1980-1981

The B&W Crew in 1980

     In 1980, the Bucksgahuda and Western Railroad received a large donation from Teldyne Corporation in Pittsburgh, PA.  The donation included several sticks of 60 pound rail and some ingot cars.  The ingot cars were used in the steal mill to haul hot steal from one part of the mill to the other.  Because the ingot cars were way to big and of no use to the railroad, they were scrapped in Pittsburgh for some much needed cash.  The Bucksgahuda and Western Railroad uses 40 pound rail so they obviously did not use the 60 pound rail.  Some of the sticks of the 60 pound rail was donated to the Teaberry and Southern and the rest of it was scrapped for more cash.  When someone said the weight of the rail they are explaining that for example, the 40 pound rail weighs 40 pounds per a yard of rail.  Speaking of rail, in 1980, the B&W crew put in about 400 more feet of main line track.

2420 the new work and passenger car

     In 1981, a new car was constructed at the Teaberry and Southern for the Bucksgahuda and Western Railroad.  The car is numbered 2420 and is the railroad's first big car to be used as a work and passenger car.  In the spring, the railroad received another large donation from Joyce National Powder of Elderd, PA.  This donation included three fourths miles of track, four Brookville locomotives, and five cars.  It took the B&W crew eleven weekends to tear up and haul it all home.  When they got everything home, they kept one Brookville which became engine number four named Joe and two of the cars.  The other Brookvilles were used for spare parts and the other three cars went to the Teaberry and Southern. 

Two of the Brookvilles from Elderd



A Brookville and two of the cars from Elderd

All of the above pictures were provided by William Bauer

Trestle Replacement

The trestle with the guard rails still in place.

     Part of the track that the Bucksgahuda and Western Railroad runs on includes a trestle which is a bridge for trains.  This trestle was put in by the Bucksgahuda and Western Railroad crew in 1985 making it very close to being thirty years old.  The ties are starting to deteriorate but luckily the support beams are holding up well and will not need replaced.  Before the tracks running on the trestle are considered unsafe, the crew has decided that it is time for the ties to be replaced.
     Yesterday (10/25/14), the beginning steps of replacing the ties on the trestle took place.  The guard rails were removed and every other spike out of each tie was pulled.  Guard rails are rails that are placed parallel in between the tracks that the trains actually run on.  Guard rails are typically found along areas of restrictive clearance, such as a trestle or a tunnel and sharp curves.  These are in place to keep the wheels of cars and engines in alignment with the regular rails in case of a derailment.  This also helps to minimize damage to the trestle or tunnel and allow for easier post-accident cleanup.  Because the trestle replacement has just barely begun, the trestle is still able to be run over but come next weekend, this may no longer be the case.  

The removal of the guard rails and some spikes marks the start of the trestle replacement.

Pictures taken by Scott Bauer