The Rubber & Rawhide Railroad

Progress Report for 23rd October 2008

This Page Created on December 31st, 2008

Frozen Frog Falls Bridge approaches worked!

The photo above shows the reinforced Leather Oaks Pond railway bridge once again installed, and the approaches on both sides roughed in place.

Cane Brake to Frozen Frog Falls roadbed

The photos are indeed dated, as since their creation, the roadbed between the Cane Break Diversionary Canal has been completed. It is shown in rough form in the photo at right.

Eastern Shore Design Changes.

The Eastern side approach has encountered a couple of engineering design changes since this photograph was made early Wednesday morning. One of our senior board members expressed concern that there was no provision for a fence-line spur. This was a valid point, as we had in fact considered such an option. The roadbed was hastily reengineered, with Mike's personal attention an important factor: The proposed siding uses an existing surplus turnout just at the East end of the Frozen Frog Falls bridge.

Roadbed progress.

Due to inclement weather the last two days, most activity has been transferred to the Leather Oaks garage, where Rubber and Rawhide Railroad production crews have been hard at work on two related projects. The most intensive effort centered around a determination by the right of way department that the Eastern bank of the Leather Oaks Pond, as a known flood-prone area, must be considered flood plain for all design work in the area. The biggest impact of this determination is that all roadbed must feature girder construction in some form.

Girder Sections for Eastern Bank to Memorial Bell Tower

Several boringly productive hours were spent in drilling two lengths of roadbed material with 3" and 3-1/2" holes to create the desired decorative girder design. As the first four sections of roadbed East of the FFF bridge, along with the first two of the new spur, had been created despite inclement rain during most of the last two days, it was fortunate that this also marked the extent of the flood plain rules. Sections of the girder material were carefully cut to match each section of roadbed, and assembled dry fashion on a front porch red work table, as shown in the photo at right.

The roadbed sections still need to be drilled for assembly with the girder plates. This activity should be completed sometime tomorrow. If so, and weather permitting, roadbed installation may reach the Memorial Bell Tower West Wye, if not on Friday, then most likely over the weekend! For those who may not realize the significance of this milestone, the point is not that far distant from the planned interchange with the House Perimeter Route!