http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/ Thu, 20 Jun 2013 07:03:12 +0000 MyBB http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=119 Tue, 03 Jul 2012 11:19:30 -0400 http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=119
All the best,
Simon Briggs
Sydney Soceity of Model Engineers
Australia]]>
All the best,
Simon Briggs
Sydney Soceity of Model Engineers
Australia]]> http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=118 Sat, 23 Jun 2012 14:59:32 -0400 http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=118 http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=117 Tue, 19 Jun 2012 21:24:52 -0400 http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=117
Also, the online map is tough for trying to get oriented to the railroad and route options. Can anyone provide advice? Are there maps available onsite to help with routing options?

Thanks!

-Richard]]>
Also, the online map is tough for trying to get oriented to the railroad and route options. Can anyone provide advice? Are there maps available onsite to help with routing options?

Thanks!

-Richard]]> http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=116 Thu, 14 Jun 2012 20:51:34 -0400 http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=116 http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=115 Sun, 10 Jun 2012 14:13:33 -0400 http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=115 http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=114 Sun, 10 Jun 2012 12:21:55 -0400 http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=114
The altitude here is 4300 feet, the humidty in 'normally' low so you need to drink lots of water (even if its cold) and especially if its warm. PLEASE give you and your body a couple of days to get accustomed to the elevation and lower oxygen levels.

The rides here are long so make sure if you need to take medicine on a regular basis that you take it before your ride and to bring some with you on the longer rides. Oh yeah, sun screen is a must rain or shine and if its NOT cold, bug spray may be a real good thing to have on board. If you are going to giving rides it might be a good thing to have an extra supply for your riders.

Triennial Committee]]>
The altitude here is 4300 feet, the humidty in 'normally' low so you need to drink lots of water (even if its cold) and especially if its warm. PLEASE give you and your body a couple of days to get accustomed to the elevation and lower oxygen levels.

The rides here are long so make sure if you need to take medicine on a regular basis that you take it before your ride and to bring some with you on the longer rides. Oh yeah, sun screen is a must rain or shine and if its NOT cold, bug spray may be a real good thing to have on board. If you are going to giving rides it might be a good thing to have an extra supply for your riders.

Triennial Committee]]> http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=113 Sun, 10 Jun 2012 12:10:28 -0400 http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=113
Triennial Committee]]>
Triennial Committee]]> http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=112 Fri, 08 Jun 2012 20:45:54 -0400 http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=112 ]]> ]]> http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=111 Tue, 08 May 2012 17:06:56 -0400 http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=111
I am wondering how long it will take to get in line and then load my equipment on either Saturday afternoon or Sunday (morning afternoon). I will be loading a steam engine into the back of a Ford Expedition. Any advice you can provide will be helpful in planning the rest of my trip.

Regards!

-Richard Finlayson]]>
I am wondering how long it will take to get in line and then load my equipment on either Saturday afternoon or Sunday (morning afternoon). I will be loading a steam engine into the back of a Ford Expedition. Any advice you can provide will be helpful in planning the rest of my trip.

Regards!

-Richard Finlayson]]> http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=110 Tue, 08 May 2012 16:29:20 -0400 http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=110 I would like to see if there are any Moguls and TenWheelers coming to the Triennial who would be interested in putting together a multi-engine train consisting of four to seven cars per engine. Such a train could easily get to be 50+ cars (plus the engines) in length. We did this back at the 2006 Triennial and had a great time. One of the interesting things about such a lash-up is that the power of the engines in the lash up is greater than their power individually. We would have to get clearance from the powers-to-be and run at a date and time that would not hamper others on the mainline. If you are interested, please reply back to this thread.
Thanks,
Woody Lewis
Colorado Springs, CO]]> I would like to see if there are any Moguls and TenWheelers coming to the Triennial who would be interested in putting together a multi-engine train consisting of four to seven cars per engine. Such a train could easily get to be 50+ cars (plus the engines) in length. We did this back at the 2006 Triennial and had a great time. One of the interesting things about such a lash-up is that the power of the engines in the lash up is greater than their power individually. We would have to get clearance from the powers-to-be and run at a date and time that would not hamper others on the mainline. If you are interested, please reply back to this thread.
Thanks,
Woody Lewis
Colorado Springs, CO]]> http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=109 Fri, 04 May 2012 20:49:20 -0400 http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=109 http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=108 Thu, 26 Apr 2012 08:20:25 -0400 http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=108 I'm trying to send information to a prospective live steamer and all I get is an error message.]]> I'm trying to send information to a prospective live steamer and all I get is an error message.]]> http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=103 Tue, 10 Apr 2012 09:59:03 -0400 http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=103
Monday: Dennis and Tom did Triennial office work in the morning. Tom continued working in the office, while Dennis and Boyd did some more Backshop work. All three bays were aired out. They reinstalled the wooden pine needle boxes on the cars. As soon as they are serviced (bolsters and couplers lubed) they will be ready for service. Boyd did brush and limb trimming at K&W. Tom worked on organizing the conference room, and also worked on the TM Engraving Machine. Russ worked at his shop cutting more portable seat boxes, with assembly tomorrow, also cut some letters for more signage. Getting ready for public display at Klamath Fairgrounds this week.]]>
Monday: Dennis and Tom did Triennial office work in the morning. Tom continued working in the office, while Dennis and Boyd did some more Backshop work. All three bays were aired out. They reinstalled the wooden pine needle boxes on the cars. As soon as they are serviced (bolsters and couplers lubed) they will be ready for service. Boyd did brush and limb trimming at K&W. Tom worked on organizing the conference room, and also worked on the TM Engraving Machine. Russ worked at his shop cutting more portable seat boxes, with assembly tomorrow, also cut some letters for more signage. Getting ready for public display at Klamath Fairgrounds this week.]]> http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=102 Sat, 07 Apr 2012 03:12:12 -0400 http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=102 This is a hint: We need volunteers to fill this important function during meets and work weeks - end of hint!
2. Construction work on new weed sprayer.
3. Contract with 7idea Productions for videographer for Triennial (dvd's).
4. Contract with Waste Management (trash).
5. Contract with Jefferson State Pumping (porta potties).
6. Constructed / installed security devices for Train Mountain.
7. Clean up of Backshop including rearrangement of equipment storage.
8. 15 portable riding seats, cutout, constructed, painted, installed (5 each 3 seat cars).
9. Break in the weather - raking and pick up started (1/2 mile complete, 34 1/2 miles to go).
10. Layout of Commemorative Program almost complete (need photo ready ad artwork from vendors).
11. Ongoing signal maintenance.
12. Painted lots and lots of green blocks.

Above work completed by volunteers (week ending 4-6-2012)
Boyd, Bert, Charlie, Tom, Dennis, Russ, Aaron, John Cooper, Barbara, Dana and others]]> This is a hint: We need volunteers to fill this important function during meets and work weeks - end of hint!
2. Construction work on new weed sprayer.
3. Contract with 7idea Productions for videographer for Triennial (dvd's).
4. Contract with Waste Management (trash).
5. Contract with Jefferson State Pumping (porta potties).
6. Constructed / installed security devices for Train Mountain.
7. Clean up of Backshop including rearrangement of equipment storage.
8. 15 portable riding seats, cutout, constructed, painted, installed (5 each 3 seat cars).
9. Break in the weather - raking and pick up started (1/2 mile complete, 34 1/2 miles to go).
10. Layout of Commemorative Program almost complete (need photo ready ad artwork from vendors).
11. Ongoing signal maintenance.
12. Painted lots and lots of green blocks.

Above work completed by volunteers (week ending 4-6-2012)
Boyd, Bert, Charlie, Tom, Dennis, Russ, Aaron, John Cooper, Barbara, Dana and others]]> http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=101 Sat, 07 Apr 2012 03:09:58 -0400 http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=101 http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=99 Wed, 04 Apr 2012 05:31:26 -0400 http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=99 http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=98 Wed, 28 Mar 2012 14:20:15 -0400 http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=98
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Hello, all.

Last week, ODOT awarded the contract for the OR 58: Salt Creek Tunnel and Half Viaducts project to an Oregon construction firm.

Capital Concrete Construction, Inc. of Aumsville had the low bid of $9.4 million.

During the next month, Capital Concrete Construction will be providing insurance documents and performance bonds to ODOT, leading ultimately to a signed contract. At that point, ODOT will issue a "Notice to proceed."

Once the Notice to Proceed is issued, a preconstruction meeting will be
scheduled and held between the Area 5 office in Springfield and the
contractor. During that "Pre-Con," the final construction schedule
should be confirmed, allowing us to share the scheduled date for this
year's 82 hour closure with you. We anticipate the Pre-Con to be held
in late April and construction to begin in May.

We are sticking to the promises made last year during our productive meetings with various CATs and other public groups.

* The project will run for two construction seasons at the Salt
Creek Tunnel on OR 58, milepost 56.
* In 2012, the construction season will begin in May and continue
until October 15. In 2013, the season will begin on April 1 and continue
until October 15. The actual construction season may be shortened due to weather conditions.
* Motorists should expect a single lane of travel controlled by
flaggers during weekday daytime periods and weekend day and nighttime periods.
* There will be nighttime complete closures between 8 p.m. Monday
until 6 a.m. Friday during the duration of the two construction seasons.
* There will be three 82-hour complete closures during the two
years of construction. These closures are not yet scheduled. They will
begin at 8 p.m. Monday and continue until 6 a.m. Friday. They will not
occur in the months of July or August, and they will not occur in
consecutive weeks.

I'll be back in touch as soon as the construction schedule is set.
Until then, feel free to contact me with any questions.

Best wishes,

Rick Little
Oregon Department of Transportation
Public Information Officer, Region 2
Phone: (541) 726-2442
Cell: (541) 505-2069
Email: richard.little@odot.state.or.us]]>
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Hello, all.

Last week, ODOT awarded the contract for the OR 58: Salt Creek Tunnel and Half Viaducts project to an Oregon construction firm.

Capital Concrete Construction, Inc. of Aumsville had the low bid of $9.4 million.

During the next month, Capital Concrete Construction will be providing insurance documents and performance bonds to ODOT, leading ultimately to a signed contract. At that point, ODOT will issue a "Notice to proceed."

Once the Notice to Proceed is issued, a preconstruction meeting will be
scheduled and held between the Area 5 office in Springfield and the
contractor. During that "Pre-Con," the final construction schedule
should be confirmed, allowing us to share the scheduled date for this
year's 82 hour closure with you. We anticipate the Pre-Con to be held
in late April and construction to begin in May.

We are sticking to the promises made last year during our productive meetings with various CATs and other public groups.

* The project will run for two construction seasons at the Salt
Creek Tunnel on OR 58, milepost 56.
* In 2012, the construction season will begin in May and continue
until October 15. In 2013, the season will begin on April 1 and continue
until October 15. The actual construction season may be shortened due to weather conditions.
* Motorists should expect a single lane of travel controlled by
flaggers during weekday daytime periods and weekend day and nighttime periods.
* There will be nighttime complete closures between 8 p.m. Monday
until 6 a.m. Friday during the duration of the two construction seasons.
* There will be three 82-hour complete closures during the two
years of construction. These closures are not yet scheduled. They will
begin at 8 p.m. Monday and continue until 6 a.m. Friday. They will not
occur in the months of July or August, and they will not occur in
consecutive weeks.

I'll be back in touch as soon as the construction schedule is set.
Until then, feel free to contact me with any questions.

Best wishes,

Rick Little
Oregon Department of Transportation
Public Information Officer, Region 2
Phone: (541) 726-2442
Cell: (541) 505-2069
Email: richard.little@odot.state.or.us]]> http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=97 Fri, 16 Mar 2012 12:03:26 -0400 http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=97 Switch Operators.

There are five basic types of switch operators at Train Mountain. Two of these are remote operated switches and three operate right at the points of the switch. At the remote operated switches, you remain seated on your engine and you select alignment of a switch that is several feet in front of your engine.

You will encounter the first type of remote switches shortly after leaving Central Station. These are the electrical switches that allow you to enter the Klamath and Western track and to make your track selection at Grand Junction. As you approach these switches you will see a stand by the side of the track with push buttons.



Stop by the stand and press the button for your desired route. Observe the overhead light like the one shown in the next photo and proceed when your get the required yellow or green light. When you make your selection, you do not have to worry about changing the switches under the train in front of you. The electronic switch operator is smart enough that it will not change the switches until that train has cleared the area. It is important that you wait for the proceed light. If you don’t, the switches may change under you. While going through Grand Junction you can change your route by pushing individual buttons at each switch.



The second type of remote operated switches is the remote manual type. As you approach this type of switch you will see a stand with a yellow or green ball on the top with a yellow handle just below. If you see a green ball it means that the switch is aligned for the main line and the yellow for an alternate route or siding. This switch stand operates the points of the switch that is 40 feet beyond the stand. When you stop at this stand, if you move the yellow handle to the right you will turn to the right at the switch. Conversely, if you turn the handle to the left you will go to the left. These remote switch stands have completely changed the operation of Train Mountain. You no longer need to stop, get off your locomotive, and walk to the switch and return. Very cool! In most cases you don’t even need to reset the switch back to green because the following train can see the yellow ball and know the switch is thrown, The major exception to the don’t have to reset rule is where there is a diamond crossing and leaving the switch set could cause a major accident. Some of these diamonds are located behind Motor Pool on the Serpentine, Youngstown, South Portal, Blue Caboose coming from K&W, etc,. If you are not sure what to do then stop and let your conductor reset the switch back to green when clear.





Photo 4 shows the operator at the points at one of the manual remote operated switches. If you see a black plate off to the side like that shown in the photo, this is a remotely operated switch and the operator is 40 feet behind you. Do not attempt to operate the switch from this point. Walk back to the stand to operate the switch. There is one place on the track that is a little bit confusing to newcomers. There are two of these manual remote stands located close together just outside of the tunnel as you are leaving the Douglas Loop. The first stand operates the switch that has the alternate route of Dog Walk. The second stand operates the switch that has the alternate route of South Portal Circle. The main line here is up the outside loop to the Main Yard.

The other three types of switch operators you will find at Train Mountain are manual operators located at the points of the switch. You must stop, dismount and walk to the front of your engine to change these switches.

The first of these types of switches is the long arm wigwag as shown below. These switches are being replaced by the remote manual switches, but you will still find a few on the main line. To operate these switches, you simply move the arm to point it the direction you want to go. After you have moved your train through this type of switch you must realign the switch for the mainline.



A short arm wigwag switch operator is shown below. You operate these switches by moving the short arm that is located off to the side of the points. The points of these switches are held in position with a spring. When you move through this type of switch in a direction from frog to points the points will spring over to allow the wheel flanges to pass. If you back up with one of these switches under your train there is a possibility that you could split the switch.



The last major type of switch you will find at Train Mountain is the kick switch as shown below. To change alignment, simply kick the points over to the desired side. PLEASE, do not try to kick the points to California. If you make a dust cloud you are really kicking the switch to hard. All it takes is a slight nudge to realign the points. Also do NOT kick the points near the spring mount as this could destroy the spring and or its connections, kick the points about 12 inches back from the end of the points for best results. When you travel through this type of switch in a direction from frog to points the points will automatically snap over and realign to your direction of travel. There is no danger of splitting this type of switch when backing up.



When traveling around the track, it is your responsibility as train engineer to observe the alignment of all approaching switches. Failure to do so could result in an accident. There are many places around the track where an alternate route takes you across tracks with approaching traffic. If you are not alert, you could drive your train right in front of an oncoming train. Here is a tip: when observing alignment of the manual remote switches, it is easier to see the handle alignment on the stand than the points of the switch that are 40 feet on down the track. Remember, handle to the right, aligned to the right and handle to the left, aligned to the left. It is also your responsibility, after entering any siding, to realign the siding switch back to the main line.

To activate ANY of these switch operators means that you have STOPPED on the track and your conductor MUST flag the rear of your train. If you get hit by another train while your train is stopped and your conductor is still sitting on your train, you and the other train are both at fault. Flag to the rear, reset switches back to the main, slow down in congested areas, watch the track ahead, are all ways we can have a safe and sane Triennial.

Triennial Committee]]> Switch Operators.

There are five basic types of switch operators at Train Mountain. Two of these are remote operated switches and three operate right at the points of the switch. At the remote operated switches, you remain seated on your engine and you select alignment of a switch that is several feet in front of your engine.

You will encounter the first type of remote switches shortly after leaving Central Station. These are the electrical switches that allow you to enter the Klamath and Western track and to make your track selection at Grand Junction. As you approach these switches you will see a stand by the side of the track with push buttons.



Stop by the stand and press the button for your desired route. Observe the overhead light like the one shown in the next photo and proceed when your get the required yellow or green light. When you make your selection, you do not have to worry about changing the switches under the train in front of you. The electronic switch operator is smart enough that it will not change the switches until that train has cleared the area. It is important that you wait for the proceed light. If you don’t, the switches may change under you. While going through Grand Junction you can change your route by pushing individual buttons at each switch.



The second type of remote operated switches is the remote manual type. As you approach this type of switch you will see a stand with a yellow or green ball on the top with a yellow handle just below. If you see a green ball it means that the switch is aligned for the main line and the yellow for an alternate route or siding. This switch stand operates the points of the switch that is 40 feet beyond the stand. When you stop at this stand, if you move the yellow handle to the right you will turn to the right at the switch. Conversely, if you turn the handle to the left you will go to the left. These remote switch stands have completely changed the operation of Train Mountain. You no longer need to stop, get off your locomotive, and walk to the switch and return. Very cool! In most cases you don’t even need to reset the switch back to green because the following train can see the yellow ball and know the switch is thrown, The major exception to the don’t have to reset rule is where there is a diamond crossing and leaving the switch set could cause a major accident. Some of these diamonds are located behind Motor Pool on the Serpentine, Youngstown, South Portal, Blue Caboose coming from K&W, etc,. If you are not sure what to do then stop and let your conductor reset the switch back to green when clear.





Photo 4 shows the operator at the points at one of the manual remote operated switches. If you see a black plate off to the side like that shown in the photo, this is a remotely operated switch and the operator is 40 feet behind you. Do not attempt to operate the switch from this point. Walk back to the stand to operate the switch. There is one place on the track that is a little bit confusing to newcomers. There are two of these manual remote stands located close together just outside of the tunnel as you are leaving the Douglas Loop. The first stand operates the switch that has the alternate route of Dog Walk. The second stand operates the switch that has the alternate route of South Portal Circle. The main line here is up the outside loop to the Main Yard.

The other three types of switch operators you will find at Train Mountain are manual operators located at the points of the switch. You must stop, dismount and walk to the front of your engine to change these switches.

The first of these types of switches is the long arm wigwag as shown below. These switches are being replaced by the remote manual switches, but you will still find a few on the main line. To operate these switches, you simply move the arm to point it the direction you want to go. After you have moved your train through this type of switch you must realign the switch for the mainline.



A short arm wigwag switch operator is shown below. You operate these switches by moving the short arm that is located off to the side of the points. The points of these switches are held in position with a spring. When you move through this type of switch in a direction from frog to points the points will spring over to allow the wheel flanges to pass. If you back up with one of these switches under your train there is a possibility that you could split the switch.



The last major type of switch you will find at Train Mountain is the kick switch as shown below. To change alignment, simply kick the points over to the desired side. PLEASE, do not try to kick the points to California. If you make a dust cloud you are really kicking the switch to hard. All it takes is a slight nudge to realign the points. Also do NOT kick the points near the spring mount as this could destroy the spring and or its connections, kick the points about 12 inches back from the end of the points for best results. When you travel through this type of switch in a direction from frog to points the points will automatically snap over and realign to your direction of travel. There is no danger of splitting this type of switch when backing up.



When traveling around the track, it is your responsibility as train engineer to observe the alignment of all approaching switches. Failure to do so could result in an accident. There are many places around the track where an alternate route takes you across tracks with approaching traffic. If you are not alert, you could drive your train right in front of an oncoming train. Here is a tip: when observing alignment of the manual remote switches, it is easier to see the handle alignment on the stand than the points of the switch that are 40 feet on down the track. Remember, handle to the right, aligned to the right and handle to the left, aligned to the left. It is also your responsibility, after entering any siding, to realign the siding switch back to the main line.

To activate ANY of these switch operators means that you have STOPPED on the track and your conductor MUST flag the rear of your train. If you get hit by another train while your train is stopped and your conductor is still sitting on your train, you and the other train are both at fault. Flag to the rear, reset switches back to the main, slow down in congested areas, watch the track ahead, are all ways we can have a safe and sane Triennial.

Triennial Committee]]> http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=96 Fri, 16 Mar 2012 00:13:09 -0400 http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=96 Train Mountain has a document that was started by Quentin at the very beginning of Train Mountain. This document is an attempt to put everything about the operation of the railroad in writing. This document is called the Train Mountain Encyclopedia. The following Inspection Station information is quoted from this document.

Inspection Station.

Located between Ellingson Yard and the Klamath & Western Junction, the Inspection Station is staffed during major meets such as the Triennial or when there are lots of operators who are new to Train Mountain. The purpose of the Inspection Station is to assure that all trains going out onto the main line are properly staffed and equipped to comply with the Rules of the Road. The inspectors will be looking for the following safety items:

1. Does the train have both an engineer and a conductor? The conductor is essential for flagging in case the train is stopped on the main line. Conductors must be at least seven years old. No conductor is required if the locomotive is light enough to be removed from the track by the engineer in the case of break down.

2. Does the conductor have a red flag, by day, or a flashlight, by night? The flag must be at least 12" x 12". Train Mountain flags are available at the Company Store.

3. Does the train have either a safety chain or a drawbar between each car? Mile long grades make this a crucial safety item.

4. Does the engineer have a Family Radio Service ("FRS") radio tuned to channel 10? Someday, one of these FRS radios will save a life in a medical emergency.

5. Does a wood or coal burning steam engine have both a spark arrestor and an ash pan? The summer fire danger in Klamath County is always high, and often extreme.

6. Does the train have at least four green blocks on board? Green blocks are available at the Inspection Tent or the Rules of Road sign. Dropping one at the location of a derailment both warns the next train of a possible track problem and pinpoints the derailment location for the track crew.

7. Does every steam engine have a Green Tag as evidence of having passed a Boiler Inspection? If not, the engineer will be sent to the Boiler Inspector/Tester.

8. Does a train running at night have a white headlight mounted on the front of the engine and a red taillight mounted on the rear of the last car? (11/04)

Additional Triennial Information

Both the engineer and conductor must have a Safety sticker on their badge to signify they have attended a Triennial Safety Briefing and viewed the Train Mountain Safety Video.

If your destination is out into the northern territory it is highly reccommended that you also have a cell phone with you in case of an emergency.

Triennial Committee]]> Train Mountain has a document that was started by Quentin at the very beginning of Train Mountain. This document is an attempt to put everything about the operation of the railroad in writing. This document is called the Train Mountain Encyclopedia. The following Inspection Station information is quoted from this document.

Inspection Station.

Located between Ellingson Yard and the Klamath & Western Junction, the Inspection Station is staffed during major meets such as the Triennial or when there are lots of operators who are new to Train Mountain. The purpose of the Inspection Station is to assure that all trains going out onto the main line are properly staffed and equipped to comply with the Rules of the Road. The inspectors will be looking for the following safety items:

1. Does the train have both an engineer and a conductor? The conductor is essential for flagging in case the train is stopped on the main line. Conductors must be at least seven years old. No conductor is required if the locomotive is light enough to be removed from the track by the engineer in the case of break down.

2. Does the conductor have a red flag, by day, or a flashlight, by night? The flag must be at least 12" x 12". Train Mountain flags are available at the Company Store.

3. Does the train have either a safety chain or a drawbar between each car? Mile long grades make this a crucial safety item.

4. Does the engineer have a Family Radio Service ("FRS") radio tuned to channel 10? Someday, one of these FRS radios will save a life in a medical emergency.

5. Does a wood or coal burning steam engine have both a spark arrestor and an ash pan? The summer fire danger in Klamath County is always high, and often extreme.

6. Does the train have at least four green blocks on board? Green blocks are available at the Inspection Tent or the Rules of Road sign. Dropping one at the location of a derailment both warns the next train of a possible track problem and pinpoints the derailment location for the track crew.

7. Does every steam engine have a Green Tag as evidence of having passed a Boiler Inspection? If not, the engineer will be sent to the Boiler Inspector/Tester.

8. Does a train running at night have a white headlight mounted on the front of the engine and a red taillight mounted on the rear of the last car? (11/04)

Additional Triennial Information

Both the engineer and conductor must have a Safety sticker on their badge to signify they have attended a Triennial Safety Briefing and viewed the Train Mountain Safety Video.

If your destination is out into the northern territory it is highly reccommended that you also have a cell phone with you in case of an emergency.

Triennial Committee]]> http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=95 Thu, 15 Mar 2012 23:55:24 -0400 http://trainmountaintriennial.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=95 Train Mountain has a document that was started by Quentin at the very beginning of Train Mountain. This document is an attempt to put everything about the operation of the railroad in writing. This document is called the Train Mountain Encyclopedia. The following track problem marking method is quoted from this document.

Green Blocks.

Green blocks are used at Train Mountain to mark any place where there has been a derailment. Thus, blocks on the right of way warn of a possible track problem and help repair crews identify sections of track needing repair. While a single block may indicate a location where there was an equipment problem, multiple green blocks at a single location are a sure indication of a track problem.

We recommend that each locomotive carry four blocks. They can be picked up from a crate of blocks at the Rules of the Road sign at MP .04 just after leaving Ellingson Turntable.

The original blocks were introduced in 2000 measuring 2”x2”x4” and were cut from 2”x2”x 16" Port Orford Cedar railroad ties. The wood blocks did not wear well, and in 2007 Train Mountain plans to begin using 2x2x4 plastic blocks instead. Both the wood and plastic blocks are painted fluorescent green for maximum visibility. (11/06)

Special green block note:

Please place your green block at least 12 inches away from the track and to the right side of the track regardless of which rail may have the problem. This is especially important on the double track as we can’t decide which track has the track issue.

Triennial Committee]]> Train Mountain has a document that was started by Quentin at the very beginning of Train Mountain. This document is an attempt to put everything about the operation of the railroad in writing. This document is called the Train Mountain Encyclopedia. The following track problem marking method is quoted from this document.

Green Blocks.

Green blocks are used at Train Mountain to mark any place where there has been a derailment. Thus, blocks on the right of way warn of a possible track problem and help repair crews identify sections of track needing repair. While a single block may indicate a location where there was an equipment problem, multiple green blocks at a single location are a sure indication of a track problem.

We recommend that each locomotive carry four blocks. They can be picked up from a crate of blocks at the Rules of the Road sign at MP .04 just after leaving Ellingson Turntable.

The original blocks were introduced in 2000 measuring 2”x2”x4” and were cut from 2”x2”x 16" Port Orford Cedar railroad ties. The wood blocks did not wear well, and in 2007 Train Mountain plans to begin using 2x2x4 plastic blocks instead. Both the wood and plastic blocks are painted fluorescent green for maximum visibility. (11/06)

Special green block note:

Please place your green block at least 12 inches away from the track and to the right side of the track regardless of which rail may have the problem. This is especially important on the double track as we can’t decide which track has the track issue.

Triennial Committee]]>