You are correct. Water does not compress. If not drained, it can cause damage to any and all parts of the cylinder assembly. This includes the cylinder casting itself- Which if that happens is a major disaster!
Two views on the Monarch Branch in June of 1978, both by Bob Jordan GP30s 3006 and 3002 Two crewmen on the rear platform of caboose 01471 keep watch as the train rolls into the lower switchback at Garfield.
UP 8444 rolling along near the Colorado/Wyoming border with an excursion headed for Cheyenne, June 1976 (Bob Jordan) Precision National GP9 176, ex-UP, Denver, CO, 1979 (Bob Jordan)
Anyone have some background on this PNC unit being in Denver? I know the Rock Island had some, but don't see any indication here of such an association?
According to UtahRails, it was UP 176, retired in 1977, sold to PNC. Could have been a lease unit on CRIP. http://utahrails.net/up-diesel-roster/up-diesel-roster-02.php#gp9-130
I made an assumption on the location of the photo, seeing as there isn't a lot to go off of. I'm probably incorrect in saying that it's Denver. More likely this is probably somewhere in the Midwest as other photos of this unit I found online around this time period are of it in Illinois. So there's a good chance that it's not in Colorado. (It's what happens when I look after I post things. )
In a slightly earlier view than the one posted earlier, the Ski Train heads towards the Rockies near Tunnel 1 in Coal Creek Canyon, 1970s (Bob Jordan) Another on the Monarch Branch, featuring the same train as before headed by GP30 3006, June 1978 (Bob Jordan)
I had a video somewhere, of those GP30's on the Monarch Branch, amazing to watch that train going back and forth up those switchbacks!! Woulda' been even sweeter to see in person!!
The whole freight pulled by Rio Grande 3006, rolling downgrade on the Monarch Branch, June 1978 (Bob Jordan) An odd couple, being Conrail C630 6761 and Cleveland Electric GP38-2 105, are part of the power of a CEIX coal train at 152nd Street in Cleveland, OH, January 11, 1977 (????)
Somehow I had never seen a CE photo. Nice. But this Rio Grande picture I will rate right up at the top of all we have seen so far!
Precision National GP7 125, ex-UP, June 1979 (Bob Jordan) NP RS11 909, Galesburg, IL, May 14, 1970 (Jules Johnson)
Bangor & Aroostook GP9 78, June 1973 (Bob Jordan) CB&Q Dome Sleeper 380 (one of the NCL Pool Cars), Minneapolis, MN, May 3, 1970 (Rik Anderson)
DT&I Bicentennial GP38-2 1776, Flat Rock, MI, September 1976 (N. Chase) SCL Bicentennial U36B 1776, Oklahoma City, OK, November 1972 (J. Primm)
The Monarch branch was one fine piece of RR engineering, I remember as a kid traveling between Pueblo and Montrose CO and seeing this stretch of the Rio Grande. Is was a very steep, a fiend of mine said you did not get much over 10mph or you might loose control. Empties shoved up, and loads down, limestone for CF&I steel in Pueblo most, if not all the time. The westbound would leave 1/2 their train at Maysville then shove up thru the switchbacks at Garfield swap for loads at the quarry, pull (not much pulling involved) loads down to Maysville and take the other 1/2 up and do the same back down to Maysville gather up their train and ease on down to Poncha Springs and then into Salida CO. He said it was narrow gauge until 1956, and the grade some places was 4.5%, with some 18 degree curves (STD gauge) thrown in for good measure. Retainers were used, and sometimes 15+ lbs of air. Yesssir quite a piece of RR.
Some 1980s narrow gauge, with a D&SNG train heading out of Durango in 1983 (????) SP/UP Train 102, the eastbound City of San Francisco, rolls out of Oakland, CA behind a quartet of SP PAs, January 1961 (Thomas G. Acheson)