The Main Line is completed for one track!!

 Well, a big day - on December 20th at 4:05 PM the main line was connected and we are now transcontinental! I guess I should say - trans-basement. I am on a press to have a train running around the basement for the grand-kids who arrive on the 23rd and it looks like we will make it. John Roberts and Walt Johnson came by this week to help complete the work and these pictures show the result. In this shot the test train is leaving Milton and heading up the grade to Northumberland.

Here is the test train on the grade to Northumberland. We are pushing a boxcar with a Masonite pad  under it to clear the dust ahead of the engine. In the distance on the wall are the supports for the future construction of the branch up through Glen Burn Colliery into Shamokin to the right.

 We are now in the future yard area. The yard tracks will be behind the train. We are in a big horseshoe curve.

 The train is coming down the long straight along side where the future Northumberland station will go.All these views will disappear once the view block goes up. I am delaying that until I complete the track work as it is easily accessible from this side. Below the train is the end of Herndon as the track goes into the hidden 8 track sidings underneath the yard.

 This is a view of the train as it leaves Northumberland by curving around the bearing wall. Herndon is below and the track is starting into a grade up to meet the train.

Here is the power crossing the Susquehanna on one of what will be two bridges over the river. We have temporarily placed a single track bridge where a double track will go. The single track bridge will be in the background, along side the double track bridge so that the branch will  come down the hill, over the river and  into the yard.

 A view of the train leaving Northumberland with the the branch line crossing the main in the background.

 The proud railroad president admires his handiwork.

 This is a view of how the train comes off the horseshoe curve in the yard area and then proceeds down past the future station site.

 Looking back from the same site to see the west side yard entrance.

 A distance shot of the exit from Northumberland as the main arcs onto the truss bridge over the Susquehanna. The line then bears left to drop down into Herndon, crossing under the branch.

This is an overview of that area showing the two horseshoes, the branch rising and the main falling. This is where we started construction about 4 years ago!