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Team:
Everett Lueck
Mike Miller
David Hearne (the senior)
David Hearne (the younger)
Doug Rhodes
Tucker Baker
First, a BIG THANK YOU to David
and David Hearne for using their skid steer to help with the machine
shop track base dig out! Thank you to everyone who came out this
weekend. Weather was good and slightly cooler than expected.
Accomplishments:
1. Switch Stand #10 is now secure in place, throws freely, doesn't
wobble, and is stable
2. Sandersville branch to current end of track and main loop sprayed
with herbicide
3. Remaining dirt removed from machine shop track base.
Saturday
We returned to work on switch stand #10 which is engine house track #2
for the M4 and the pit. Using lag bolts and washers tightened with
socket wrenches and a breaker bar, we secured the switch stand to two
pieces of wood laid across the rotten tie. The lag bolts worked well for
securing the stand, however, much more adjustment was needed in order to
make the switch throw completely and smoothly. We added, removed, added
some more, then removed again washers on the switch points while testing
the switch throw. At first it wouldn't throw all the way and latch down,
then when it did, you really had to force it. We saw that two spikes a
few ties up was preventing the switch points from closing completely.
Once removed, we then noticed the switch plates making serious friction
on the points, again making it tough to throw and made the switch stand
handle "spring-like" when removing from the latched and down position.
However, with good adjustments, the previous hindrances removed, Doug's
supervision, and Mike and Everett's great attitude to get it right, the
switch now throws well and latches. Shortly after finishing, Gerald took
a family out on the M4 on the Sandersville line while we watched the
switch points in action. The report was "smooth riding!"
In the afternoon, we sized up the newest addition to the Red River &
Gulf, a Fairmont A3 motor car from the Texas & New Orleans Railroad
(T&NO), or perhaps better known by its parent company, the Southern
Pacific. Thank you to David Hearne for bringing this speeder from Dallas
to the museum earlier this week! Mike used the tractor to push 204's
tender back toward the machine shop which gave us more room on the first
engine house track. We then shuffled all cars around to put the A3
furthest back next to the tender, then M1, the flatcar trailers, and
then M2 at front. While rolling out the A3 (which we'll call M5), we
noticed the brakes work well and the wheel flanges were tight up against
the rail near switch #9. With the application of some oil, the speeder
rolled freely. We put M5 at the back for restoration and so the
operating equipment would be in front.
Mike and Everett (and on Sunday with David) discussed the restoration
plan for the A3. The engine turns over, which is a good first sign. It
will need a new battery, the front sheet metal shield taken off, a seat
made, engine frame side panels made of plywood, a new ignition switch
(since we don't have a key), attaching the back bar to the frame, and
more fun items. Once complete, it will operate akin to the M2 (an A4
speeder) but will be open air. The RR&G motive power stable will then
have 3 operating motor cars, one handcar, and the M4 rail bus. A
motorcar car field day could be in order.....
Sunday
David Hearne (the senior) and David Hearne (the younger) came out Sunday
morning with a skid steer to finish digging out the remaining dirt on
the machine shop track. David the younger did a fine job in short order
and it's great to discuss a plan on Saturday afternoon and watch it be
completed the next morning! The dirt was placed on the roadway between
the machine shop and the McGiffert, an area known to pond with water and
get muddy during rains. Extra dirt should alleviate some of the ponding.
During the excavation, more original layer cross ties were dug up and
placed outside the machine shop. These along with other non-track-worthy
ties can be used as erosion control berms on the machine shop west wall.
A small dike was formed with dirt over the hump of the drainage pipe
outside the machine shop wall. This will prevent rainwater from
collecting in the dugout track area (since we now have part of the
excavated area in the open not under cover.)
Everett set to clearing grass from switch #7 (which heads down the
switchbacks) while I set to spraying herbicide with the two trailers and
M2. Spraying went smoothly out toward Sandersville and back. However,
while spraying on the loop, the middle trailer derailed 30 feet in front
of the planer mill switch, snapping ends off two ties and damaging a
third. We had a re-railing frog on the far trailer and one on this
middle trailer for weight. After re railing the trailer, we used the
tractor to place two more re-rail frogs on the trailer for weight. This
put three frogs on the middle trailer, considerable weight. I continued
spraying, but the middle trailer derailed again on the loop behind the
dry kiln. Everett brought the tractor and we re-railed the trailer again
and positioned frogs over the axles. I started up again and moved the
consist only 30 feet before the middle trailer flew out the track again
at low speed. We then put the frogs in the tractor bucket and Everett
took them back to the engine house. I disconnected the back trailer with
the sprayer tank and took just the middle trailer sans frogs back to the
engine house a-ok. I then went back and got the sprayer tank and
finished spraying the loop. Upon inspection, the wheelbase of this
trouble trailer (the converted dump car) is 54.5", a full 1.5" too wide.
So the wheelbase needs work.
Next steps developed this weekend:
1. Mike is working on sourcing some pit run gravel for the machine shop
track. Once it gets to the museum, he'll notify us and we'll then place
it into the track area and begin laying rails, ties, and a drain pipe.
2. A3 (RR&G M5) restoration
3. Trailer #2 needs wheel base fixing
If there is enough interest, three weeks from now is July4 and we could
have a volunteer session. If not, three weeks after that is our July 25
session. But I figure I'll at least be up there when Mike gets that pit
run gravel. Once that comes, we're on the down hill slope for a new
machine shop track!
-Tucker Baker
RR&G Road Master
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