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| Title: |
Work Crew Gather |
| Description: |
The two work crews gather to work on the weld. They had been in location all day the previous day, but the dispatcher would not give them a clean window to work with, so the foreman placed a 10mph speed restriction on the track. Getting work time after the speed reduction was fairly easy. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2012 Upload Date: 8/9/2013 12:46:53 PM |
| Location: |
Galt, CA |
| Author: |
Frederick S. Goethel |
| Categories: |
Track |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
181 Comments: 1 |
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| Title: |
Preparing To Remove Defective Weld |
| Description: |
One crew member works to set up the chop saw, while the other measures the exact length of the track to be replaced. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2012 Upload Date: 8/9/2013 12:54:01 PM |
| Location: |
Galt, CA |
| Author: |
Frederick S. Goethel |
| Categories: |
Track |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
118 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Making The First Cut |
| Description: |
One of the crew makes the first of 4 cuts needed to remove the bad weld and appropriate section of track. Cuts ae rquired on both sides of the track to get completley through. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2012 Upload Date: 8/9/2013 12:56:17 PM |
| Location: |
Galt, CA |
| Author: |
Frederick S. Goethel |
| Categories: |
Track |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
89 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Begining the Second Cut |
| Description: |
Here the cut at the far end of the piece of track is just getting started. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2012 Upload Date: 8/11/2013 11:39:22 AM |
| Location: |
Galt, CA |
| Author: |
Frederick S. Goethel |
| Categories: |
Track |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
67 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Sparks Fly |
| Description: |
Sparks are flyingas the saw works to cut through the rail. Although not in the picture, two fire extinguishers were close by as a precaution. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2012 Upload Date: 8/9/2013 1:00:41 PM |
| Location: |
Galt, CA |
| Author: |
Frederick S. Goethel |
| Categories: |
Track |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
91 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Aligning the Saw |
| Description: |
Here workers are aligning the saw to begin the cut on the other end of the track to be removed. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2012 Upload Date: 8/11/2013 11:36:40 AM |
| Location: |
Galt, CA |
| Author: |
Frederick S. Goethel |
| Categories: |
Track |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
69 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Pry Bar Time |
| Description: |
One worker lifts the track with a pry bar to allow the other worker to completly cut through the track on the second cut. Not the new piece of track hanging from the crane waiting to be installed. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2012 Upload Date: 8/11/2013 11:41:38 AM |
| Location: |
Galt, CA |
| Author: |
Frederick S. Goethel |
| Categories: |
Track |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
97 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Placing the New track Section |
| Description: |
The old track section has been removed and the new section of track is getting ready to be laid onto the tie plates. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2012 Upload Date: 8/11/2013 11:45:13 AM |
| Location: |
Galt, CA |
| Author: |
Frederick S. Goethel |
| Categories: |
Track |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
124 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Close up Look at Old Weld |
| Description: |
This is a close up picture of the piece of track removed with the defective weld shown. Notice the red paint, which was applied by the inspection vehicle for easy identification. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2012 Upload Date: 8/11/2013 11:47:59 AM |
| Location: |
Galt, CA |
| Author: |
Frederick S. Goethel |
| Categories: |
Track |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
72 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Securing the New Track |
| Description: |
The gang taps in spikes with the new rail in place. After the rail is aligned, and the spikes started, one worker will come alom=ng with a pnuematic hammer to secure drive the spikestightly trough the tie plate and into the tie. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2012 Upload Date: 8/11/2013 11:51:38 AM |
| Location: |
Galt, CA |
| Author: |
Frederick S. Goethel |
| Categories: |
Track |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
86 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Aligning the Ends |
| Description: |
Two crew members work to exactly aligh the ends where the weld will take place. The ends must be aligned wth great precison. The pnuematic spike driving gun can be seen leaning against the old section of rail...it looks like a jack hammer. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2012 Upload Date: 8/11/2013 11:54:53 AM |
| Location: |
Galt, CA |
| Author: |
Frederick S. Goethel |
| Categories: |
Track |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
74 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Preparing to Drill |
| Description: |
heThe jointed end of the track must be drilled so it can be joined by connectors and bolts. The workers are precisely lining up a drill to begin the drilling process. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2012 Upload Date: 8/11/2013 11:57:51 AM |
| Location: |
Galt, CA |
| Author: |
Frederick S. Goethel |
| Categories: |
Track |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
95 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Preparing to Weld |
| Description: |
Two workers are placing the first pieces of the dies needed to produce the weld or the end to be welded. Notice the wedges under the track to keep it perfectly aligned during the process. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2012 Upload Date: 8/11/2013 12:01:30 PM |
| Location: |
Galt, CA |
| Author: |
Frederick S. Goethel |
| Categories: |
Track |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
80 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Securing the Die |
| Description: |
Here the die is secured in place by clamps to insure no movement of the die once all the welding compomnents are in place and the welding begins. In addition, a type of putty is installed in any cracks to insure all of the material and heat stay within the jig. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2012 Upload Date: 8/11/2013 12:05:17 PM |
| Location: |
Galt, CA |
| Author: |
Frederick S. Goethel |
| Categories: |
Track |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
57 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Drilling Continues |
| Description: |
Drilling thr track continues at the jointed end. Several holes have been drilled in the new piece of track and now holes must be drilled in the adjacent piece of existing track. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2012 Upload Date: 8/11/2013 12:08:28 PM |
| Location: |
Galt, CA |
| Author: |
Frederick S. Goethel |
| Categories: |
Track |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
52 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Jointed End Almost Done |
| Description: |
The jointed end is bolted together tightly and is almost complete. All that is left is for the signal repairman to weld a copper wire to the two ends to insure electrical ciontinuity within the track.. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2012 Upload Date: 8/11/2013 12:11:51 PM |
| Location: |
Galt, CA |
| Author: |
Frederick S. Goethel |
| Categories: |
Track |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
67 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Welding Begining |
| Description: |
Heat is being applied to the fire brick and track in preperation of the start of the thermite welding process. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2012 Upload Date: 8/11/2013 12:20:00 PM |
| Location: |
Galt, CA |
| Author: |
Frederick S. Goethel |
| Categories: |
Track |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
72 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Thermite Welding begins |
| Description: |
The fire pot filled with the welding products has been placed over the die and has been ignited with an welding torch. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2012 Upload Date: 8/11/2013 12:22:24 PM |
| Location: |
Galt, CA |
| Author: |
Frederick S. Goethel |
| Categories: |
Track |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
103 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Fire in the Hole |
| Description: |
The exothermic reaction used in the thermite welding process has started and is now going in full glory. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2012 Upload Date: 8/11/2013 12:25:25 PM |
| Location: |
Galt, CA |
| Author: |
Frederick S. Goethel |
| Categories: |
Track |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
105 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Serious Heat |
| Description: |
The thermite reaction is now going full blast and is letting off some serious heat. This is also the most dangerous time for this process. Note all the workers have thier protective face shields down now. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2012 Upload Date: 8/11/2013 12:31:07 PM |
| Location: |
Galt, CA |
| Author: |
Frederick S. Goethel |
| Categories: |
Track |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
116 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Weld Nearing Completion |
| Description: |
The flames are dying out in the fire pot and you can see some very hot slag around the base leaking out. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2012 Upload Date: 8/11/2013 4:49:41 PM |
| Location: |
Galt, CA |
| Author: |
Frederick S. Goethel |
| Categories: |
Track |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
64 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Removing the Fire Pot |
| Description: |
Using a special tool, the fire pot is removed to a safe place in the ballast next to the track. It will be buried three feet deep as it is currently 2400+F degrees and will remain able to burn someone for 1-2 days, depending on weather conditions. While some places use reusable pots, UP uses disposable, one use pots. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2012 Upload Date: 8/11/2013 4:54:07 PM |
| Location: |
Galt, CA |
| Author: |
Frederick S. Goethel |
| Categories: |
Track |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
61 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Will it ever cool? |
| Description: |
The crew now has to wait for the weld to cool before they remove the form surrounding it. Currently, the temperature is 2400+ degress and they have to wait until it is about 1800+ degress before removing the die. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2012 Upload Date: 8/11/2013 4:58:34 PM |
| Location: |
Galt, CA |
| Author: |
Frederick S. Goethel |
| Categories: |
Track |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
64 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Hot Slag! |
| Description: |
This container was placed on the inside of the track next to the bottom die during the welding process and contains hot overflow slag that came out an escape hole. It will be emptied and buried in the ballast near the fire pot. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2012 Upload Date: 8/11/2013 5:01:05 PM |
| Location: |
Galt, CA |
| Author: |
Frederick S. Goethel |
| Categories: |
Track |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
85 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Hot Steel! |
| Description: |
With the forms removed, the workers break off as much of the excess metal and slag as pssible before begining to smooth the weld. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2012 Upload Date: 8/12/2013 9:35:04 AM |
| Location: |
Galt, CA |
| Author: |
Frederick S. Goethel |
| Categories: |
Track |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
65 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Preparing to Grind |
| Description: |
With the track still smoking, the workers get ready to emply a machine to gring the surfaces of the track to insure it is smooth at the joint. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2012 Upload Date: 8/12/2013 9:37:20 AM |
| Location: |
Galt, CA |
| Author: |
Frederick S. Goethel |
| Categories: |
Track |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
63 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Grinding the track |
| Description: |
Here the track is being ground down to match the adjacent track. There are grinding wheels in several places, so the machine can grind on various surfaces at the same time. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2012 Upload Date: 8/12/2013 9:40:00 AM |
| Location: |
Galt, CA |
| Author: |
Frederick S. Goethel |
| Categories: |
Track |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
61 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Completed Repair |
| Description: |
The newly formed and ground weld can be seen here. Aside from the slag and the coloring from the heat, it's hard to tell any work was done. It is still too hot for train traffic, and will be for the next hour...after that trains will beallowed over the weld at no more than 20 mph for 24 hours. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2012 Upload Date: 8/12/2013 9:42:45 AM |
| Location: |
Galt, CA |
| Author: |
Frederick S. Goethel |
| Categories: |
Track |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
73 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Completed Repair |
| Description: |
A wider shot shows the completed repair with the new section of track installed. |
| Photo Date: |
12/11/2012 Upload Date: 8/12/2013 9:48:23 AM |
| Location: |
Galt, CA |
| Author: |
Frederick S. Goethel |
| Categories: |
Track |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
57 Comments: 0 |
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