Work on the Railroad
Current Projects
In addition to completing the 1,600 feet of track on the Rion Causeway and retrofitting a baggage car for use as a generator car that can supply electrical power to our passenger cars, there are many additional projects underway at the SCRM. We are in the process of restoring a 1924 Seaboard Airline cupola caboose to its original condition. The original wood siding was replaced with metal siding probably in the 1960s. It will be returned to its original wood siding.
We recently acquired 3 baggage cars from Amtrak. As previously mentioned, two will ultimately be converted to generator cars. The third will be used to store all of our equipment and supplies for special events (Easter trains, Pumpkin Patch, and Santa trains). The Stribling building in Rion, one of the office buildings for the quarry, currently used for meetings and BBQ dinner trains, is being altered so we can use the attic space for storage.
So much of our effort is the ongoing maintenance of our equipment. Currently, we are working to replace the fuel injector on the backhoe, the head on one of our maintenance of way motorcars, and the coil on another motorcar.
Track & Rails
• Track tamping from mile marker 1.1 to 5.1.
• Install crossties as needed.
• Procure and install crossing signals at Rion Road.
• Install 85lb rail from Ruff to Phil’s Fill.
• Put brush cutter on a flatcar.
Grounds
• Paint fence in front of the ticket office.
• Secure fence posts a little more with rebar or concrete.
• Paint passenger loading deck.
• Repaint yellow market strips on steps.
• Paint Roof of Gallery and Ticket Office
• Finish HO layout or RR&W in Gallery
• Clean up Rockton and Rion yards.
Mechanical
• Repair roof on SAL caboose
• Paint the Post Office car
• Paint the Bizet
• Replace the Dining Car AC system
#82: Install new injectors and injection pump, install aux fuel tanks, cab glass repair/replace, bell and horn install, brake valves rebuilt, repair #2 gearbox, install battery cables, and replace air hoses.
Coaches: Recycle batteries, remove ditch light equipment and install on operational locomotives, repair steps on vestibules, upgrade vestibules to rubber tube type diaphragms, complete lighting upgrade, install head-end power connections, fix PA system connections between cars.
Project #44
In January 1927, steam locomotive #44 was built by Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia, P.A. for the Hampton & Branchville Railroad. The locomotive has never been out of the state of South Carolina since being purchased by the Hampton and Branchville Railroad.
A committee known as Project #44 was created in 2009 to carry out the planning, assessment, fundraising, restoration, crew training, and operation of locomotive #44. The goal is to have the locomotive restored to operating condition for use on the South Carolina Railroad Museum’s operating Railroad.
