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Volunteers
1. Mike M.
2. Joseph S.
3. Everett L.
4. Dewayne S.
5. Andrew A.
6. Angela A.
7. Mike B.
8. Wimbley V.
9. Tucker B.
Accomplishments
1. Spike maul handles repaired,
replaced, or tightened
2. Made “pig stickers” for tie inspections
3. Raised front hitch on M2
4. Inspected footings and foundation blocks underneath Planer Mill
5. Leveled, gauged, and spiked remaining unspiked ties on Main Loop
Track
6. Sorted and organized spikes for track use and for scrap
7. Removed two nuisance trees near engine house
8. Tightened loose joint bars on Main Loop Track along UPRR
9. Continued work on machinery flat car with metal bracing installation
10. Continued brush and metal debris clearing and clean up at Long Leaf
Jct
11. Remaining brake drum removed from big Hyster forklift and both brake
sets tested
Thank you to everyone who
volunteered. For a smaller group, we accomplished a significant amount
in a single weekend.
As we move into the summer months, any and all help is greatly needed
mowing, weed eating, and spraying herbicide around the museum. Even a
little help, such as for an hour or two, or spraying with a hand sprayer
around a building, is tremendously helpful. It does not have to be on a
scheduled volunteer weekend. If you can assist, please contact us and
we’ll get you set up.
Friday
After the executive committee
meeting, Everett repaired the various spike maul handles damaged or
broken at our prior session. All handles were either repaired, replaced,
or tightened. True to a logging railroad, we use as many wedge and eye
sets as a logging camp full of axes.
Saturday
The work was split into several
groups both Saturday and Sunday.
Mike Brown and Andrew worked all day Saturday at Long Leaf Junction
clearing brush, debris, metal, and other obstacles to continue readying
the site to remove the caboose frames to the museum. Mike and Andrew
re-railed one of the four log car trucks back onto the east track so it
and the others can be moved down the track. This will clear space to get
the caboose frames which reside on the west track behind the trucks.
Back at the museum, the work continued on several fronts in the morning.
Dewayne fabricated and welded up a new front hitch on the M2. With both
rear and front hitch mounts raised, the problems with M-2 pushing cars
and derailing should be solved.
Everett made “pig stickers,” long slender metal rods with a “poker” tip
to inspect ties through rock ballast.
Joseph, Wimbley, and Tucker sorted all the spikes on hand. A large
quantity of spikes had been procured from the Port Allen trip last
summer but not yet sorted. Good spikes were sorted into 5-gallon buckets
and brought into the engine house, staged for future track use. Scrap
spikes were collected into large drums and then stored on the Saw Mill
pad for a future scrap drive.
After sorting spikes, Joseph brought his 20-inch-bar chainsaw, and with
Wimbley and Tucker’s help, felled two more nuisance trees near the
engine house. This is part of our effort to remove trees that are big
enough and tall enough to strike buildings or equipment. With the trees
cut up, M2 and the herbicide sprayer car were used to haul out the cut
trees down to the Heisler wood storage area.
After lunch, the volunteers inspected the area underneath the Planer
Mill. Drainage concerns abound as several footings are being eroded. The
ditch and berm David made with the mini excavator worked, but needs to
be extended. After discussion, there are some items that can be handled
by the museum, but bringing in professional assistance for an overall
drainage strategy was the consensus.
Everett, Wimbley, and Angela spent Saturday afternoon inspecting and
tightening the joint bars on the Main Loop track between the Commissary
and the Planer Mill. Several joint bars were found to be loose and were
appropriately tightened. Joseph, Dewayne, and Tucker, later joined by
Everett and Wimbley, loaded up the M2 and the sprayer car with track
equipment for a spiking gang. Ten more new ties on the Main Loop track
between the Saw Mill and Long Leaf road crossing had been inserted, but
not yet spiked. With the electric hammer, two drills, more bits and a
cord splitter Everett procured, the ties were quickly tamped, leveled,
gauged, and spiked. The right equipment really makes the work quite
efficient! Returning to the engine house, the newly tightened joint bars
made for a smooth ride at the end of the day.
Sunday
At Long Leaf Junction, Mike Brown
and Andrew continued clearing debris and removing metal parts to the Saw
Mill pad. Dewayne used the torch to cut a rail to facilitate access.
Everett and Angela inspected and tightened joint bars on the Main Loop
track between the Commissary and the Engine House road crossing.
Joseph and Tucker resumed work on the big Hyster forklift. It took all
morning, but after great effort, the second brake drum was removed. The
brakes were found to be in outstanding condition and they needed no
modifications at all. Joseph and Tucker then used ratchet straps to hold
the brake pads on both sides. With this setup, they were able to bleed
the brake system, add additional brake fluid, and tested the brakes. No
leaks were found or detected during the tests. Joseph reported that the
brake pedal now had good resistance, a good indication that the brakes
will work. The next step is a reassembly of the forklift at our next
session.
Monday
Mike Brown continued working at Long
Leaf Junction, successfully moving one of the log car trucks further
down the east track using chains and a come-along.
-Tucker "Who Dat" Baker
RR&G
Chief Engineer
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