Engineer for an hour

[fitz]

Have any of you ever participated in the Michigan State Trust for Railway Preservation EFAH program, running the Pere Marquette Berkshire 1225? If so, I would appreciate your impressions of the experience. I will be running 1225 June 17.

[E-8]

That's very interesting. Make sure and let us know how that went and post pictures if you can do that too http://www.trainboard.com/smile.gif

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Ship It On The FRISCO! (http://www.frisco.org)

[fitz]

OOOOH, Man, just returned from that wonderful experience of running that Berk. I would recommend it to any of you who want to get the thrill of being a "real engineer" if even for only an hour. I was a bit apprehensive at seeing the office that they operate from, but they are real professionals and do a great job. You can't imagine what it feels like to crank that NYCS style reverse mechanism into full forward, open the cylinder cocks, turn on the bell, whistle off two for forward, and pull back the throttle. With your head hanging out the window watching the running gear and the cylinder blowoff, then shutting off the cylinder cocks and listeing to the stack talk......'nuff said?? I am still smiling. Pix to follow.

[Alan]

I think from your comments, that you had a good time http://www.trainboard.com/biggrin.gif I look forward to the pictures http://www.trainboard.com/smile.gif

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Alan

The perfect combination - BNSF and N Scale!

www.ac-models.com (http://www.ac-models.com)
Andersley Western Railroad (http://Andersley.homestead.com)
Alan's American Gallery (http://galleryusarail_tehcaj.homestead.com)
Alan's European Gallery (http://eurogallery.homestead.com)
Alan's British Steam Gallery (http://britishsteamgallery.homestead.com)

[Alan]

It just came back to me, I was an engineer (driver) for five minutes, in about 1961 I think. http://www.trainboard.com/biggrin.gif

I was allowed to drive a tank locomotive (against all the rules!) from Cardiff General station, onto Cardiff Canton locomotive depot. The crew who allowed me to do this were ok, as it was about 3 a.m. and very dark, so no-one saw!

A short trip, but a real thrill http://www.trainboard.com/biggrin.gif

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Alan

The perfect combination - BNSF and N Scale!

www.ac-models.com (http://www.ac-models.com)
Andersley Western Railroad (http://Andersley.homestead.com)
Alan's American Gallery (http://galleryusarail_tehcaj.homestead.com)
Alan's European Gallery (http://eurogallery.homestead.com)
Alan's British Steam Gallery (http://britishsteamgallery.homestead.com)

[fitz]

Alan,
I'm glad to hear that you got a chance to run a locomotive. The pictures (few) I have put on my site at www.pioneer.net/~fitzrr/ (http://www.pioneer.net/~fitzrr/)
After the introductory New York Central stuff, it should be the first item on the site. The only downside of this wonderful experience was that FRA rules would not allow any cameras in the cab while the train was running. All is not lost--find a friend and have him/her film you as you run. Since I ran first, we didn't have that figured out, but sure covered ther rest of the guys that ran that day.