Got to drive 1,600 miles for 1.5 miles of railroad

[Ferroequinologist]

Well, many of you know that I work for the Air Force driving trains. I also volunteer at a RR museum, as the mechanic/engineer/secretary/trackworker etc etc

We (the museum) recently got 1.5 miles worth of 119lb per yard rail and concrete crossties.

Problem was we needed all of this stuff moved. We calculated it would take 62 loads. The material was at a nuclear power station 15 miles from our railyard. I had just picked up Westech's M818 and he offered to sell it to me because he had found a m151.

So the stars aligned and I bought Westy's truck and leased a trailer and started moving.

Many have been asking for pictures so here they are! I didn't get any of the trailer when it was loaded with the crossties.

My wife Angie rode with me quite a bit and helped load and was a dang good spotter.

 

[Ferroequinologist]

And some more pics:

 

[Ferroequinologist]

We couldn't fit all the buckets on pallets, so we had to get creative with unloading them. They were HEAVY!!! filled with bolts or rail clips, most had also filled with water and froze solid.

 

[Crash_AF]

Sweet deal...

Just out of curiosity, what did you do for trailer lights?

Later,
Joe

 

[Ferroequinologist]

I got these adapters. I got mine to work, trying to get the rest to so I can offer them for sale. They have the military plug on one end and the 7 pin round civi on the other.

 

[OPCOM]

Geez that is a lot of load! I hope you get it all and can show us some pics of the new rail once installed! - with a loco on it of course.

 

[CSX90]

119lb rail, thats a neat one. All I have under me is 105D, 127D, and 80... and a few other odd ball ones

Ferro, what locomotives do you use with the air force? Up north here at Griffis in Rome NY we use a GE 80 ton and also there is an Alco S1 left over and retired from the Air force when the base was decomissioned. We use them once and a while when we dont need our big engines.

 

[rideni]

There is no way in **** you could run 125Mph on 119lb jointed rail.
Concrete ties are a pile of junk I'd rather use creosote any day, harder to change, have to use fasteners instead of spikes, have to have better drainage, any amount of crosslevel is practically lethal to them, crystalizing, And I hope you aren't running steam on it

 

[rideni]

theres 45, 55, 60, 65, 70, 80, 85, 90, 100, 112, 119, 122, 132, 136, 140, 141 pound rail that I have seen, that and some old John Brown Iron rail there's some rail in the shop track out side my office 85lb rail from 1885
It is good to see a museum that isn't lazy and actually will work to get there donations and not expect it to be handed to them. I am fed up with museums and historical groups that expect it not just donated but delivered and in some cases, repaired or installed.

 

[panshark]

Looking at them buckets hanging from the forks gave me the willies! I could just imagine you hitting a bump with those frozen plastic buckets hanging there and...the words that would follow. How cold was it when you were moving them. Any mishaps?

 

[stampy]

Great job Ferro!!!!! Another one who "Walks the talk" ie: gets it done! I hope the rail and accessories come in handy. I agree with rideni about donations!

 

[rideni]

you don't know the half of it brother

 

[Ferroequinologist]

Rideni, that's the problem with some of the members, they DO expect everything handed to them. Problem is, some are on the Board of Trustees. They expected me to move all that FOR FREE.

Anyway, yeah, I forgot about the jointed rail part, your right you couldn't do 125 on it. Well, for a minute or two anyway. Then you would quickly hit 0mph.

We have used concrete with great success before, we have a ramp track with concrete, and about a 1/2 mile with them in the main line. I would bet we are one of the few museums, if not the only, in the country running on them.

It was about 15 that morning and it warmed up to about 34 during the day. I figured if we could pick them up and move them around by the handles on the trailer, I could pick them up with the forks.

Stampy, whatever it takes, just keep moving forward and get it done. Most of the guys there don't realize that.

CSX90, we use two 80ton GE mu'ed together.

 

[Speddmon]

Two words for you ferro...."Holy Chit!!!!!!"

I think that's a great way to demonstrate what an old semi-retired piece of military hardware can do. How did the old girl handle all those trips?

 

[CSX90]

PM Sent Ferro.

 

[docfarmall]

good show ole chap the ole girl looked good shown what she was made for the heavy haul

 

[srodocker]

62 loads?!?!?

 

[ETHOS]

I gotta know how good the truck hauled all that cargo....

 

[Ferroequinologist]

She did just fine. They dropped a new engine in her before surplusing. There were two long grades on the way back to the railyard. Had to go 3 low coming out of the construction area at the power plant, and there was one on a small country back road that I had to go to 2nd. Other than that, it was southbound and down! well, more eastbound...

She did great. The oil cooler was leaking when I got it, and the syncros are gone for 4th gear. I changed out the oil cooler (thanks Gimp and Doghead!!) and just double clutched 4th.

I did have the air activation piston in the airpack freeze up, I took it apart and got it moving smoothly again. Then when bleeding my helper put the pedal to the floor, so the MC stuck in the back, so I had to take that apart and clean it out and put it back together again. And with 15 loads to go or so the pass side axle boot started leaking grease and gear oil.

Other than that, the old girl runs like a top. I definitly worked the bugs out and will be fixing some stuff, a paint job is planned for when it warms up.

 

[MyothersanM1]

My two favorite things in life: military vehicles and anything railroad. Nice to see green iron hauling the high iron.