Cross Bracing on Bents – January 18, 2025 – Stephen added the cross bracing to the trestle bents and delivered the lumber for the beams that will span between the bents. The easiest delivery method is by rail, poling a loaded flat car. To save a bunch of steps poling the car load around the loop, just give it a nudge.
Trestle Bent Construction – January 4, 2025 – Bob built track panels and Ken, Alexander, and James laid panels on the approach to the trestle. Tim, Paul, and John T pre-treated the lumber, painted the assembled bents, and hauled them out to the right of way. Doug and John O built the bents. Paul’s wife Janet came for a tour. Linda prepped lunch […]
Trestle Bent Materials – January 1, 2025 – Once the footers were in position, a string line was placed so the height of each trestle bent could be recorded. Stephen then calculated the lengths of each component of each bent. With the trestle bent #1 proving the data, he then cut the needed parts for the remaining 32 bents.
Trestle Bent Prototype – December 28, 2024 – Stephen built the first trestle bent with a jig to facilitate the construction of the remaining 32 bents.
Trestle Construction Begins – December 14, 2024 – While Bob built track panels, John O and Stephen drilled and labelled the sill boards for each footer and Stephen delivered the footers to the trestle right of way. Ken, James, and “Dead Eye” Rob positioned each footer. 33 footers were needed to reach the bridges around the lake.
Turntable Ring Rail Prep – November 23, 2024 – Doug and I spent an afternoon prepping for the ring rail around the turntable. This involved levelling the area and digging a trench for the concrete base.
Approaching the Trestle – November 18, 2024 – Track panels have been staging on the approach to the trestle. Sill boards for the trestle bent footers are ready.
Laying the Austin Yard – October 19, 2024 – All hands were on deck laying track panels through the Austin station and yard. Photos from Tim: It has been a while since we have seen a run:
John Came to Ballast – September 29, 2024 – John decided to spend a day in the shade, ballasting and levelling track.
Ballast for the Austin Yard – September 10, 2024 – With the Austin yard nearing completion, a ballast delivery close to the need was in order.
Laying the Austin Station – August 11, 2024 – Paul, the tie-master, was busy cutting ties. Ken, Johnny, James, and little Nick were laying panels through the Austin station area to complete 4 of the 5 station tracks. John O and Stephen were busy prepping panels. It was a hot day for sure. Photos from Tim: Photos from Stephen:
Switch Stand Installation – July 10, 2024 – Ken Smith and David White made a day trip to install the first switch stands. These are located in the Bexar yard.
Incredible Donation – June 8, 2024 – Ken Howard arrived with a jaw-dropping donation of rail and rail punch machine. There is enough rail to complete phase 2. Speechless.
Covering the Water Line – May 18, 2024 – After an inspection for leaks with a week under pressure, the water line is covered. Four more footers are cast.
Water Line Extension – May 11, 2024 – Steam locomotives need water and so do the people and the RVs they come in. Time to get the water line extended to the railroad area. Ken Howard’s Ditch Witch was a huge blessing. Ken and Johnny Rhodes also built the abutment at the beginning of the trestle.
More Footers – May 4, 2024 – 4 more footers cast this weekend. 3 weeks worth can be seen in the background.
Footer Casting – April 19, 2024 – Three additional forms were built. The plan is to cast 4 footers every weekend for 9 weeks.
Prototype Trestle Bent Footer – March 25, 2024 – For the upcoming trestle, the plan is to pre-cast concrete footers for each bent. The footers can be positioned and levelled with higher accuracy. Then, the bents can be built easily in the shop area and set on the footers. This is the first form used to cast the first footer. The form was sized […]
Transfer Table Ramp – February 26, 2024 – Finally built a portable ramp from the shop-area transfer table to grade level.
Ballast Delivery Day – February 9, 2024 – One of many deliveries that will happen at the Austin & Texas Central
Moving a Donated Railroad – January 7, 2024 – A huge crew of friends from all around Texas descended on a railroad near Commerce, Texas, that was donated to the Austin & Texas Central. The crew was so efficient, the 1200 foot railroad was completely loaded for transport by 11am. Many thanks to everyone that helped!
Continuing Around the Loop – December 2, 2023 – Another great crew at the Austin & Texas Central. Panels were built. Track was laid. Ballast was spread.
Rounding the Curve – November 18, 2023 – A great turnout today to build panels and lay track around the curve beyond Austin. Of course, the end-of-the-day chat session is just as important.
Ballasting into Austin Track 1 – October 7, 2023 – Thanks again to Tim for taking photos. We see Bob, Ken, Johnny, and Richard was busy shoveling ballast while John was working ahead filling in ties at the joints.
Panel Building – September 9, 2023 – Photo credit goes to Tim. Stephen, Tim, John, and Ken spend the day building panels, rebuilding old switches and contemplating track alignment in Austin.
Switch stands ready – September 1, 2023 – The Tumbleweed and Dry Gulch Railroad found a dozen spare switch stands in inventory and has donated them to the A&TC. (Thanks Philip!)
A View from Above – July 29, 2023 – Kari brought her architect friend Vanessa this morning. Vanessa programmed her drone for a low altitude flyover. The resulting image of the entire ranch will be used for detailed surveying going forward. Kari and Vanessa then filled the trailer with root balls for the burn pile. (Stephen unloaded the trailer the next morning and positioned […]
A Little Shop Time – July 23, 2023 – Stephen spent a little time Sunday in the shop addressing a couple of small projects. First task was to prepare fish plates for the upcoming work day. Using Ken’s rail slot punch with Stephen’s fish plate jig, approximately 150 fish plates were made in short order. Timing tests show it takes 20 seconds to punch […]
Clearing and grading – July 22, 2023 – Kari, Tim, Paul, and Stephen worked the morning clearing downed trees and branches from the Austin loop Saturday morning. This included two large dead cedar trees that the February ice storm brought down over the right of way. Stephen was able to grade the right of way from Austin around the loop and it is […]
Making fish plates – July 17, 2023 – Using Ken’s newly acquired rail slotting punch, Stephen made a jig to create slotted fish plates. It is a piece of scrap rail with the center web removed. Two screws in the rail head keep the rail in position in the punch. Then the raw piece of aluminum bar can be slide into the punch. […]
Laying it down – July 15, 2023 – Thanks to Ben, Stephen was able to pick up another load of tie material Friday. Saturday, Stephen and Ken decided to just lay panels. Aided by Ken’s generator running two fans, they put down approximately 240′ including multiple switches. This work spanned two of the four (or more) tracks through Austin.
Panels and Turntable – July 8, 2023 – It was HOT! But, we were working. Kari arrived early and began clearing branches from the weeds around the steaming bay area. We all then spent an hour chipping branches before hitting the rails. Ken and Richard pumped out 15 panels with Linda priming washers on screws and John rebuilding a switch. Doug, Tim, and […]
In the news – July 1, 2023 – Bill Laird wrote a feature piece published in the July 2023 edition of the HALS Stack Talk newsletter. With permission of the editor, the article is available here.
Laying Track – June 10, 2023 – Another workday at the A&TC despite the Texas heat. Alexander, Tim, and Sam are sweating it out laying panels in Coleto. They are getting ready to tie in a switch for a spur to the White Aggregates ballast tipple.
Cut and fill complete – June 4, 2023 – At long last, the cut and fill has been completed. Here is a walk from the end of the fill up the 1% grade through the cut and then to Coleto. In case you are wondering, the deepest part of the cut has been done for over a year and the walls have not collapsed. […]
Super Power and Early Power – May 6, 2023 – Photo op of locomotives from both ends of the steam era.
First tour video – July 15, 2021 – Monthly workdays began in April and progress has been steady. Watch the first tour video and check back for updates.