The Rubber & Rawhide Railroad

Progress Report for 22nd February 2009

This Page Created on February 22nd, 2009

Jupiter's Loop Roadbed Grade Ajustments

It was a long time in the planning, but finally there is some concrete progress to report. The first six roadbed segments after the Live Oak Log Summit have been adjusted for a constant downgrade. In this photo, the vertical pier extensions are clamped onto each matching driven pier. After some back of the envelope calculations between our surveyor and the roadbed crew, they settled on a constant downgrade of one and a half inches per eighteen inch roadbed segment. This yields a downgrade of roughly eight and a third percent. It will be remembered that the old downgrade on Jupiter's Loop exceeded fourteen percent on several successive segments, so this marks a quantum improvement!

Jupiter's Loop Grade Viewed

In this second photo, the viewer obtains a better idea of the actual grade along the loop. The remaining eight roadbed sections are bricked in place just sufficient to see the full trend of the downgrade.

The lens glare is what comes of West-facing photos being made in late afternoon! At least it was sunny.

Jupiter's Loop Rebuild reaches halfway point!

The first six piers have had their extensions spliced in place, and with the C-clamps removed, the new, leaner look of the line is already apparent. Five additional piers must be driven and extensions fabricated.

Jupiter's Loop Roadbed Fully Reassembled!

While the photo below is taken from a slightly different vantage point, it will be evident that the work is nearing completion. Our roadbed crew received an unexpected (but quite welcome) kudo from Cotton Mike, who asserted that the roadbed assembly was so rugged and immovable that there seemed no need to fasten it to the piers!

Jupiter's Loop Roadbed, Another View

There are one or two minor details needing attention before the track laying crew will be given permission to reinstall the rails. First is that pesky Beautification Commission. Seems since we raised the track so much, the whole Loop has to be treated as an "elevated causeway". Yes, that means flat black paint with camouflage touches throughout. Well, it will blend in with the Monkey Grass and Irises better that way!

The other issue? If you look at the photo just above, and locate the anicillary lawn hydration point (some may call it a hose faucet), you'll note there are bricks round about there. Seems the Main Sprinkler system manifold (note the black cover) is just in front of the faucet, with three one-inch PVC water lines feeding from the end just under the Jupiter's Loop roadbed! In a remarkable display of plain good sense, the roadbed crew did NOT attempt to drive a supporting pier there! But given that this leaves thirty-six inches of roadbed between supports, the old, reliable system of bricks and scrap roadbed will be employed to provide an intermediate, non-driven pier.