Friday, June 28th 2024 was to be the start of the second weekend of “Phase 2” rebuilding the junction. Unfortunately, Mother Nature decided to send a lot of precipitation and between Friday and Saturday we lost about 6 hours of work time to the rain. The crew still got all of the track in place, and the ballast dropped, but some of tamping and leveling were not yet completed.
After a lengthy rain delay, work final got started about 9pm Friday night. After the old ladder track was demolished, a new clay foundation was put in place for the new alignment.Clay delivery to the jobsite.Looking east, the first panels are roughly placed. The jog in the track is required for alignment with older trackage that will be replaced in an upcoming phase, at which time the entire section will be straight.Friday night installation of two new switches on the ladder. The foreground joins A2 and A3 to the ladder, as they now merge with each other before the ladder, and the second switch will tie A4 into the ladderAfter Saturday’s rain delay, a rainbow presented itself as we got to work. There’s actually a double rainbow if you look closely!A 20 foot panel of new track for A4 was the last section needing to be installed. This is a good view showing the new crossover from A1, and A2 merging with A3.Saturday sunset over the work zoneIt was after 10pm Saturday before we were able make the first ballast drop on the new ladder track’s connection to the junction.This is a security camera shot of the new ladder track during Saturday’s rain delay. All new track awaiting ballast!Ballast cars in action on SundayAll new tracks in place, and ballast dropped. A2 and A3 still need to be tamped and leveled.From the left: A1, A2, and A3 all showing new track and alignments.mp67 is cutoff between phases of the project. Later work will replace the older track in the foreground, and the temporary jog in the ladder track will be removed.
