IN THE YARDS; PT32

Bob says goodbye to the guys at the end of the day. He's on vacation next week, and he'll be hitting the road -on his custom chopper!

Jake and Briggs are busy dealing with an engine problem on one of the company trucks. Hopefully, it's a minor issue; otherwise they'll have to have it towed.

They are trying to move an excavator to another yard. These machines are helpful in digging drainage ditches and cleaning up after storms. And with the bucket replaced with a grapple attachment, they are also good for tie removal. Of course, if the tractor needs towing, they'll have to detach the trailer; otherwise the towing fees will be too great!

Speaking of tie removal, several carloads of removed ties sit in the yard, as the annual maintenance of the rail lines continue. While concrete ties are popular out West, along the eastern half of the country wood ties still reign supreme, due to the lower speeds that come with traveling through densely populated areas.

And speaking of concrete: an empty Blue Circle Cement hopper sits in the yard, after being unloaded at the local Ready-Mix dealer. The small, two-bay design is well-suited for hauling cement, which is a dense, heavy powder.