I did it. 42 Sonotubes installed and cemented. Now I get to build a trestle. Funny how my Apple Watch came up with one of my exorcise goals when I finished: “Goal Achieved.” Stay tuned for more updates.
Mountain Division – Trestle – 07
Mountain Division – Trestle – 06
Today I finished installing the last of 42 Sonotubes. 24 still need to be cemented. Hope to put a dent in it tomorrow. Sonotubes highlighted for better visibility.
Mountain Division – Trestle – 05
Not bad for three days of rain and heavy smoke coming down from Canada. I installed and cemented 18 Sonotubes for the new trestle. Only 24 to go. Thanks to my friend David we cemented 8 yesterday and Dan we finished the last 4 today.
Mountain Division – Trestle – 04
Today I changed direction a bit. Thanks to the help of Dan, we mixed and poured cement in 6 Sonotubes. After cleaning up, I covered all of the Sonotubes in preparation for rain. Glad I did, we had lightning and heavy rain. Hope everything held up.
Mountain Division – Trestle – 03
Just a little update on my new trestle. I put in 18 Sonotubes. Tomorrow I’m going to pour cement. Once that is done it’s back to finishing the other 24 Sonotubes.
Mountain Division – Trestle – 02
here is a little update on the trestle. Sonotubes and cement have arrived. Today I put in two sonotubes (without cement) 40 to go. I’ll get another 6 or so and and do some cement work. I’m off next week so If I can do 8 a day (I’m be optimistic), I’ll be in good shape.
Mountain Trestle
I’ve been digging, grading and preparing the Mountain Extension since 2016. Good news is that today I began laying out the trestle. Yesterday, I dropped a few trees to give a straight line and eliminate a small curve in the bridge. Today, I pulled two lines across and laid a few markers. The full length of the bridge will come to 200′. Next week I’ll finish layout and then be ready to order Sonotubes and cement. Here are two pics will lines highlighted. The first is looking in the direction of travel. The other look back from the opposite end. Beginning and end marked with red crosses. I hope to have the extension finished and running by the end of this summer.
Cylinder drains revisited
Back in November I posted about making new automatic cylinder drains for my Consolidation. But my good friend Mike Venezia gave me a set of his steam powered cylinder drains. With Lent and Holy Week behind us, I finally had the time and energy to install them. They are really well made. All I have left to do is add an exhause pipe through the cab floor. Thanks again Mike, you’re the man!
New Large Scale Train Show Coming
The same people who bring us the Railroad Hobby Show is going to give us another BIG train show. If you have ever been to this show at the Big-E, it is something you will never forget. Three large buildings house awesome layouts, great vendors where you can get those things on your list, talk with your favorite hobby suppliers and have great fellowship with other model railroaders. If you haven’t yet experienced this great event, put it in your calendar for next year. I have gone several years and never regret it. The only backside is, I leave exhausted from trying to see everything and everyone I want to see. It is very enjoyable. But now, they are up to it again.
The Amherst Railway Society presents the Northeast Large Scale Train Show. The event occupies 55,000 square feet in the Young building on the Eastern States Exposition fairgrounds. The show covers all facets of large scale railroading – model railroads, railroad art and photography, railroad history and preservation, tourist railroads, railroad artifacts, and railroad books and videos. The Amherst Railway Society defines :”Large Scale” as any of the following: S-scale, O-scale, G-scale, F-scale, 7.25 gauge, 7.5 gauge (1.5″ to the foot) and larger.
Northeast Large Scale Train Show
April 28 – 29, 2023
Eastern States Exposition – The Young Building
West Springfield, MA
For more information and to register visit the Northeast Large Scale Train Show.
Merry Christmas
May the Incarnation of the 2nd Person of theMost Blessed Trinity, Our Lord Jesus Christ fill you with faith, hope and love as we celebrate the Feast of His nativity.
God bless you,
Fr. Jay Finelli
