You are right about the wooden track. Masten's first railroad was a tram road of 8' gauge and the Climax was built for that track. When the wooden rails proved troublesome the track was converted to standard gauge steel and the Climax rebuilt. Notice the home made sand "dome" applied at this time. Placing the standard ga. track atop the tram road was probably a quick and easy way of making the conversion, though BCP's suggestion is quite plausible.