Lifting and Tamping

We got back into some more lifting and tamping today, after our prison assistance had to cancel at short notice.

We started at Winters Flat Bridge and headed up the hill. This section had developed some significant settling issues, giving a very rough ride.

Here the team chips out enough rock for a Jack, then lifting to the required hight. The hight is largely determined by getting down on your hands, knees, back or belly (which ever is most comfortable on the rough ballast) and eyeing the dip, guiding the jacker when to stop lifting. It’s not a particularly hard or precise job but it very uncomfortable!

By the end of the day we reached the pedestrian crossing near Brown Street, which sees the worst of the dips in the Castlemaine area taken care of.

The view behind the excavator shows the finish we have been able to achieve, still not perfect but smooth with gentle undulations, rather than the rough and violent situation which had developed.

The afternoon sun made a welcome change from the winter weather, here highlighting a dip in the left leg which is about to be jacked and tamped.

Overall a very successful day.

We’re holding another civil workday on Tuesday (14th Aug.) where we are going to trial the insertion of concrete sleepers in a curve on the line. Any help would be greatly appreciated, it’s likely to be a very interesting exercise! Please contact Will if you’re free and able to help out – ganger@vgr.com.au