Author Topic: Back when America BUILT stuff (Read 58278 times)

coelacanth · « **Reply #100 on:** June 28, 2021, 05:36:16 pm »

Hope your trip to Arizona was an enjoyable one. Pretty scenery along the river canyon but harsh country on the other side of those cliffs and Perkinsville is pretty much a place you have to want to go in order to get there.

There's a lot of old short line remnants and the remains of abandoned, narrow gauge mine railways scattered across the state. Makes for some good exploring when the weather is favorable or you're out scouting for a hunt.

WeTheArmed.com

Raptor · « **Reply #101 on:** June 28, 2021, 05:56:34 pm »

That is some seriously spectacular scenery. I'm not really much of a diesel guy (steam forever!), but I'll definitely have to add Verde Canyon to my list.

coelacanth · « **Reply #102 on:** June 28, 2021, 06:59:53 pm »

Diesel presents fewer problems when running a locomotive in this environment. One can appreciate the allure and elegance of the machines made in the heyday of steam power but they were always a bit problematic here.

Fuel was never as plentiful as in the east whether you're talking about firewood or coal and getting it where it needed to be from where it was also presented logistical difficulties.

Anything burning wood or coal is prone to producing sparks and setting fire to things in an arid environment like ours is both frighteningly easy to do and hard to contain once it happens.

Raptor · « **Reply #103 on:** June 28, 2021, 07:58:54 pm »

No argument from me there. Heck, the Durango & Silverton got in BIG trouble back in 2018 when a cinder from one of their locomotives allegedly sparked a massive wildfire.

And I'll be the first to admit that diesel-electrics are a quantum leap above steam in terms of mechanical simplicity, efficiency, and reliability. I think diesels require a third of the labor to operate and maintain a steamer, and relative fuel consumption of diesels was about 50% vs steam, and that was back in the 50s and 60s. And that's before you get into multiple-unit and (within the last few years) dispersed-power unit tech. You can run 4+ locomotives with a single crew, which is impossible with steam.

And diesels cause significantly less wear on the roadbed than steam (steam locomotives can quite literally pound the track apart) and are much less likely to explode on you. Plusto quote Doyle McCormick, "These things [steam locomotives] go into the self-destruct mode as soon as you start to run 'em." You've got several hundred pounds minimum (about 2 tons+ on larger locomotives) of reciprocating mass that's changing direction several times a second once you get up to speed.

But all that said, there's something magical, magnificent, and awe-inspiring about a steam locomotive thundering down the rails. And if there's a more hauntingly beautiful sound than a steam locomotive's whistle, I've yet to experience it.

coelacanth · « **Reply #104 on:** June 28, 2021, 10:35:04 pm »

Agreed. On all counts - which is why this thread is one of my all time favorites here.

booksmart · « **Reply #105 on:** June 29, 2021, 08:54:47 am »

Quote from: Raptor on June 27, 2021, 09:06:32 pm

I saw a Pentrex documentary on Cass Scenic back when I was a kid. It is a SPECTACULAR ride. I'm only... [consults Google Maps] ...eh, about 4 hours from Cass. I'd have to make it a long weekend. Maybe next year. I burned pretty much all of my PTO this year on Little Brother's upcoming wedding and my upcoming trip back to Strasburg. Speaking of which... who has two thumbs and is gonna get to DRIVE N&W 611 in less than two weeks? [points at self] THIS GUY!!!!!

She's back at the Strasburg Rail Road again, and I was lucky enough to score an Engineer Seat ticket for an In-Cab Experience.

Very cool!

Raptor · « **Reply #106 on:** July 09, 2021, 08:06:05 pm »

So... this happened!

Easily the most amazing, incredible thing I've ever done in my entire life! They let me do everything except work the brakes. I ran her about a mile up the track, stopped her, ran her a mile back, then out & back again. Very hot (must've sweated off about five pounds in a half hour!) and extremely loud (I stupidly chose not to wear hearing protection, darn near blew my eardrums out when I blew the whistle!), and surprisingly hard work: the throttle is biased closed and it takes a lot of effort to open. No pics from inside the cab per the railroad's rules, but the wife of the guy riding in the jumpseat took those pictures of me (very nice couple!), and some high-quality "portraits" of me in the cab should be forthcoming courtesy of the railroad within a few days.

coelacanth · « **Reply #107 on:** July 11, 2021, 11:30:24 am »

Sweet!

Bucket list day for sure.

goatroper · « **Reply #108 on:** July 11, 2021, 04:02:58 pm »

booksmart · « **Reply #109 on:** July 12, 2021, 09:21:22 am »

aikorob · « **Reply #110 on:** July 13, 2021, 05:19:56 pm »

is the regular engineer still tied up behind the roundhouse?

after that, the rest of the bucket list is just minor

Raptor · « **Reply #111 on:** July 13, 2021, 05:53:22 pm »

Quote from: aikorob on July 13, 2021, 05:19:56 pm

is the regular engineer still tied up behind the roundhouse?

after that, the rest of the bucket list is just minor

LOL! Dangit, I knew I forgot to do something before I left!

Actually, he was standing beside me the whole time (he was the one working the brakes and telling me what to do & when to do it).

As luck would have it, I just got some high-quality photos of my experience from the Strasburg Rail Road, but the site is being a pain and saying they "failed security checks." I'll monkey around and see if I can't get them to upload on a separate post.

Raptor · « **Reply #112 on:** July 13, 2021, 05:58:26 pm »

Okay, let's try this:

Is it working? There should be five pictures. I can see them, but I don't know if anyone else can.

cpaspr · « **Reply #113 on:** July 13, 2021, 07:02:26 pm »

I can't.

Raptor · « **Reply #114 on:** July 13, 2021, 07:41:44 pm »

Carp. Let's try this again....

AH SONOVABEECH! STILL NOT WORKING! Can't embed them and the farkin' forum won't let me attach them!

Ugh....

I uploaded everything to my Google Photos account and created a separate album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/CbXfvsDnGvajwjar9 Apologies for making you go to a different website but this is the best I can come up with off the top of my head.

coelacanth · « **Reply #115 on:** July 14, 2021, 04:48:46 pm »

No worries. That grin on your face in the two that were posted tells us all we need to know.

Raptor · « **Reply #116 on:** November 11, 2021, 04:00:48 pm »

Don't have any good pics, but Western Maryland Scenic (former Chesapeake & Ohio) 1309 is completing final testing and is on track (pun very much not intended) to be pulling excursion trains next month. At which point she'll be the largest steam locomotive operational east of the Mississippi and the largest steam locomotive in regular service in the United States (Big Boy doesn't count as being "in regular service" since UP only takes her out once or twice a year). I'm not gonna be able to make it this year, but next year for sure!!!

coelacanth · « **Reply #117 on:** November 12, 2021, 01:00:20 pm »

Sounds like good clean fun. Well, as long as you aren't downwind . . .

Since pics are sometimes problematic perhaps a day diary and a detailed description of the event should be recorded to share with interested parties. Just a thought.

Raptor · « **Reply #118 on:** November 12, 2021, 03:14:52 pm »

Maybe I'm crazy (yeah, lol, ain't no "maybe" involved), but I find downwind of a steam locomotive the best place to be!

Raptor · « **Reply #119 on:** November 12, 2021, 03:16:10 pm »

Testing.

EDIT: Oh, NOW the good 611 pics seem to work!

EDIT THE SECOND: Okay, looks like maybe 1 or 2 of the pics are failing the attachment security check, but the others seem to be okay.

coelacanth · « **Reply #120 on:** November 14, 2021, 01:11:06 pm »

Nice. thanks for sharing.

And, for the record, yes - the smell of coal fired machinery is nostalgic. I welcome it in smallish doses but it can be problematic long term so I tend to only use it for small jobs like a bit of metal forging or when I fire up the computer.

Raptor · « **Reply #121 on:** November 19, 2021, 02:41:47 pm »

No pictures or video (yet, at least none that are shareable here), but Western Maryland Scenic 1309 passed her final FRA inspection yesterday and conducted her first successful (as far as I know) test run today.

Raptor · « **Reply #122 on:** November 20, 2021, 09:25:31 am »

Cribbed from WMSR's Fecalbook page.

goatroper · « **Reply #123 on:** November 20, 2021, 12:55:04 pm »

And sometimes built wrong stuff.

From: https://truebluesam.blogspot.com/2021/11/weekend-steam-strange-and-extreme.html

coelacanth · « **Reply #124 on:** November 20, 2021, 02:17:18 pm »

Giant, Soviet era, steam locomotive with flangeless drive wheels. What could possibly go wrong in that scenario?