The Rapture actually did occur, and it was at the Mt. Rainier Scenic Railway. What an event! Unfortunately, Boxcab's request to the management prevented me from getting any steam photos, just this one of the diesel. Not a bad diesel, an F unit. I'll be back later with more.
Ah, you ruined it. I see a steam engine in the view. :tb-wacky: Ha ha. Do you know if Tim Daubert is still engineering at MRSR? Do they still have an ALCo ("honorary steam engine") on the property? Seems like it was an S2? Boxcab E50
Actually, there was plenty of steam. Here are Polson Logging 70, Rayonier Willamette 2 and West Fork Logging Heisler 91 triple-heading away from the Elbe station at about 1130 on May 21, hauling five coaches full of happy people. Ken, I don't know Tim nor if he works there. I thought I knew most of the crew. Yes, there is an Alco RS-something up there. It looks to be in bad shape.
I don't think the 70 was on property when my grandfather was still there. Believe he'd left before then to go into business with a brother. But it might have been there. Wish he was still alive so I could ask him. When the 70 was still running excursions elsewhere, long years ago, seems like I recall she could make some decent stack talk. Did you get to hear her really work? Boxcab E50
Thanks, bravogjt, it was a labor of love. Ken, she worked hard for short periods of time and yes, has some great stack talk. She run up the hill out of Tacoma last weekend and folks were really impressed with her talk. I need to figure out how to get some of my video on here, it would tell the story. Here's another runby. The weather was total overcast and not real great for photos, but digital conquers all obstacles. and this:
Has it ever been lettered for it's one and only revenue operator, Kinzua Pine Mills? If part of a so-called "historic" collection.... Boxcab E50
I don't know if she has ever carried Kinzua while at Mt. Rainier, but here's how she looks today, plus a nice shot of Willamette No. 2.
The Two Spot sure looks great. I'd love to see and hear her in person. If I can ever over that way again. Nice photo- You caught the ringing bell just perfectly. Boxcab E50
Ken, I contacted Martin Hansen, and he said that since operating on MRSR, 91 has either carried just her number, or "Mt. Rainier Scenic" and now West Fork, never Kinzua. I found shots I took of her in 1998 and she was lettered MRSR at that time. :tb-biggrin: Oh, and by the way, when we up there last September, Mike Morgan's son pointed out that 91 does not have her third truck connected by a shaft, so she's basically a two-truck.
That's interesting. I have never heard this mentioned. I wonder how long it's been thus? All the time? And why? Were those parts missing when it came to MRSR? Boxcab E50
I don't know the answer to that. Bob Harbison who was the conductor on this trip posted a shot of his, of this staged runby where the rod engine pulling a passenger consist past a logger in the yard pulling log cars out, and the photogs shot through the log cars. He converted his to sepia, so I am blatantly copying his technique with my shot of that event.
The only thing that would make that picture look more nostalgic would be if the log cars had cheeseblocks on them.:thumbs_up:
