Lake Shore Live Steamers.com

Located at

Penitentiary Glen
8668 Kirtland-Chardon Rd
Kirtland, Ohio 44094

Today we are going to remove the switch in the lower left-hand view of the picture at Zip Junction for reuse at a siding. Standing on the Branch Line at Zip Junction and looking down the track at the other switch on the curve that will eventually be removed but not today.

Rick Nagy and Lew Fowler look on as Dick Clark takes out the screws on the mainline track for the switch that's going to be removed. Rick and Frank Foti trying to get the screws out from the rail that's partially covered by the grade crossing.

After removing the rails that were tied in on the end of the switch the switch was carefully lifted out of the roadbed and Frank surveys the progress. Since we took the switch panel out we are replacing it with new ties and steel rail and John Koontz has joined us.

John holds the rail as Dick marks it for length after which he will take it up to the Switch Shed and cut the steel rail on the chopsaw. Rick stands on the end of the track to keep it from lifting out of the ballast as John hammers on the new rail joiner.

Frank files the uncut end of the used piece of steel rail that we are using to remove burrs from the end of it so the rail clip will slide on. After filing the rail Frank taps on a rail joiner clip.

Frank starts placing the rail gauges on the steel rai as John files the end of another piece of rail for the rail clip with Tom Reder and Rick looking on. Frank pauses after placing the track gauges on the rail nudging them in place with a hammer.

With John using the railroad tie lifter, Frank drives home the screws to hold them to the rail sitting on a cart we made just for this purpose as it has 2 1/2 inch wheels on two axles. Frank finishes up with the last few ties and we dumped ballast behind him and Rick swept down the ballast.

A view looking down on the Branch Line as Rick waits for Frank to finish so he can sweep the ballast down to the top of the ties. Tom and Rick listen as Frank and Dick discuss the merits of the battery-operated drill which is losing its power even though Dick charged it up overnight.

The last tie has been fastened to the rail, the ballast swept down, the tools picked up and we have moved on as another project is finished. A view looking from the grade crossing where the switch was taken out and straight rails replaced it on the mainline.

Overall view of the area at Zip Junction where the switch was taken out. A view looking from the Branch Line towards the mainline with the switch in the foreground that is the one that will eventually be removed also.