Cinder Sniffers, Inc.
Happenings Around the Track
aka The Silt Ring
2026 PICTURES
7/8/27 Wednesday
The retaining wall from 5/27 needed 8 more feet.
We added more lagging and
posts.
A most excellent half lap joint
This character wandered up from the woods to cut the joints.
No fingers were harmed.
5/27/26 workday
BC and DL first to arrive, begin placing
ballast to shore up the track.
Fence “T” posts and cedar lagging were placed on the hillside previously.
BC, DL and JB load the conveyor
EH,BC,DL,CB and JB leveling track
RH operates the ballast train.
JB, CB, RM,RH, DL, SC and Lester
level the track.
While we were cleaning up an old burn pile
SC looks over in a corner of a parking lot
and exclaims, “Where did that come from?”
It turns out SC built those track sections, switches etc at a private track at the
home of another member 30 some years ago.
The sections etc were bartered to a contractor
who was going to build a track. One of our
newer members was offered the pieces “Just
get it out of here!”
If you miss a day, you miss a lot!
6/17/26 Wednesday Happenings
DS repairs grill.
Retaining wall readied for next work day.
Wall made from “T” posts and cedar harvested from the property.
Next work day….shovel ballast.
6/13/26 Neighbors Run
5/23/26 Workday
CREDIT DL
A bit of rain before the work
CREDIT DL
The club locomotive returned!
But first, the engineer’s car had to be manually pulled up the hill by BC and SK.
CREDIT DF
DL,EH,RH and BC connect the locomotive.
CREDIT DL
JB works on the cable project
CREDIT DL
CB works on the cable project too.
CREDIT DF
RH hauls tunnel panels to the worksite
5/20/26 Wednesday
What do you do on a rainy day?
Fix a grill that was smashed by a tree!
Good as new
(from 50 feet away)
5/13/26 Wednesday
Credit CS
Whats going on here?
Credit CS
Looks like the club locomotive being towed
Credit DL
DS towing the club locomotive
(Usually DS is the photographer, this day DL caught him “working”)
Club locomotive off to the shop for repairs
CS loads the locomotive into EH van.
JW burns the brush pile from last year.
5/9/26 RUN
It must have rained last night!
Miss a day, miss a lot.
Honorary member was on mouse patrol
Boiler test in progress.
It was Old Skool day for DS
SB after the boiler test
5/2/26 Private Party
Birthday
Happy passengers on a chilly day.
4/25/26
There chilly temperature
didn’t deter railfans from attending.
Workday/ Meeting
Fun
DF Pounds T Posts
Hillside stabilization Part 1
DL Pounds T Posts
Hillside stabilization Part 1a
RH mows with a borrowed
tractor
Other work not pictured: Tunnel, Cleaning
other hillside stabilization, diner inventory sorting, club engine repair, stick cleanup
Lunch during meeting
Lunch during meeting
Lunch during meeting
3/28/26 Final
Engineer Training Day
Student JR with instructor BC and passenger EH
The
Bluebells of Scotland
Cinder Sniffers.
3/25/25
Ballast Day
After a several year hiatus, ballasting
has resumed. We first had 4 ½ tons of #11
crusted limestone delivered.
Then RH, DL, EH,DS,CS,JR,SC AND CB
spread the ballast in much needed areas.
Even though we spent thousands removing trees
during 2025, there is ALWAYS work to be done.
EH and CS also worked on the turntable.
Sawhorses, levels, ratchet straps
and shovels were used in placing
ballast and leveling the track.
3/21/26
Engineer training
New member CK
Longtime member JB honing his skills
on the club engine
New member JW
Instructor BC and CK
3/19/26
THE BALLAST IS HERE!
THE BALLAST IS HERE!
A fresh frozen pile of ballast just waiting to be spread.
Miss a day, you miss a lot.
3/16/26
Spring bulbs in bloom
Winter brought a leaner over the north end of the track.
Oldies but Goodies
Action shot of DL, TT and EH installing a new switch
3/10/07 Photo credit Hughes RH or CH
EH and CS welding
new switch
3/10/07 photo credit Hughes
1/1/26
28 degrees
ES son and DS by the Goose which was on static display
(The Goose won’t run without a controller, which was safely stored at home)
The pole and fence look like they partied a little too hard.
Another job for 2026
Not too cold for them!