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Volunteer Railroaders
1. Everett L.
2. Angela A.
3. Andrew A.
4. Joseph S.
5. David H.
6. David H. Sr
7. Mike M.
8. Tucker B
Accomplishments
1. Surveyed and staked out path for future museum backup access road
2. Finished spiking Engine House Track #3
3. Leveled and ballasted Engine House Track #3
4. Installed grade crossing over Engine House Tracks #2 and #3
5. Replaced broken spike maul handles
6. Sprayed herbicide around Engine House
7. Switch part inventory at Long Leaf Junction
Friday
After the board meeting Friday, Everett and Tucker set out to stake a
potential path for a future access road for the museum. There has been
talk of it for some time, but it is now being formally explored in
earnest. A crew from the LA Dept of Agriculture and Forestry is planning
on clearing brush for this exploratory effort. To that end, Everett and
Tucker set out flagged stakes for the state crew to follow when they
come with their bulldozer.
The area under consideration is the old logging truck road that came up
the bypass corridor from Highway 497 and came into the Saw Mill pad area
behind the car knocker shed. When the mill switched to logging by truck,
this was the truck entrance and exit. The road was fairly easy to
follow, with no metal debris or obstacles for the dozer crew. A site was
also inspected for this road to crossover the railroad track at the Saw
Mill pad, and a suitable location was staked out as well. It would have
the crossing 60 feet south of the current crossing. This would make sure
the road does not have to snake around railroad relocations we have
planned for the future, such as the McGiffert display and operation
track in front of the car knocker shed.
After hydrating and catching a breath, Everett, Tucker, and David
Hamilton spent some time at the Saw Mill inspecting the current state of
repairs. Chuck and Don’s work underneath the Saw Mill installing a new
stair was another “job well done.” The old stair had been long removed
and adding the stair now allows access to repair floor boards and joists
in need of attention.
Saturday
Saturday morning, David Hearne stopped by to drop off the bucket of
spikes he was working on before getting into his work clothes. He had
taken a bucket of recovered spikes, soaked them in vinegar with an
airline agitating them, and cleaned them up in his shop. They were ready
for our round of spiking to follow that morning. Andrew and Tucker got
the museum tractor ready and brought it up to the Engine House. Up at
the Engine House, Everett, Andrew, and Tucker got busy spiking the
remaining ties on Engine House Track #3. When David returned, he,
Angela, and Everett got started on installing a wooden grade crossing
over tracks #2 and #3. When Joe arrived, he worked with Andrew and
Tucker to level the remaining ties to be spiked.
With the leveling complete, the final spiking was completed and then the
ballasting commenced. Joe operated the tractor as Andrew and Tucker
spread out the ballast. In between runs of bringing in ballast, Joe
leveled, cleared, and compacted the area in front on the Insley and near
Track #3. An unused piece of rail was also moved back to the Saw Mill
slab for storage with other rail.
After lunch at the lodge kitchen, the crew returned to finish the work.
Angela, David, and Everett continued work installing the grade crossing.
They used 4x4s cut to 8 foot lengths and secured with bolts to the ties.
Joe, Andrew, and Tucker continued the ballast work. A small rain shower
in the afternoon was a welcome respite as it brought cool winds and
cooler temperatures. The heat and humidity after the rain shower was
another feeling entirely…
With the work complete in the late afternoon, and the sun and humidity
upon us, a few clean up jobs were handled. The remaining lumber from the
crossing work was stacked with the other lumber in the Engine House. The
vanes on the switch stand for Track #3 were straightened with a crescent
wrench. The switch stand was also more stable, evidenced by the bracing
work Everett, Kira, and Ayden completed at the session earlier in May.
Joe used the museum tractor to fill in depressions, clear vegetation
alongside track #2, and gave a general cleanup of the area. He was very
glad to test the grade crossing with the tractor once it was completed.
Sunday
The very last spiking and ballasting were completed first thing Sunday
morning after moving the M2. With that, Track #3 in the Engine House was
in fine shape. After that, Everett and Angela replaced spike maul
handles that were broken or cracked at the Engine House work bench and
table vice clamp. Tucker had cleaned out the Ace Hardware inventory
Saturday evening getting replacement handles…. With the handle
replacement work ongoing, Tucker and Andrew filled up sprayer bottles
and sprayed herbicide around the Engine House, machine shop, both
McGifferts, and along the storage track. The prior herbicide spraying in
April yielded good results and we hope to continue to push back the
vegetation as much as we can.
With the weekend tasks complete, the group set out for Long Leaf
Junction near Sandersville. Tucker and Andrew made an inventory of
switch parts in the area. A count of all switch frogs in the area was
made with at least 25 confirmed frogs. Additionally, switch points were
counted and at least 8 points were confirmed. Two switch stands and
switch bars were noted as well. Everett and Angela also noted several
stacks of 60 pound rail, which had evidently been stacked and stored
some time ago. Along Highway 497, Everett and Angela also located a rail
that indicated another past yard track.
Perhaps the most intriguing inventory was that there exists two more
composite steel & wood center sill log cars. One is located a track over
from an old log car filled with switch frogs. Both are one car length
back from the previously noted composite steel-wood log car immediately
behind the caboose frames. This second steel-wood composite log car is
not as good of shape as the first one near the caboose frames as the
metal center structure has fallen off into the ground. Behind it is
another similar car, as evidenced by the metal bolsters with arms that
can be raised and lowered as needed. It is in even worse shape,
appearing to be two disconnected trucks rather than a single car.
With the weekend objectives complete, and a good inventory and
exploration session at Long Leaf Junction, the volunteers cleaned up,
cleaned the lodge, and made the road for home. The projects and the
progress continue. We hope to see you soon.
-Tucker "Who Dat" Baker
RR&G Road Master
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