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Volunteers
1. Mike B.
2. Mike M.
3. Everett L.
4. David H. Sr.
5. Glen A.
6. Wimbley V.
7. Leo P.
8. Nick P.
9. Dylan S.
10. Joseph S.
11. Joseph S. Jr
12. Jason R.
13. Colton O.
14. Michael P.
15. Tucker B.
Accomplishments
1. Continued clearing of brush and trees near caboose frames
2. M4 roof painted a light color for sun & heat reflection
3. Axle on heavy maintenance of way car relocated and grease fittings
installed
4. General grounds maintenance of mowing and weed eating
5. Herbicide sprayed on Main Loop track and Sandersville branch
Friday
Mike Brown continued clearing brush, small trees, and debris around the
caboose frames at Sandersville. He has been working to move the frames
into an easier position to extract them to the museum. The log car
trucks on tracks between the caboose and Highway 497 have been re-railred
and moved aside. One of the caboose frames has been adjusted in position
as well. This is an ongoing effort. Tucker has been working to find a
wrecker & recovery company to handle moving the caboose frames down to
the museum.
Saturday
After the morning briefing at the lodge kitchen, the volunteers split
into various groups.
Dylan, Wimbley, Colton, Nick, and Tucker tackled the painting of M4’s
roof. Tucker went down to the Commissary and brought the M4 up alongside
the engine house. The crew then washed the roof and swept off debris,
nails, and other items that fell on the M4 roof during the Commissary
re-roof earlier in the year. Next, they used mineral spirits to prep the
roof surface for the paint. Everett had procured an aluminum-colored oil
based exterior paint, paint rollers, and paint pans before the session.
With the roof cleaned, painters tape was applied and the crew split in
two. Wimbley and Colton used the paint rollers to get big areas of the
roof painted while Dylan and Nick handled the touch-up and small areas
near the painters tape. Tucker and Leo supervised, ensured all boots
were clean before getting up on the roof, and ensuring the crew worked
safely around ladders. The job was complete by lunch, and the crew
remarked that even with the M4 sitting in the sun with the windows up,
the M4 interior did not seem that hot. After giving the M4 a thorough
cleaning from the floors, to the seats, to the windows, M4 was returned
to the engine house for the midday meal break.
The second crew worked on relocating one of the axles on the former
Jackson tamper, slated to become a heavy-duty maintenance of way car.
David used the all-terrain forklift to bring up the oak boards he had
milled for the project. David and Everett split the cost of the oak
boards. The goal of the day was to relocate the second axle on the car
so the car would be balanced, as compared to the set-back position of
one axle from its life as a Jackson tamper. Everett, Glen, and Joseph
used drills and the metal-cutting bits to drill out the holes for the
new axle. Using the chain lift, the axle was moved and then secured in
position on the car frame. Grease fittings were then installed on the
axles for proper lubrication during operation.
Crew #3 of Jason set out on the museum tractor and mower to help
maintain the museum grounds. Grounds maintenance is a part of each
session. During the course of mowing the big field (formerly the log
pond), a hive of bees near the water tower found Jason and the tractor
to be a pest, and ran Jason off from the tractor. Fortunately Jason
wasn’t terribly injured, and not stung too many times, and joined the
crew working on the maintenance of way car for the rest of the morning.
Everett provided the lunch “fixins” and Leo brought sports drinks for
the whole crew. A lunch in the AC at the lodge kitchen was a welcome
break. After lunch, Glen was able to retrieve the tractor away from the
big field without any further incident from the bees.
In the afternoon, the volunteers continued working in various crews.
Jason and Joseph Jr. weedeated in front of the engine house and along
the engine house lead tracks. Everyone lends a hand where they can.
Joseph, Everett, and Glen, later joined by Jason and Tucker, continued
work on the maintenance of way car. Once the axle was fully relocated,
the grease fittings installed, and grease applied, Joseph used the
forklift to flip the car back over outside the engine house. The crew
then restacked the deck boards on another car and rolled both back into
the engine house. The next step will be decking the car and the project
will be complete.
Tucker, Colton, Wimbley, and Nick, later joined by Michael and Dylan,
sprayed herbicide over the main loop track, the storage siding, and the
Sandersville branch. During the course of spraying the storage siding,
the combination of dead grass and recently modified brake pads led to a
sliding of the M2 over the last 10 feet before the meridian #204 tender,
causing M2 to contact the rear knuckle of the tender right in the
radiator. Even at very slow movement, a full application of the brakes,
the slid marks were very evident on the top of the rails. Fortunately,
no one was hurt. A full investigation and check followed with all
present reviewing the situation as a learning opportunity. M8 towed the
consist back to the engine house, and after changing out M2 for M8, M8
and the crew continued spraying herbicide. When M2 is repaired and back
in service, familiarizing operators with brake application will follow.
Tucker, Jason, Joseph, and Everett inspected the M2 radiator, finding
two damage points causing a leak. A few fins were removed and Everett
planned on getting high heat JB Weld epoxy that evening to try and plug
the leak. Tucker gave the radiator grill a straightening on the bench
vice in the engine house.
Sunday
A smaller crew worked Sunday on final tasks and cleanup. Everett applied
several applications of JB Weld epoxy to M2’s radiator while Dylan and
Wimbley gave the radiator grill a new black paint coating. Everett used
aluminum foil and a 2x4 to hold the epoxy against the radiator for
setting.
Tucker used the museum tractor to empty the various garbage cans by the
lodge and in the engine house. He then used the tractor and mower to mow
near the engine house and the nearby switch stands the remainder of the
morning. He also weedeated around the switch stands and McGiffert #1229
near the machine shop.
After finishing up and letting the JB Weld set on the M2 radiator, the
crew headed to the lodge to clean up. Tucker, Dylan, and Wimbley hit the
road for home.
Monday
On Monday, Everett checked the radiator leak after the JD Weld epoxy
set, and unfortunately it still leaked. The unit is out-of-service and
plans are to remove the radiator and either get it repaired in
Alexandria, or find a replacement radiator.
The next session is August 24. We hope you can join our progress, as we
have many objectives on the docket. Thank you to everyone who followed
at this session in July.
-Tucker "Who Dat" Baker
RR&G
Chief Engineer
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