RailRag, Febuary, March & April 2012

Proudly Brought to you by Railstream.biz Issue #1 - February, March & April 2012

Visit Norfolk Southern's Patriot Corridor

Visit Fostoria Ohio & Fostoria Photography

Learn about 'The Challenge' N scale Bridge Building

And more in the first issue of RailRag

Norfolk Southern's Patriot Corridor Learn More the Patriot Corridor with Josh Powers

Trees and Vegetation Learn about full scale railroading, and how many things on this exciting museum railway can relate to scale modelling - Dave Ruffner

Churnet Valley Railway Visit the Churnet Valley Railway, in the UK. Learn about daily operations and the challengers faced by its volunteers - Neil Higginson

Visit Fostoria Ohio & Fostoria Photography Come along, as Chris, Bill and Richard take you though one of the most amazing Railfaning locations in America in the photo story visit to Fostoria Ohio

Churnet Valley Railway Photography

After reading Neil first story, 'Churnet Valley Railway' you can also view some of his photos of the railway and its working operations

'The Challenge' N scale Bridge Building Read along, as Sam Stokes takes you though how he constructed a space saving N scale bridge for his freelance SAXT railroad

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Letter From The Editor- Isaac Logan

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Trees and Vegetation - Dave Ruffner

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Churnet Valley Railway Churnet Valley Railway/Moorlands And City Railway Permanent Way

By Neil Higginson February, March, April - 2012 The Rail Rag

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Here in North Staffordshire, England is the Churnet Valley Railway, an 8 1/2 mile long heritage line. This is connected to the Moorlands and City Railway, a new project to connect the Moorland District with the network mainline at Stoke on Trent. These lines were last used by passenger trains in the early 1960's and by freight in the 1980's.

They were then mothballed until the North Staffordshire Railway company bought the track from Leekbrook Jn to Oakamoor in 1996.

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Extensive track renovation has taken place with many track panels completely replaced, and 1000s of sleepers (ties) replaced due to the damp track bed. Our permanent way gang is totally voluntary, mainly being golden oldies (me being an exception).

The MCR line from Leekbrook Jn-Cauldon Lowe was completed in 2010, and work is underway to renew the line from Leekbrook Jn-Stoke on Trent as we speak.

There are many varied duties to perform on the Permanent Way gang, from track renewal to weed killing, crossing replacement to drain clearing. It’s not always the easiest of jobs, but it’s a very satisfying one to watch trains roll by when it’s done.

We have acquired a mobile tool van to help us out on our endeavours, a Permaquip 4wd to get us to where our tasks take us. It also helps to eat our lunch in the dry, as its often raining up on the moors. All people working on the railway, be it on the national rail system (Network Rail) or on a railway like ours are required to wear orange hivisibility kit at all times. Safety is priority number one for us.

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Professional rail contractors have been brought in from time to time with their time-saving (and labour saving too) machinery such as tampers and sleeper changers. These will have to be hired in again as the Stoke on Trent line needs much upgrading. Over 5000 sleepers will have to be changed, and many chairs replaced, as well as line side fencing, signalling cable and bridge/crossing/ station infrastructure restored/replaced.

Once finished, the line into the quarry at Cauldon Lowe can be extended into the premises, and cement brought out to various UK destinations.

Freight will also be taken into Cauldon Lowe, as their power station burns green energy sources, imported by rail. The revenue generated by this will allow a further line from Leekbrook Jn to Leek to be reopened, and also a link to Alton Towers, Britain's biggest theme park, to be reopened from Oakamoor. An hourly passenger service is planned from Leek to Stoke, and in season trains

--Neil Higginson

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This is us at the stop at Cauldon Lowe I'm on the right, my son next to me then my Dad!

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Visit Fostoria Ohio

By Chris - with photos from Chris, Bill and Richard

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Churnet Valley Railway Photography

By Neil Higginson February, March, April - 2012 The Rail Rag

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'The Challenge'- N Scale Bridge Building - Samuel Stokes

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<< This is an Empty western coal drag on the LSRC (Lake State Rail Road) between Bay City and Saginaw Michigan, it was in the winter of 2007 and was shot by Chris Klemm of Bay City mi. This is crossing the old Peer Marquette bridge new M-13 just south of Bay City Mi

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^^ It's an early August morning in Lowellville Ohio, Just east of Youngstown at BG68.4 as the horn of CSXT 5390 echoes off the valley walls as Q158 races east towards Newcastle PA with single stacks. The signal pictured here was removed a few weeks later bringing an end to the B&O presence in Lowellville.

- Ryan Vince February, March, April - 2012 The Rail Rag

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^^ The Peer Marquette 1225 and the NKP 765 at train fest 2009. Owosso Michigan Photo by Chris Williams I thought this will be a cool photo to take when I was there at train fest. The two Sisters. - Chris

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^^ CN westbound Durand, Mi on a snowy winter Sunday Bill Chumack

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^^ Great Western 914, an EMD SD9, crosses the Cache La Pouder River just south of Windsor, Colorado on a cold February Day.

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^^ Holly Mi - CSX southbound approaching the CN-GTW diamond - Bill Chumack.

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^^ Empty grain hoppers sit, waiting for the bumper crops from this season to arrive at the Echuca Silos - Hoppers sit in Echuca yard, in Northern Victoria, Australia

<< Some old Victoria Railway wagons sit at the Echuca yard, covered in modern day graffiti.

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<< CSX AC4400CW at Cayce, SC. Taken from the ground with Kodak Insta Share digital Camera. - Samuel Stokes

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Looking for Articles and columnists Article Writers

Columnists

With the first issue done and now out there to read, for the team its onto next month's issue but we need your help. As you would have noticed most articles are written by you, our readers.

We are always looking for more articles. Please use the article submit link under 'Magazine' on the railstream website. There is no way to attach a document in this section, this is because before you write your article we would like you to let us know what you idea is.

RailRag is also looking for some columnists, these people write something for each issue under the same topic but on different ideas and sub-topics. These could be on model railroads, real trains, train simulators or anything in between. If you have an idea and would like to contribute in each magazine, you will be required to write your column on a bimonthly basis.

Please include the following

Please use the submit article page and include the following

 The main idea of your topic

 Topic idea

 The approximant length of your article

 A brief overview of what could be included

 Your name

 Name

Once we look at this, and if we like the idea, we will ask you to write the column for the first month and we will decide whether to include it.

Editors We are also looking for editors, please contact us via submit article page for more info

-Isaac Logan RailRag Editor

 Any further info we may find helpful

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Humour & Last Word - Isaac Logan Q. What do you call a man who steps on a live 3rd rail?

A. A conductor Q. What's the angriest piece of track?

A. A cross tie Halloween Train Monster: I have to walk 25 miles home.

Grandma: Why not take the train.

Monster: I did once but they made me give it back

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