The Rubber & Rawhide Railroad

Railway Azalea Trail
Page Three

This Page Created on April 21st, 2009

Approaching the Leather Oaks Pond

The second most daring Rubber Creek crossing must be this approach to the Leather Oaks Pond from the Memorial Bell Tower Garden. Followers of our Progress Reports may remember that we had originally hoped this section could be built at grade. But our Engineering Department loves a good challenge, when there's water involved!

We're not seeing the Leather Oaks pond at its most photogenic yet, but the lush aquatic greenery says it must be a great place to be a fish or a frog!

Approaching the Frozen Frog Falls Bridge

Even though the Lot Circumnavigation mainline follows the edge of the Garden path to the Leather Oaks pond, it's a chancy thing weaving through all the iris and parasol plants! The rock at bottom left of the photo marks the Eastern Landing of the Frozen Frog Falls Bridge.

Crossing the Frozen Frog Falls Bridge

This twelve foot long bridge is made of five, eight-foot lengths of composite decking. It took two men to lift it into place. We're not sure how much scale machinery that would have involved. You can walk across it, and it won't bend. Cats like it too, as they look longingly at the Pond's choice fish.

The Best Leather Oaks Pond View

There are several places you can get almost this view. Everyone likes it, and it does incorporate all the best of Leather Oaks and the Rubber and Rawhide! The big guy carefully emptying his shell is Adrian. The little fella playing water pipes is Pipe, of course! Reflections provided by lots of clear water.

Yes, that's our Frozen Frog himself, just visible above the first car behind our two diesels!

Beginning the West Fenceline Climb

It's rather shady most of the day in this corner of the yard, and that makes it a great place to relax on the bench and watch the trains begin the long climb along the West fence line. From the Frozen Frog Falls Bridge to the Discobolos Summit, the trains must climb almost ten feet in elevation!

For reference, the bend in the track in front of the bench is the first switchback on the Serpentine!

Crossing the Drainage Viaduct

The second longest bridge on the line, the Drainage Viaduct also allows engineers to gather their resources for the long climb ahead of them. From just South of the Frozen Frog Falls Bridge to at least the Diver's Loop, the Lot Circumnavigation route maintains a constant five per cent grade.

Climbing the Serpentine

The serpentine's seven successively widening switchbacks present an intimidating site to engineers, but railfans gather along the track to watch the show! Here, they're apparently standing by the Deck as the train winds through switchback number two.

The photo link will take you to the final page of our Spring 2009 railroad tour.