Flash: Photo Essay! Dates: 7/12/04-7/13/04 Kent, CT:   CAMA's narrow gauge railroad tracks extend southward. John Hanlon of the Housatonic Railroad donates worker's time, equipment and materials to install a new at-grade railroad crossing at our entrance driveway.

ABOVE:   Everyday that  we volunteer at CAMA, we see at least one Housatonic Railroad train pass our grounds in Kent.  We always stop what we are doing to watch the train pass and give a wave.	ABOVE: Our friends from the Housatonic Railroad donated workers time, equipment and materials to put in a new crossing as our track extends south into the lower field. The crossing was constructed in 1 day (with 1 day of site preparation work).
ABOVE: Two of CAMA's volunteers, Jim Daly and Bob Hungerford, load light ties to support 74 lb.rail south of the new crossing.  The crossing itself uses 110 lb. rail with heavy ties.	ABOVE: The top notch Housatonic Railroad crew drives spikes on the north side of the crossing (74 lb. section connecting our existing rail to the new crossing).
ABOVE: Compromise bars are used to join our 74 lb. rail to the 110 lb. rail used for the actual crossing.	ABOVE: After spiking the west rail, a track gauge tool (painted yellow in photo) is used to set the proper 3 foot gauge (distance between the inside edges of the two rails) and the east rail is then spiked into place.

Editor's Note:  I apologize for not having photos available for the first day of the project. During that day, the crossing railbed was prepared by removing the native soil and  refilling with stone ballast .  This ballast was tamped down to make a solid footing.  Also, I apologize for not having more photos of the end of the second day.  My camera batteries went dead.  I wasn't the only one taking photos and I hope to receive some more by email.  If I do, I will make an addendum to this page.  In the meantime, a brief description follows of what happened next:

Once the two rails are completely spiked down to the ties, the next step was to make any final adjustment to the physical location of the track.  The finished track was moved left or right either by use of heavy equipment such as a backhoe, or, by muscle power at the end of a stout prybar, so that it lined up with the design centerline.  Stone ballast was then dumped in the railbed and the track was adjusted for final height by using a transit to check the height and a trackjack to lift the rail to the proper height.  Once the rail was lifted, ballast was tamped under the ties to support the track at it's new, proper height.  Finally, additional stone ballast was added to lock the finished track into position.

As an interim measure, the driveway/rail crossing itself was filled level with the track with more stone ballast so automobiles can cross the track.  Eventually, this temporary ballast will be removed down to the ties, and heavy rubber guards will be placed on either side of both rails. The guards allow a space for the flanges of the railroad wheels and keep the final driveway fill from touching the rails.  Finally, the driveway will be repaved up to the rubber guards outside the track and between the rails for a smooth automobile crossing.
   

This page was updated on 7/18/04 by Jim Anderson