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.