Hi everyone! Here's this week's picks. Alan with a DRS Class 68 badlandnp with a DPU pair GeorgeV with 1225 at night HemiAdda2d with the Empire Builder co_riff with a D&H hopper YoHo with UP intermodal Mike VE2TRV with a CP C424 r_i_straw in Roanoke and Hardcoaler with a very appropriate shot for this time of the year
Thanks Legoman -- International selections and from all seasons too. Thanks too for including my snowy NS shot.
Glad you like it. This was taken during the night watch about 3AM on Saturday Dec 3. 'Tis the season for North Pole Express excursions at the Steam Railroading Institute which are run on Friday evening, 2 runs Saturday and Sunday. During the night hours we do servicing (grease rods and other fittings, oil in the lubricators and journals , water in the tender, and coal if needed). The volume of steam in the picture is due to a boiler blowdown being done. Depending on how much solid material is floating around in the boiler, we may discharge water 8 or 10 times per night, enough to lower the water level in the boiler about 5 inches per blowdown on the water glasses. We then run the injector to pull fresh water from the tender. The blowdown valve is on the lower side of the firebox. The water and steam is piped to the top of the boiler to a centrifugal separator. Steam goes out the top and water comes out a discharge near the ground. It's a spectacular and noisy operation. There I go again - too much information! George V.
