The Home Machinist!

Hmmm, maybe here is a you tube video of a test run over the older portion of track. My boy is setting up a You Tube account for me. So might try posting a few other videos. Haha. Obviously one or two small things need to be worked out at the end of this run.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kqYZ4ZLFHvI

Maybe someone could let me know if this is sufficient quality, etc.

Thanks
Glenn

Looks good! Until you hit that root, rock, whatever it was.

Yep! Real nice!

H

Ryan, yes, you win the prize! It is a root. I need to cut it back some, along the top, so the undercarriages of the cars can clear it. A small design error on my part when we laid this portion of track.

My boy and I finished laying the final piece of track to complete the main line this afternoon. Well, actually the outer rail of the ROW is complete now. Spiked and joined the mountain division of rail to the southern division and trestle. My boy did most all the heavily lifting with the manual rail bender today. Had to go over the last connecting 12’ of rail 6 or 8 times to get the curvature in Grizzly Pass to be tangent with the arc combining up out of the “Great Western Trestle”.

Then, very, very carefully - aligned the two overlapping ends of rail and cut in the joint. Nothing like bending this stuff all afternoon and finding: Oh N0, 1/4” to short. It came out fine, perfect actually. Happy to report the mainline is now joined along the outer rail. Tomorrow will set gauge and spike the inner rail. Then level, ballast, and tamp a few low spots and this beast is DONE!

A few photos of the epic milestone moments!

Really Fantastic to see it all come together for you.
'Been a Big dream and long haul.
I look forward to seeing it someday.
~RN

I'd say you're going to need one of these....today?

Where do you find such a thing?

GPB

Well that was just a google image search for golden spike. I'd say you'll need to cleanup and paint a spike gold if you are going to have a golden spike.

Found one on eBay. Curtsey of SeniorGoogle of course. “only $20”, with shipping. Looks like the one in your photo.

Oh cool! You get next day shipping?

rkcarguy wrote: ↑Tue Jul 10, 2018 11:53 am Well that was just a google image search for golden spike. I'd say you'll need to cleanup and paint a spike gold if you are going to have a golden spike.

Heh! Or plate one, as I did.
Years ago, when I was actively refining precious metals, I gold plated a spike for Lee Carlson. While I was at it, I did one for myself.

H

Harold, Nice! Is it feasible to try to gold plate something here in my shop? I’ve got a bit of gold lying around, and plenty of 3 1/2” spikes, but never attempted such a thing, other than electrolysis.

Looks like the one Ryan found is a replica of the Promontory Point spike. It’s very nice, but sell for $58 on line. A bit over my budget for unit cost for spikes.
Glenn