Work Session

June 4, 2022

 

To join the fun, contact the railroad at: Work-Session @ RedRiverAndGulf.net (no spaces)

 

Volunteer Railroaders:
1. Sam E.
2. David H. Sr
3. Joseph S.
4. Gavin R.
5. Everett L.
6. Jason R.
7. Noah R.
8. Dewayne S.
9. Angela A.
10. Andrew A.
11. Mike B.
12. Mike M.
13. Wimbley V.
14. Glen A.
15. Carson S.
16. Clint L. Jr.
17. Tucker B.


Accomplishments
1. Successful Rules Clinic, Testing, Training, and Operator certification
2. Moved log car timbers into Finished Lumber Shed
3. Gauged and spiked down new ties on Engine House lead tracks
4. Repaired Switch #7 - Switchback Junction
5. Installed new grease fittings on M-22 locomotive axles
6. Installed new battery terminal posts on M-22 locomotive
7. Cleared brush and vegetation in and around Engine House, Machine Shop, parts warehouse, and Car Knocker Shed
8. Grounds mowed around museum entrance, Long Leaf Road, Post Office, and Commissary
9. Sprayed herbicide on Main Loop Track, line to Sandersville, load/unload track, switch back track near Engine House, and Car Knocker Shed lead
10. Sprayed herbicide on grounds in and around Engine House and Machine Shop
 

Friday

Many folks volunteer their time outside of our volunteer weekends and we’d like to recognize these efforts whenever we can. Wimbley and Glen made a very successful herbicide spraying run on the Main Loop track after the last session and before this weekend. Their efforts were very effective! Everett spent considerable time planning and setting up for the successful Rules Clinic this weekend. He updated the timetable and rule book, drew up the operator rules exam, designed the certified operator cards, and planned out the course. Mike M. continues to work on the museum’s new gift shop transaction system and finishing work at the Naval Stores building.

 

Saturday

Saturday morning was focused on Rules Clinic and crew training. Everett led an effective clinic, many questions were answered, and we’re all now on the same operating rules regime. The Operating Rules Exam was administered and after the exam, the crew received hands-on training at the Engine House. We went over the basic components of all the equipment, how to maintain good equipment, and how to check fluid levels, fuel, etc. After the training, we set out to repair Switch #7 (Switchback Junction) near the Engine House. A new tie was inserted, gauge and spiked down, the gauge bar was adjusted, and some was rail lined out, getting the switch in serviceable condition. Later that evening after the main day had ended, the crew returned to adjust the switch bar. The result was a successful testing with M8 and the sprayer car on Sunday morning.

Sam was hard at work Saturday morning on the lawn mower and weed eater, maintaining grounds from the museum entrance, along Long Leaf Road, around the post office, around the commissary, and several other places. Throughout the day, Mike M. was assisting the museum staff and working on the shed that served as the Long Leaf gas station. He has recently replaced the roof after some leaks were detected.

After lunch in the Commissary Cafe, David and Joe used the big Hyster forklift (an original piece of mill equipment) to move the log car timbers into the Finished Lumber shed for storage. These had been removed from the Car Knocker Shed to prevent further deterioration of the timbers and undue weight on the shed itself. At the Engine House, the remainder of the crew removed the cracked window in M2. Tucker had it sent to Red River Glass in Alexandria so they can make a replacement window, which we’ll install at the next session. In the afternoon, the crew moved to finish gauging and spiking the new ties on the Engine House lead tracks. David and Joe went to work on a few items on the M-22 locomotive, including installing new grease fittings on the axles and new terminal posts on the batteries. Jacques, Everett, David, and Joe fired up the locomotive twice during the day to move it over the pit. To wrap up the day, a brush and vegetation clearing effort around the Engine House, Machine Shop, McGiffert log loaders, parts warehouse, and car knocker shed was undertaken. Joe had an excellent weed eater and weed eater cable this weekend and did some serious clearing work on Saturday.
 

Sunday

On Sunday, David set out on his lawnmower and mowed all around the Bypass Line Corridor behind the car knocker shed, all in front of the Car Knocker Shed (where the log car timbers were temporarily placed), near the load-unload/storage track, near the Engine House, Machine Shop, and many areas in between. Gavin continued with the weed eater and Joe used a pump-sprayer to spray herbicide on the areas cut the day before around the Engine House and Machine Shop. Jacques, Jason, Angela, Andrew, Dewayne, and Tucker, later joined by Joe and Gavin, finished gauging and spiking the new ties on the Engine House lead tracks. All the new ties inserted in May are now spiked down. Several tanks of herbicide were then mixed up and many tracks received a round of spraying, including the load/unload/storage track, Main Line near the Machine Shop, switch back track near the Engine House, Car Knocker Shed lead track, and the line to Sandersville up to the washout. This was also a good opportunity for operating equipment after a successful rules clinic.

 

-Tucker "Who Dat" Baker
  RR&G Road Master

 

Drivin' Spikes on the RR&G

Video

 

On a quiet Friday evening, RR&G #106 waits patiently as her turn to return to service slowly approaches.

 

Mike Miller continues to make progress as the air tanks have been removed.

 

 

Saturday morning: Tucker instructs the Volunteers on how to check the oil and

gas levels as well as a general maintenance on the all of the equipment.

 

The Tie Gang makes repairs to Switch #7 (North Leg of Wye)

 

RR&G M-22

 

David makes some modifications to the batteries

 

Lunch in the Commissary Cafe

 

Joe & David move old log car timbers to a new storage location

 

"Easy does it..."

 

Spiking new ties that were installed at the previous Work Session

 

Jacques drives steel into wood

 

Gavin knocks 'em home

 

Late in the afternoon, Jason & Noah walked over to the Depot to retrieve FC&G M-4 to put her away for the day.

Noah served as Acting Brakeman for the trip.

 

Tucker adds another tire to the growing tire pile

 

Inspecting the bent frame of a flat car that was damaged during the boiler removal a few weeks back.

 

End-of-the-Day debrief with Tucker

 

Safety & Planning Meetings have been happening in the RR&G Engine House for more than a 100 years.

 

The boiler of SRH #3

 

The Frame with MLC #202 in the background

 

#202 watches over her smaller cousin.

 

The tire pile

 

Noah drives a few spikes

 

Angela joins the fun while Dwayne braces the tie.

 

Jacques is the Master Spiker

 

 

Discovering a gear that may have been from either a Clyde or a McGiffert

 

Joe drives 'em home

 

Mike gives some TLC to his baby

 

When all of the track work was complete, the Weed Train was moved out for a fill-up.

 

Gavin & Dwayne fill the tank and mix the weed spray

 

Backing down the Main Line

 

Heading down the Loading Spur

 

Fighting the weeds is a never-ending battle at Long Leaf.

 

 

Backing up the Car Shop Lead

 

Lots of wheel slipping ensued on the weed-covered track

 

Current end of the Car Shop Lead

 

On the Main Line to Long Leaf Jct, we stopped at the Hearne's Gulch washout.

Hearne's Bridge will be constructed here later this year.

 

Shoving back to the Engine House.

Dwayne & Gavin took turns spraying to augment the tank sprayer that covered the track and  ROW.

 

The last remaining telegraph pole continues a silent watch over the RR&G Main Line.