Can We Make This Model T Railcar Run and Drive to Goat Canyon Trestle to Go-Kart on Railroad Tracks 

The oiler is called a flange greaser. It's used to help minimize the wear of the rail.

What an amazing adventure that Merlin and Brad has taken us on with this video! Beautiful country and historic railroad tracks. Thanks for taking us along Merlin!

This track was originally built by John D. Spreckles. He was a sugar entrepreneur in San Diego, California, 1853 - 1926. The engineering people and many others said it could not be built, and it was nick- named , "The Impossible Railroad." Mainly because of the steep rough terrain going down into the desert of Imperial Valley. It was later named The San Diego-Arizona Eastern Railroad. There is a custom-built steam engine made for this railroad. It used vertical pistons for more power to get up the steep grades from the desert. I got a chance to see this steam locomotive many years ago when it was being stored and restored for the museum. They had it at NAS Miramar for some reason. My dad was in the Navy, and one of his comrades took us on a personal tour of it, and a couple of passenger cars were there. That wooden trestle is the world's biggest curved wooden trestle! To bring supplies into this area even with todays technologies would be amazing. They did this in 1920's. Solid rocks and deadly heat. The collapsed tunnels to the north of the trestle are the original train route until a major California earthquake happened around 1933. This prompted the construction of the wooden trestle. Mr. Spreckles had a mansion in Coronado, California there are many landmarks in San Diego County named after him. Organ pavilion and an amphitheater. I've been a San Diego County resident since 67 currently live near Campo, where the museum is located and very close to this trestle in the video. I actually live closer to the famous tunnel where the train goes into Tecare, Mexico, for a short distance and back into the United States.

Thanks for taking us out on your adventure. "Wow, what a trip"

The ties in the middle of the tracks is for the hand carts to turn on. They are moved to the side on the wooden rails to allow trains to pass.

The ties between the rails with two additional ties perpendicular to the side; This is a motorcar set-off. Maintenance workers have to get out of the way for the trains. Each morning before the workers went out on the tracks, they got a “lineup”, or train schedule. Trains run on strict schedules….sometimes late, but never early. The workers would drive to the “set-off”, slide out two long lifting bars, pick up the back of the motorcar, and spin it 90 degrees on those ties between the rails. They could then push the motorcar out onto the ties that are perpendicular to the rails, park it, and wait for the train to go by. After train passes, the push the car back and put it on the rails. These were also used as turn arounds. Rather than backing the motorcar all the way back to the maintenance shop, they would use the set-off to turn the motorcar 180 degrees and drive back going forward.

Sure was a blast hanging out with you guys on that adventure! Thanks for the good time!

I don't watch videos more than once but I will watch this again.

After turning the model T, I guess you can see what the wooden structures were for. Turning hand carts off the track.

Anyone who is walking around up there and hears the horns are going to be so confused 😂😂😂🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

I have hunted the Rockies from Canada to Mexico for more than 60 years. Now, I wish I had followed some to the tracks pit there. Great video for old desert rats like me. LOTS OF MEMORIES.

Hey guys, put a bridge in the center of gravity on the Ford T chassis, and use a hydraulic jack, so it will be enough to raise the 4 wheels a little, and make them rotate on the central hydraulic pivot, to reverse the direction of travel . I congratulate you for this excellent video!!!! Greetings from Argentina !!!

You guys have built some crazy cool stuff but this one is definitely up there in the top ten that’s for sure!🍻

Was surprised the ‘speeders’ didn’t know about the motor car set-offs. Also surprised you didn’t back down to one to help you turn the “T Model” around. 😊

Great adventure for that era appropriate car. Not sure if anyone answered your questions, but the device filled with oil is a flange oiler that prevents rail wear on curvy railroad tracks. The wood ties in the center of the track and what looks like wood railroad track next to it is for speeders to be set out of the way of oncoming trains. Thanks for the ride guys!

For anyone curious the water tower was Dos Cabezas Station. Steve from sidetrack adventures did a video on the history of it about a month ago it was very interesting and cool to see it in Merlin’s video

Nothing beats Sunday morning coffee and watching Merlin's antics.

Railway looks as if it has been maintained. Especially the bridges and tunnels.

amazing adventure that Merlin and Brad have taken us on. Beautiful country and historic railroad tracks. Thanks for taking us along Merlin! 134 Reply

The structures between the RR tracks with the two planks running perpendicular out from the rails was used to get the speeders off the track to let trains pass. To turn the T around, mount a plate under the car at the balance point. When you want to reverse direction, jack the car up using the balance point and spin the car around 180 degrees. The RR had some speeders that had provisions to do this.

When I visited, over a weekend in the 70's, us Scouts discovered that 17 of the support foundations were washed out, and/ or the vertical timbers were just dangling in thin air. We walked the catwalks, collected honey from a hive, played grabass. Fun times😊

Who needs a bucket when you can create your list as you go. ;O)-

Its a shame that whole ride back was in the dark. Very cool trip. Thanks for doing it and takeing us along. I have never done anything as cool as that.

Hey Merlin, That was just too cool ! Once in a lifetime adventure. Thanks for taking us along.

What a beautiful landscape and epic bucket List trip. Thanks Merlin! Next time, maybe put the boards under the model t longways with a bottle jack under the center of the T and spin it on the rails. ;)

The oil box is a flange oiler. It helped reduce drag of the wheel flanges on the curves. The timber strucures are speeder "set outs". Track crews had to stay out of the ways of trains. The speeders were light enough to pick up one end, rotate 90 degrees, and roll on the timbers at track side. Looks like fun.

A little hello from Belgium guys. What a chance to travel this old track on an old Ford T. I've already wanted to do that, but in my country it ends up at the police station, with big problems. Magnificent journey

Awesome adventure, thanks for taking us along...

The jumble of cross ties with the 2 long ties going away from the track were where the speeders were taken off the track to allow the trains to pass and for removal debris from other parts. You should have backed the model T to one of those, would have been much easier than what you went through. Great video as usual.

You guys need to look at a few re-railing videos. Two jacks either side of the tracks and a plank with the top side greased to bridge between. A second plank on top of the one straddling the tracks. Jack up to lift the car with the plank and push the top plank plus car along the slippy bottom plank. Sometimes it is better to chock one of the wheels on the ground to prevent the system collapsing. Good luck.

This was amazing! Thank you for sharing! That bridge is historic! Seeing that rock on the tracks made me think that a roadrunner and a Wiley Coyote were once in that very spot.

The oilers are used to lubricate the insides of rails before curves to help prevent the rail from waring out. Modern railroad use grease

The track oilers were installed to reduce friction and wear on the rails. It was also used to reduce the effects of corrosion. Cool video, thanks for the upload.

Thank you. I grew up in an old coal town, lots of old tracks and tunnels in the hills. This reminds me of our adventures as kids.

From my limited railroad knowledge, the second track at 5 minutes in is a bypass that allowed one train to be filling with water while more trains can continue on their way. Track oiler at 11 minutes is a flange oiler, to lubricate inside faces of the rail to allow trains to go around tight turns easier. And the timber "crossing" at 22 minutes looks to be a leftover from a railway maintenance shed. A shed like that would house some tools, supplies, and a small speeder. The speeder would get man-handled onto the track and the crew would take it to the job site.

Thanks for taking us along, Merlin!

So for your next adventire, you need a small H frame with a pivot in the center so you can jack the Model T up and spin it in place. Great history! Beautiful trestle! Thanks for sharing 🇨🇦

Wow! You guys are literally living one of my dreams right now!😊 And since this is as close as I'll ever get. Thanks for taking us along 🇺🇲

guys that was a video of academy award quality, thanks for the very unique ride along experience. This video reflects real quality content which is very rare these days. I like that your adventures and builds actually end up making some sense, they are not just throwing money at junk with an out come that is still junk, you guys are visionary, expending resources in a sensible way.

The bits that go off at a 90 Deg angle with wood in between the rails are to enable maintenance vehicles to put their turntable down, lift the vehicle up, spin it 90 degrees onto temporary rails and drive off out of the way for a train to pass. To save them having to go all the way back to a station/loop.

Love my Sunday mornings with MOSG. What an adventure in Merlins 1917 model T turned into a railcar. Another creation from Dr Frankenstein great history class in a history car. The best history class entertainment . Brad enjoyed the ride

That's the nicest rail cart so far. Much more stylish than a 4x8 hunk a ply, two lawn chairs and a Harbor Freight 4 stroke. Those larger wheels cut right through the shallow sand.

Being train and trestle fanatics, we just happened upon this video and we loved it!! 👍👍Thank you for taking us along, it was lots of work!! And your comedic segments!😂😂

Don't know if I've ever seen something as cool as this.

One of your best videos! Thank you for sharing the past! How tough and fearless and ingenious our forefathers were… God Bless you guys.

Next upgrade could maybe be a 'cow catcher'/ debris blade on the front to deflect limbs, heaps of sand, you know, debris. It's a constant problem as these ARE abandoned tracks after all. What a lovely way to spend an afternoon. Love you guys.

Good Sunday morning to everyone. Hay it's another old school garage video. Thanks Merlin. 🔧🪛🔨🛠️ And Jesus Christ is the answer through everything in this old world ✝️🙏

Well I would have never experienced that trip without you Merlin. Felt like I was there with you guys with a windshield front row view. Loved this experience! Thank you for taking us along. ❤

Have a Great Day God Bless America 🇺🇸🙏🇺🇸

Omg! You can't believe the smile you put on my face when you waved to the drone.I have always wanted to go there amazing footage And choice of music for the work scene. Ps. Im very grateful for your parents and your uncle for making you a mechanical genious.

Man! What an adventure! That was awesome! You can see why they called it "The Impossible Railroad." It goes all the way to San Diego through Mexico. Great video!

Brilliant video. 👍🏻🇬🇧”Speeders in payment for removing the rock we’re leaving the timbers”😂🤣👍🏻

Merlin, you make Sundays amazing. Thank You for sharing your adventures with us.

This was a delightful adventure, full of great scenery and friendly banter. Thanks for sharing the journey and history.

those are hand car set-offs, they would turn the hand car and roll it off so a train could pass by

That place u was asking about is where the cars full of rocks and dirt from the tunnels being built was dumped over the side of the mountain. Every where u look u see where brave hard working honest men worked and died. I've worked building tracks and last few years we worked we was undoing alot of old tracks. Now trucks do most of thè transportation of goods. But rail was King not that long ago. Love u're videos Merlin, I even like Brad some too.

You needed a floor jack and a Timber dead center of the car Jack Herer up spin it 180 and set her back down like a switchgear beautiful beautiful views love the slow motion clickety clack soothing is raindrops on a tin roof

That was very interesting and scenic thank you for taking us along.

I believe, well on this side of the world anyhow it’s for unloading ur track vehicle maintenance gigga as we call em to allow trains to pass Would no doubt have been a great place to turn a model T around too if u happen to come by one on the train tracks 😳😬🤣😎

Merlin - You Need a Rotator Mounted Under the Model T - That Lifts and Rotates - So You Can Turn Around - So Much Easier...Just a Thought...Stay Safe...Thanks For the History and Beautiful Views...Stay Strong...

I'm Japanese, but I'm jealous of the abandoned railway drive. It's wonderful.👍

I luv it Mer..... grown men actin like children IS the object of the game..... carry on and god bless ❤️🇺🇸

Man, that Model T handles like its on rail! Awesome adventure, thanks for taking us along!

Awesome fun there! 😂 I love the idea of converting an old ride into a railway adventure vehicle. The abandoned rails across America are last unexplored off-road trails to be enjoyed, but with rail drivable vehicles. 👍

That was sooooo much fun! Thanks for taking us along. Epic journey !

Thanks Merlin for sharing this ride back into the past. That so many people would never have seen. 👍🇺🇸

An adventure we won't get anywhere else! Thank you!

So glad we got to see the "turnaround"! Thank you

This is the coolest and nostalgic track exploration vehicle I've seen yet! Very well done!

Henry Ford is proud of you! You make this 1924 Model TT truck owner proud. Hopefully one of these days I can meet you. Excellent use of a Model T.

Merlin, i made my first trip through Corrizo Gorge in 1975. Went with San Diego and Arizona Eastern railroad employee on a motor cart out of Jacumba. Of the two rail cars, one contained Coors bear

I could watch this all day!!!

The US Forest Service had 2 of the model T rail runners in 1924. There is a library of congress picture of one on the internet. My source from the forest service told me that one was lost going over a cliff after derailing and the other was just junked after use. Nice video of a very scenic track.

That bridge has been on my bucket list for a while. You just upped the ante, Merlin. ❤

That was Awesome and great Video your work on the railer Is Outstanding and we appreciate your time Thanx for sharing this Great 👍 Adventure

That was an amazing journey thank you so much for bringing us along.

Hey! You found the trestle that I messaged about on the last video. I was a bit off on the location. I've never been there, just seen a video of someone hiking there. Glad you found it and got to go visit.

Wow what an incredible thing to have done!!! Such beautiful country.

thats awesome you guy did this great video drove those tracks with my Dad in his old ww2 jeep we made about were you guys did thanks for the memories

All I can say is WOW! What an adventure thank you for taking us along.

Way to go, Merlin and Brad. That was absolutely awesome. Only on MOSG 😂

For the full length of this vid, all I could do was just keep sayin over and over, "AH'LL BE DA-YUMED" Thankya thank ya veramuch.

Thank you for the trip Merlin. A great ride of history!

This was a perfect movie 🎥 sets nice ,rustic as I hold my heart and salute my us flag 🇺🇸 with the start on NASCAR at. Talladega thanks BigAl California.

The pump oiler at around 10min mark is a greaser, pumps grease onto the flange of the rail when a train passes over to lubricate the train wheels and rails. normally on curves where the force from the wheels is greater on the flange of the rail and the wheels, to prevent wear.

I like the idea of a 1917 Model T on the 1919 steel rails. I believe where the platforms off the tracks were built for the Timbers they needed to stock to build the bridge and they also could have started out as a crane platform to move the boulders out of the area. I served with the US Army corp of Engineers They were teaching us how to build Timber Trussel Bridges in 1979. In the early days they did a lot of work by Hand and some machinery.Thanks for the Adventure Take care.

Thank you for taking us along. Beautiful

I appreciate seeing that gorgeous bridge

First impressions at about 20 seconds in. The preacher and the cowboy are taking the stagecoach. 😂😂

Thats where track maintenance workers could either set off or turn their motor cars. That first thing you were asking about is a flange oiler. Helps reduce wear on curves

Merlin, again…. So great to see… you guys moving rocks like the flintstones.. so great to see…

what a amazing adventure

That look on your face when you first got going I think you had your doubts! Loved the video! I want to go next time!

Merlin, I must thank you and Brad from the bottom of my heart. I've heard and read about this abandoned railroad and always wanted to figure out a way to go see it for myself. I'm 81 now and that will not happen. But, with your kindness and ingenuity, you have provided me a way to fulfill my dream. Thank you so much. If not for folks like you, the rest of us would never have the opportunity to see these fantastic views. Please, don't ever stop. P.S. How fortuitous is was for you two to run into 2 other adventurers. If not for them, you guys might STILL be out there.

THAT was an awesome adventure!!! The scenery, unreal, those bridge structures, wow!

Thanks for the ride along Merlin and gang. It was very interesting. God Bless

You are right about that box with the pump. That’s a greaser. It greases up the wheels of the train as it passes by to reduce the friction and wear and tear to the wheels and rails as it goes around tight turns. Nowadays they are mostly electric and detect a train and pump out grease. And have a solar panel sticking out the top

being from Ohio it was cool to see some of that track was made here. what a trip. thanks for taking us along.

Hey guys thanks for a ride it's been fun have a good one

You can never tell what Merlin will come up with next. Eather way cool ride.