Over 110 years of Railroading

We just happened to have a gathering of three retired Railroaders, all with over 30 years. From left to right, Ed Ezell, Ace Wolf, and L.V. Williams. Ed directed the track laying for this project. L.V. helped move the 905 back in 1954 it came to the park. Unfortunately, Ace has since passed away. Some thought we left the locomotive running.

After the big move....

We spent the next couple worksessions getting the tender up to Kiddyland tracks close to the 905 locomotive.

Preparing to align the 905 N-S with the street.

We took the tail end of the track, which the locomotive couldn't reach on the original pull due a driver coming off the track on a tight curve, straightening the curve our and adding ties.

This allowed us to move the loco as far to the south as possible and begin a series of switchbacks.

... to the south.

....to the north.

.... all the train movements made with a large forklift.

Many thanks to Great Plains Rentals for the use of the forklifts. They were 8 and 10 K with extending arms out to 40 and 50 ft. Very nice ... very usefull.

Pulling the 905 south to Oak Street.

At Oak St. looking North, ready to move... (we are looking south, the 905 is looking north.)

.... north again

.... a sign of progress

seeing tracks in her rear view mirror, a sense of progress.

Finished for the day.

At the end of each work session we tried to put the headlight on..... That light was probably the most talked about thing of the entire move process.

Trying to move the track in sections...

It sounds good .. but the ties were so old that spikes wouldn't hold well. No matter how we moved a section, either, pushing, pulling, picking up with chains, lifting one side, etc. ... we were lucky to get two rails and two or three ties to hold together. But, even that helped.

After several switch backs....

Multiple switch backs were made to align the locomotive N-S with the street.

... we began laying track north ...

... north to the depot and beyoned.

Lunch Break

Little Ceasars was only a block away and got lots of business. Should have bought stock.

Tender ready to move...

The track back to Oak Street has been hooked up to the tender.

What a beautiful sight...

The track has finally reached the north side of the depot. It was one of those small triumphs that culminate in a larger triumph. One more small step.

You might note that the tender is lined up with the same track the loco is on - but not necessarily on the same track. I think we were waiting on a welder to trim off pieces of track so they would fit.

Waiting for the tender.

By the depot ...

Tender and Locomotive together again.

About 300 feet to go...

About another 300 feet forward and straightened in a north-south axis for thee 905 to be ready to back into it's final rest place beside the depot.

On a Winter's Day!

What a sight. I can't wait until the next big snow (big for Oklahoma) comes. Hopefully the "Keep Off" signs will be gone and the headlight will be on.