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Inspection of locomotive boilers is a clear sign of spring at Jokioinen Museum railway. On Tuesday 11. 5. two of steam locomotives, the ex Jokioinen railway number 4 built by Tubize in Belgium in 1947 and the ex-Hyvinkää-Karkkila railway number 5 built by Tampella in Tamepre Finlandin 1917 went through in steam boiler inspection. Third locomotive, ex-Loviisa-Vesijärvi railway number 6 built by Tampella in 1909 had at the same time an inside boiler inspection. Also a number of stationary steam engines for the Minkiö Steam Festival 2010 were inspected.
Steam locomotives, their use, repair and service are regulated by the law. There are regular inspections every second year to make sure the locomotive boilers are in good condition and safe to operate, and will be preserved also for the future generations.
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Traffic season 2010 of Jokioinen Museum Railway began and the first charter train ran today. The charter group was aboard from Humppila to Jokioinen and the train was exceptionally pulled by new TU4 diesel locomotive, instead of steam locomotive, since the use of a new locomotive had asked.
Groups can now subscribe charter trains, or reserve seats of scheduled trains on summer Sundays. For more information on prices and how to make reservation can be found on these pages.
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Two rail switches of Minkiö yard were under complete renovation during winter. The switches installed back to their original places 24. to 25. April. Switches are more than a hundred years old, so most of the metal parts had been either repaired or completely renovated. For example, the middle of the intersection of tracks of the second switch was in such bad shape that the workshop produced a whole new parts made of direct rail. Also all wooden sleepers under the rails were changed.
The switches were assembled at the workshop ready elements, which were transported by truck trailer to Minkiö. Another switch was loaded onto the low roller wagon, which elements are transported to the final assembly site. Second switch is located next to the road, so the elemets could be unloaded directly to the installation site from the trailer.
Elements were installed with an excavator and a final fine-tuning was made by hand. As expected, the work did not go entirely smoothly, because matching the new elements to the right positions includes plenty of minor adjustments - the rails had to be cut, holes had to be drilled and sometimes even sledgehammer had to be used!
After a hard weekend, the first switch is almost ready for traffic, but installation of the second turned out to be so complicated, that time ran out. Installation completed in May Day weekend, because both switches must be ready until first week of May when charter traffic season of Museum Railway starts. Some fixes were made in next weekend.
Video of Jokioinen side switch test run on May 8. 2010
Photos of installation
(to open image gallery please click thumbnail photo)
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Preparation for traffic season have started after snow was melted. The first charter trains will run in early May and scheduled traffic begins on the first Sunday in June.
April 17 to 18. both Tubize steam locomotives and HKR number 5 heated to working pressure and some maintenance and adjustments were made. Loviisa-Vesijärvi Railway number 6 was transferred to the new workshop building for the periodic inspection carried out in the spring.
The track maintenance for traffic season began in the road crossing between Vuorela and Palomäki halts in Humppila line. Crossing was damaged earlier the same week, when a low base truck hit to the rails.
The crossing had to be repaired in two phases; firstly volunteers built a new 10-meter-long element with rails and sleepers next to the site on Saturday. Secondly the element was installed with excavator in its place on Sunday.
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The first train of this spring to Humppila pulled by TU4 diesel locomotive ran on Good Friday on 2.4. The crew of the train was Marko Laine, Tuomas Juhantila and Teemu Virtanen. The trip went well, even there was quite a lot of snow on the track and especially the railway crossings were packed with frozen snow.
Aftre lot of shoveling of snow and removing ice the train arrived at Humppila making the trip in little bit less than two hours.
The track is in good condition after winter. In spring the track needs to be lifted a little bit at Saustila culvet near Minkiö station. In addition to that there are two renovated switches to be installed at Minkiö. The traffic to Jokioinen and Minkiö station tracks will be only possible after the switches are on their place.
Film of the first spring run
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Minkiö yard is covered with thick white layer of snow. Inspite of this the newest locomotive at Jokioinen Museum railway, a TU4 diesel locomotive has already been running twice this year. The first run of year 2010 was on Saturday 13.2. and the second run exactly a month later on Saturday 13.3.
One of the first signs of coming spring is the arrival of first migrating birds, and the first trains on the line. In the middle of cold and snowy winter one cannot really speak of spring, but at least we are a step closer to it as the thick snow is now plown away of the tracks and the dark brown rails are showing under the white snow.
Photos of the second run of the year 2010 on 13.3.
(you can get to the picture gallery by clicking the small picture)
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Old-time tradition of the skills are at a premium when the Jokioinen Museum railway rehabilitated the old railway rolling stock. Currently under construction in the Hyvinkää-Karkkila railway passenger coach of the third category deals with painted oak reminiscent.
Karkkila wagon surfaces are painted by PTJ Koskinen, who is thoroughly familiar with the old-fashioned working practices. The traditional paint mix several ingredients, which include natural pigments, vinegar and beer. Disseminated to a range of paint and brushes, which spread to achieve the desired simulating a parquet panel. Finally, the surface is protected by varnish.
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Railcar "More" of Jokioinen Museum Railway is used for the track maintenance and inspection.
It is made by Wihuri Ltd Teijo factory in 1950s and it was used to 70's in Finnish State Railway (VR) track department. It have been converted into a narrow gauge in the early 1980's. Railcar is powered by Volkswagen petrol engine, a kind of the legendary VW Beetle-propulsion.
Railcar is currently under the fundamental repair, where it has already got the new engine, the electrical system has been renewed and rusted body panels have been renovated and painted.
You can read more details of renovation on blog.
The first test runs of More will be reached in spring of 2010. Before them You can access the noisy charm of More via the attached video, which is recorded in the spring of 2006 between Kermala and Palomäki halts. Driver is Lauri Virtanen and in the passenger seat sits Marko Laine.