Work on the cross-town section of the WHR at Porthmadog is progressing very quickly.  The pictures shows the trackbed taking shape near the old mill.  Rob Darby and I also saw a gang (Boston Lodge staff plus some Tuesday Gang) inserting the set of points which will give the WHR access to Harbour Station.  The whole line should be "temporarily complete" - i.e., ready for occasional works trains and stock movements - by June or July.  This will make preparations for Superpower Weekend (6/7 September) easier and less expensive.  It costs 600 pounds to move a small locomotive from Harbour to Dinas by road. 

The 25-mile Welsh Highland Railway is nearly complete.  This is a extended 9-day tracklaying "week" with a volunteer gang working from Saturday morning (23 August) right through to this coming Sunday evening (31 August).  Apparently they were laying a panel of track every 15 minutes yesterday afternoon.  There are two gaps left: a) 800 yards from the point reached yesterday to the track already laid from Traeth Mawr to the crossing over the standard gauge line at Cae Pawb and b) from the crossing to the tramway (street running) section in Porthmadog.  When I go up there on 04 September the railway may actually be finished!  I can hardly believe it.  John

The summer at The S&S Shortline has been spent trying to clean up some unfinished projects. Our 2-foot railroad was started in the spring of 2002 and has been an ongoing effort ever since. When we built our engine house, we installed 6 tracks inside; however, our shop lead only gave us access to 3 of those tracks. We have had no way to turn trains as well, so this summer we are installing the other leg of what will be our wye as well as giving us access to our turn table and the remaining 3 tracks in our shop. At the point of these pictures, we still have 0ne more switch to install in our main line as well as a 24-foot steel girder bridge we hope to get those in before the snow flies. All of our switch parts have been built here at our railroad.  I have tried to get some close up pictures of our frogs and points as they were installed. We use 4 X 6 treated lumber for ties and a 3/4 crushed rock for our ballast. With only a few weeks of dry weather, left we still have our plate full. I will forward addition pictures as our current project progresses.

Here are some pictures of a telephone booth and recently purchased metal railroad buildings. Also, you probably already know that I purchased a 4-ton Plymouth and flat car from Bob Bailey at Harmony, Pa. I will send you a short story and pictures in near future. Hope you keep up your good work on the newsletter. It is very much appreciated. Many thanks.

 I

Hi!  My name is Ted Bolte.  I am the secretary of The Railroad Museum of Minot (N.Dak.).  We operated a two-foot-gauge railway in Roosevelt Park here in Minot for the past twenty years.  Our locomotive is a 5/8 scale Great Northern F8 with diesel power and hydraulic transmission built by Ulrich in Colorado.

We recently had a major tie replacement job done by our local Boy Scouts.

Would you like some pics?

Our operation is in no way as large as yours, but we are looking forward to expanding into the zoo area of the park in the next 2 years.

We appreciate the efforts you are making on your web site.  We are on the web at www.railroadmuseumofminot.org.  Hope to hear from you if you get time.   

I have now joined the ranks of two-foot gauge ownership with my recent purchase of the "remains" of the Jenkenson's Beach Train which ran on the beach here in Point Pleasant, N.J., for nearly 50 years.  I rode many times as a kid and even collected tickets on it and ran it back in the 1977 summer season.  The more complete of the two locomotives is here in my garage in Wall, N.J., and the 4 cars and second locomotive are down in South Jersey with my 3' gauge Porter.  If you like, I can do up an article for you. Yes, it is a park type train, but the locomotives are hefty.

 Gill was down for a few days and we made great railroad progress. Here you see the new bending table he built.

Here is a list of the railroad items being sold in Pennsylvania.  If you are interested, let me know. 30 pieces rail 30 feet long 3 inches high; 12 pieces rail varying 20-28 feet long, 3 inches high; 2 switches; 1 small turntable; 8 sets of wheels; 1 tipping ore car; estimating 75 to 100 rail joiners, spikes, misc. pieces I can't identify; railroad ties, 95  4 feet long, 44  8 feet long, 24  split lengthwise 4 feet by 8 inches by 4 inches. Asking $3500.00  for metal items, $1000.00  for ties. There have been 3 or 4 scrap dealers who have stopped to ask about this stuff. They offer so much a pound.  I really would prefer to see it go where it would be used for a railroad, but I want to get it out of my yard.

I also need articles from you people.  I have two for the next newsletter. One from Tom Keenan and a couple from Matt Helton. How about some news from the people who have never written?

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

tpbauer@alltel.net
or
tom@thetwofooters.com

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