Lake Shore Live Steamers.com

Located at

Penitentiary Glen
8668 Kirtland-Chardon Rd
Kirtland, Ohio 44094

We removed a track panel because of a drain that had to be dug up and Ron Trenhaile levels the replaced ballast. Ron and Ken Brooks refit the track panel at the far end up to the existing switch.

Ron sorting through the bolts to join together at the diagonal connections our multi-gage track panels, which years ago used to be for the portable track panels(now permanent). Ron and Lew Fowler bolting the panel to the multi-gage switch.

Judson Elliott looks over the work accomplished so far as it just needs to have some added ballast now. Dave Hird who is on the switch maintainance committee was lubricating and checking the throw on a remote switch stand at the front of the station.

Wayne Boron, Frank Smoley, Ron and Ken were positioning a work bench to be assesible from the car lift. Initially they set it up on bricks to level it.

They decided to move the table a few more inches away from the lift. Once the location was set , Wayne and Frank leveled the grade for the bricks so that the table would be level also.

The finished work table in place and leveled ready for the crew to be able to work on it. Inside the Switch Building, Ted Nyland was busy making another new switch for us.

Dick Clark wanted to add a switch to the siding down by the Truss Bridge so we took a left hand switch panel down there. After determining the best spot to cut it into the existing rail, Dick took on the task with the circular saw.

Frank works on unbolting a rail joiner so a track panel can be removed. With the existing track panel removed ,Frank uses a maddock to level the roadbed for the switch placement.

With the switch panel in place we have to connect with rail joiners and fit a piece of rail from the existing end to the switch frog. Since we cut both of the existing rails at one end we had to drill new holes for the bolts in the web of the rail.

With the switch in place and ballasted, the removed track panel was loaded on the work train and the crew headed for the station and a cup of coffee. The switch looks good in place with the ballast swept down.