Work Session

July 17, 2021

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

Team:
Angela
Andrew
Wimbley
Glen
Mike B.
Mike M.
David H.
Everett
Jason 
Noah
Jacob
Jacques
Tucker 
Domineaux & the Pest Control Staff

Accomplishments:
 

- New water pumps and new radiator installed on FC&G M4
- Rotten crossties removed on Main Loop, fresh ties inserted, and spiked down
- Inspection of Main Loop Track with flags placed where maintenance is needed
- Fireman’s seat in M4 assembled
- Vegetation Removal in Engine House
- Portion of drop pit drainpipe cleaned out of built-up sediment
- New signs installed on foreman’s office and Engine House storage room

Before the Weekend
Mike Miller purchased and donated a new aluminum radiator and water pumps with ceramic seals for the M4. He additionally made a custom shroud to install with the new water pumps and the new radiator. The front truck for the M4 was rebuilt by Glen, MB, and Mike on a previous weekend and made the truck ready for reinstallation. However, with the engine easily accessible without the front truck on, the call was made to make some repairs and upgrades to the M4.

On Friday, Mike Brown used a come-along, ingenuity, and hard work to pull out four rotten crossties on the main loop near the McGiffert Log Loader. The track had already been inspected, rotten ties marked with paint, and fresh ties staged in the area, ready for use. Mike inserted four fresh ties, ready for spiking. Thank you Mike!

Last week, Glen and Wimbley operated Claiborne & Polk MRR M8 for a “Down Home Louisiana” video series by local news KALB. The series was doing a story on the Camp Claiborne Center at the museum and included many great shots of the M8 in action. We will keep everyone posted when the video is available. It will air on multiple segments of KALB this Friday, July 23, covering all of Central Louisiana (known as “Cenla” for you out-of-towners!).

Saturday
Saturday began with the briefing in the lodge kitchen and the teams split into work.

Team #1 of Everett and Jacob set out with marking flags to complete an inspection of the main loop track begun in May. Flags were placed where maintenance is needed, largely revolving around rotten ties needing replacement with fresh ties. Our goal is not only to improve and maintain the track to safe standards, but also to complete a monthly inspection of the main loop track used for M4 tours.

Team #2 of Angela, Andrew, and Noah began on the downhill end of the drop pit drainpipe to clear out built-up sediment. Everett brought and donated several lengths of water hose and a high-pressure nozzle to help with this effort. Jason lent a hand with a pick mattock to dig out a drain path to funnel water away from the outlet of the pipe. A locomotive boiler flue screw, which was used with great success in the past to clean out the machine shop drain, was pressed into service again. Using some string, the water hose was tied to the screw and Andrew used it clear out as much sediment as possible that the screw could reach. While the whole length of the pipe did not get cleaned out yet, it is in better shape than how we found it. The drainpipe is approximately 80 feet long, so additional work will be done in the future to clean the remainder of the pipe out.
 

Team #3 of Glen, Wimbley, MB, David, and Mike worked on the M4 removing the old water pumps and the old radiator. The new water pumps, the new radiator, and the new custom shroud were installed. Whatever small parts could be reused were cleaned with parts cleaner and utilized again on the M4. These upgrades and repairs to the M4 will help this piece of equipment operate safely and successfully for many years to come with many museum visitors riding on it. Thank you to each of you for the dirty, but necessary work in and around the M4 engine! Mike Miller has spent significant time studying, researching, and planning regarding these engine repair and we thank him for it. MB, Glen, and Mike have spent many other weekends working on the M4 as well and we salute them for their efforts. While extended down time on the M4 is not ideal, we are using the opportunity for good maintenance.

Team #4 of Jason, Jacques, and Tucker set to gauging, spiking, and ballasting the ties that MB had placed on the main loop track near the McGiffert. Some instruction and a tutorial were given on spike driving with highly effective results among all the steel drivers on hand! Angela and Andrew joined the effort after the drainpipe efforts.

During the morning, the M8 and a flatcar were prepped and loaded with maintenance of way tools both for the morning work and to prep for the afternoon work. Part of volunteering at Long Leaf involves learning new skills and operating unique equipment and time was taken to share with everyone the finer points of the M8 operation, including proper use of the master electrical control, ensuring that the battery is not drawn down unnecessarily during long periods where the car is not in use. Thank you to Wimbley for pointing this out and sharing with the group.

The museum provided lunch for all the volunteers and good fellowship was enjoyed in the air conditioning in the lodge kitchen. Thank you for the museum staff for lunch!

After lunch, the M4 team returned to work while the track team, now with Jacob, Andrew, and Angela, used M8 and the loaded flatcar with tools to head out on the loop to replace old ties with fresh ones. The track team used the pole saw to clear branches and limbs away from the track, used a cordless hedger to clear vegetation in the work area, and shovels to clear ballast from the ties needing replacement. The ties were not easy coming out, but credit goes to Jacques for this idea. Using the tractor and a fresh tie lined up with the rotten tie, the tractor pushed the old tie out, sliding in the new time in the same push. Multiple ties were replaced on the track that afternoon using this method. After getting the first set of ties spiked down, the next ties were prepped with holes drilled and spikes set out. However, the track team had to head back in to hydrate, as the forecasted rain and overcast clouds did not come to pass and the heat of the day was in full force. Frequent rest breaks and water refuel breaks were well used throughout the day by all teams.

After cooling off, hydrating, and regrouping in the engine house, the track team turned to other worthwhile efforts in the shade as the M4 team continued to diligently work on the railbus. While returning to the engine house on M8, abnormal smoke was coming from the engine. Upon investigation, a cracked belt was the culprit. It will be replaced soon to return M8 to service. The rest of the car is in great shape. Everett continued work in the RR&G office with installing signs and working on the fireman’s seat assembly in the railbus. With all the rainfall over the last few weeks, vegetation had sprung up all around the engine house, so the weed eater, cordless hedger, and loppers were used to trim back the vegetation that had grown up around the primary railroad workspace.

Sunday
On Sunday, the volunteers again split up into to groups to work in multiple areas. Jacques, Jacob, Andrew, Angela, Noah, and Jason used M2, drills, and a flatcar of spike driving and gauging tools to finish spiking the final fresh ties placed on the Main Loop from the day before. Mike Miller and MB were able to safely corral Domineaux for a needed veterinarian visit. Everett finished up the fireman’s seat work while Tucker used the tractor to empty the full garbage cans from the engine house and lodge into the museum’s dumpster.

After finishing the spiking, M2 was again a stubborn starter. Mike and Tucker met the crew at the base of the hill at the Longleaf Road crossing with chains and jumper cables. Thankfully, M2 was successfully restarted with jumper cables to the tractor. The crew was then able to enjoy a trip around the loop back to the engine house. There is likely a draw somewhere on the electrical system, causing the battery to start off with low voltage. A master electrical disconnect like the one on M8 would be a good improvement for M2.

After unloading and storing the tools, and a final cleanup, the volunteers toured the Machine Shop and the museum grounds. During the Machine Shop demonstration, the main belt came off while engaging the metal planer. The metal planer is a unique and precise machine, requiring the right calibration and tuning to work properly. In fact, it uses a system of two belts to operate. One belt is turned around, allowing the same shaft to turn the wheel in the opposite direction. A metal toggle guide channels both belts onto two wheels on the planer. This metal guide then toggles back and forth between these belts and that is what makes the planer table go back and forth. A unique and fascinating machine! Many volunteers, including John, David, Glen, and Mike, have worked to restore the functionality of this machine and trial and error (including the belt of the main shaft coming off) are part of the learning process. Jacques, Andrew, and Tucker climbed up to the chicken walk to put the main belt back on the main shaft and Mike is going to guide efforts to get the fine tuning done on the metal planer.

The next volunteer session is August 20-22. The drop pit, archives movement, the M4 and much more are on the docket. There is something for everyone. Please consider joining us – we opportunities indoors and in the out of doors!

-Tucker Baker
  RR&G Road Master

Friday evening, Jason finally got to pet one of the kittens.

This is Spinner.

Mike B & Wimbley prepare to replace the coolant pumps on the M4.

Everett brought a hose long enough for us to test the drainage pipe from the Inspection Pit.

After some searching, we located the pipe outside.

Andrew attempts to clear it out.

This pipe originally drained into the log pond.

Mike B replaced 4 ties by himself Friday.

We spiked them down for him Saturday morning.

Andrew & Noah continue work on clearing the pipe.

Glen, David H, & Mike M replace the coolant pumps on the M4.

This was successfully accomplished.

Continuing to drive spikes.

Attaching the hose to a steal rod to created a water pick.

Noah takes a turn at hammering in spikes while Angela and Tucker look on.

Lunch!

With all of the ties spiked near the Engine House, we went up the hill to replace more ties.

Mike M & David H continue work on M4

We unspiked the ties, jacked up the rails, and dug out the ballast.

The ties refused to move.

The ties refused to budge, despite our efforts. In desperation, Tucker got the tractor.

Jason chains up tie-tongs to the tractor

PULL!

Nothing happened.

The tie refused to give.

However, Jacques had an epiphany that will revolutionize how we replace ties.

He suggested that we use the tractor to shove the new tie into place which would shove out the old tie.

Simple & BRILLIANT!

In she goes...

In the process of trying the new technique, Jacques also invented the new sport of "Tie Surfing!"

Wasting no time, the 2nd tie quickly followed with the same level of success and ease.

Almost DONE!

We finished in 10 minutes what we struggled for 90 minutes to do.

Noah & Jason take a quick break. It was inhumanly hot this day.

With the first 2 done, we moved the second set of 2.

The second 2 went in with the same ease as the first 2.

We have a new method for tie replacement!

Dragonfly comes to see what all the noise is about.

With 4 ties replaced, we were beat. The heat wiped us out.

So we returned to the Engine House for some minor projects to round out the day.

Tucker did some weedeating.

Everett washed some equipment.

That evening, we went up to Alexandria for dinner.

The next morning we repaired a couple of doors at the Lodge before getting back to work.

We went back up the hill to finish spiking the new ties.

Jacques runs the M2 while Angela serves as Conductor.

Shoving out to the Main

Back up on The Hill, Angela takes a turn at driving spikes.

DONE!

But, the M2 was flooded and wouldn't start. After trying for several minutes, the battery began to die.

So, we called for assistance, took off the brakes, and gently coasted down the 4.45 grade to the main road crossing.

Mike M and Tucker arrived to jump the M2.

Tucker

Andrew, Jason, Tucker, Mike M.

Success!

With M2 started up, we finished the trip around the Loop and put the equipment back in the Engine House.

Signage for the new RR&G Office.

The desk and shelf will be taken out soon and the room thoroughly cleaned up.

Looking out of the office and into the Machine Shop.

Last look into the RR&G Office

Andrew, Angela, Jacob, Everett, & Jacques tour the Machine Shop

While attempting to demonstrate one of the belt driven tools, the main belt jumped off the drum.

Everett, Andrew, & Jacques worked for about 20 minutes to get it back on.

The lead truck from M4 is fully repaired and ready for reinstallation.

It won't be long before M4 is returned to service.

That wrapped up the weekend. Despite the extreme heat and humidity, we got a fair amount accomplished.

Friendships were strengthened and esprit-de-corps is very high.