Did you folks just figure out how to do all this stuff on the fly?

[@EauGalleScenicRailway]

Mr Cudd has experience laying track at other private railroads. But, yeah, there are still lots of things we just need to figure out as we go.

[@glennfoster2423]

Indeed, on the fly! The first tie gang I worked with had two "stiff arm" tie handling machines. After the spikes and plates were removed, the first machine in line would fuss with removing the tie, the the next machine would pick up the new tie and wiggle it around to shove the tie in place under the rails. Infinately better than trying to do it by hand (Oh, yes we did!), but not a lot by then. Along came a new machine called a Switch Tie Handler. Bigger, stronger, more maneuverable than the "stiff arm", but way more expensive to get ahold of. But who said it could only be used to replace switch ties? Those 10', 12', 14', 16' monsters weighing more than two men with tie tongs could lift, let alone carry. And they were shiny new machines that made them go faster! A couple of foremen put their heads together and told the boss, why just use the tie handlers for switch ties? "Give us two of those instead of the old stiff arms. We will double our production," and they did!

[@jessejames586]

Amazing!

[@mayhemmayo]

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