Erskine Tramway
Moderator: Harold_V
Re: Erskine Tramway
I saved the picture to my computer and zoomed in on it a bunch more so I could see the "fixins" better.
Because I like to modify things haha, I'm still thinking of adding my own touch to the thing by mounting the whole essentric shaft and assembly onto a plate mounted on plate compactor "rubber springs" and add a counterweight to the shaft so the whole thing would pinch the ballast together under the ties *and vibrate*.
I use 2x4's for ties too, as I'm building 12" gage not 7-1/2".
Because I like to modify things haha, I'm still thinking of adding my own touch to the thing by mounting the whole essentric shaft and assembly onto a plate mounted on plate compactor "rubber springs" and add a counterweight to the shaft so the whole thing would pinch the ballast together under the ties *and vibrate*.
I use 2x4's for ties too, as I'm building 12" gage not 7-1/2".
- Erskine Tramway
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Re: Erskine Tramway
Well, Folks...
The track laying part of the Erskine Tramway is finished. I ran out of rail and momma's permission to work on it anymore. BUT, the track is finished out to Erskine Siding. Yesterday, I made the first movement through the siding.
Here's a view looking South towards the house.
Now, I can pull cars both ways over the line, instead of pushing them out and pulling them back. Further 'improvements' to the station include a platform, salvaged from the back door 'bridge' at our daughter's trailer, a back fence, and a station sign.
Now, I've got equipment maintenance to do, and a couple more cars to build/finish. I can do that in the cool of the shop, and just 'play trains' on good weather days.
Enjoy,
Mike
The track laying part of the Erskine Tramway is finished. I ran out of rail and momma's permission to work on it anymore. BUT, the track is finished out to Erskine Siding. Yesterday, I made the first movement through the siding.
Here's a view looking South towards the house.
Now, I can pull cars both ways over the line, instead of pushing them out and pulling them back. Further 'improvements' to the station include a platform, salvaged from the back door 'bridge' at our daughter's trailer, a back fence, and a station sign.
Now, I've got equipment maintenance to do, and a couple more cars to build/finish. I can do that in the cool of the shop, and just 'play trains' on good weather days.
Enjoy,
Mike
Former Locomotive Engineer and Designer, Sandley Light Railway Equipment Works, Inc. and Riverside & Great Northern Railway 1962-77
BN RR Locomotive Engineer 1977-2014, Retired
BN RR Locomotive Engineer 1977-2014, Retired
Re: Erskine Tramway
Congrats on your milestone accomplishments!
Now enjoy some fun.
RussN
Now enjoy some fun.
RussN
Re: Erskine Tramway
Thanks for posting this series Mike, it's been fun to read along through the years.
John Brock
- Erskine Tramway
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Re: Erskine Tramway
Here's a little video of running around the coach at Erskine Siding. I should have picked a better angle for the camera, but you'll get the idea. The coach rolled a little after I cut off, but it wasn't going to go far.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBRZlcyVOUc
Mike
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBRZlcyVOUc
Mike
Former Locomotive Engineer and Designer, Sandley Light Railway Equipment Works, Inc. and Riverside & Great Northern Railway 1962-77
BN RR Locomotive Engineer 1977-2014, Retired
BN RR Locomotive Engineer 1977-2014, Retired
Re: Erskine Tramway
CUTE!
And no offense meant.
RussN
And no offense meant.
RussN
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Re: Erskine Tramway
Hi Mike,
Looks like you are hauling small passengers now. How are ticket sales going? Or, are all the passengers afforded passes?
Nice job on the trackwork. What's next on the list of projects?
I noticed from the video that I am not the only one gaining in age or girth, hmmm. Spring switches and automatic couplers in the future?
OK, teased you enough. Have a great time with the railroad. Enjoy!
Don Bauer
Looks like you are hauling small passengers now. How are ticket sales going? Or, are all the passengers afforded passes?
Nice job on the trackwork. What's next on the list of projects?
I noticed from the video that I am not the only one gaining in age or girth, hmmm. Spring switches and automatic couplers in the future?
OK, teased you enough. Have a great time with the railroad. Enjoy!
Don Bauer
- Erskine Tramway
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Re: Erskine Tramway
Hi Don...DBauer2250 wrote: ↑Wed Aug 19, 2020 1:16 pm Hi Mike,
Looks like you are hauling small passengers now. How are ticket sales going? Or, are all the passengers afforded passes?
Nice job on the trackwork. What's next on the list of projects?
I noticed from the video that I am not the only one gaining in age or girth, hmmm. Spring switches and automatic couplers in the future?
OK, teased you enough. Have a great time with the railroad. Enjoy!
Don Bauer
Yup, they are on the 'family plan' Well, I've got a station platform I need to haul out there...after it cools down. I'm thinking I might get the body built for the coach this winter, if I ever get done with the drawings for the second Heywood book. I guess I am a bit 'heftier' than when you last saw me. I gained quite a bit of weight sitting on the right hand seat, though I lost more than 20 pounds when I took my pension. No 'quick shop' stops, and getting more exercise, and regular sleep, helped.
Not likely to change either the couplers or the switches. The Heywood Point Levers 'would' trail through, if I lubed the points. But you might have noticed that the wind blows a lot out here, and the local dust would just gum things up. Besides, the exercise does me good. When there's no camera watching, I drive up closer to the points, line the switch, let Sparky run through by himself, line it back, and then get back on
Mike
Former Locomotive Engineer and Designer, Sandley Light Railway Equipment Works, Inc. and Riverside & Great Northern Railway 1962-77
BN RR Locomotive Engineer 1977-2014, Retired
BN RR Locomotive Engineer 1977-2014, Retired
- Erskine Tramway
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Re: Erskine Tramway
This morning, before it go to be over 90F's, I loaded the train with some wood to re-split. Then, I put the train back into the Car Shed, account it's too hot to sit on the concrete and finish splitting it to 'fireplace' size today.
Mike
Mike
Former Locomotive Engineer and Designer, Sandley Light Railway Equipment Works, Inc. and Riverside & Great Northern Railway 1962-77
BN RR Locomotive Engineer 1977-2014, Retired
BN RR Locomotive Engineer 1977-2014, Retired
- Erskine Tramway
- Posts: 390
- Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2014 4:13 pm
- Location: South Dakota
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Re: Erskine Tramway
Hi Folks...
A couple years ago, I got some more 'Heywood' castings and built a fourth flat wagon. Last summer, I finally got around to having a local welder fabricate an angle iron 'rim' for the deck. While he was at it, I had him punch square holes in the corners for carriage bolts to hold the rims down. So, Friday, I'd painted the new rim and then bolted all of them down.
Now, I need to get my little foundry running, and cast some number plates...before I forget which is which Number four has all the 'details', such as what Sir Arthur called the 'deck stopper' and bracket, which is a plug to close up the central hole in the deck that's used for the timber fork pivots. Number one doesn't have the deck hole, account I didn't know about them when I built it, and the other two have details that identify them.
Stuart Hughes, in England, made me the plate patterns to my drawings, and I've picked out numbers for all of my stock. The rectangular plates go on the wagon frames, and the oval plates on the sides of the wagon 'tops' and the passenger equipment.
After I got done working on the cars, I went up and replaced the head tie on the Car Shed lead switch. The old one had rotted and split at the two bolts that hold the Point Lever bracket. Here is a picture of the new installation, before I adjusted the reach rod to equalize the lever throw.
That's all for now.
Mike
A couple years ago, I got some more 'Heywood' castings and built a fourth flat wagon. Last summer, I finally got around to having a local welder fabricate an angle iron 'rim' for the deck. While he was at it, I had him punch square holes in the corners for carriage bolts to hold the rims down. So, Friday, I'd painted the new rim and then bolted all of them down.
Now, I need to get my little foundry running, and cast some number plates...before I forget which is which Number four has all the 'details', such as what Sir Arthur called the 'deck stopper' and bracket, which is a plug to close up the central hole in the deck that's used for the timber fork pivots. Number one doesn't have the deck hole, account I didn't know about them when I built it, and the other two have details that identify them.
Stuart Hughes, in England, made me the plate patterns to my drawings, and I've picked out numbers for all of my stock. The rectangular plates go on the wagon frames, and the oval plates on the sides of the wagon 'tops' and the passenger equipment.
After I got done working on the cars, I went up and replaced the head tie on the Car Shed lead switch. The old one had rotted and split at the two bolts that hold the Point Lever bracket. Here is a picture of the new installation, before I adjusted the reach rod to equalize the lever throw.
That's all for now.
Mike
Former Locomotive Engineer and Designer, Sandley Light Railway Equipment Works, Inc. and Riverside & Great Northern Railway 1962-77
BN RR Locomotive Engineer 1977-2014, Retired
BN RR Locomotive Engineer 1977-2014, Retired
- Erskine Tramway
- Posts: 390
- Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2014 4:13 pm
- Location: South Dakota
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Re: Erskine Tramway
Hi Folks...
Daughter Sarah was out yesterday so we made a 'movie'. I think I need to get a better camera, one that focus responds quicker to zooms, and will accept a separate microphone that fits a 'windsock'. The wind blows most of the time here...there's a sorta rude saying why that is, involving Wyoming and Nebraska, but I digress. Anyway, here's a trip over the whole line. Enjoy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f45sOxX ... Gg94AaABAg
Mike
Daughter Sarah was out yesterday so we made a 'movie'. I think I need to get a better camera, one that focus responds quicker to zooms, and will accept a separate microphone that fits a 'windsock'. The wind blows most of the time here...there's a sorta rude saying why that is, involving Wyoming and Nebraska, but I digress. Anyway, here's a trip over the whole line. Enjoy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f45sOxX ... Gg94AaABAg
Mike
Former Locomotive Engineer and Designer, Sandley Light Railway Equipment Works, Inc. and Riverside & Great Northern Railway 1962-77
BN RR Locomotive Engineer 1977-2014, Retired
BN RR Locomotive Engineer 1977-2014, Retired
- Erskine Tramway
- Posts: 390
- Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2014 4:13 pm
- Location: South Dakota
- Contact:
Re: Erskine Tramway
Former Locomotive Engineer and Designer, Sandley Light Railway Equipment Works, Inc. and Riverside & Great Northern Railway 1962-77
BN RR Locomotive Engineer 1977-2014, Retired
BN RR Locomotive Engineer 1977-2014, Retired