Lake Shore Live Steamers.com

Located at

Penitentiary Glen
8668 Kirtland-Chardon Rd
Kirtland, Ohio 44094

The track crew had installed a switch weeks ago but in laying the new track it was found to be too far down around the curve so Ron Trenhaile and Frank Foti start removing the rail joiners. When the bolts are removed the switch panel will be moved to it's new location.

The switch panel set on the existing track as Ron and Dick Clark determine the new location and the curve adjustment to the existing track. First things first, so Dick started cutting the existing rail for the relocated switch panel.

The run out track for turning our trains had some ballast placed last work session but needs alot more. Ron holds the top of rail in alignment as Frank drills the web of the newly cut rail for the rail joiner bolts.

I just hate when this happens, the ballast car which is probably around 1200 lbs. loaded, derailed as John Koontz was backing the train up with Paul Zorko looking on. Another load being delivered as the crew watches.

John is dumping the ballast along the track as he pushes the car along the reworked curve ahead of the engine. John went to the ballast pile and loaded the car and is delivering it to start where he left off with the last load.

As the ballast is dumping Frank is cleaning the sides of the car so it will all dump out the chutes on the car. Paul Zorko and Dick watch as Ron taps the end of the rail to tighten rail joints on the newly built curve that connects to the relocated switch.

The switch on the yard lead for the turning wye has been ballasted and some of the track beyond. Frank is measuring the rail to close the gap between the end of the newly placed rail to tie into the switch.

With the new rails cut to length and put into position, Ken starts screwing them down to the ties. With John delivering another load of ballast, Frank pries out the chute gate to release the ballast stone.

Frank gets ready with the shovel blade to keep the ballast out of the guard rail gap as the ballast car passs over the switch. Here again he scrapes the ballast to the chute opening so it will go back clean for another load.

John backs down the grade as he heads to the ballast pile for another load of stone. Looking down on the relocated switch and the curve that we tweeked the radius to match the radius of the switches radius.

Frank watches as John comes up the grade with the train and the loaded ballast car. They are ballasting the track to the turning wye and watching the ballast car that it doesn't derail.

John returns with another load of ballast and is dumping the stone as he moves slowly forward on the run out track. That's alot of ballast that was put in place today and we are calling it a day.

Next time the turning track needs to be ballasted and what we did ballast needs to be leveled and tamped. This section of track needs to be ballasted and leveled so cars won't derail when in use.