Well we’ve started pulling up track in a serious way!
We’ve managed to borrow a rail sled, which has trippled the speed of lifting the rail, with the trade off that the roadbed isn’t left quite as smooth, but still drive-able.
We’ve draughted in the big Hyundai Excavator for extra grunt and boy has that made a difference.
With only a gang of 3, we’ve lifted around 800m of rail and dragged about 5 times that down to the first crossing, ready for dragging across tomorrow.
This is what’s left behind after sledding, the odd sleeper lifts, but we’ve found if we leave a couple of rails in the 5 foot, that issues reduces.
Lots of jewellery still to collect, but we’ll get there, great job for cooler weather.
The takeuchi was even treated to 4 new tyres! The old ones were well past their use by date.
Tomorrow will be a big day, with two diggers in use dragging rail across Yapeen – Vaughan Springs Rd. We hope to do it in half a day, but who can really tell without trying it.
Any extra hands will be put to use, helping prepare rails for towing, guiding with bars, working ahead loosening anchors and bolts etc…
Meeting Maldon 7.30 or Yapeen (look for the big stockpile of rail) around 8am.
VGR Civil Blog 