Tamping and ballasting begins!

Click on each picture for a closer look!
.
It took a little longer than expected to start, but last Friday, PNR Railworks was finally able to start ballasting the individual tracks leading from the turntable to the stalls of the roundhouse. With the assistance of our intrepid band of volunteers, the turntable was kept busy moving equipment from track to track.
.
In the picture at the above left, we find a crew using jacks to adjust the rail height before the compacting can be done. In the next picture, we see a front end loader being used to straighten the track. This and the previous activity are done before the tamping machine is used. At the lower left, we see the tamper in action vibrating the ballst under the steel ties to settle it and compact it. The next picture is a close-up of the tamping action.
.
Posting and Pictures by Jon Hull
.