New Adventure

fitz Oct 18, 2002

  1. fitz

    fitz TrainBoard Member

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    I'm off on another secret mission involving (is there anything else?) steam this weekend. My scanner is acting up but hopefully I will have some lo-res results to post Sunday night when I get back home. This message will self destruct in 10 seconds. :eek:
     
  2. Alan

    Alan Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Good luck on the mission Jim [​IMG] (I got in a reply just before the message self-detructed) :D
     
  3. Telegrapher

    Telegrapher Passed away July 30, 2008 In Memoriam

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    Me too. Good luck [​IMG]
     
  4. Ironhorseman

    Ironhorseman April, 2018 Staff Member In Memoriam

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    I'll be a-watchin for ya Jimbo *poof*!
     
  5. fitz

    fitz TrainBoard Member

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    Hey, you guys are great! Dick, I won't make it that far south this time. Bill, hope to be waving at you. (In the State of Jefferson). ;)
     
  6. Colonel

    Colonel Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Jim,

    Looking forward to seeing the pics on Sunday :D
     
  7. abcraghead

    abcraghead Banned - Too much mouth for a little boy

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    Hmm... steam... fairly close.... I have my guesses, but I'll wait to see Sunday.

    Impatiently. Of course.
     
  8. satokuma

    satokuma TrainBoard Supporter

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    Go get em Jim..

    Since I lived in the State of Jeferson for awhile I envy you this trip. Look forward to seeing the Fall pics.....
     
  9. fitz

    fitz TrainBoard Member

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    As promised, here are the first lo-res images, basically video freeze frames. Better stuff later when my film gets processed. This was a photographer's special on the McCloud River RR, and it was a fantastic weather day, only about a dozen photogs. Train was a freight with ancient cars, short hopper, two old boxes and two old tanks, plush caboose where we rode. Wonderful day. First pic, first light, Mt. Shasta. :D [​IMG]
     
  10. fitz

    fitz TrainBoard Member

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    We even had a legitimate hotbox. Despite the fact that the crew packed the journals properly, the cars had not run in a long time and we did have a problem. :( [​IMG]
    Let's see if we can do another image in this message.
    [​IMG]
     
  11. abcraghead

    abcraghead Banned - Too much mouth for a little boy

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    Hey hey hey! Interesting stuff! More more more!!!
     
  12. Alan

    Alan Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Those look great Fitz! Lovely bright weather, and steam - your must have been in paradise [​IMG]
     
  13. Hytec

    Hytec TrainBoard Member

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    Good Grief ... I haven't seen a real hotbox since the late 40's! :eek: I assume the journal wasn't damaged too badly since you didn't say the car was set out or the trip cancelled. [​IMG]

    Great photos Jim! [​IMG] What software are you using for capturing video images? It does a nice job giving sharp images. I have Snappy(tm) which does such a lousy job that I don't use it any more.

    [ 21. October 2002, 12:41: Message edited by: Hank Coolidge ]
     
  14. Peirce

    Peirce Passed away April 3, 2009 In Memoriam

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    Makes me wish I was there. Can't wait for more pix. [​IMG]
     
  15. fitz

    fitz TrainBoard Member

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    Hank, we repacked the journals after they cooled down. Boiling grease is interesting stuff! Pullled the cars back to the yard before setting them out. [​IMG]
    I have had decent results with a Snappy, but this Panasonic camcorder has a "still" photo mode. Software came with it to allow downloading from the camera. It's pretty decent for lo resolution. My flatbed scanner is acting up so I don't know if the photo images will be any better. :(
    Alan, it was, nearly, paradise. All we could have asked for were a few clouds. It was about 40 degrees at first light, so the steam was pretty spectacular. It soon warmed to 70 and clean stack was the order.
    I also stopped in Yreka on the way home and had another visit with Ironhorseman. The Yreka Western (and Bill ) run a great operation. Unfortunately next weekend is their last scheduled steam operation for this year. Bill's 2-8-2 No. 19 is a sister to McCloud No. 18, and once was operated by the McCloud. :D
     
  16. satokuma

    satokuma TrainBoard Supporter

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    Great shots Jim..look forward to seeing your 'hig-res' on the web site. I am stumbling to get the SPS700 trip begining up on web site..will let you know when it is up....
     
  17. Ironhorseman

    Ironhorseman April, 2018 Staff Member In Memoriam

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    Hi everyone! Fitz asked me to write this experience for all of you who love steam, to enjoy as I try and paint word pictures in your head, so here goes:

    Some of you might know that I am the engineer of old number 19 at the Yreka Western RR located just under the Oregon border in northern California. The story that I am going to relate to you took place late last August.

    During the summer months we pull a steam excursion train Wednesdays through Sundays, which is scheduled to depart the Yreka station at 11:00AM. The excursion presents a problem to our revenue making freight service, which runs every day except Sundays. In view of the fact the freight must be moved in a way not to interfere with the steam excursion, the crew who run the freight start work at 5:00AM, which will normally get them back at the mill and 'in the hole' so that we can pass by them around 11:30AM. Freight is hauled by a 1953 EMD SW8, which consisted of heavy wood chip cars and bulkhead or centerbeam flat cars to haul plywood laminates material.

    On this particular day, my fireman and I had old #19 steamed up, oiled, greased, with a full tender of water and fuel. We had just hooked up with the consist when the office manager came out and told me that the freight train had mechanical problems, fouling the mainline just east of the Shasta River bridge. I soon learned that there was a major problem with the air supply from the control stand within the diesel's cab. The owner of the railroad drove out and picked up the crew, who were going to attempt to repair the problem.

    It was decided the passengers could have a full refund, or retain their tickets for a future run in addition to a no charge halfway run. Most everyone elected to go on the free excursion. So we departed the depot and proceeded for approximately 4.5 miles to the Shasta River Bridge. The freight crew rode with us and took some tools and extra parts with them to attempt to fix the problem with the diesel. We waited for them to make the repairs, but they were not successful. The owner of the railroad directed me to take the passengers back to Yreka and then return to assist the diesel / freight in any way possible.

    I backed the consist all the way back to Yreka and let the passengers off, then moved the old 1915 Baldwin light 2-8-2 back down to the water tower to refill the tender, servicing the grease fittings while it filled. I then proceeded back to the location of the stalled diesel, where the crew was still trying to remedy the problem of a massive air leak by making a hand-made gasket. No go! It still would not hold air to release the brakes. I was told to move my locomotive up and hook on to the rear car so that I could push the freight train into Montague where we would set the freight out on a siding at the interchange with the Central Oregon & Pacific (CORP).

    Now the fun was about to begin! The freight consist was 4 loaded chip and 3 loaded veneer bulkhead cars, each weighing approximately 125 tons. Each of these cars dwarf the little Mike. The SW-8 weighs approximatley 260,000 pounds and was located at the east end of the freight cars. I coupled onto the rear bulkhead and awaited a signal to move ... contemplating how I was going to manage all that weight up "Pumphouse Hill" (a 2+ percent grade) from the river without slipping the drivers for about a mile and a half. We made our brake test and all was ready to proceed .. and the order came to start forward. I gave two short blasts of the whistle to acknowledge the order.

    Over the years, I have pulled freight up that grade from the front end of the consist a couple of times, but this was the first time I had to start from a stop, pushing a load that was already on the grade. Leaving the cylinder cocks open, I released the brakes and slowly opened the throttle. Expecting to lose traction, I pushed the sanding lever all the way forward and kept my other hand on the independent brake lever as the old steam locomotive started to move very, very slowly. It seemed that it was 'holding its breath' because there was no immediate exhaust ... only the furious sound of steam escaping the cylinders through the cylinder cocks. But when it did take a breath, it was massive ... and the entire consist lunged forward. I opened the throttle just a little more and gained more momentum as I closed the cylinder cocks. Slowly ... very slowly I continued to pull the throttle and gain speed as my fireman looked at me with wide eyes, then back to the stack, which was blowing smoke out and barking great volumes of compressed steam exhaust like an angry volcano. As we continued up the hill, the sound of air being sucked into the firebox was deafening, even with ear plugs. If I could only retain traction as we approached the steepest section of the track, which curved to the left then dropped down to an almost level section ... I was listening to and feeling every motion and vibration that the old locomotive made as we entered that curve .. but to my surprise, she held steady as we went through at about 5 miles per hour.

    I felt so proud of that old steam locomotive. She has been so reliable over all these years and has to rescue the diesel locomotive at least once every year. In November 2001, we had to pull freight twice with it because of electrical problems in the diesel. I am a true believer ...
    Steam rules!!! [​IMG]
     
  18. Hytec

    Hytec TrainBoard Member

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    Bill, that's a wonderful story, thanks! I wish I'd been there to hear your baby talking as she worked upgrade. :cool: [​IMG]
     
  19. watash

    watash Passed away March 7, 2010 TrainBoard Supporter In Memoriam

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    Thanks Bill, you brought back fond memories of hearing our old teakettle bark up grade! Sure wish I could have been with you! WOW!

    Those were the day my friend! :D
     
  20. fitz

    fitz TrainBoard Member

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    Watash, those were the days--Bill did that just recently on the Yreka Western. I love it when steam bails out diesels in trouble. Thanks, Bill for posting that. It is even more interesting the second time around. My photos didn't come back from the printers today. Darn. :(
     

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