RPI Work Session at Kingsland on Dec. 10, 2011

This work session involved testing a rail-mower that Frank Glatzl and I developed to cut grass between the rails.  It was a successful test, with about 7 miles of track mowed, although it took three hours in the morning to diagnose a bad ignition coil and replace it.  See full details at my other blog about RPI Projects at http://rpiprojects.blogspot.com.

Next Work Session Coming Up Dec. 10

The next RPI work session will be held Saturday, Dec. 10, starting at about 8:30 am at the Antlers Hotel crossing in Kingsland, TX.  This is a change from our normal starting point in Llano, TX, but there is a lot of work to be done down in Kingsland so we want to get a lot done without having to run all the way from Llano (taking 3-4 hours of transit time from our work time).

I am planning to bring my rail-mower (see http://rpiprojects.blogspot.com for full details of its progress) for its first extended operational test.  All the final touches should have been added by then and it should be running well, at least that is my hope.  I plan to bring both it and my Woodings CBI motorcar with which to tow it.  Have been fixing up the CBI rear lights.  Today I drained and replaced the oil and repaired a leaking fuel hose.  Tomorrow I will lubricate the 14 grease zerks.  I might go to north Austin tomorrow morning to pick up some steel C-channel to serve as loading ramps.  So there are still things to do to get ready for the big day.

Oct. 8 Work Session

Took some photos of crossings that I cleared during the Oct. 8 work session, using Lou Houck's camera during the Oct. 22 excursion.  This is the Campa Pajama crossing to the east of Lake LBJ and the Spyke's BBQ lunch stop:

Here's the other side of that crossing.

Here's a close-up of an area I had to cut with a lopper since the stalks were too tough for my weedwhacker.

Here are the excursion motorcars parked at the other Campa Pajama Lane crossing that I cleared.

I'm glad I cleared these areas with my push weed-whacker (a DR trimmer) to make the excursion a safer and more enjoyable experience.  But the fact that it took about 3.5 hours to clear the intersection shown in the first three photos says to me that I was using the wrong tool.  Indeed, the five to six-foot weeds were wrapping themselves around the shaft, forcing me to shut it down after only 15-30 seconds each time.   Jerry suggested that I could use a lawn tractor, but that isn't a great option when you can hit rocks and throw a blade.  So I went looking on the internet and found a sickle bar mower on a BCS two-wheel garden tractor.  Went up to Lago Vista on Saturday, bargained with the owner and got it for a reasonable price.  Of course, it needs 10 new teeth so there is some work to be done on it, but I think it might just work for these railroad ROWs where you don't know what is underneath that tangle of grass and weeds.  The sickle bar is 45" wide so it should be able to cut a pretty good swath.  Will post a picture of it soon.

October 8, 2011 RPI Work Session: Llano-Kingsland, TX

I'd love to post some photos from our work session today but no can do--I forgot to bring the digital camera.  So let's go with telling instead of showing.  I headed to Kingsland to try to take care of some particularly important highway-rail grade intersections before the fall Llano excursion on Saturday, Oct. 22.   These intersections have had a lot of weed growth, obstructing lines of sight for approaching cars, and I was determined to clear as much as possible during our limited work session period.  I set out a red flag in the direction of the approaching motorcars to ensure no nasty surprise while working around the rails.

Leland, Jerry Light, George Gray and Frank Glatzl went to Llano.  They set on Jerry's hy-rail Gator and Frank's MT-19.  Jerry and George rode in the Gator and Leland and Frank in the MT-19.  The Llano group cut trees and tree branches on the way down.  They saw several nice-looking bucks.  They had to dig out the crossing at the Antlers Hotel, as usual, and showed up at Campa Pajama Lane for the lunch stop at Spyke's BBQ at about 11:30 am.

Meanwhile I was having a time of it at the second Campa Pajama Lane rail-highway intersection a few hundred feet east.  I unloaded my DR push weedwhacker and started whacking away.  But--and I do wish I had some photos--the 5-6 feet high weeds wrapped themselves around the jackshaft almost every time I made a foray into the dense weeds.  That meant stopping the machine and pulling the weeds off the jackshaft.  Eventually I figured out that a gradual attack was better than a frontal assault but I still had the weedwhacker down for cleaning weeds more often than it was cutting.  I had thought it was going to be an hour or two job but I worked 3.5 hours before being called for lunch by Leland.

One item in our favor was the weather.  There were some showers on the way up and it began to rain after a half an hour at Kingsland.  I put on a raincoat and kept working but if the rain had strengthened I would have had to sit it out.  Eventually the rain stopped and the rest of the day was completely overcast.  As a result, temps stayed in the high seventies to low eighties.  I was able to work without a break for 3.5 hours, which would have been simply impossible any day during this summer.  The motorcar group reported some intermittent showers on the way down as well.  But the great weather for working didn't keep me from raising some blisters on my hands, which are now beginning to make their presence felt.

After lunch, the motorcar group headed down the line to Scobey Spur and return while I attacked the weeds at the Spyke's BBQ spot, since that is where we will stop for lunch during the Oct. 22 excursion.  I cleaned it out pretty well but not as much as I would have liked since the weedwhacker died on me.  I suspect it needs a new air filter since the old one was a mess.  I loaded everything up and returned to the Campa Pajama Lane intersection I was working on in the morning.  Took out my loppers and began attacking the only corner of the intersection that still needed attention.  The motorcar group returned, having done a lot of tree trimming along the way.  We had a good yarn standing by Frank's MT-19, the motorcars left and I finished up the trim job.  I'm sure the motorcar group did some more trimming on their way back since there are always trees and brush to be cleared from the ROW.

We got a great deal accomplished today with only five people so the line is in decent shape for the forthcoming excursion.  But it is clear that even if we get the rail-mower I am working on going, we will have to continue to work hard to ensure clear lines of sight for approaching traffic at problematic rail-highway grade intersections.  That will be a major challenge during wetter years.  Guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Work Session Coming Up

RPI will host a work session this coming Saturday, October 8.  Motorcars will set on Llano and head down the line to Kingsland.  I will be weedwhacking and mowing in Kingsland in the morning behind a red flag that requires oncoming rail traffic to stop (of course, the motorcars are the only rail traffic expected or even possible on our leased portion of the rail line).  I am looking forward to clearing our lines of sight at various rail-highway grade crossings for the Oct. 22 RPI fall run on the Llano Branch.

I worked on my M19AA this past week to get it ready for the fall run.  Lubricated all thirteen zerks and last weekend I tested it and it ran fine.  In the middle of the week I decided to replace an aluminum bar that serves as a mount for two small red running lights.  I fabricated a new one but while installing it I broke one of the running light lenses.  So had to order a new one.  It arrived yesterday and I installed it today.  I discovered I had left the ignition switch on while testing the running lights so now the battery was dead.  Took it out and recharged it--all systems go.

August 27 Work Session

RPI held another work session Saturday, August 27, but this one had a special distinction:  probably the hottest weather we have experienced yet during a work session.  The high at Llano that day was 108.  Temperatures along the line almost certainly got as high as 105 and maybe higher.  As President Leland Stewart said, "this is not a record I ever want us to break."

We did get some work done but almost entirely at the wye before leaving and then during the trip down to Kingsland.  I brought a wheeled weedwhacker and attacked the northern spur, and also worked my way toward the western spur.  Here's a photo of the results on the north side (Mike and Valerie Businger are coming up in their MR-19-A-3):

And, before taking off, I took the following photos.  The first is of Jerry Light, Marty Reimer and Leland Stewart next to Lou Houck's Northern Pacific motorcar (an M-9).

Then Lou came out from behind his motorcar and we got him in the picture as well:

On the way down to Kingsland we saw quite a bit of wildlife, including three foxes, a buck, several does, a fawn and a skunk.  Fortunately no one got sprayed.  We stopped frequently to cut back branches and mesquite and to dig out crossings, although the Chamas Ranch crossing was, to our surprise and pleasure, graded so we had to do only a minimum of work.  I asked Leland to stop before one of the tall steel truss bridges so I could cut back some heavy brush with a gas-powered hedge trimmer I acquired recently.  Here's what is looked like after I cut it back:

The brush was closer to the tracks before I worked on it, so I think the hedge trimmer had an impact.  There's lots more brush like this to cut in that area, but it was already getting hot so we decided to leave that job for a cooler day.

We had lunch at Spyke's, down by the Campa Pajama Lane crossing, and then went up to Scobie Spur and turned around.  The rest of the session was primarily devoted to getting back to home base in one piece as we were slowly grilled by the sun and heat. 

Participants in the work session included Leland Stewart, Jerry Light, Martin Reimer, Michael and Valerie Businger, Lou Houck, Ron Pereida and George Gray.  All of the cars, with the exception of Jerry's Gator, were poppers.  The entire group adjourned to the Llaneux Seafood House afterwards to cool down and have dinner.  It was a memorable session for both the heat and the wildlife.  We did cut back a lot of vegetation but there is still more to do.  Hopefully, by the time Oct. 8 comes around, the heat wave will have subsided and conditions will be more favorable.

August 6 RPI Work Session

Although I didn't attend the August 6 work session (was representing Capital Metro at the Highland Mall Safety Fair in Austin), I heard the following from Leland Stewart:

Leland, Jerry Light and Frank Glatzl participated in the session, Leland and Jerry riding in Jerry's hy-rail Gator and Frank brought his MT-19.  They started at Llano and cleared several trees near Llano, then they did branch-clearing before the lake crossing at Kingsland and beyond.  They went to Scobey Spur and returned to Spyke's BBQ for lunch, then headed back.  They used Jerry's pole-mounted saw to chop many overhanging branches.

Next work session is scheduled for Saturday, August 27.

July 16 Work Session: Llano-Kingsland, TX

This turned out to be a very productive work session, in part due to the weather being more favorable for work.  There was a rain storm on the way to Llano and cloudy skies the rest of the day, so that kept temperatures down.  We set the RPI motorcar trailer on at the wye and loaded it up, including an eight-foot-long turntable that was recently donated to RPI by Art Gustafson of Newalla, OK.  We hooked the trailer up to Frank Glatzl's motorcar, which was fitting, since Frank played a major role in the trailer's renovation.

And here's a photo with Frank in it at the depot just before leaving:

On the way down we installed nine RPI marker posts and on the way back five more, plus we replaced a reflector that had fallen off a marker post.  Now every crossing on our lease is protected, either by a pair of crossbucks, a "Private RR Crossing" sign, or a set of RPI markers.

We also got out and lopped tree branches.  Seems like most trees want to fling their branches across the tracks so we have to dodge them while passing through.  Jerry Light had a chainsaw mounted on a long pole, which he used to take down larger or hard-to-reach trees and branches.

At Scobey Spur, we tried out the newly-donated turntable.  First, of course, we had to figure out how to assemble it.  After turning the RPI trailer, we took the turntable apart and stored it back on the trailer.

On the way back, we tallied and photographed crossings that do not have crossbuck signs or Private RR Crossing signs (if they had neither, we made sure there was a set of RPI post-mounted reflectors to protect the crossing).   This info is useful to Capital Metro.  Of course, we also stopped to cut more branches.

At one private crossing within a pasture we met Ernest Ligon, who had been running 25 head of cattle on the pasture.  He has moved them to a location where they can get more water.  Mr. Ligon noted that there had been a set of holding pens and a siding to transship cattle out of a ranch near by his leased pasture.  This siding is still visible today. 

The RPI motorcar trailer performed flawlessly.  No problems tracking and a very straight wear pattern on the wheels.  I do have to take off one of the towbar tongues and straighten it out but that's a minor fix.  One other suggestion was to install lift handles on what will become the rear of the rail-mower.  Probably will do that eventually.  I think I have one lift handle bracket already and will look for another.

Work session participants included Leland Stewart, Jerry Light, Frank Glatzl, Michael and Valerie Businger, Lou Houck, Marty Reimer and Ed Michal.  George Gray joined those who stayed behind for dinner at the Llaneux Seafood Restaurant in town.

The next RPI work session will be on Saturday, August 6.  Details to be provided.

Motorcar Trailer Floor Installed

Here's what the RPI motorcar trailer looks like with its new floor:

And here's a photo after throwing in two pieces of conveyor belting to protect the floor from our work tools and supplies:

Have loaded it onto my 12-foot trailer, so it's ready to go to work:

Next Work Session Coming Up

The next RPI work session, starting in Llano, will be this Saturday, July 16.  Several folks have signed up already.  Although I won't be bringing a motorcar, I plan to bring the RPI motorcar trailer so we can carry our tools and other equipment comfortably and commodiously.  I should have a plywood floor installed by tomorrow, the 15th, just in time.  I will be bringing marker poles and markers to install at the crossing along the line where there are no signs or markers at all.  Then on the way back, I will try to write down the exact locations of those highway-rail grade intersections so Cap Metro can install some crossbucks for motor vehicle traffic.  The weather prediction for both Llano and Kingsland is a high of 102 degrees, so we will have to bring plenty of water and try not to over-exert ourselves in the heat.  But it should be an important and interesting day on the rails.

June 18 Work Session: Llano-Kingsland

This blog focuses on interesting aspects of the RPI (Railroad Partners, Inc.) work sessions we are currently hosting on the 27-mile stretch of the Capital Metro RR that we have leased.  See our website at railroadpartners.com for more info on what RPI is and does.  These work sessions almost always involve the use of railroad inspection vehicles, known as motorcars or speeders, since that is how we gain access to the railroad line and its right-of-way (ROW).

What is a work session?   It is an opportunity to join fellow RPI members (only members are allowed to participate in work sessions) to work on our leased Capital Metro trackage from Llano to Scobey Spur, or, if we are lucky enough to arrange a work session on non-leased trackage, on another railroad.

Why do you have to be an RPI member to join a work session?  To ensure that all attendees recognize and respect the authority of the person in charge of the work session (usually a NARCOA Excursion Coordinator) to issue instructions about how to behave on the track and recognize and respect that the RPI Bylaws (posted on railroadpartners.com) apply to them. 

Almost all work sessions originate at Llano, where the renovated Llano Depot and the wye are located (a wye is a Y-shaped section of track that allows a locomotive to move from the front to the rear of the train).  The wye enables us to set our motorcars (railroad inspection vehicles) onto the track at two different locations, speeding up the set-on process.   Some work sessions involve mowing the wye as well as track maintenance.  During a relatively rainy season we will need more than one person to bring lawn tractors to mow the wye.  It is a four hour job if done by one person, which I can testify is not nearly as much fun.

Before departing, the EC holds a mandatory attendance safety session to discuss safety aspects of the work program and operation of motorcars along the line.  Flagging assignments will be made and any particular issues that need to be addressed for new operators or members will be discussed. 

After the safety session we fire the motorcars up, get on them and head out along the track toward Kingsland (our leased trackage actually ends about four miles east of Kingsland, at Scobey Spur).  As we move along, we stop to dig out crossings, cut off encroaching mesquite branches, and repair or replace crossing signs and markers.  We also examine the line and ROW for problems or conditions that ought to be reported to Capital Metro.  We usually stop for lunch at Kingsland and then continue east to Scobey Spur, where we turn our motorcars and head back. 

One hassle along the line is tall grass and other plants.  We are developing a rail-mower to mow between the rails, using a garden tractor engine, frame and deck mounted on a motorcar trailer that will be towed by a motorcar.  Until then, we use weed whackers (the push kind) to clear between the rails.  See our rail-mower blog at http://rpiprojects.blogspot.com.

Yesterday's session, June 18, was unusual for me in that I did not show up at Llano, where the vast majority of our work sessions originate.  I just couldn't get there before departure time.  But I drove to Kingsland instead and began weed whacking across 1431 from the Antlers complex (the Antlers Hotel has a railroad theme, with a number of cabooses and boxcars converted to rooms).  BTW, boots above the ankle are required for work sessions, and steel-toes are highly recommended. 

Before starting work, I set out a "red flag", in this case a red painted wooden rectangle mounted on a fence post pounded into the middle of the track.  The red flag tells railroad personnel "Do Not Pass Beyond This Point."  It is used to protect railroad workers or equipment on active track.  While our leased line does not have active railroad traffic, it did have motorcar traffic heading toward me.  So that is why I placed the red flag.  Only the person who placed the red flag can remove a red flag, so it effectively shuts down operations until the person or persons that it is protecting have removed it.  Here's a photo of the flag placed before beginning work in Kingsland:

While I was finishing up the weedwhacking, a fellow walked down the track toward me and introduced himself as Gilbert Prudhomme of Austin, TX.  He and Gene Sinclair, also of Austin, had just joined RPI up at the set-on in Llano.  Gene rode with the group down to Kingsland, where Gilbert picked him up.  They jointly own a motorcar, apparently an S-2 (one of the bigger models) and are fixing it up to run with RPI.  Together we picked up three bags of trash for me to take back, improving the appearance of the ROW.   Here's a photo of Gilbert with our work:

  And finally, here's a photo of the line behind the red flag, after weedwhacking.  This is what a motorcar operator wants to run over, rather than tall grass that could hide almost anything.

I joined the group for the trip back to Llano at Leland’s invitation.  The group included Jerry Light with his Hy-rail Gator, Bob King with his MT-19, Mike Businger with his newly-acquired MR-19, and Lou Houck with his M-9.  On the way back, we stopped the cars several times and attacked overhanging mesquite, etc. vigorously.

By the time we got to Llano it was real hot.  I found out after returning home that it reached 106 degrees in Llano the 18th, meaning our work session possibly was the hottest one on record.  So we were fortunate to have kept hydrated.  After setting off the four motorcars and loading them on trailers, several of us adjourned to the China Wok restaurant for tea and soft drinks while doing Mike Businger's mentoring paperwork.

Not a typical work session, vis-a-vis the heat and my joining the group at Kingsland, but nonetheless a productive one because we cleared a part of the track of weeds and trash, cleared vegetation from the line and did a survey of crossings and bridges.  Many RPI members use work sessions to "exercise" their motorcars, i.e., take them out to see whether there are problems that crop up.  Then they can fix them, either on the spot or at their leisure at home, without facing the possibility of having to set-off from a NARCOA run that they have traveled hundreds of miles to attend due to a breakdown.

Guess that's about all I have about work sessions at this point but perhaps it will be of help to new members.  See you on the rails.