Work Sessions
In 2017, the RR&G began hosting scheduled work sessions for the first time. These “weekend work sessions” run from Saturday morning to noon on Sunday. The objectives vary depending on the number of participants that commit to attending.
We try to use every minute of our volunteer’s time to accomplish a meaningful task that will positively affect the SFHM and RR&G. In addition to working, we leave a bit of time for play at the end of the weekend. We have a mile and a half of active rail and three serviceable motorcars. There are also a few miles of abandoned rails to explore and a veritable museum of railroad artifacts scattered throughout the woods near the Engine House.
It is our intention to conduct productive, rewarding, and fun work sessions that will encourage you to return time and time again… and bring your friends along.
Volunteer Housing
Housing is available on-site at the Long Leaf “Motel” for volunteers at no charge. The motel is a log-cabin style building built inside of the finished lumber shed by the SFHM. It is equipped with bunkrooms (with air conditioning!), bathrooms, a meeting room, and a kitchen. It will eventually have WiFi.
Volunteers are welcomed to use the facility at no charge. Bedding, towels, toiletries, etc are not provided.
Contact the railroad today at work-sessions@redriverandgulf.net.
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2024 Work Sessions
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| Date and Report | Objectives and Accomplishments |
|---|---|
| – Project details will be announced prior to this date. | |
| November 18 | – Project details will be announced prior to this date. |
| October 21 View Report | – 3RD ANNUAL LONG LEAF FALL FESTIVAL! |
| October 7 (Special Work Session) View Report | – Preparations for fall festival. – Finish interior of M-4. |
| September 23 View Report | – Preparations for fall festival. – MOW & weed control. |
| August 19 View Report | – Crew training and certification on motorized equipment. – MOW & weed control. |
| July 22 View Report | – RR&G Rules Clinic. – Weld track #3 to engine house pad. – Interior & exterior work on FC&G M-4. |
| – Install coupler on M-22. – Work on new MOW equipment. – Extend engine house track #3 onto pad. – Install new wiring & insulation on FC&G M-4. | |
| June 24 View Report | – Relocate Insley crane. – Move MOW equipment to Long Leaf. – Brush & weed control. – Model T testing. |
| – New engine house road crossing. – Ballast for engine house track #3. – Survey for new museum access road. | |
| – Complete engine house track #3 gauging and spiking. – Complete window installation on FC&G M-4 | |
| April 29 View Report | – Weed spraying. – RR&G operations. |
| April 22 View Report | – Install new windows on FC&G M-4. – Recover components for engine house track #3 switch. – Complete switch assembly for engine house track #3. – RR&G operations. |
| March 18 View Report | – Switch construction for engine house track #3. |
| – Lay ties for engine house track #3. – Clear brush on unused main line. | |
| February 4 View Report | – Continue construction on engine house track #3. – Continue recovery of Model T frame & engine (M-33). – Car shop outhouse clearing. |
| January 21 View Report |
2023 Work Sessions
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| Date and Report | Objectives and Accomplishments |
|---|---|
| December 9 | – Project details will be announced prior to this date. |
| November 18 | – Project details will be announced prior to this date. |
| October 21 View Report | – 3RD ANNUAL LONG LEAF FALL FESTIVAL! |
| October 7 (Special Work Session) View Report | – Preparations for fall festival. – Finish interior of M-4. |
| September 23 View Report | – Preparations for fall festival. – MOW & weed control. |
| August 19 View Report | – Crew training and certification on motorized equipment. – MOW & weed control. |
| July 22 View Report | – RR&G Rules Clinic. – Weld track #3 to engine house pad. – Interior & exterior work on FC&G M-4. |
| July 8 View Report | – Install coupler on M-22. – Work on new MOW equipment. – Extend engine house track #3 onto pad. – Install new wiring & insulation on FC&G M-4. |
| June 24 View Report | – Relocate Insley crane. – Move MOW equipment to Long Leaf. – Brush & weed control. – Model T testing. |
| May 20 View Report | – New engine house road crossing. – Ballast for engine house track #3. – Survey for new museum access road. |
| May 6 View Report | – Complete engine house track #3 gauging and spiking. – Complete window installation on FC&G M-4 |
| April 29 View Report | – Weed spraying. – RR&G operations. |
| April 22 View Report | – Install new windows on FC&G M-4. – Recover components for engine house track #3 switch. – Complete switch assembly for engine house track #3. – RR&G operations. |
| March 18 View Report | – Switch construction for engine house track #3. |
| February 25 View Report | – Lay ties for engine house track #3. – Clear brush on unused main line. |
| February 4 View Report | – Continue construction on engine house track #3. – Continue recovery of Model T frame & engine (M-33). – Car shop outhouse clearing. |
| January 21 View Report | – Begin construction on engine house track #3. – Clear debris from Model T frames. – Restore flat car to operation. – Paint RR&G M-22 and H-1. |
2022 Work Sessions
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| Date and Report | Objectives and Accomplishments |
|---|---|
| December 10 View Report | – Work on RR&G caboose reclamation project. – Multiple small projects. |
| November 19 View Report | – Clear brush from caboose frames. – Clear brush near engine house. |
| October 22 View Report | – 2ND ANNUAL LONG LEAF FALL FESTIVAL! |
| October 8 View Report | – Install new horn & air tank on FC&G M-4. – Clear overhanging limbs on Long Leaf loop. – Clean up & organize machine shop & engine house. – Organized finished lumber shed for steam-up. – Spray herbicide over all trackage. |
| September 17 View Report | – Install new SFHM highway sign. – Clear brush around sawmill. – Clear brush on wye – Install erosion control at planer mill switch – Spray herbicide. – Install new crossbucks. |
| August 20 View Report | – Rail replacement on wye. |
| August 6 View Report | – Water line repair at the lodge. – M-22 work. |
| July 16 View Report | – Rolling stock maintenance & repairs. – Track maintenance. |
| June 25 View Report | – Rules clinic (make-up). – Rolling stock maintenance & repairs. – Brush clearing. – Weed abatement. |
| June 4 View Report | – RR&G Rules Clinic – Rolling stock maintenance & repairs. – Spike new ties on engine house lead tracks. – Spray herbicide. |
| May 21 View Report | – Remove boiler from Santee River Hardwood #3. |
| May 14 View Report | – Ties replaced around yard track switches. – New main belt in machine shop. – Gumbo! |
| April 23 View Report | – Clean out engine house drains. – General cleanup. – Continue work on M-22. |
| April 9 View Report | – M-22 arrives. – Emergency track repair. – Vertical boring mill repair. |
| March 19 View Report | – Complete drop pit rebuild. – Spray for weeds. – Replace lead wheels on RR&G M-2. |
| March 5 View Report | – Continue drop pit rebuild project. – Bridge repairs on wye. |
| February 19 View Report | – Continue drop pit rebuild project. – Begin bridge construction on wye. |
| January 12 / February 5 (Combined Report) View Report | – Drop pit work. – Track maintenance. – Cleanup & groundskeeping. |
| January 22 | – CANCELED DUE TO WEATHER. |
| January 12-13 (Special Work Session) View Report | – Pour concrete in engine house drop pit. |
2021 Work Sessions
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| Date and Report | Objectives and Accomplishments |
|---|---|
| December 11 View Report | – Install metal stakes in inspection pit. – Maintenance of way and equipment maintenance. |
| November 20 View Report | – LONG LEAF COMMUNITY FALL FESTIVAL. |
| November 13 (Special Work Session) View Report | – Unload Anglina City Lumber Co. (ALCLCO) Log Car #315. – Inspection pit work. – Test passenger car. |
| November 6 View Report | – Move Santee River Hardwood #3 to machine shop. – Temporary repairs to drop pit. |
| October 23 (Special Work Session) View Report | – FIRST ANNUAL LONG LEAF STEAM-UP. |
| October 20 (Special Work Session) View Report | – Unloading Santee River Hardwood #3. |
| October 16 View Report | – Replace ties using mini-excavator. |
| September 18 View Report | – Replace ties. – FC&G M-4 dashboard repair. |
| September 4 View Report | – Re-install lead truck on FC&G M-4. – Cleanup work. |
| August 21 View Report | – Archival work & assistance. – FC&G M-4 repairs. – Begin drop pit reconstruction. |
| July 17 View Report | – FC&G M-4 repairs. – Replace ties on loop. |
| June 19 View Report | – Drop pit demolition work. – FC&G M-4 truck removal. |
| May 22 View Report | – FC&G M-4 repairs. – Track repair & inspection. – Planer restoration. |
| May 1 View Report | – Demolition of drop pit walls. – Engine house cleanup. – Motorman training. |
| April 23 (Special Work Session) View Report | – Drainage repair at planer mill. – Concrete pier block cleanup. |
| April 17 View Report | – Engine house cleanup. – Guest tours. – Evaluation of drop pit repair project. – Evaluation of FC&G M-4 completion project. – Weed spraying and maintenance of way. |
| March 20 View Report | – Machine shop shaft maintenance. – Planer mill beam replacement prep. – Controlled burn audit. |
| February 20 | – CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER. |
| February 6 View Report | – Replaced flooring in planer mill powerhouse. |
| January 23 View Report | – Retaining wall build. – New sprayer/tool car build. |
| January 9 View Report | – Washout repair & new crossing near switch #2. – RR&G #106 apron. – C&P M-8 work. – Final hurricane cleanup. |
2020 Work Sessions
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| Date and Report | Objectives and Accomplishments |
|---|---|
| December 4-6 View Report | – Fix bridge crane. – Replace wheels/axel on drop-side flat. – New windows & number plate on RR&G #106. – Engine house cleanup. – Sort rail piles. – Inspect rail critter in Georgetown. |
| November 14 View Report | – Switch repair. – Cleanup & groundskeeping. |
| November 7 (Special Work Session) View Report | – Install restored gauges & lubricator on RR&G #106. |
| October 31 (Special Work Session) View Report | – Paint RR&G #106 pilot. – Install new engineer/fireman seat on #106. – Needle-scaling #106. |
| October 24 (Special Work Session) View Report | – Needle-scaling RR&G #106. – Install cab doors on #106. |
| October 17 View Report | – Hurricane Delta cleanup. – Engine House & Machine Shop cleanup. – Clean out RR&G #204’s tender. – Convert “Boy Scout” gondola to weed sprayer. – Washout repairs. – Weed spraying. |
| September 26 View Report | – Clear downed trees on Long Leaf Jct. branch. – Re-guage flatcar. |
| September 5-6 View Report | – Hurricane Laura cleanup. |
| August 15 View Report | – Completed repair/rebuild of Engine House track #1. – Cosmetic work on RR&G #106. – Weed spraying. |
| July 25 View Report | – Machine shop track work. |
| July 4 View Report | – Machine shop track work. – Fairmont A-5 (C&P M-8) work. |
| June 27 View Report | – Machine shop track work. |
| June 13 View Report | – Track & switch work. – Machine shop work. |
| May 22 View Report | – Switch stand repairs. – Machine shop track rebuild. |
| May 16 View Report | – Switch & track repairs. |
| March 7 View Report | – New stencils for RR&G M-1 and M-2. – Repairs for M-4. – Switch repairs. – New washout. |
| February 21-22 View Report | – Build new weed sprayer. – Weed spraying. – Cosmetic work on RR&G #106. |
| February 15 View Report | – Repair drainage issues. – Weed spraying. |
| January 18-19 View Report | – Record how-to video with RR&G M-1. – Paint switch targets. |
| January 11-12 View Report | – Vegetation removal & groundskeeping. |
2019 Work Sessions
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| Date and Report | Objectives and Accomplishments |
|---|---|
| December 14 View Report | – Drainage re-routing. – Repair of Machine Shop wall supports. |
| November 15 View Report | – Completed repairs to wye and bridge. |
| May 31 View Report | – Weed spraying. |
| May 17-25 View Report | – Maintenance of way. – Washout repairs. |
| April 19 View Report | – Maintenance of way. – Washout repairs. |
| March 22 View Report | – Maintenance of way. – Washout repairs. |
2018 Work Sessions
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| Date and Report | Objectives and Accomplishments |
|---|---|
| December 1 View Report | – Track repair. – Returning #106. |
| November 17 View Report | – Track Repair in Car Shop. |
| October 13 View Report | – Moving RR&G #106. |
| September 1 View Report | – Work on RR&G #106 Running Gear. |
| August 22-25 View Report | – Getting #106 Rolling! |
| August 18 View Report | – Panel track laid. – Inventory. |
| August Project View Report | – Stabilizing fill under RR&G #106. |
| May 19 View Report | – Track repair & maintenance, |
| April 28 View Report | – Track repair & maintenance. |
| March 18 View Report | – Repair switch #8: Main Line Junction. |
| March 3 View Report | – Washout repairs. |
2017 Work Sessions
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| Date and Report | Objectives and Accomplishments |
|---|---|
| May 13 View Report | – Clear and repair west leg of Switchback Wye. |
| April 22 View Report | – Clear and repair west leg of Switchback Wye. |
| March 25 View Report | – Clear and repair north leg of Switchback Wye. |
| February 18 View Report | – Clear and repair north leg of Switchback Wye. |
| January 27 View Report | – Photography for new website. |