Erskine Tramway

[Erskine Tramway]

Work early is good when hot. I can't get motivated to do that thou!

Jack and I got Poison Ivy last time out in the woods.

Tom C.

Tom....

Don't you boys know to stay away from those plants

So....I just spent an hour out at the wall, gluing the last of the cap blocks on. I used up the rest of the 'glue' tube starting to cap the long wall. It's only 78° and 10% humidity, so it wasn't too bad, but I doubt I'll go out again today except to water momma's new plants That's OK, though, I've got work I can do on the switch, and the shop's pretty cool. Plus.....my 'office' has air conditioning if it gets really bad

Mike

[Glenn Brooks]

Mike, what is this 'glue' you mentioned? I assume something new, to replace cementing the cap stones in place?? Reason I ask, I am getting ready to lay some cement block retaining wall for a bridge and the turntable. I want to adhere 12" x8" cement blocks in place for the footing, underneath the track. Does this glue work for that also?

Thanks
Glenn

[Erskine Tramway]

Mike, what is this 'glue' you mentioned? I assume something new, to replace cementing the cap stones in place?? Reason I ask, I am getting ready to lay some cement block retaining wall for a bridge and the turntable. I want to adhere 12" x8" cement blocks in place for the footing, underneath the track. Does this glue work for that also?

Thanks
Glenn

Hi Glenn.......

The stuff I use is 'Titebond' brand 'Retaining Wall Adhesive'. It comes in caulking gun style tubes, I get it downtown. After it's set up, it doesn't come apart. I'm sure you could 'glue' your block wall together with it. I put down a bead, then 'twist' the block a little to spread it, and finish by tapping it down with my rubber dead-blow mallet.

Mike

[Glenn Brooks]

Thanks Mike, I'll go find some and try out.

[chooch]

To Mike.
That sounds interesting, not so much work as mixing mortar. Thanks, chooch

The stuff I use is 'Titebond' brand 'Retaining Wall Adhesive'. It comes in caulking gun style tubes, I get it downtown. After it's set up, it doesn't come apart. I'm sure you could 'glue' your block wall together with it. I put down a bead, then 'twist' the block a little to spread it, and finish by tapping it down with my rubber dead-blow mallet.

[Erskine Tramway]

Since the last report, I've finished levelling the pad. It's been raining, which we need really badly, so as soon as it dries out enough to walk on, I'll roll out some weed fabric and put a layer of 'base course' down. I've come up with a 'plan B' for the Car Shed. For not an unreasonable amount of money, the steel building place in town will put up a 10' x 20', peaked roof shelter on the pad. I've decided that the odds of me building a stick built Shed by winter are slim and none. With a roof on posts, I can then frame up and sheath a panel at a time, and at least keep the prevailing winds and snow out

The weather kept me in the shop for a couple days, so I finished 'skeletonizing' the switch base plates. Yesterday, I took them out and lined them up to see how they'd look. I think the switch will work fine. Here's a couple pictures of the pad and switch, enjoy.

Mike

[Erskine Tramway]

Hi Folks....

The last couple days, I set up my rail roller to 'straighten' rails and shaped the two outside rails of the 3-way switch. Yesterday evening, I finished riveting the outside rails to the plates, and started on the 'approach' rails on the 'frog' end. Here's the result. It's beginning to look like a turnout The next thing is to cut some ties and screw it down.

Mike

[Erskine Tramway]

Yesterday was a nice day to work outside. So I rolled out some weed fabric and started in on covering the pad with 'base course'. Here's what I got done before I ran out of ambition to shovel rocks

Mike

[Glenn Brooks]

Hi Mike, nice work on the three way switch. How will you hold the rail in correct alignment for each of the three track positions?

Glenn

[Erskine Tramway]

Hi Mike, nice work on the three way switch. How will you hold the rail in correct alignment for each of the three track positions?

Glenn

Thanks, Glenn....

There is a hole in the back plate at the movable spots. I lined up and clamped the rails, then 'spotted' the locations onto the connecting bar. Each connecting bar is then drilled, and press-in bushings pressed into the two or three (as required) holes. The shoulder bolt then screws into the bushings to hold their location. It's not as fast as throwing a switch stand, but they are 'inside' tracks that I won't be using much. It isn't like I'll be doing any 'high speed' switching there, and the only time the center 'frog' needs to move is from one 'outside' track to the other. I have the same arrangement on the 'Lionel' type switch at the old shed.

Mike

[Erskine Tramway]

Another day too hot to work for long outside, so I finished riveting on the approach rails. Then, I took the turnout out and laid it in place. The rails between the mainline turnout and the stub points will be riveted 'in situ' to assure alignment. After I cut and place the ties, this will be as far as I'll go here until the Shed is built. I don't want to chance the track getting damaged by the construction boys

The next job will be to extend the mainline.

Mike

[Erskine Tramway]

Hi Folks........

This morning before it got too hot, I went up and rolled out some more weed fabric. I got a second row on the pad, and extended the mainline base another three rail lengths. That will take me out to the ballast pile, for direct loading into cars

There was a car in Momma's way on the 'pass' next to her garden, so I shoved it up to 'end of track'. Eventually, all the cars will go in the Car Shed, but right now, it's just parked up there.

Mike