Erskine Tramway

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rkcarguy
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Re: Erskine Tramway

Post by rkcarguy »

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".
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Erskine Tramway
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Re: Erskine Tramway

Post by 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.
7-25-20 Siding finished 1.jpg
Here's a view looking South towards the house.
7-25-20 Siding finished 2.jpg
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.
6-25-20 deck boards replaced.jpg
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
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NP317
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Re: Erskine Tramway

Post by NP317 »

Congrats on your milestone accomplishments!
Now enjoy some fun.
RussN
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Re: Erskine Tramway

Post by jcbrock »

Thanks for posting this series Mike, it's been fun to read along through the years.
John Brock
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Erskine Tramway
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Re: Erskine Tramway

Post by 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
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
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NP317
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Re: Erskine Tramway

Post by NP317 »

CUTE!
And no offense meant.
RussN
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Re: Erskine Tramway

Post by DBauer2250 »

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
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Erskine Tramway
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Re: Erskine Tramway

Post by Erskine Tramway »

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
Hi Don...

Yup, they are on the 'family plan' :D 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 :shock:

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
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Re: Erskine Tramway

Post by 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
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9-14-20 2020 first load.jpg
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
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Erskine Tramway
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Re: Erskine Tramway

Post by 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.
10-9-20 wagon 4 rim.jpg
Now, I need to get my little foundry running, and cast some number plates...before I forget which is which :lol: 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.
6-16-17 deck plug carrier.jpg
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.
22264699_1702081989804754_335402613_n.jpg
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.
10-9-20 new shed lead tie.jpg
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
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Re: Erskine Tramway

Post by 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
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
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Re: Erskine Tramway

Post by Erskine Tramway »

I messed up the title pages, so I reloaded it.

https://youtu.be/mx06P8f8_Hw
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
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