back on the rails

I thought a picture journal of this morning would be interesting.......It was fascinating to watch these men work! I couldn't stop thinking about "Tinker-toys", "Lincoln Logs" and "Lionel" trains. They were essentially doing what everyone who has ever played with a train has done: picked up the cars one end at a time, aligned the wheels with the tracks and set them down.......just thinking in terms of tons rather than ounces....and using machines to do it. Again, I was wishing Daddy were here to watch with me.........and more than once I wondered what all these men must think about this grown woman watching and taking dozens of pictures! I would have taken my patio chair and camped out, but I was supposed to be cutting end bars (a post for another day). The foreman (at least, something like that of the crew here in Delta) came to talk to me.........the men--the "car crew" were from Ogden and they "do this all the time" and "are good at it". I didn't think to ask him how often they are called upon. But I could tell from just watching them that they have had plenty of practice.


The "car that started it all" and the corner of our warehouse on the left. There were a bunch of cars ahead of this one which they uncoupled and pushed out of the way last night to open the road. The "problem" cars blocked three roads........they were able to open just one last night.


This huge track-hoe was steadying this car while they uncoupled the other cars down the line.


I wondered at the City putting these little barricades in the road...........can't people see the road is closed???? A number of motives come to mind......hmmmmm........


I wouldn't think of "getting in the way", so you can't see much here.......but the machine on the other side had a winch hooked to the cars up the track to the right and was pulling the cars, about seven, to the left. Just like Lionel trains they had to do it one car at a time........and in order--opening up track to reposition the next car.........


This is the same machine--this time a cable around the "hitch". He can lift it up--there are four pulleys at the top--then "lean" it to our left and set it on the rails. I was amazed at how gently he could maneuver these tons of metal!!

The next three pictures show the track-hoe pushing the oil car down the road. When he got it down there and close to the track, they put the cable around the "hitch" and the other machine picked it up and put it down on the track! I was amazed!!! And in awe.............the brown car to the right here is the one that was tipped. I had to make a quick trip home for Suzanne and while I was gone they pushed it upright! I missed it!!!!







After they got the "left" end on, the track hoe guy put his bucket under the other end and set it on the rails! He was so good at running that thing!! Words like dexterous came to mind. And dentist picks.........it was amazing!!


I couldn't imagine how they were going to get this one back......it was farthest off the tracks and buried to the axel--that didn't worry me--it was just so far away........Well, he picked it up with the "block and tackle" then drove over to the tracks carrying the car!!!! You should have heard the pops and cracks and groaning metal!! WOW!!!






It took a little fine-tuning, but they finally got it........

This is the other end--still coupled to the car behind it--well, kind of.......



I hadn't noticed the counter-weight on this machine until "now" (when I took the picture). This was the last car they worked on........I don't know why....... After they got the "front end" of this one on, they went to the "car the started it all" and got it on and out of the way....maybe they just needed more room to maneuver this one........



Looks lots better, doesn't it? I enjoyed standing there, watching them "put things right". It looked like such a huge mess last night. I guess I felt comforted to know there are people in the world--close to my world--who know how and have the ability to straighten out such a huge mess and fix things. I'm sure at least these two cars will need more "fixing", but they are upright and sitting where they were meant to sit! Maybe I read "The Little Red Caboose" too many times.......they almost have a personality!!


Here's what the track looks like now. The foreman told me he thought they might get a few new ties in tomorrow and then finish it next week.

Our warehouse is to the left.

This thing looks bigger on a truck than it did next to the railroad cars!