On Saturday, May 1, some hardy souls jumped in to battle the heat and get a few ties replaced. Dwight Maxey, Colin Mellin, Kendall Crouch, Pascal Bartilow, John Breesawitz, and Paul Brown worked through the hottest temperatures so far this year to get a few ties replaced in our main running track. For a couple of members of the crew, this was a learning experience, as it was their first time replacing ties. I am sure they will attest to this being some hard work!! We spent the morning removing the ties and preparing the roadbed for the installation. The crew soon learned the great difference in size between old rotten ties and newer wood in good condition which you can see in the first picture. The newer ties were placed under the rail, and it was time for a lunch break.

After lunch, the crew headed out to spike the ties up, tamp in some ballast, and dress the right of way to finish the work. We also spent a short time taking out a couple of sections of rail which lead to a removed section of platform track. After baking in the heat, everyone was glad to call it a day!! I have included a few pictures to illustrate the tie work completed.

– Paul