Lake Shore Live Steamers.com

Located at

Penitentiary Glen
8668 Kirtland-Chardon Rd
Kirtland, Ohio 44094

Dick Clark, Steve Zaken and Rick Nagy work on the Orchard Yard track lead from the main line because there was a hump in the track caused by the roots of a nearby tree. Bill Deptowicz was grinding the five inch pipe for the post of the railroad signal in preparation for a butt weld.

On the steaming bay we see Bill grinding a 45 degree bevel on one end of the 5 inch diameter pipe. With the ballast and grade removed and the track panel put back in place, Dick and John Koontz are re-fastening the rail joiners to re-connect the panel.

The guys wait for the track panel to be reconnected to the rail so they can re-ballast the track. Bill's all done with the grinding and test fits the ends of the pipes against each other to check the bevel.

Because we needed 220 volts for the welder, the pipes were carried to the switch shop and set up on the car lift in preparation for welding. Dave Foster brought his welder and did the honors of welding as we see him tack weld the pipe in four places around the pipes initially.

Here we see a closeup of Dave working at filling in between the tack welds as Lew Fowler looks away to avoid the welding flash. George Metts and Lew watch as Wally Pausch rotates the pipe as needed for Dave to continue the butt weld around the pipe.

Bill had machined the holes in the base plate on his Bridgeport at home and trial fit it to see how it fit over the anchor bolts and everything's A-okay. Bill had held the base plate in position as Dave tack welded it to the base of the pipe and is now checking it for squareness.

Dave continues to build up the weld between the tack welds in this view. A closeup view of Dave MIG welding the baseplate to the pipe with a large fillet weld.

After taking the post back to the steaming bays we mounted the signal lamp to the top of the pipe with Lew and Wally holding it in place as Edith Hacker watches. A view of the foundation and the signal post where we have to lift that signal and place it in position.

What Bill thought was going to be light enough for 3 or 4 of us to lift into place turned out to be more that we had muscle for -- so heavy equipment will be needed. While this was going on, Dick and Rick were leveling the track in front of the steaming bays.

Bill called Karl Losely and asked if he could bring some equipment to lift the signal mast in place, which he did as you can see the skidder with fork-lift attachment coming through an opening in the fence we provided. With a sling attached to the forks and around the signal post, Jerry Bell and Bill steady the signal as Karl starts the lift.

With Jerry steadying the signal, Bill starts to move the end of the post with the base plate toward the foundation. The signal has to be rotated so that the base plate will be in proper position, so we have to rotate it almost 270 degrees.

With the signal rotated to the proper position, Rick, Jerry and Bill try to muscle the base plate over the anchor bolts. Here Rick, Dick, Jerry and Bill almost have it into position as Karl moves the equipment forward to straighten up the signal.

While Bill tries to steady the light to keep it from rotating, the guys try to get the base plate to drop down over the four anchor bolts. Almost there -- got one stubborn anchor bolt that doesn't want to slip through the base plate.

Jerry pounds on the base plate as Lew pries on the opposite side as success is only moments away. Jerry uses a bigger board to add finess.

Success - the base plate is setting over all four anchor bolts on the leveling nuts. Edith is placing the nuts to the bolts above the plate which will be snugged down gently before we level the mast.

Bill takes off the sling as the mast is standing by itself on the anchor bolts. Rick snugs down the nuts on the anchor bolts as we make adjustments to level the signal mast.

Jerry's doing the final tightening down on this side of the base plate with everything in plumb. Karl is gently manouvering so he doesn't hit the signal as he backs up through the opening in the fence.

Bill grabs onto the post thankfull that the signal mast project is finally completed. Rick and Bill put the fence rails back in position after Karl removed his equipment from the area.

Jerry pours a bucket of ballast around the foundation to dress up the area. Bill stands up on the steaming bay to adjust the angle of the signal lamp so it faces the loading area for the trains.

Pam Znidar poses in front of the station with the newly placed signal light in the background and is all smiles that another project is finished. A view of the finished project and a big thank you to Dave Foster for doing the welding and Karl Losely for providing the mechanical muscle to help bring the project to completion.