Lake Shore Live Steamers.com

Located at

Penitentiary Glen
8668 Kirtland-Chardon Rd
Kirtland, Ohio 44094

Really, we did know what we wanted to accomplish when we laid these tracks down and all are functional. The main yard track from the transfer table has tree roots heaving up the track so Ken Brooks and John Koontz are removing the track splice plates.

While this was going on our engine crew, Wayne Boron, Frank Smoley and Dave Cryor were working on the wiring for Steve Zaken's engine. This is the track panel we are going to have to remove to get at the "root" of the problem.

Ron Trenhaile is chopping at the root with a maddick, which is in the ballast stone. The offending root uncovered and ready to be chopped off.

There was more than one root causing the problem of lifting the track panel. John takes a breather as Taren Hillger kicks the loose ballast away from the tree and Ron continues to loosen up the ballast.

The crew replaces the track panel in position to check if enough ballast has been removed. After checking it out they decided to remove another panel to lower the end of it nearest the tree so John helped Dick unbolt another set of rail splice plates.

After the ballast was removed the track panels were laid back in place. This view shows both panels back in place.

Arriving back at the station for a coffee break I found Wayne and Frank working on supporting the downspout that runs from the front of the station to the rear. Don Speidel dressing up the ballast around the yard tracks as Bob watches.

The crew tamped the replaced track in preparation for some additional ballast. John arrived with the club's GP38 bringing the loaded ballast car over our reworked track panels to spread additional ballast along the rails.

John waits for the go ahead as Dick opens the chute gate on the ballast car as Ron watches. You can see the ballast alongside of the rail on the left side of the track that has been spread as John pushes the car down the track.

Bob Beardslee tamping the newly placed ballast. Ron got out the electric powered ballast sweeper and slowly pushes the unit along on the track.

Dick in a familiar pose as he sights down the track to see if it needs to be tweeked, which it usually does. John checks the track with a level with Ron lifting the low side of the track panel as Taren watches, waiting to tamp the ballast.