SMNR 3518, an ex-CN M420W from another scrapped A&K property (the Southern Manitoba Railway), has arrived at NA Junction with a line of VST rail carriers.
Date: 08 Aug 2014
Owner: ND Holmes
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Another look at 3518 amongst the overgrown sunflowers.
Date: 08 Aug 2014
Owner: ND Holmes
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The string of VST rail carriers, awaiting loading.
Date: 08 Aug 2014
Owner: ND Holmes
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The major impediment to moving between NA Junction and the rest of the line - a major washout near the Highway 96 crossing - has been repaired.
Date: 08 Aug 2014
Owner: ND Holmes
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The first sign of scrapping work - a pair of spike pulling motorcars sit near the feedlot between Ordway and Sugar City, CO.
Date: 08 Aug 2014
Owner: ND Holmes
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As you can see, the spikes and rail anchors have been - for the most part - pulled and left sitting near the ties. This track is now unsuitable for anything except one last train...
Date: 08 Aug 2014
Owner: ND Holmes
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Looking towards Sugar City from approximately the current point of spike removal.
Date: 08 Aug 2014
Owner: ND Holmes
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Hey look, it's an A&K truck hiding in Sugar City...
Date: 08 Aug 2014
Owner: ND Holmes
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This must be what carried in the spike pulling cars.
Date: 08 Aug 2014
Owner: ND Holmes
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As you can see, in places they've done quite a bit of digging through the mud and sand build-up to get those spikes out.
Date: 08 Aug 2014
Owner: ND Holmes
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This is what they're after - 136 pound welded rail sections, rolled in 1979 and with a good amount of life left in them.
Date: 08 Aug 2014
Owner: ND Holmes
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The track dismantling starts just east of Arlington, CO, oddly just about where the welded rail starts. Tells me that it's the welded rail they're after and not the stick rail found further east on the line.
Date: 08 Aug 2014
Owner: ND Holmes
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A collection of A&K toys in Arlington awaiting their call to start pulling up track.
Date: 08 Aug 2014
Owner: ND Holmes
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This backhoe has a large electromagnet on it for picking up all the track hardware (other than rail).
Date: 08 Aug 2014
Owner: ND Holmes
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A Pettibone Speedswing.
Date: 08 Aug 2014
Owner: ND Holmes
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And a Cat end loader.
Date: 08 Aug 2014
Owner: ND Holmes
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Not sure why the grader, unless they intend to use it to grade up all the ties and such once they pull the rail.
Date: 08 Aug 2014
Owner: ND Holmes
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