Barn 2, adjacent the IRM mainline on the east end of the main property had long been used for storage of electric cars and track equipment. With the building of additional barn space, tracks 1 and 2 of this barn (i.e. 21 and 22, the first digit being the barn number, the second the track number) have been allocated to the Diesel department for shop space. The first thing to happen was the electrical overhead (trolley wire) was removed to allow working on top of units outside the barn, removing the opportunity for inadvertent contact with that 600VDC source.

The track in that barn was very light, 65 and 70 pound (per yard) rail, not ideal for working on 200-ton diesels. The plan also calls for pouring a concrete pad at the east end of the barn, creating a much better working environment than exposed tie ends and ballast. Throughout the winter, crews worked to remove the old track and ties, and to excavate the old ballast and dirt to create a new base for the rails. Ties are now laid out and spaced for the length of the barn, ready to receive the rails.

This last Saturday (April 6th, 1996), a crew assembled in front of Barn 2 and began unloading "new" rail from a flatcar. I was present, but armed only with a Polaroid camera, which didn't like the unseasonably cool (some would say cold...it did snow) weather too well. Here we see a few of the guys stretching and taking a break after unloading all of the rail from the flat, and placing the old rail from the barn into the flat for scrap.

Rail is unloaded from a flat, and the crew rests before starting the sorting process.

Rail is then sized by weight and appropriate lengths. Each piece is mapped to its final location in the barn, and labeled, then put in a specific order outside the barn door.

Rail is then sized and placed in sequence for moving into the barn.

Some rails needed to be cut to specific lengths, or have damaged ends removed. Here, track foreman Bob Olson uses the railsaw.

John Howell, Jamie Kolanowski, and another member drill bolt holes through the web where necessary, using a gasoline-powered rail drill.