Monday night was the Big Event: installing the new switch off the Fernley Main into the Fernley House Track. (As always, you can click through these photos to see more.) I took a lot of photos.

( Goodbye Old Switch )



While I took these photos, I noticed that one of the bunnies was sitting not far away. The poor thing must have no idea what to make of its home being torn up by the earth movers. At one point the rabbit tried to run across the road, but then then changed its mind and ran off in another direction.

( How Many Excavators Does It Take to Change a Track Switch? )

After this last photo above, the light was too low to get many other good photos, so we turned in for the night. We could see (and hear!) how the excavators were used to rip apart the old switch and then stack up the rails and ties for disposal.

( The Morning After )

There's still clean-up to do before the Switch Gang's work is done, but the Big Lift is complete.

As I've been writing about, a Union Pacific rail gang has been working in the area relaying tracks on the Nevada Subdivision. They've now reached Fernley. The evening I got home, I saw them working on the tracks across from the house.

( Rail Maintenance of Way Photos )

Later, one of the electromagnet-equipped cranes came through to collect all of the loose ties and tie-plates. The equipment makes a sound I would associate from an SF movie of a particle beam cannon going off, but unfortunately, they never made the sound when I was out recording, and there was not enough light to see anything, anyway.