Electromatic Mk II

Typical track cross section

The basis of any good railroad is track, which consist of rails supported by ties held in place by ballast.  Unlike roads and highways, when track settles the original profile can be restored by jacking and tamping ballast under the ties to hold them in position.  This is an advantage that railroads have over highways, but track is also less forgiving and failure to maintain profile may result in a derailment.  So whether it is an Amtrak Cascades train or a Northwest Railway Museum steam train, the ability to maintain the track profile is important.

Jackson Jr Tamper from the 
Northern Pacific Railway

For more than 40 years, the Museum has maintained its track with a Jackson Junior Tamper, a unit first delivered to the Northern Pacific Railway in the early 1950s.  After about 70 years of service, the Junior Tamper has become difficult to maintain in operation.  In short, the correct replacement parts are no longer available.

The Museum's new tamper
arrived on a truck designed 
for moving rail equipment.

The Museum has been searching for a new tamper for several years and the right opportunity arrived in late May 2022: a machine used in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on the BNSF Railway.  It was completely rebuilt in 2012 and has just 691 hours of service since that rebuilding. It was purchased through Maintenance of Way Equipment Services in Houston, Texas, but was sold "as is" in South Dakota.

The tamper was carefully rolled
off the truck under its own power

The new tamper arrived at the Museum on Wednesday, June 15.  As expected , there were several minor issues: machines are not usually retired in perfect working order.  Some electrical wires were eaten by mice.  There was debris in the fuel tank.  Several switches were dirty or worn and not functioning correctly.  However, the machine was in very good shape overall and after a few hours of work is functional.

A turntable feature allows the
tamper to be jacked and rotated 
180 degrees.

The tamper is a Canron/Tamper Electromatic Mark II ES originally manufactured in 1983 for the Burlington Northern Railroad.  In 2012 it was remanufactured by the BNSF Railway at Brainard, Minnesota to bring it back to original specifications, and to upgrade components that were obsolete.  It features adjustable workheads for tamping turnouts (switches), and a turntable to allow the machine to operate effectively in both directions.  Notably, it features something not yet invented when the old Jackson was produced: the hydraulic squeeze to help consolidate ballast under each tie.  

The model ES features adjustable
work heads for tamping switches

The Mark II has already been out tamping track and is a welcome addition to the collection of maintenance equipment.  While not yet historic, it will help ensure the Museum's heritage railway remains in operation for years to come.

Curve at Snoqualmie Falls

The Museum's railway extends between Snoqualmie Falls and North Bend, but the most spectacular view is at Snoqualmie Falls.  A tight 11 degree 30 minute curve thrusts the railroad out onto a bridge high above the Snoqualmie River.  Yet this curve - and others no longer in place - represented significant maintenance efforts for the track workers on the Northern Pacific Railway.

This tight curve is built with 100 pound per yard rail last renewed in the 1950s. Tight curves create resistance, and that means wear.  When a wheel set navigates a curve this tight, one wheel - the one on the outside of the curve - has to travel further than the one on the inside.  That extra motion causes wear, which widens gauge and reduces the size of the rail head.  Despite the light and infrequent use the Museum makes of this curve, after more than 40 years and at least 500,000 passengers, the high or outer rail was completely worn out.

In a project planned out in 2019, RailWorks was hired to replace the outer rail with relay rail the Museum acquired from Union Station in Seattle in the early 1980s.  The 100 pound rail pulled from those platform tracks once supported Milwaukee Road electric locomotives and Union Pacific stream liners. Like all rail replacement projects, work began by pulling spikes. 

The relay rail had worn bolt holes so the project included cropping and drilling the rail ends.  This work was performed as each length of rail was laid.

  

The project also included replacement of 25 cross ties, important in ensuring the curve maintains gauge.  A hyrail excavator aided the work, which was completed in one day.  The new ties were cut from Douglas fir, treated with creosote, and cost more than $60 each.  They are physically similar to the ties they are replacing, which are an average of fifty years old.  New ties are expected to last at least 25 years.

This major capital project was planned and initiated prior to escalation of the Covid 19 crisis, and represents one of the Museum's major 2020 projects, and an investment of more than $20,000.  Donations to the Museum's general fund help support this important work and are gratefully accepted.  When the Museum is able to reopen after expiration of the Governor's Executive Order closing public venues including Museums, service to Snoqualmie Falls will be able to immediately resume.  Monitor the Museum's web site at www.TrainMuseum.org for updated information about when the Museum will be able to reopen.  

We are working on the railway . . . 2020 version

45 degree power poles?

Winter storms in the Pacific Northwest can yield hurricane-force winds and torrential downpours, and so far the winter of 2020 has not disappointed!  Already rain and wind events have caused falling trees to knock down power lines, rain to trigger land slides, and even a little snow to add some extra days off for local school kids.  Normally, the Train Museum is able to avoid major impacts, but not this year.  

The ballast shoulder was displaced by the
tire of a large truck that drove up the track.

Two separate incidents involving contractors working for the local power company resulted in damaged track when the bucket trucks used to work on overhead lines drove up the tracks.  If the trucks had been equipped with hyrail attachments (railroad wheels), there would have been little impact.  However, the weight of the truck tires surcharging on heavily saturated soils pushed down many otherwise effective ties so they were no longer supporting the rail, displaced the ballast shoulder so it no longer provided lateral support, and broke the back of several dozen railroad ties.

A hyrail excavator
removing damaged ties.

Early in March RailWorks arrived to begin repairs in zones at Snoqualmie Falls and just east of historic downtown Snoqualmie.  In all, 38 ties are being replaced and approximately 350 feet of track is being surfaced, lined and dressed.  Even on small project like this one, most of the work is being performed by machines including a hyrail excavator, tamper, and grapple truck.  The work is expected to take approximately four days and will wrap up by March 15.