Gator_Ballasting.mp4

This video shows Gator Ballasting at South Burn Pit. The first day we had a four man crew, Dennis Ward, Charlie "Bill" Schubert, Boyd Butler, and Tom Watson. The second day we had a crew of three. With such small crews, opportunities to shoot video clips was very limited.

The video starts off with us learning that the hopper is frozen solid, forcing us to use the loader. Because the loader bucket is twice as long as the Gator bed, only one end of the bucket is loaded to keep the spillage to a minimum.

Dennis Ward and Boyd Butler each purchased and donated a dump truck load of ballast for this project. We had a third truck load delivered to finish the project and are looking for other donors to help pay for this last load. Anyone who can help please contact Dennis Ward or Boyd Butler.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• train mountain
• Oregon
• miniature railroad
• miniature train
• hobby train
• model train
• 7.5 inch guage track
• train track
• track construction

[twatson703]

Yes, the triangular wedge in the rear of the Gator bed is to divert the ballast to each side of the track. I had wanted to get video footage from the rear of the Gator showing the dumping, but I was operating the loader which restricted what I could do.

The Power Broom you see at the end of the video is quite a labor saving device. It is a weed eater motor with the broom attachment. The broom attachment is a commercially available accessory. It has been slightly modified with track grooves.

[Triv27]

Okay, now what is that you're using at the end to clear the ballast from the rails? I'm guessing that it's a modified weed eater or lawn edger of some kind?

[Triv27]

Alrighty, I've got a question. The triangular wedge one can see in the back of the gator when its being loaded. Can one safely assume that it is there to divert the ballast to the sides and keep it from piling up in the center of the tracks when being dumped?