2011 Earthquake Recovery Sitey

[SoftBankHawks]

This rail has been closed since 2011, as the land slid it hit a passing train, incredibly scary stuff for the passengers though luckily nobody had major injuries. The train still sits there as it holds the hillside in place and this year we went in to remove around 150 trees as part of the recovery works for the line. There were countless sensors, electronics, tarps covering cracks to stop rain water washing away the soil, stair cases put in for access and it became an incredibly challenging job. We had a huge span for the extraction and only a couple of places that could function as passing over points for the multiple speed lines in use. We spent three months with a rotation of workers as the site was way up in the north, a good 8hr drive from our base. Here is a mix of different stuff, edited together as always by Sekine san. Thanks.

 

[LandonPainter]

Nice work! What a cool high line set up.

 

[RopeShield]

any explanation for the removals?
looks like the trees where doing a good job.

 

[SoftBankHawks]

any explanation for the removals?
looks like the trees where doing a good job.

Like I said, this is a small part of a big recovery project for the line. The site is not stable, the whole face of the hillslide is moving, while we worked it was moving and was another reason for the delicacy involved in the removal process. They will stabilise the site from now.

 

[RopeShield]

Sorry doesn't make sense.

 

[JustinK]

Sorry doesn't make sense.

It makes perfect sense. They'll likely have to take out a much larger area than just what visibly moved as far as earth (including where the trees were) to try to stabilize the remaining hillside.

You're thinking along the lines of erosion control, where the trees would work wonderfully, not a land slide, where you'll need to take the unstabilized earth (much deeper than tree roots will hold) and remove it to install some sort of larger scale stabilization efforts.

 

[JD3000]

Engineers will dictate how the job is going to go. Sounds like a huge structural retention project will go in.

 

[DTS]

Cool video thanks for sharing.

 

[JustinK]

God be with you guys after the quake today

 

[JD3000]

Seriously. Be safe.

 

[SoftBankHawks]

Hmmmm, same area again. Japan has them continuously, all over, tis a strange thing and after 5 years here the little ones still put me on edge. Thanks for your kind thoughts.

 

[Worthaug]

Super cool video Paul! Wish it was longer

 

[MrBill]

Is the mobile capstan winch being used to tension up the high line? Is it tied off or does someone hold it taught? those little things look handy..

 

[treehumper]

Excellent video and cool work! Keep safe on those slippery slopes!

 

[SoftBankHawks]

Is the mobile capstan winch being used to tension up the high line? Is it tied off or does someone hold it taught? those little things look handy..

Thanks Worthaug, Treehumper.
Yes, the engine capstan winch tensioned the highline. I'm not sure what you mean anout someone holding it taught, can you rephrase the question?

 

[southsoundtree]

Good one, Paul!

 

[MrBill]

Thanks Worthaug, Treehumper.
Yes, the engine capstan winch tensioned the highline. I'm not sure what you mean anout someone holding it taught, can you rephrase the question?

After the high line is up and tight does the person running the machine then tie it off on to winch itself? To another device? or hold the rope keeping it tight?
Great vid by the way..

 

[SoftBankHawks]

After the high line is up and tight does the person running the machine then tie it off on to winch itself? To another device? or hold the rope keeping it tight?
Great vid by the way..

Gotcha, the line is held with a separate line, hitch and portawrap. The winch is way to weak to tie directly to it, the capstan would pull off or the mount would bend and possibly break. We managed to put a longitudinal crack through a trunk and down into the root area one day. Truely amazing to work around these forces and we ran through many variations for the highline, in order to get it right. It's useful to build hitches into the system to get the line to slip/sag at a critical point.

 

[MrBill]

Got it, thanks.