The Home Machinist!

Installed 16 cross straps today to tie the inner set of stringers to the structure. These stringers are 4"x6" set on edge, and lay directly under the rails - taking the weight from the passing train and transmitting through the bents to the foundations. when finished, there will be 4 straps per joint, 20 per bent (with 4 parrellel sets of stringers making up the sub deck). All secured with 1 1/2" X11/4" galvanized lag screws to the stringers, and anchored to the cap timber with 1/4" x 2" lag screws.

These cross straps are exceptionally rigid and strong. They really do a nice job of securing the stringers to the cap timber. Although the stringers are short - around 4' long on average - and only bridge the space between each bents, the resulting structure is exceptionally strong. Nothing moves when all four are secured in place.

I was worried about the joints not being rigid, and planned to add an additional strap across each joint, at the top, to tie each stringer to the next. But no need to use the reinforcing staps. These cross ties lock the timbers solidly in place. There aren't going anywhere!

Now only 350 more lag screws and an additional 64 brackets to finish off the structure. I think I may need a few days off after this wraps up.
Glenn

Looking good, Glenn. Amazing progress!
H

Glenn, be aware that the galvanized hardware and potentially the straps against that treated lumber will be eaten rapidly by the wood treatment chemicals. Might be worth coating that with something oil based or slathering the hardware in grease. The nails I used through the brackets in those cement deck blocks on my deck were galvanized steel. When I went to jack up the deck to level it 18 months later the treated 4x4's pulled right out of the brackets and the nails were eaten through.

Rick, I've heard similar also, although I didn't think of that when I bought the materials. To late to turn back now. But will monitor the fastenings and see what happens. I could lather up the remaining 300 or so galvanized fastenings with lubriplate or dolphinite. But not at all sure the coating would survive being drilled into the timbers. Plan B is to thru drill and use bolts. A major PITA, that I wish to avoid at all costs, if possible. Time will tell I guess.

Glenn

I think dipping the lag bolts in grease would suffice. I was thinking what happened with my deck, was that the copper and chemicals in the treated wood reacted with the galvanized nail when the wood got wet and basically created a battery which ate the nails. Anything keeping the water out should extend the life greatly. I have contaminated (fell over upside down in the gravel) bucket of salt-water proof grease that I dip my bolts in before assembling things on my boat and anything else in a caustic environment. It's simple yet has worked wonders so far.
I'm not sure if you are pre-drilling the holes for your lag bolts or not, if you are, easy enough to thumb some grease into the hole and dip the bolts before installing them.
I know I probably sound overly picky, but I grew up here and have been through enough of the weather and moisture ruining EVERYTHING, that I have learned to better combat it and not have to do everything over 5 years later.

Inching closer to finishing the trestle. Today finished installing the stringers along the bents. The cross braces that attach the stringers to each bent, really strengthen the whole structure.

Also dug out, re-aligned and squared up the cement blocks comprising the west revetment. Tomorrow will fab up some kind of anchoring bracket to secure the ends of the four stringers to the reventment. I have some junk yard angle iron and a bunch of 1/4 x 4" flat bar to make the bracket. Also plan on pouring concrete into the voids of the cement blocks and embedding 1/2" cement anchors in the fresh cement. Then thru bolt the bracket to the cement anchor, and use more lag screws to secure the ends of the stringers. Should be rock solid.
End of track


Glenn

Looking good, can't wait to see ties and rails across it!

Finally decided to name my backyard RR, the Great Northern Miniature Railway, after ... the Great Northern Railway. Seems a natural as the GN traces its long history back to the original Northern Pacific route, connecting Seattle to Minneapolis via Glacier National Park.

Actually I arrived at the name sort of thru the back door, after deciding to refurbish the Ottaway in GN livery. Once I had the color scheme pinned down, and learned a lot about the early days of GN motive power, I could see a clear path for theming and building out rolling stock and some landscaping on the line. Hence the GN Miniature RR is finally in the last stages of completion. Hoping for the first trial run down the line in Mid January, followed by a golden spike ceremony in the spring.

Here’s some before and after shots of the Ottaway in her new finery. Truely a “Cinder - Ella” story. Cinder-Ella being her original name. Brought back by The Management, yours truly, in celebration of the engine’s re-emergence as main line motive power for the Miniature Railway. The last 5 of which were spent in sad, tired semi-retirement layup, after 68 years service.

Laid up and in storage, awaiting refurbishment
After a month in the paint shop:
Actually, the cab and boiler jacket are powder coated. The smokebox got a fresh coat of high temp silver engine paint. The cab roof is a PPG acrylic BMW maroon - left over from some touch up paint I bought for my old Z-3, sold last summer, alas.

Decided to name the engine ‘1065’ which is Ottaway’s original manufacturer’s sequential serial number. Ottaway also identified each engine with a sequential class number - in this case C-50. the GN identified their 4-4-0’s first as B Class locomotives, then C- class locomotives. While GN’s last C class locomotive was C-38, I figured Ottaway’s C-50 designation would be historically appropriate so placed the class number and the Cinder-Ella name in small graphics at the bottom of the cab. Finally, added the manufacture date of 3/1950.

Major Kudo’s to Connie Miracle, from Miracle Graphics for working up the GN font and delivering all the graphics in very rapid turnaround time - something like 4 days from order to door stop delivery.
As mentioned in my other live steam post regarding classification signals, here Cinder-Ella is flying the Extra Train white flag day signals for its forthcoming display as ... an extra train... in the Wa State transportation Museum holiday Model train show, down in Tacoma. Starts latter this week, through January 5th, more or less.
Still a few parts and major plumbing to re install. Will post a final result photo in a day or so.

Very happy to get this far!

Glenn

Beautiful restoration, Glenn.
Wish I could join you at the annual Train Show in Tacoma.
Another year...
~RussN

Looking good Glenn, that's quite the facelift!

And a couple more with the all the shinny bits and pieces added: running boards, injectors both sides, all the brass fittings buffed up pretty well. Added the GN initials to the sand dome, same as the prototypes.

Next up tomorrow, fab a short 4’ rolling stand to hold the tender then cart everything off to the Model train show on Thursday.
Glenn

Looking good! Such an upgrade from the flat black she was.