The past few weeks have been busy ones here at the Nasonville Valley Railroad. Much of the recent work has focused on preparing the new abutments for the Shirley Covered Bridge. Forms were carefully built and heavily braced in anticipation of the concrete pour. At the same time, additional forms were constructed for the new station slab.

Last week, both projects finally came together as the concrete was poured and finished. My good friend David generously lent a hand with the pouring and finishing work, and everything went very smoothly. Today, all of the forms were removed, and I am very pleased with how everything turned out. The new abutments and station slab are looking excellent and will provide a solid foundation for the next phase of construction.

Next week marks another exciting milestone as the Shirley Covered Bridge will be set into place on her new abutments. Once the bridge is installed, we will be ready to begin relaying the track through the area and moving one step closer to completing this portion of the railroad.

Once the Shirley Covered Bridge is in place, work will continue on the next phase of improvements in the area. The Genaro Trestle will be prepared for double track operations, allowing for expanded capacity and more operational flexibility on the railroad. A second station track will also be installed, giving the new station area a more complete and prototypical appearance.

At the same time, conduit will be run beneath the area so that lighting can eventually be added to the station. A few well-placed lights will help bring the scene to life during evening operations and special events.

With those projects completed, the new station itself will finally be set into place — another major milestone for the continuing development of the Nasonville Valley Railroad.

Progress continues steadily here in Nasonville, and it is rewarding to finally see these long-planned improvements taking shape.

Check out a few pictures below showing the recent progress on the bridge abutments, station slab, and surrounding work areas.