1. BAD overall body swelling - tick bite?? What began as a mild flu progressed over a two week period and varying day to day and time of day [night worse] muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints HURT and energy level dropped. The night before going to the second doctor's visit the 30 pushups had gone to ZERO, could only partially close my hands and they were weak, could gently take stairs using only one foot and one step at a time. Anti-swelling pills and an antibiotic brought down the swelling and it has never been so good to see my tendons and blood vessels in my hand under the wrinkled skin! Energy returning and much better now.
2. GOOD In-laws from Switzerland visited!!
3. GOOD Over a two week period documented the move of two ex-CP 4-6-2's from storage in Verona to Staunton, VA, their being loaded on heavy duty flat cars, and transfer from the Shenandoah Valley Railroad to the Buckingham Branch Railroad and delivery to Norfolk Southern in Waynesboro for their return to Canada.
Friday afternoon Shenandoah Valley RR freight with the two GPs bracketing the 4-6-2's.
Shoving the 4-6-2's into the yard.
Setting up the four jacks and cross beams for the lift.
Ready for the lift.
Almost there
The flat fits under so all that needs to be done is lower and block.
Enough blocks are welded into place to move the engine and the remaining blocks welded.
The loaded engine is set over, the second engine spotted and the tender removed.
The second engine is loaded, the third flat has been prepared with "strap" rails for the two tenders and the loading of the two tenders proceed.
All the blocks have been welded in place and steel rope cables applied. Buckingham Branch picks up the three loaded flats and heads off to Waynesboro and the Norfolk Southern interchange.
Doug came over today as the post was in progress. Before he got away construction methods were discussed [including 1/2 inch plywood versus 2 inch foam - plywood wins to keep the upper levels thin] and track arrangements in Saltville, Ozone, Devonia and Piney River were discussed. Then down to the basement closet to lay out the cardboard yard "template" to check track design and use of the on-hand curved turnouts.
The cardboard "template" shows the available aisle before cutting plywood. Only two people are to be in this room working the yard [left] and engine service [right]. The dispatcher in the storage/staging area brings trains in and out on the main line which runs against the far and left wall. The shelf on the right with the level is the upper level, just past Saltville and 12 inches above above the "engine service area" [boxes and blocks of wood] level. The shelf on the left is 14 1/2 inches higher than the yard and is the other end of the upper level in the closet and exits to Devonia and Ozone. Operators running the upper level between Saltville and Devonia stand at the door watching their train do the gradual elevation change - a LOT better than watching a train in a helix by some magical method.
On-hand curved turnouts are being checked for fit to the design before cutting plywood.
Track spacing is checked using the "template". Closest to the wall is the main, next is the passing siding and then the A/D track. There is a gap between these three tracks and the six track yard.
