The dog days of summer are certainly in full swing but working in the shade made the day productive for the crew this past Saturday. The morning started early with getting the club riding lawnmower up and running with a new battery with Robby getting things started on the west end of the railroad plowing through grass that was about two feet tall or taller in some places. Darryl took over and spent the rest of the day tackling the east end of the railroad having to cut some areas twice because things were so tall.

The rest of the day consisted of John T., Rick, “Bob Jr.”, Dave E., Robby, and Norm working on the Grandma Line. The crew got a lot done but fell 4 panels shorts of completing the project. The crew will be back out on Saturday, July 26th to finish the project and perform test runs on the new line. We invite everyone to come out for the big photo opportunity for this project as many of you know it has been a project of passion for John for several years and we want to celebrate the moment.

Our next workday is scheduled for this Saturday, July 12th starting at 8:30 a.m. It appears that the goats have been on vacation this summer, as the grass is extremely tall and in need of cutting.  If you have a riding mower and can bring it to the site to help cut grass that would be greatly appreciated. Our club riding mower should be operational but may need a little encouragement to get started. We are also looking to make big progress on the Grandma Line this weekend.  John T has most everything ready for us to install the last 60 or 70 feet of track, and if we get a large enough group for the workday, we could finish the Grandma Line this weekend.

A small crew went to the site this past Saturday and worked on a variety of projects. The crew consisted of John T, Calvin, Kenneth, and the Howards. John T reports that he thought that Kenneth worked the hardest picking up limbs and debris along the track most of the day, while John H and Calvin braved the direct sun to work on locomotives. Meanwhile in the shade, John T lifted track panels and set the crush and run forms on the remainder of the Grandma line (except for the grade crossing).

We are almost done with the Grandma Line. Be on the lookout for a big workday push to finish the Grandma Line in the coming weeks. If all goes well and we have enough volunteers, we could finish the project in a single workday.

Our next workday is planned for Saturday, June 28th, at 8:30 a.m. We are planning on working on a few projects around the railroad, including the Grandma Line, and whatever other projects club members are working on around the property. Please come out and help with any of these projects or other projects going on. Don’t forget to check out our project page to see what is either currently in progress or in the planning stage. A lot of opportunities to get involved.

Make sure you bring tools, lunch, and plenty to drink. See you around the railroad.

I hope everyone is doing well.  It seems like the days, weeks, and months are flying by this year, and hard to understand how we are at the halfway point in the year.  We have several members who have been out because of illness, while others have been traveling, and a few of us are continuing to work harder than we should.    We wanted to make sure everyone is up to speed on the summer calendar, as I've had several people ask. 

Here is what we have on the calendar at this point.

Another great day sharing our railroad with so many friends. The day started a little wet but cleared, and made for a beautiful day. A thank you to our members, volunteers, and visitors for making the day so much fun.

We look forward to seeing everyone around the railroad in the fall when we run again. In the meantime, if you're interested in learning more about our group or becoming a volunteer, please stop by during one of our workdays or contact us for more information.

The railroad comes alive again on Saturday, May 17th from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Come out with friends and family to ride the rails of the Conyers & Hightower Trail Railroad. The volunteers have been hard at work making improvements to the railroad and are ready to bring the railroad back to life. The cost is $2 per person per ride on the railroad and riders must be at least 18 months old or older. No expectant mothers allowed to ride on the railroad. Tickets can be purchased on site. CASH Only. No Credit Cards or Debit Cards.

The railroad is located at 1632 Centennial Olympic Parkway, Conyers, GA 30012 next to the Steeplechase Grounds at the Georgia International Horse Park. For more information about our ride days please visit ride day webpage

The railroad comes alive again on Saturday, May 17th from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Come out with friends and family to ride the rails of the Conyers & Hightower Trail Railroad. The volunteers have been hard at work making improvements to the railroad and are ready to bring the railroad back to life. The cost is $2 per person per ride on the railroad and riders must be at least 18 months old or older. No expectant mothers allowed to ride on the railroad. Tickets can be purchased on site. CASH Only. No Credit Cards or Debit Cards.

The railroad is located at 1632 Centennial Olympic Parkway, Conyers, GA 30012 next to the Steeplechase Grounds at the Georgia International Horse Park. For more information about our ride days please visit ride day webpage

While we didn’t have an official workday on the schedule today, it was John’s official weekend to come out to the railroad. He spent time on the container mural, along with installing a retaining wall for the “Grandma Line”. A big thanks to John and his commitment to getting this project a step closer to being completed. Our next official workday is coming up on Saturday, May 10th, as we prepare the railroad for our May 17th public run day. Please come prepared to perform track maintenance, cut grass, and have a good time. Workday begins at 8:30 a.m.