Vancouver Island Model Engineers

Major Track Expansion, Grand Opening and continuing work

latest images from February 2008 are at the bottom of the page.

The Vancouver Island Model Engineers are building a 2,350 foot extension to their track located 10 miles north of Victoria, BC Canada. The extension will cross an active Salmon creek 5 times on four bridges as it winds its way through the woods. Needless to say, because of the environmental sensitivity and difficult access of the location, the planning and construction discipline of this extension has been of the highest standard.

In many cases jobs that would have normally been done with excavators, tractors and cranes, as the images show, are being done with pick, shovel, plain old manual labor and, some ingenious engineering.

In the image of the track plan below, the existing track-age is shown in red on the left with the raised small gauge track inside that. The location of the new bridges are shown in orange crossing the salmon creek. The Silver bridge is shown at 1 pm, the red bridge at 4 pm and the black bridge at 7 pm with the double track connecting (to the old track-age) bridge beyond that.

In September 2003 the planned path of the track through some very old growth woods and very rough terrain is marked with stakes

By January 2005, most of the permits had been acquired and much of the track bed had been cleared and rough graded

A view of the grading work next to the Mitchell Bridge on the existing track-age

Drainage culvert to allow the Salmon to pass under the railway. Dug out single handedly by Steve Vadeboncour using just a pick and shovel in less than one week after permits were refused to use machines because of concern that the salmon habitat would be disturbed. The story goes, after permits were refused, the authorities were asked was if manual labor could be used , they laughed and walking away said "have at it" Steve did....It is seven feet wide, six feet deep and over ten feet long.....

The finished culvert allowing the Salmon free access to their spawning grounds

The first of four bridges being delivered to the railway

Club President Manfred Rose working on one of the main bridge supports

Two of the three 25 foot bridges waiting to be installed. The three bridges are painted Red, Black and Silver respectively to keep location identity simple until names are chosen

Claude Jolviet's (pulling) neat invention for moving the bridges into place along the track bed. In this image he is testing it out by moving the girder into position over which the bridges will be drawn into place.

Test fitting the first of the three 25 foot span bridges to the dolly device

By mid September 2005 it was time to place the first bridge

By the end of September 2005 all three of the 25 foot span bridges had been placed. 

No more work can be done on or near the bridges and creek until the end of the Salmon spawning season in March 2006

Track panels coming out of the lean-to panel shop built on to the back of the main workshop.

Steel  bar-stock rail  welded on to a steel chair, then screwed on to a recycled plastic tie.

Built to last!

January 2006 and work continues.....

Fresh delivery of tie material. 2800 feet of steel track panels to the left.

More fill to finalize the grade

Bridge trestle section being wheeled from the weld shop to the paint shop

Painted, it is lowered into place at the silver bridge

February 2006

View up grade from the silver bridge showing trestles in place

Test placement of two switch panels at "Mitchell bridge" station

Plenty of water in the salmon steam at the moment

Use of concrete test coupons to contain ballast should reduce future ballast cost and maintenance.

April 2006

Final grading leading up to the black bridge

Andy Leonard with his finished graded track section sweeping behind him between the black and silver bridges. The footpath crossing is in front on him.

Final grading leading to the red bridge

Final grading at the s-curve before the black bridge.

Dave Cormie & Rob Alder fitting decking

Bill Smith finishing a concrete base for a water tower

Two images of John Yardley welding up the huge main bridge structure.

Track laying will commence after this bridge is painted and set in place. It is required to join the old and new track-age together.

Decking in place leading to and on the Silver bridge

Final grading leading to the Red bridge

May 2006

Three images showing the installation of the first of two switches cutting off from the existing track-age leading to the new extension.

Dennis Weaver painting the last corner of the 60 foot long main bridge 

Main bridge components painted and ready for installation

John Yardley rolling through where the second switch will be located with a service train. John Purdy on the hi-rail to the left with the new track extension showing to the right.

The VIME mobile tool car built for working on the new extension sitting in the early morning sun

James Powell decided he was going drive the first steam loco round the new extension!

shown here crossing the black bridge on his 4" scale Fowler Traction Engine.

Water and power boxes are now set in place every 200 feet.

A view from the new extension across the pond to the boat house museum

Dave Cormie and crew installing the second switch from existing to the new track-age

Finished installation after ballasting

Don Friebe building (another) retaining wall

Claude working on final preparations for bridge girder installation

 John Yardley at work on the main bridge installation

A final coat of paint on the new water tower

Final ballasting of the high and low level tracks

Three views of the new lead in from the existing track-age to the new main bridge.

Steve Alder digging out the path for the new cut off

Bill Smith, Steve Alder and Dave Cormie pouring and finishing concrete for the new crossing

The new extension cut off can be seen curving away to the right

November 2006

January 2007

A severe test of the construction quality!

February 2007

Tent in place, ready to start track laying

Andy Leonard  building steps down to the waters edge at the side of the culvert to allow checks to be made on the Salmon run.

Transferring the tool and welding cars to the new track-age

Offloading the tool car

Tool, welding and work cars under cover in the moveable workshop

April 2007

A gondola being used for it's intended purpose....hauling freight, in this case track ties.

Track panels progressing toward the culvert

By the April 1st the track was over the culvert and heading for the red bridge

Ballast by the barrow load moving across the red bridge with tamping and track laying just around the corner

The Red Bridge was crossed on April 15th 2007.

 Steve Alder and Dave Cormie, The "Head of Iron" gang making excellent progress.

Owen Hanam and helper grading and tamping

The Black Bridge was crossed a week later on April 22nd 2007 

Steve Alder and Dave Cormie looking tired but very happy with the progress.

The Silver bridge was reached on May 6th.  

Note the track winding it's way up the grade beyond the bridge.

In this image the site Forman can be seen supervising operations from the three wheeled ATV on the right.

Click here to see a video clip of the last track panel on the main loop being installed

Steve Alder welding the last joint on the main loop

Steve Alder and Dave Cormie after the last weld of the main track loop is completed

Owen Hanam rolling by with the BC Rail electric on test after overhaul.

Drip pans being loaded on to the main bridge structure

John Yardley prepping edges for welding on the main bridge approach structure.

Two views of the completed track work, less final ballasting

Main bridge approach beams set in place

All loaded up ready for the first test run over the new extension

Dave Cormie rolling over the Silver Bridge and up the 1.7% grade with an estimated 1300 lb load on the first run of a train on the new extension May 27th 2007

Click here 1.  2.  3.  4.  for a tour of the new extension

Steve Alder brings the first steam powered train up the grade on June 19th 2007

Crossing the Silver Bridge with on the same day.

John Yardley continues to prepare the main bridge for placement.

August 2007

The two main spans ready for the crane to lift

The crane arrives

First span is lowered into place

John Yardley posing with the two spans at the end of a successful mission

John and Claude fit the "Cat Walk" to enable final assembly of the bridge

This image really sums up what has been achieved......

Steve Alder readies for the days activities

Russ Noe from Seattle taking water while Josh Palanuk  from Oregon crosses overhead

Alan Von Ruden also made the trip from Seattle

Dean, driving Alan's Mikado emerges from the woods with a good load

Steve Alder heading down into the woods

Lindsay McDonnell crossing the new 60 foot dual track bridge

Russ Noe in a classic live steam setting

Much of the VIME facility is dual track-age adding to the experience for Engineers and Passengers

Steve Vadeboncour on the second level between the red and black bridges

Dave Cormie in charge of the ADA car

Lindsay McDonnell gives English visitor Jim Nolan of  a tour of the new track. 

Jim runs the web site Northern Steam which documents his efforts to build a 1.5" scale 4-8-4  South African 25NC loco.

Bill Smith, part of the grand opening parade on his Marie Estell

October 2007

The former location of the storage container after clean up

6 new passenger cars getting close to completion

The new extension has yet to see a sunny run day. John Yardley on his Pensy K4 heading for the black bridge

John Yardley with a full load

Visitors are coming from far and wide to see the new extension. 

This group, with project manager Bon Buckle on the right are from the Long Island Live Steamers in New York

Completed water tower 

November 2007

Installation of a new by-pass track will allow trains to use the new extension without passing the steaming bays and station

Note the newly restored Grand Trunk Western passenger car in the background

January 2008

Steve Alder at work on the diamond crossing

February 2008

View taken from the main span leading to and from the new extension.

In this view the main line sweeps away to the left while the new cut off turns to the right in front of the passenger car in the background.

Track superintendent Dave Cormie casts a watchful eye as the first run is made over the diamond crossing.

Final ballasting and clean up

Finished and ready for the 2008 season

What do you do when you have built one of the best miniature railroads in the World?

The next V.I.M.E .project.....a Roundhouse 

Images from club run days see here and here

The club web site can be seen here

Images by Watcyn Jones, DDV and Trevor Heath