Work Session

October 16, 2021

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

Volunteers
1. Mike M.
2. Doug R.
3. Russell R.
4. Chris A.
5. Everett L.
6. David H. Sr.
7. Glen A.
8. Wimbley V.
9. Carson
10. Clint L. Jr.
11. Jason R.
12. Noah R.
13. Jacques D.
14. Jacob S.
15. Michael H. Jr. “Junior”
16. Angela A.
17. Andrew A.
18. Tucker B.
19. Chance R.
20. Scott
21. AmeriCorps Volunteers


Accomplishments
- M4 returned to active service
- Dozens of cross ties replaced and spiked down on main loop track
- Multiple fresh cross ties inserted on main loop track, now ready for spiking
- Multiple fresh cross ties positioned along main loop track, now ready for replacement of bad ties
- Main line track road crossing at engine house brought to proper gauge
- Flangeways of rail crossings near engine house cleared of dirt for safe operation
- Main loop track tested with multiple M4 and motorcar runs
- Naval Stores building organized and prepped for floor work
- Area thoroughly cleaned in Finished Lumber Shed for Steam-Up area
- Engine 106 cleaned and wiped down
- Vegetation and debris cleared from new green chain (near new dry kiln)
- Vegetation and brush cleared along main loop track for M4 operations
- Evaluation of tractors, crawlers, and dozers
- Evaluation of International Paper shear
- Museum trailer repaired for over-the-road use


Before the Weekend
While much happened this weekend, we would like to salute the volunteer efforts that have been ongoing at the museum but took place before this weekend. Mike Miller and the museum staff have been hard at work prepping a proper area in the Finished Lumber shed for the upcoming Steam-Up event. Glen donated new light fixtures for the area, the museum staff secured the use of a basket lift, Mike got donations to cover the wiring and connections, and now the north end of the Finished Lumber shed has new lighting. The museum staff has also worked to clean up the area. During the weekend, AmeriCorps volunteers assisted cleaning up the north end of the shed, moving wood piles, removing garbage and debris, and using Glen’s stadium vacuum that he brought by the museum, gave a thorough cleaning of the floor. The area looks as pristine as can be and is ready for next weekend’s Steam Up. The additional lighting will also be beneficial as it provides more light for the Lodge area.
 

Friday
Leading up to this weekend, a rental of a mini excavator was set up with a local equipment rental house in Alexandria and the volunteer group purchased the rental and donated the equipment use to the museum. Glen volunteered to use his trailer and to transport both his tractor and the mini excavator to and from the museum this week. We kindly thank Glen for doing this! On Friday morning, Glen brought his tractor with a backhoe attachment to the museum and then he, Wimbley, and Tucker went into Alexandria to pick up the mini excavator. By Friday afternoon, Dave Hearne had arrived and was our operator on the mini excavator for the weekend. Dave and Tucker began work on a main line switch at the sawmill pad that needed multiple cross ties replaced. The mini excavator was a good fit for the job! During the afternoon, Mike, Glen, Wimbley, and Doug finished the final touches and clean up for the M4 and began test runs that afternoon. The test runs went well and the track, having received repairs and maintenance all summer, received a good preliminary report. After the M4 test runs, Glen used his tractor to begin dispersing and stationing new ties for replacement of old ties on the main loop track. At the end of the day, both the mini excavator and the tractor teamed up to raise the level at the Main Line Junction Switch to keep the switch area at the proper and safe level. As Friday wrapped up, more volunteers were headed into the museum for what would shape up to be a very accomplishing weekend.

Saturday

Saturday morning began with a job and safety briefing in the lodge kitchen. Copies of the timetable were given out, the basic rules of railroad operations reviewed, and an emphasis was placed on this weekend for use of proper horn signals. Everyone did a good job working safe this weekend and using proper horn signals. From there, the volunteers split into multiple groups. Mike, Doug, and the museum staff worked with some AmeriCorps volunteers that were on hand at the museum to assist with various efforts. These volunteers cleaned out and organized the Naval Stores building so the floor work could begin, cleaned up the north end of the Finished Lumber Shed for the Steam Up, used Glen’s stadium vacuum to give the shed area and the machine shop a good cleaning, cut vegetation and brush at the new green chain, gave engine 106 a wipe down and clean, and assisted with other various labor tasks around the museum. Their assistance and presence were most appreciated! Russell and Chris also worked clearing brush around the green chain and dug post holes for a signpost in front of the Depot Agent’s House at the front of the museum.

Two teams began work on the main loop railroad track. The Tie Gang of Dave, Jacob, Clint, Wimbley, Carson, and Tucker worked in tandem with the mini excavator removing old rotten ties and replacing them with fresh, solid ties. The Spiking Gang then followed behind the Tie Gang gauging and spiking down the new ties on the track. Jason, Junior, Jacques, Andrew, and Noah all earned their lunch swinging spike mauls in the Louisiana sun. While the track work was ongoing, Everett and Angela gathered up scrap lumber to cut into small blocks. These blocks were used throughout the weekend to bring ties up to level so that ballast could then be tamped under the tie and then the tie spiked down. They cut enough blocks to last us a good while!

On the M4, Glen finished some further repairs and upgrades. To recap the repairs to date as to the best of memory, the front truck was removed, the back axle removed, new rubber blocks fabricated for the wheel assembly, the new wheel assembly repaired and put back together, the front truck reassembled, a new radiator installed, new ceramic water pumps installed, all wiring traced, tested, and replaced, a new dashboard fabricated and installed, a master disconnected installed, floor fabric placed near the clutch and accelerator pedals to close open spaces, rerouted and extended exhaust pope to the rear, and other items as needed. While the M4 is now returned to service, we hope to continue upgrades to it to have roll-down windows, a finished interior, air brakes, and other items as needed. Once Glen finished with the M4, he and Mike brought it down to the Commissary where Angela and the AmeriCorps volunteers gave it a thorough cleaning.

After a lunch from the museum, the Tie Gang and the Spiking Gang continued their respective work. Glen used his tractor to continue depositing fresh ties along track for replacement by the Tie Gang. By the end of the day, 35 ties had been replaced in critical spots, greatly upgrading the track structure. As the Spiking and Tie Gangs continued work, Glen and Everett also inspected and dug out a portion of the Main Line Track Road crossing near the engine house. Upon inspection, the track gauge was wide. New spikes, tie plates, and some hammer swinging by Everett and the track was back into proper gauge. As the spiking and tie crews ended back at the engine house, all the volunteers pitched in to clear the flangeways on the engine house lead tracks and the road crossing of dirt and debris, so rail wheels move safely. The extra dirt was deposited at the dirt pile behind the engine house for use on other projects.

Sunday
Sunday proved to be another accomplishing day. The AmeriCorps volunteers returned and continued various labor efforts and tasks around the museum. To end their day, a tour of the museum was given and a ride around on the M4. The ride allowed for testing of the M4 and the track structure, and opportunities for practice runs operating equipment. All reports came back that the ride was smooth and the M4 performed quite well.

The museum recently received a donated trailer from the Forest Service and Dave performed some repairs to it before it hits the open road. The back ramps were detached so they would not fall off during transit (metal connection was old and weak) and the tongue was rearranged so it would meet trailer hitches at a better height. Dave used the remaining time on the mini excavator to work on a drainage washout near the sawmill steps. Concrete blocks were pulled from the woods near the main loop track, moved with the tractor bucket, and then positioned in the washout with the excavator. Once that was done, Dave used the excavator to clean out the green chain area after the brush removal. Hidden by brush and dirt for so long, an electric carriage used to move lumber back and forth across the kiln tracks was finally revealed for viewing and inspection. Dave also was able to move some old concrete table blocks that had broken off a table near the Depot Agent’s house so mowing could be made easier in this area. As Dave finished with the excavator, he also filled it back up with diesel and we thank him for his donation and donating his skills as an operator for the weekend.

A small spiking gang of Jason and Tucker worked on Sunday spiking down some more ties that were inserted on the track the day before. The blocks Angela and Everett cut the day before came in quite handy. The spikes pulled the day before from old ties were also rounded up on this clean-up run. To assist with clean up, Jacques, Junior, and Andrew set out in another crew with brush clearing tools to cut back brush along the main loop track. Once all the spiking and brush clearing was done, the volunteers regrouped at the engine house for the tour and ride for the AmeriCorps volunteers.

Chance and Scott returned to the museum on Sunday to continue the evaluation of the tractors, crawlers, and dozers in the Finished Lumber Shed. They installed a new starter on one of the Allis-Chalmers HD15 crawlers and the engine cranked, ran, and “purred like a kitten.” An evaluation and inspection of the CAT D7 tractors with angle dozers was also undertaken. Next, using jumper cables, the International Paper shear engine was jumped and started, a pleasant surprise to all involved. We thank Chance and Scott for their efforts to return these historic pieces of equipment to operation.

-Tucker Baker
  RR&G Road Master

Dave & Tucker replace ties

Green Chain

Cleaned floors under new lights in the Finished Lumber Shed

Night photography by Jacques Dufrene

Night photography by Jacques Dufrene

Night photography by Jacques Dufrene

Night photography by Jacques Dufrene

Night photography by Jacques Dufrene

Night photography by Jacques Dufrene

With Jacob Styron

Night photography by Jacques Dufrene

With Jacob Styron

Night photography by Jacques Dufrene

With Jacob Styron

Chatting under the new lights in the Finished Lumber Shed

Saturday morning safety brief.

Glen & Mike put some finishing touches on M4 near Main Line Jct.

The Spike Gang gets to work

Drilling spike holes

The Tie Gang loads a tie

WWII Army re-enactors visited the C&P Museum

Dave shoves in new ties 2 at a time!

Checking the gauge before spiking

Glen uses his tractor to shove in some new ties

Easy does it...

... and in she goes.

Andrew found a loose fish plate but we couldn't get the nuts loose, so we ended up cutting them off and replacing them.

Everett uses and impact to tighten the new nuts.

The Spike Gang prepares to head to the next spot.

The Spike Gang crosses Long Leaf Road near the Engine House as they return for the day.

Last project was re-spiking a tie on the Main Line near the Engine House.

Turning in tools.

After we cleaned up and before heading to dinner, it was noted that M4 was still at the Depot.

So, Jason, Noah, and Junior walked over to retrieve her and put her away for the night.

Junior took the Motorman's chair for his first run of the M4.

Noah acted as Fireman and kept an eye on the track ahead.

Sunday morning we all met at the Engine House and broke into separate teams.

Jacques and Junior took the M8 out to clear brush close the ROW

Jason, Noah, and Tucker took M2 out to spike a few more new ties.

Noah watches the track ahead.

M2 is on the Wye at Planer Mill Jct while the M8 rolls by on the Main.

Hard at work.

Even HARDER at work

Dave is a master at running the track hoe

Jason drills holes in new ties near the Depot

C&P M8 Heads Up The Hill

Noah sweeps the flat car of dirt and debris.

M4 is tied down on the Main near the Saw Mill to give the AmeriCorps group a ride after their tour of the Mill.

AmeriCorps in the Mill

All ABOARD!

Jason ran the M4 while Noah operated the whistle at crossings.

Jacques took the controls to take M4 back to the barn at the end of the day.

Noah gives a roll-by inspection as Jacques (giving him a "thumbs-up") backs the M4 to the Engine House

Chance and Scott Davis are the new tractor gurus.

They fired up our Allis Chalmers HD15 this day! It's been at least 30 years since it last ran... possibly even 60 years.

The HD15 has a 671 GM Detroit 2 stroke diesel engine.

Even more incredible is that it ran on diesel that's been in the tank for all that time!

More work is needed, of course, to get her back into working condition, but the Davis Boys are passionate about getting it done.

Video of the Fire-Up