More trestle work

It's been a busy summer and I'm just now getting back to finishing up the trestle for my upper loop. Summer may be over but I still have time to get this done before it gets cold.

I'm building a trestle from the end of this bridge around the tree to a raised platform in the background. Once that is done my upper loop will be complete and usable. My first step was to put up some temporary supports so I could define and align the curve exactly where I wanted it, both horizontally and vertically.

I used a level on a flatcar to ensure that I was keeping the track as level as possible, and used shims and various pieces of wood to align the track vertically.

Next step was defining where each trestle bent would be located. I need a double-bent at each end, plus 19 additional single bents, for a total of 23. In the center of the photo is a problem area where large tree roots make a very uneven surface.

Another view of the future bent placements. At the top of the photo where the track transitions onto the raised platform, I also needed to adjust some of the rocks and add some fill dirt. 

The next step was digging out loose soil and replacing it with 3/4 minus crushed rock to create a foundation for each bent. I also built a small retaining wall with some bricks and backfilled it with rock to cover up the exposed tree roots.

I counted and realized I didn't have enough prepared bents, so I built so more using my jig. These dried over night and the the next day I trimmed the tops off.

Each bent is finalized for its location by measuring down from the track ties. One at a time, I trimmed each bent to length and added a mud sill at the bottom.

My outdoor workbench where I finish each of the trestle bents.

Each bent is placed where it will be going in the trestle so I don't get them out of order. This is as far as I made it with construction yesterday.

I noticed yesterday that the showy milkweed (Asclepias speciosa) pods had finally opened. I collected some seeds for propagation and the others I'll leave for the wind to distribute, or for the quail to eat.

Nice example of graffiti on a hopper I saw recently while on a bike ride.

A slightly hazy morning in Spokane, fortunately due to water vapor this morning and not smoke.