The North Carolina Railway Museum (NCRM) at 3900 Bonsal Road in Bonsal is inviting volunteers to come help work on the group’s recently acquired rolling stock, including ACL baggage-express car 1665, formerly baggage-RPO 704. Work on the 1665 will include installing four historically accurate new doors funded by an NRHS Heritage Grant. The next work day is Saturday, June 10, and other work days are scheduled for July 15, August 12, September 23, and November 4. The work days start at 9AM and go to mid- to late afternoon, weather permitting. Come in work clothes, and bring any right-angle grinders, scrapers, etc. that you may have. Bring your own lunch, and parking is available along the train platforms on Daisey Street. If you can volunteer, please contact Victor Varney at rvv1@pacbell.net so he can get a headcount.
The North Carolina Transportation Museum (NCTM) in Spencer is also seeking volunteers to help work on Seaboard Decapod 544. The 544 is one of the few survivors of the so-called "Russian" Decapods that were built for Russia but became stranded in the U.S. NCTM cosmetically restored the engine to its SAL appearance, and it joined ACL Ten-wheeler 1031 there as rare remaining examples of steamers from our railroads. The museum is now giving the 544 a fresh facelift (shown here in the NCTM shops recently) and invites applications to join the volunteer team working on the locomotive; if interested please contact June Hall, NCTM Historic Interpreter, at june.hall@ncdcr.gov or (980) 305-6274.