Alcalde & Coalfield High Line

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Greg_Lewis
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Re: Alcalde & Coalfield High Line

Post by Greg_Lewis »

Thanks, Jack. Looks pretty.
Greg Lewis, Prop.
Eyeball Engineering — Home of the dull toolbit.
Our motto: "That looks about right."
Celebrating 35 years of turning perfectly good metal into bits of useless scrap.
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JBodenmann
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Re: Alcalde & Coalfield High Line

Post by JBodenmann »

This is where the railway starts up the grade, 1/1/2 percent again. There will also be a short curved trestle here as we start onto the big mountain division fill. This gap in the railway is not as wide as it looks.
Snow6.jpeg
Here the line follows the fill up grade to the right. Hopefully the fire is in good shape here with plenty of water in the boiler. The engine will be working hard here as we head up the hill. This will be a good train watching spot as the tiny engines go snorting up the hill.
Snow7.jpeg
Still climbing and heading into red rock cut.
Snow8.jpeg
And here we are in red rock cut. Still 1-1/2 percent upgrade. The reason it's called red rock is there was a big rock here. It looked just like red brick. The back hoe wouldn't touch it. I spent just a few summer evenings working on that rock with a four pound sledge and a cold chisel. Once again stubbornness paid off.🤪
Snow9.jpeg
And finally we come to the end of the grade as we enter the steaming bay area. Hopefully we had enough steam to make it up the hill. Time to have a look at the fire and get it in shape. That is if you don't fire on the run, which I think is a real hoot. Roaring along trying to get the coal through that tiny fire door, instead of the cab deck. Keeping the water level just right. Ahh wonderful! I think there is enough grade here to make it interesting and provide a bit of a challenge. But it shouldn't be too much for the really tiny tea kettles. The fireman will have to be paying attention though. So I hope you have enjoyed the tour. Soon instead of an imaginary steam loco, we will have some real ones tearing around the Alcalde & Coalfield High Line. Too Much Fun.
See You In The Funny pages...
Jack
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NP317
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Re: Alcalde & Coalfield High Line

Post by NP317 »

First snow this season?
Beautiful.
RussN
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JBodenmann
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Re: Alcalde & Coalfield High Line

Post by JBodenmann »

Hello My Friends
Yes it's the first snow of the season. It's a typical high mountain desert snow, just a couple inches. It usually just lasts a day or two so it's more of a treat than a nuisance. It is beautiful. We have talked about a 4-3/4" gauge rotary snow plow. That would be fun.
Jack
FKreider
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Re: Alcalde & Coalfield High Line

Post by FKreider »

JBodenmann wrote: Thu Nov 03, 2022 1:30 pm That is if you don't fire on the run, which I think is a real hoot. Roaring along trying to get the coal through that tiny fire door, instead of the cab deck. Keeping the water level just right.
Firing a 3/4" locomotive on the run is a real hoot indeed!
-Frank K.
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JBodenmann
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Re: Alcalde & Coalfield High Line

Post by JBodenmann »

Hello My Friends
Kcameron asked about the molds a while back. Here are some photos and descriptions. The original design of the molds was changed a couple times as I had never done this type of thing before. This is how we learn. Here we have one of the sides. These were made from 1" plexiglass. The main reason this was used is that it was free. A friend had a stack of this stuff and gave me a sheet. In this first photo the mold part still has to be cleaned. this has to be done after each casting session and was done with a scraper.
Mold1.jpeg
Here the mold part has been cleaned.
Mold2.jpeg
Before each casting session the mold parts must be sprayed with some sort of release agent. I use Pam cooking spray. It is cheap and effective. This makes a big difference when removing the pylon from the mold.
Mold3.jpeg
Here we have the tube for the tie bolt that will later hold the pressure treated 2 x 6's in place, and also the rebar assembly.
Mold4.jpeg
Now the mold is ready for the front and back.
Mold5.jpeg
Last edited by JBodenmann on Wed Apr 19, 2023 9:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
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JBodenmann
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Re: Alcalde & Coalfield High Line

Post by JBodenmann »

The front and back can now be put in place. These parts are made of 1/4" PVC purchased from McMaster. It was glued together with Hot Blue Glue that is sold for glueing PVC pipe.
Mold6.jpeg
One side had some carriage bolts cast in to later hold the support for the anti tipping rails.
Mold7.jpeg
Here the mold is all closed up.
Mold8.jpeg
Once the mold is set on the ground the remaining clamps are put on.
Mold9.jpeg
One last thing to do before putting the concrete in is to tie the rebar in place with some bailing wire.
Mold10.jpeg
It takes three sixty pound bags of high strength ready mix, plus three shovels of sand. Some extra Portland cement and brown concrete dye to make two pylons. The sixty pound bags of ready mix seem to have gotten heavier over the years.🤪 There are only two more pylons to make to finish the high line. As my old friend Doug Chancey used to say, "Thems the two we been a lookin' for". There will be a small celebration when that's done. The two pylons cast on this day were number 110, and 111 !. Then the molds will get stashed in the rafters of the wood shop hopefully never to be used again! Too much fun?
See You In The Funny Pages...
Jack
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kcameron
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Re: Alcalde & Coalfield High Line

Post by kcameron »

That's a great description and slide set. Only thing I'd ask would have been the picture of it coming out of the mold to confirm what the final looks like with bolts and tube etc... and how those are used.

Biggest thing is your use of plastics for the molds. We are doing signal mast bases and also use a plastic multiple part mold. Main problem seems related to getting the mold release on everything. At least it seems some parts don't want to release well. Or the surface comes out with a bunch of bubbles or other exceptions. I had suspected things like the casting couldn't breath and that effected how it set up. Or rather how it sometimes didn't seem to setup.
-ken cameron
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boaterri
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Re: Alcalde & Coalfield High Line

Post by boaterri »

"Hopefully never to be used again"?????

Until of course, you decide on an addition to the track.
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JBodenmann
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Re: Alcalde & Coalfield High Line

Post by JBodenmann »

Hello My Friends
Here is a bit more concerning the high line bits and pieces. Once the concrete is in the form it was given a good zoom with a vibrator. As the concrete is made rather stiff the vibrator settles it into the form and a lot of bubbles come to the top. I also added a plasticizer to the mix. I recently ran out and have been casting the pylons without it. It didn't seem to make any difference.
Pylon.jpg
Here is a photo of some pylons. They weigh about a hundred pounds each.
Pylon1.jpeg
Here is a sketch. The tube for the tie bolt is 1/2" conduit.
Pylon2.jpeg
Here are some more parts and pieces. The plates are 1/8" hot rolled 4" x 5". The tie bolts are 5/16", 8-1/4" long, threaded 5/16"-18 for 7/8" on each end. I used square nuts because they look old fashioned.
Plates&Ties.jpeg
The railway is almost finished. It's been quite a process. It started out as a line of rocks on the dirt. It seems like a long time ago. In some old Google earth views you could see the line of rocks. Now you can see the railway. Too Much Fun!
Jack
steamingdon
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Re: Alcalde & Coalfield High Line

Post by steamingdon »

Where would you clean your engine in such a beautiful steaming area ? Drop ashes, oil, water, beer ? Do you have a janitor to clean up after a Steam Event ? I know I can make a hell of a mess myself without really trying.
steamer
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kcameron
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Re: Alcalde & Coalfield High Line

Post by kcameron »

Jack,

Thank you for the rest of the pictures etc... of your support system. It is now much clearer how it comes together.
-ken cameron
Syracuse Model Railroad Club http://www.SyracuseModelRr.org/
CNY Modelers http://www.cnymod.com/
Finger Lakes Live Steamers http://www.fingerlakeslivesteamers.org/
Member JMRI Developer Team http://www.jmri.org/
mailto: kcameron@twcny.rr.com
In the Upstate New York US area of the world
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