State of the 7 1/2" Railroad

Just in case you might miss the meeting come Sunday, I'll post my report here as well.

                                                 State of the 7 ½” Railroad at Joshua Tree, 2018

 

Here it is 2018, a lot has transpired since a hot summer workday in 1979. When the corner rock was laid, on what is now approximately five eighths of a mile of unique railroad in the High Desert.

 This last year we added the second track into the station, making for an easier time to get up the hill with downward traffic approaching.

 Onward expansion up the High Line has taken a break to once again catch up on infrastructure maintenance on the rest of the railroad. We purchased new rail to allow us to re lay the outer rail on some of the curves that have seen the most wear over the thirty plus years that some of it has been in the ground. Our unique railroad with sections of track that get ran over twice in a circuit, the outer curves on the single track areas have paid their dues and are scheduled to be replaced in the next few months.

 A plan to start two weeks ago was changed due to a very harsh storm, which gave us two plus inches of rain in a short time in early October. Even though we had dirt wash down the mountain side throughout the railroad, all except one location was just accumulated on the roadbed where we could shovel it up and either transport it to our dirt pile near Teddor or fill in roadbed where it was needed as ballast.

 Our Season opener truly was as we hauled 280 plus buckets by rail from affected areas, equaling approximately 14 tons of material. All by rail, in five gallon buckets, on flatcars. Thus, allowing us to be operational this weekend, so we can all enjoy our Rudy Run. There is plenty of dirt left up at the top of the hill on the upper level of the High Line at Pauline, that still needs a ride down the hill and I am sure most of it will have gotten that ride by the time the Meet is over.  

 The condition of the railroad after the massive rain, can only be attributed to the quality of the rock retaining walls and the thorough compaction of the fill in our embankments. We will continue to build our railroad in such a way so in the future we again might be spared the damage which can occur. I do want to thank Bill Shepherd for his guidance and knowledge in this area. Most of the washed down dirt was in areas of newer construction and we certainly weathered the storm well.

 And a big hand to our all season track maintenance Man, John Griffin. His diligence on keeping the little problems at bay by attacking them when they are still small certainly help us when we get out here after it cools off. Yes, his beloved flat cars went traveling this Spring, Summer and Fall, but they are back on the railroad and seeing plenty of service already.

 If we have enough time and talent, if and when we finish the rail re lay project, we should be able to start construction of the siding at Bjerrum/Beer-Rum. This would really help the operation, of work and pleasure traffic, on the High Line. And, of course the turntable area is certainly settled now after that rain as well. 

 The club locomotives and equipment are being well cared for by their respective caretakers. John Griffin is the custodian of the Freight Motor, and it is most handy in his work about the railroad year round. Jerry McPheeters has taken on the Edwards Motor Car and Trailer and it has had many things reworked and improved on it as well. Matt Zacharzuk has made the Davenport Switcher into a fine and reliable locomotive, a new set of batteries was in order and well deserved too. The work car was reworked and it now contains our track work equipment. I just might get around to finishing it someday too. Trying to make the roof details stay with the car and making the roof hinge is not the easiest of tasks.

 All in all, our railroad is doing quite well, some might say it needs attention, and it just might. With only about eight times a year we gather out here in any quantity, and most are only here twice a year, this railroad is doing well. Most of the problems about the railroad are taken care of and most of the equipment runs about it just fine. Coming from a mechanical background, if one thing has a problem and all others don’t, it usually is the one thing that is the problem.    

Any further questions, you can find me out on the railroad, enjoying the fruits of our labor.

 Brian Ratliff, 7 ½” Railroad Coordinator.