THE TWO FOOTERS             

Alan reports that the railway continues its slow development in its rather odd way, preparing vehicles before the track is down. The first two home-made items are close to finished, both to move on small four-wheeled bases retrieved from a farm many miles from any railway, and with the stuck-on concrete removed.

One is a water tanker, perhaps 80 to 100 gallons, depending too on whose gallons you use. The ends are beautiful cast iron from farm water carts of the 1940s and 50s. I have seen pictures of similar American castings, Pitts I think, that would make terrific little tankers.  The embossed castings on the Furphy brand tank list the company’s products and warn of the evils of strong drink; Furphy is an Australian brand. The job has been just within the possibilities of routine hand tools and a lightly-equipped shed. The difficult part is the finish when the barrel is placed between the two ends which must be strongly bolted to the base and still hold the barrel in position. No adjustment is possible when re-assembling. The tanker will be for fire protection and plant watering – a railway must have a living purpose.

The number 2 vehicle is a plain rectangle for firewood or general traffic. The frame is made. It awaits its timber sides.  There is no door or gate so I suppose the right description is that it is a tub.

There are a dozen more bases and wheel sets to do things with, a 2½-ton (old imperial tons) needing revival, a hand-pumped gangers’ trolley, and a confusing mixture of rail. Light rail is difficult to find here, then costly to transport. Things we read suggest that it is often available second hand in the USA and close to the railway/road too.

Current problems include axle box set-up. In the mountains of literature, periodicals, and internet material I have only found one reference to the way to put the bits in a box; things like washers of felt and steel and the order they go in. Then the item I found included a note that things were in the wrong order anyway.

I was outside with the camera and thought you might like to see 'the last FEC cypress tie'!

The story - When Dad started collecting for the GO&P RR back in 1956, the FEC was doing a re-tie program thru town. He brought home enough to build our RR.   Some of these turned out to be Cypress!   The workers said that these were evidently some of the first ties the FEC used when building the line.  Well here they were, condemned in 1956 by the FEC and now, just finishing out their life, 49 years later under our line.  Amazing.

Last winter Todd Hunter, of the Tuckahoe Valley R.R., and I started talking about the possibility of a sale of his T.V.R.R. Engine #88 to the Paint Valley R.R. located near Chillicothe, Ohio.  Todd told me it needed some major work such as:  major engine repairs, possibly a new engine, chains, wheels turned, brake shoes, and so forth.  Todd also pointed out that him and his late friend C.J. Moore had put on new bushings and built a new body and painted it, with it being kept inside for the last few years.  The body is excellent.  So after a couple months of thinking, dialogue, and negotiations, terms were agreed to.  For you folks not familiar with #88, it is an older Whitcomb engine (Vintage unknown), 6 ton, with a replacement 6 cylinder Chevrolet motor.  Its rebuilt cab is big enough to carry 3 people comfortably.

On April 30, 2005, with the help of friend Rick Craig of the Alvada Two-Footer’s R.R., we drove over to pick it up at the Bucksgahuda & Western R.R. yard.  Rick had recently purchased a 52 ft. tilt flatbed trailer with a winch for his business.  It sure made loading #88 a whole lot easier.  Todd and the group switched #88 out of a storage shed at the B & W R.R. yard and put it on the turn table.  From there it was turned to the middle to match Rick’s tilt trailer.  Then it was hooked to the winch and up.  Of course it started raining lightly, but no problem for we were loaded and ready to go in an hour!  After a brief visit and farewell to the two-footer guys who helped us, we headed back to Rick’s house, home of the Alvada Two-Footer’s R.R.

We put it in storage there till we could inspect and test it and figure out what it needed.  Also we want to add and change a few things.  To date, I have acquired a different Chevrolet engine for it, but not changed it yet.  I am also having a pattern made so as to order brake shoes.  I am looking for large #120 sprockets for it also.  Hopefully we’ll have it running by spring or sooner.  Wish us luck! 

This is an update on what has been going on with the railroad at Thresherman Park.

After being run for at least 40 years, it was decided last winter to have new tyres but on the Cannonball. We are lucky in we have a very talented crew that works on our trains. The winter before and into the spring they installed new stay bolts in the firebox on the locomotive. This year the old tyres were just getting a little too wore out. So with the help of our resident house mover (all clubs need one of these) we lifted the locomotive up and blocked it with blocking and “I” beams and rolled the axles out from under the locomotive.

Next was off to a locomotive repair shop for new tyres to be installed. Because of the size of the metric wheels it took a little longer to get the tyres. Finally the day came and back the wheels with the new tyres came. First to check them on the track. Oops, they would not go through the switch. Back to the shop to have them trimmed up a little.

While this was going on the engine was being cleaned and the lower water tank and parts around the wheel area was being painted. Getting ready for the new wheels. Also the bushings that the axles ride in were reworked.

In a short time the wheels were back and now it was time for the house mover to came back and set the engine back down on its new tyres.  Good fit, now to get everything ready to go. Side rods back on and put the plumbing back on the locomotive. Everything worked great. The train is now back up and running.

As side note I took a cab ride to see how much better the ride was with the new tyres. It was great. No more hunting and searching for the locomotive while taking the curves, a very smooth ride now. A lot different than how it handles before.

Here are some pictures from railing bending project this past spring.  The “Old Curve” is on the right of the picture still in place.  The rail bender is a ten-tonner.

The Welsh Highland Railway:  SuperPower Weekend 16, 17 and 18 September 2005

If any US readers are going to be in the UK this September they should not miss the Welsh Highland's annual extravaganza - i.e. SuperPower Weekend. This is to be a 3-day event for the first time this year with the action starting on Friday 16 September 2005.  As the name suggests, we run every locomotive and every coach and wagon (passenger and freight car) that we can at this event.  There will be plenty to interest both steam and diesel fans, not forgetting lovers of history and mountain landscapes.  Remember also that, once you are in our area, you have several other railways close at hand:  Snowdon Mountain Railway, Ffestiniog Railway, Talyllyn Railway, Llanberis Lake, Bala Lake - and the other Welsh Highland! 

Yes, there are two Welsh Highlands.  The Welsh Highland (Porthmadog) is an all-volunteer outfit, which has been running trains on a short stretch of track in Porthmadog for forty years.  They own the only surviving locomotive from the original Welsh Highland Railway - i.e. the 2-6-2 tank Russell, which was built in 1906.  Our own railway, the Welsh Highland (Caernarfon) is owned and operated by the Ffestiniog Railway and supported by the Welsh Highland Society, of which 2,000 others and I are members.  There were times when relations were strained between WHR(P) and WHR(C) but I am pleased to report that we are now cooperating harmoniously and that WHR(P) are reconstructing our line from the south end while we build down from the north.  We aim to meet at Pont Croesor in 2008!  This means that we build the 11 miles south from Rhyd Ddu and they build the two miles north from Porthmadog.  (See map.)  This is fair enough as we, not they, are receiving the £10 million grant from the European Objective One Fund, the UK Regional Fund and the Welsh Assembly. 

On Saturday 17 we shall be running our longest-ever freight train, so you may even hear a Garratt break into a sweat for once; the darned things usually chuff along softly, despising the light loads we ask them to pull.  This will be the highlight for me: Garratts look so much more at home on freight service than when pulling passenger coaches - and this year they have some real freight to haul (see below). 

There will be a guest appearance by a locomotive from the Llanberis Lake Railway.  No doubt this loco will provide this year's footplate ride attraction in Dinas North Yard, as the tiny Llanberis Lake engines are just the right size for this job. 

There will also be a visit by Palmerston, a 120-year-old Ffestiniog Railway 0-4-0-saddle tank.  Whereas all the WHR steam locos are oil-fired, both to avoid the throwing of cinders into the woods in the Snowdonia National Park and to save money, Palmerston is coal-fired.  Presumably the National Park Authority has given special dispensation, as Palmerston will be working right up to Rhyd Ddu.  This will be the first visit of Palmerston to Phase 3 - i.e. the section between Waunfawr and Rhyd Ddu - of the reconstructed WHR but this same loco was used in construction trains on the original WHR in the 1920s!  Palmerston is to feature on the 15:30 Caernarfon to Rhyd Ddu on Friday only. There is limited accommodation for this train and advance booking is recommended. Passengers will require a £5 supplement and a Weekend Rover ticket.

An early morning non-stop mixed service from Caernarfon to Rhyd Ddu is planned on both Saturday and Sunday at 09:15.  This train will carry materials and plant ready for the launch of the volunteer track-laying effort on Phase 4 - i.e. the final Rhyd Ddu - Beddgelert - Porthmadog section of the railway.  . The launch will take place at about 13:00 Sunday.  A photographers' bus (£3 supplement) will track the 12:00 from Caernarfon on Sunday, arriving at Rhyd Ddu in time for the launch.

Other events and services: - K1, the original 0-4-0+0-4-0 Garratt of 1909, will be back on WHR metals after its visit to Crewe; maps and plans will be on show at Dinas; a free bus service will connect Porthmadog and Rhyd Ddu to enable visitors to sample the Ffestiniog and WHR(P) events which are taking place on the same weekend; there is to be shunting (switching) at Rhyd Ddu and guided walks.

 A 'Spotter's Guide' Event Programme with full details of loco rosters costs £2, but the basic timetable is as follows:

• Six Caernarfon-Rhyd Ddu trains and return.
• Six shuttles, four Caernarfon-Waunfawr and two Caernarfon-Dinas.
• Fares for Weekend Rover for adult/concession/child are £30/£24/£15 and for members £8/£6.50/£4.
• Day Rovers are £20/£16/£10 and for members £5/£4/£2.50.
• Caernarfon station car park will only be available for disabled parking. Parking will be available in Dinas field as last year.  Let us hope that the weather is back to its usual September glory after last year's downpour.  I wish to thank Barrie Hughes, from whose excellent website (www.isengard.co.uk) I extracted the information about the SuperPower program. 

 
"Prince" on first passenger train to Rhyd Ddu in 2003 (first since closure 1936)

143 backing on the train at same station 2004

As the summer comes to an end I am sure there was a lot of progress made on all the lines out there. The summer here in PA was dry and the B&W was able to lay quit a bit of track. I am sure there are lots of accomplishments done out there and we need to hear about them.  Our over seas people have been supplying us with a lot of info. How about you people in the USA. I also would like to thank Fred Bauer for all his time, effort, and computer talent to put the newsletter together.

The Two Footers
534 Armory Road
St. Marys, PA  15857

tpbauer@alltel.net
or
tom@thetwofooters.com

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