At 1600, Friday afternoon, I set out east... to Long Leaf, LA for a weekend of workin' on the railroad. Saturday morning I had the pleasure of meeting Louis Salliard, the man that bought and donated the M4 to the Southern Forest Heritage Museum in Long Leaf. I was fortunate to capture Louis on film piloting the M4 for the first time. After returning to the Depot I took my first load of paying passengers out on the line. That's something I'll never forget! After lunch, Everett I retrieved a few hundred pounds of rail spikes from the woods near Sandersville Crossing while Bill and David worked on the former SCL S2 motor car's engine. They successfully started it for the first time in about 10 years.

Early Sunday morning Everett and I took the M4 out to survey the line for all the spots that will need the attention of future work parties. Before heading home we measured the degrees of curvature for nearly the entire loop. I made it back to Spring about 5:00 PM, completing another fun weekend workin' on the railroad.

Saturday

Looking east from the main road crossing. The grade is near 4% here

Main road crossing

Looking west towards the main road crossing.

The M4 is headed east.

Extra M4 East

Louis Salliard (the donor of the M4) is piloting this run

Everett & Louis

chatting about M4

Louis piloting the M4 towards the Commissary and near the UP Main

Everett taking the M4 to Sandersville

Current end of the serviceable track near Sandersville Crossing

On the west side of the tracks facing Sandersville Crossing. Several partially scrapped pieces of rolling stock were abandoned here in the 1960's when the RR shutdown.

East side of the line looking south at the M4 near the Sandersville road crossing. The tracks at this point will be returned to service some day.

East of the line looking north

Mainline Jct - MP 13.1

M4 at the Commissary Depot

The UP Main is on the left. 5-6 trains

per day roar through Long Leaf.

Looking RR east

from the Depot

Looking RR west

towards the depot

M4 at the Commissary Depot

Left - Everett Lueck (Conductor)

Center - Me (Engineer/Motorman)

Right - Loius Salliard (M4 donor)

Dave, Bill, and Everett work to get a former Seaboard Coast Line S2 running. This pop-car's engine hasn't turned over in a decade. After about 2 hours they managed to get it fired up. Click here for the video.

The Saw Mill

M4 coming out of the woods

RR&G MP 13.0

Heading towards Sandersville

Note restoration work on the 1919 McGiffirt Log Loader

Long Leaf at Night

One of the perks to being a volunteer is getting to sleep in the town at night. It's really a peaceful, quiet place.

There was only a half-moon this night, so I've lightened these photos a bit.

The Engine House

Looking south from t

he Planer Mill

The Saw Mill

The Lumber Storage

 Shed & Motel

The Planer Mill

Sunday

M4

Up close & personal

M4 along side the Engine House

The Museum recently acquired and erected this fire tower

I didn't climb all the way to the top due my completely irrational dislike of arachnids.

However, I did go high enough to get the shots below.

The RR&G Station Agent's House

I've been experimenting with PhotoShop techniques to back-date some of my photos

This is my tribute to Roger Hogan: here is a red-headed

woodpecker doing what a woodpecker does; peck wood.

Before heading home, Everett and I measured the degrees of curvature for all of the curves on the loop.