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Maintenance of Way

  • 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 flatcar

Grounds

  • Paint fence in front of ticket office
  • Secure fence posts a little more with rebar or concrete
  • Paint passenger loading deck
  • Repaint yellow marker strips on steps
  • Paint roof of Gallery and Ticket Office
  • Finish HO layout or RR&W in Gallery
  • Clean up Rockon and Rion yards

Mechanical

  • Repair roof on SAL caboose
  • Paint the Post Office Car
  • Paint the Bizet
  • Replace the Dinning Car AC system
  • #82 -install new injectors and injection pump, install aux fuel tanks, cab glass repair/ replace, bell and horn installed, brake valves rebuilt, repair #2 gear box, install battery cables, 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

Steam locomotive #44 was built by Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia, Pa. in January 1927. It was built for the Hampton & Branchville Railroad, at the time, a logging railroad at Hampton (Miley), SC. The locomotive has never been out of the state of South Carolina since being purchased by the Hampton and Branchville Railroad. Retired 1959, it was sold to the Charleston SC Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society in June, 1969. It was used by the Charleston chapter in the 1970 NRHS national convention held in Charleston along with Southern Railway steam locomotives #4501, #630, #722 and #1 2-4-2 “One Spot” privately owned by Cole and Marion Walters. After the convention, it was said to be used in and around the Southern Railway freight yard in Charleston. Ownership was transferred over to the South Carolina Railroad Museum on June 10, 1991.

A committee known as “Project 44” was created January 1, 2009 to carry out the planning, assessment, fund raising, 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. You can contact the “Project #44″ committee via email at steam@scrm.org. Any and all donations are greatly appreciated and are tax deductible.The Museum is a 501(c)(3) organization. Please make all donations payable to The South Carolina Railroad Museum, Inc. and mail to P.O. 7246, Columbia, SC 29202-7246 and in the memo line please note Project 44.

Specifications are:

  • Wheel arrangement: 4-6-0 ten wheeler
  • Builder’s number: 59751
  • Boiler pressure: 180psi
  • Cylinders: diameter – 19″ stroke – 26″
  • Driving wheel diameter: 51″
  • Length of engine and tender: 56′ 7 1/2″>
  • Tender capacity: 5,000 gallons of water and 8 tons of coal

Copies of this print can be acquired for a donation of $30 or more towards the restoration fund of ex-Hampton & Branchville steam locomotive #44. The picture was painted by railroad artist Frank Crowe of Calhoun, GA. All prints are signed and numbered. It depicts locomotive #44 pulling freight across the Low Country swamp lands of South Carolina on the Hampton & Branchville Railroad. The size of the print is 12″ x 18″. The actual picture size is 10″ x 14”. Prints can be acquired at the South Carolina Railroad Museum’s Gift Shop or contact the Fairfield Chamber of Commerace at 803-635-4242 (9am-5pm Weekdays) or via email at steam@scrm.org.