Work Session

May 6, 2023

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

Volunteer Railroaders
1. David H
2. Everett L
3. Glen A
4. Kira S
5. Ayden S
6. Joe S
7. Jason R
 

Accomplishments
1. Engine House Track #3 Returned to Operation

2. Cab windows on FC&G M4 Installed
 

Friday
Everett worked around the shop getting materials and prep for Saturday. David took the acetylene and oxygen bottles in to Alexandria and got them refilled for the torch.

Everett worked on grinding down uneven rail joints on the Engine House tracks.

Saturday
Friday night there was a torrential rain storm which lasted over an hour but the morning dawned crystal clear. As the crew was finishing the daily briefing, and our final swigs of coffee, the thunder started rolling again and we got another 30 minutes of extremely hard rainfall, with accompanying lightning and thunder. After the rain passed, the weather stayed cool and cloudy (for which we were all thankful).

While most of the crew began work on Engine House Track #3, Glen and David worked on the M-4. David installed a connection to the fans on the back of the engine cowling which will allow easier removal of the cowling, and then helped Glen install the wing windows. Glen replaced the broken glass in the passenger side window with lexan and built wood frames for both windows, along with a latching arrangement which allows the windows to be latched both closed and open. The ingenuity in the windows and latches for all of the windows in the M-4 that Glen built is simply amazing to see and a great big thanks goes out to Glen for all of his hard work.

With the whole crew present, the remainder of Engine House Track #3 was bolted together (using the last of the track bolts). David and Joe cut the last two pieces of 45# rail using the new saw blades that Everett located last week in Tomball and the new blades work perfectly. Once the track was bolted together, it was gauged and spiked on every other tie or every 4th tie, all the way into the Engine House to the edge of the concrete slab. It was leveled as much as we could at this time. More leveling and spiking will be needed at the next session before the track is filled in again and covered, but the track is useable now for anything that we would run over it. M-2 was run back and forth over the track and it was pronounced acceptable.

We then staged a photo op, using RR&G M-2 on Track #3, FC&G M-4 on Track #2 and C&P M-8 on Track #1. The first time since 1954 that three rail vehicles could have been posed at Long Leaf.

While the track work was going on, it was noted that we have developed an extreme shortage of clean and straight 6” X 5/8” spikes. We have well more than 200 used spikes on hand that we have removed, but they need to be sorted and cleaned. Kira took on that task while the rest of the crew worked on track 3 and made a good start on recovering those spikes for use by grinding and cleaning off rust.

Joe and David then took a crew on the M-8 out to the washout on the main line to inspect the situation there.

Jason then took all that wanted to ride, including Michele R, Noah R, Nathan R, Joseph S, Karliegh S and Mary Lee S on a trip around the loop on the M-4 to celebrate the new windows! Jason entertained the early arriving guests for our last spring wedding with his artistry on the horn, and got quite a positive reaction from them. At the end of the day, when the M-4 was put away, for the first time in more than 60 years, with the baggage doors closed and the new windows closed, the car was buttoned up tight!
 

Sunday
Most of the volunteers went home on Saturday night, so the Sunday crew consisted of Everett, Kira and Ayden. The single planned remaining chore for the weekend was the adding of stabilization to the switch stand and switch tie for Engine House Track #3. That task was quickly accomplished before the heat of the day set in, so after a quick clean up of the bunkhouse, we went home.

Several of the volunteers noticed while watching a freight train go by that the Union Pacific was developing a soft spot with at least one pumping tie, which was pulling up spikes on the adjacent ties. After watching a southbound pass on Sunday morning, an inspection revealed this to be in the same area that had the same problem twice before, and back 15 years ago had caused a derailment in the same spot. The inspection revealed that the area had just started to get bad, and that the track structure was in no way impaired by this minor defect, however, because it is in a re-occurring problem area, Everett notified UP on their hotline. It was impressive that by giving the Long Leaf milepost as 621.2 on the Lake Charles Sub, the person at the other end of the line found the spot immediately and passed it on to the track supervisor at Livonia.

 

-Everett Lueck
  RR&G General Manager

These photos were taken 75 years apart.

It is the dream of all modern-day RR&G Railroaders to recreate this photo with the steam locomotives, with at least one under steam!

We're on track to make that happen one day.

Joseph and Karliegh found the builders plate from the Meridian Lumber Company Clyde Skidder #310.

It just goes to show that no matter your age, you can be a VALUABLE contributor at Long Leaf.

These kids will one day show their grandkids this artifact in the museum and tell them how they found it.

Everett cleaned these pieces and we're searching for the remainder.

Rain delays...

Copious amounts of rain made the work site a muddy mess.

Glen and David install the cab windows.

Everett bolts on joint bars

Making home-made joint bars for 45#->60# rail.

Glen and the M4 Motorman's cab window.

Glen is the epitome of awesome!

David adjusted some of the fan wiring to make removal of the engine cowl easier.

Installing the cab windows

Installing the Fireman/Conductor cab window

Noah and Karliegh take a turn at using steel to bury steel in wood.

This ain't easy work.

Dad gives daughter some pointers.

The crew that completed the final work to put Track #3 back into operation.

We're not 100% finished yet, but it's functional.

Staging a photo shoot to recreate a 1948 photo by A.E. Brown (see top of page)

RR&G M2, FC&G M4, and C&P M8 pose in front of their home.

A future generation of RR&G Railroaders.

By the time these kids are having kids, we may be running daily steam-powered trains to Cocodrie Lake!

This may look like an unremarkable photo at first glance. However, if you look closely you'll note that all of the windows are closed.

This is the first time since the 1950's that FC&G M4 is completely buttoned-up and water tight!

THANK YOU, GLEN!!