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Volunteers
1. Mike M.
2. Everett L.
3. Wimbley V.
4. Leo P.
5. David H. Sr
6. Colton O.
7. Tucker B.
8. Glen A. (offsite)
Accomplishments
1. Composite brake shoe material added to M2 brakes
2. M2 brakes returned and reinstalled on M2
3. Windows temporarily removed from machine shop west wall for wall
repair
4. 29 ties replaced and 5 ties reset on hill on main loop track
5. Lumber for metal-frame maintenance of way car picked up and delivered
to museum
6. Main Line Junction switch regauged / repaired
7. Herbicide sprayer car electrical line repaired
8. Herbicide sprayed around engine house, machine shop, McGiffert #1230,
McGiffert #1229, Meridian #204 tender, water tank car frame, locomotive
#400, Clyde skidder, and supply shed near engine house
Before the Weekend
We’d like to recognize the hard work and effort volunteers are putting
in during the week which advance many projects forward and greatly
assist the museum.
Mike M. has been working on replacing the side porch roof on the east
side of the Commissary cafe. Wimbley, Robin, and David Hamilton have
worked with Mike on this project also. Much of the structure had rotten
so some shingles from the roof replacement were held to the side so this
small porch roof cover could be replaced. With the side porch roof now
replaced, shingles have been added, and the Commissary roof looks great!
Glen purchased composite brake shoe material for use on the motorcars.
He glued this material onto the removed M2 brake shoes to prolong their
life, as they were getting worn down due to years of active use. He had
the M2 brake shoes ready to reinstall for this session. Additional
material was purchased for use on the M8 brakes in the future.
David Hearne found someone who cut 18 full dimension 2" X 8" X 8' solid
oak planking for the former Jackson tamper car. This oak planking will
be used to construct a deck on this metal car frame, providing a very
sturdy maintenance-of-way (MOW) car. David picked up the planks during
the week and brought them to the museum for this session.
Saturday
To start Saturday, David began with the mini excavator removing rotten
ties and inserting new ties on the main loop track. Everett, Wimbley,
and Tucker knocked out a few quick tasks at the engine house and machine
shop. The windows from the west wall of the machine shop were removed
and temporarily stored by the drill cabinet. Mike is leading an effort
to replace portions of the wall timber structure to improve the
sturdiness of the wall. Removing the windows will allow for easier
project access to the structural beams. Next, Everett and Wimbley
reinstalled M2’s brakes while Tucker loaded up the herbicide sprayer car
with the track tools needed for the day.
Taking plenty of breaks and keeping hydrated, Everett, Wimbley, Colton,
Tucker, David, and Leo worked on tie renewals on the hill of the main
loop track. Everett purchased plenty of ice and water, along with a new
ice chest, for the crew and future volunteer use. Leo also brought
Gatorade for the volunteers as well. 29 tie renewals were completed and
5 additional existing ties on track were re-spiked to hold the gauge
properly. The crew worked from Longleaf Road up to approximately halfway
up the hill. Tucker operated the electric hammer as Everett, Colton, and
Wimbley alternated operating the drills. All in the crew spent a good
amount of time checking gauge, using the rail spreader, and clearing and
leveling ballast with shovels. A bent gauge bar was removed once good
ties were inserted on either side. The gauge bar can be straightened out
with the torch and the bench vice at the engine house and reused in the
future.
David and the mini excavator made good work on the tie renewals. David
also cleared the vegetation on the access path alongside the loop track
with the mini excavator blade, removed overhanging limbs and branches
from the main loop, and removed a small dead standing-snag tree near the
track. The tree was pushed over and into the area between Longleaf Road
and the loop track so the tree wouldn’t fall onto the road and block it
during a high wind event. He also cleaned up debris and branches from
the trees that fell over the main loop in May. He picked up old tie
chunks, cut limbs, and other items from the grass so the area can still
be mowed. Once the trackwork was finished, David unloaded the oak planks
cut for the metal-frame MOW car in the finished lumber shed. Once the
rear axle is moved, the planks will be used to build a deck on the car
at a future session.
Just as the crew was wrapping up at the track worksite, a brief summer
rain shower came through. Wimbley and Colton brought the work train of
M8 and the sprayer car loaded with tools up to the Main Line Junction
Switch. Here the crew checked the gauge, adjusted the gauge rod already
in place at the switch, checked the switch operation, and brought this
area back into proper gauge. As Everett, Wimbley, and Leo worked on this
repair, Tucker used the museum tractor to return the generator to locked
storage. After returning the equipment to the tool room and the cars to
the engine house, the crew finished for the day.
Sunday
On a hot Sunday morning, Tucker used the tractor to empty the various
garbage cans around the lodge. He then headed up to the engine house
with herbicide. Using the 2-gallon hand sprayer over several batches, he
sprayed around the engine house, the machine shop, McGiffert #1230,
McGiffert #1229, Meridian #204 tender, the water tank car frame,
locomotive #400, Clyde skidder, and the supply shed near the engine
house.
While Tucker sprayer herbicide, Everett and Wimbley adjusted M2’s
brakes, repaired the damaged electrical line on the herbicide sprayer
car, and installed holders for the electrical line when not in use. They
then turned to the metal MOW car. Flipped over and placed on a flatcar
at the last session, Everett and Wimbley worked to remove the nuts and
bolts holding the rear axle to the frame. Lacking the necessary socket,
and with the heat of the day coming on, the crew turned it shortly
before noon. After hydrating and cleaning up the lodge kitchen, the
volunteers finished with their weekend doings. While a small session, it
was very productive, and we thank everyone for their recent
contributions.
-Tucker "Who Dat" Baker
RR&G
Chief Engineer
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