Steam Locomotive
Friday, February 2nd, 2001
Has anyone ever driven,rode in the cab of, or worked upon a steam locomotive?
I am a railway buff and am a big fan of steam locomotives, especially foreign ones, since they are different than the ones in America, where I live. I would just like to know what the experience of being around , riding, or driving an operational one is like, having never done so myself. (although i’m making plans for it)
Yes. The opportunity to run steam is indeed hard to come by, and any engineer who says they wouldn’t jump at the chance is either being untruthful, or not a true engineer at heart.
In general, they are hot, dirty and require some physical exertion to run. Fun for a day or two, but I wouldn’t want to use them in service on a day to day basis.
I was fortunate enough to have been chosen as a fireman pilot in April, 1981, when the UP’s 4-8-4 Northern class #8444 and Challenger class 4-6-6-4 articulated #3895 when they traveled from Cheyenne, Wyoming to Sacramento, California, for the grand opening of the California State Railroad Museum.
I piloted the fireman from Sparks, Nevada to Norden, California, the top of “the hill” of SP’s famed Sacramento Division, on the Challenger, and the fireman on the 8444 from Norden to Roseville, California. Great stuff. I wish I had a dollar for every picture of the crew that was taken.
I was again fortunate when able to run, for a day, McCloud River Rail Road’s No. 25, a small Prairie class 2-6-2, and SP’s #4449, also a Northern class GS-4, for a distance when this locomotive traveled between Klamath Falls, Oregon, and Dunsmuir California, in 1986, as it was headed for the Olympics with full Daylight livery behind.
To put it in a nutshell, a diesel electric is pretty much a cold, impersonal lump of steel. Not so for an engine under steam. The cross-compound air pumps are the heart beat and can be felt as they shake the engine. The hiss of steam and the whirring of the dynamo is its breath. The water is its lifeblood, the fuel its food. The bark of the exhaust is its speaking voice, while the whistle sings. They perspire, with the odor of hot grease and oil, and they definately have their own personality.
I wish you well in your endeavor to climb aboard, run or ride on one. I guarantee it’s the most fun you’ll ever have with steel.
The BEST OLD STEAM LOCOMOTIVE VIDEO from Sibley, Iowa 2008 PART 1
|
|
Wilton Mini Locomotive Choo-Choo Train Cake Pan Mold (2105-9332, 1993) ~ 6 Cavity ~ Retired Collectible $17.99 Get close-up with your favorite shapes and create all kinds of exciting single-size desserts. Great for cakes, muffins, gelatin and brownies. Crafted of quality aluminum, this bakeware heats evenly and keeps interiors moist while allowing surfaces to gently brown. Lightweight yet durable, it also retains its shape and transfers detailing clearly to the food surface. The pan cleans easily so there’… |
|
|
Wilton Little Locomotive Choo-Choo Train Cake Pan (502-3649, 1983) The contouring of the pan outlines the form and provides a generous backing to hold the cake. Crafted of quality aluminum, this bakeware heats evenly and keeps interiors moist while allowing surfaces to gently brown. Lightweight yet durable, it also retains its shape and transfers detailing clearly to the food surface. When the party is over, the pan cleans easily so there’s less time spent in the… |
|
|
777images Digital Paintings Landscapes – A digital oil painting of a train with steam locomotive and rail cars and a clear blue sky. – Mugs A digital oil painting of a train with steam locomotive and rail cars and a clear blue sky. Mug is new. Why drink coffee out of an ordinary mug when an imprinted mug is so much cooler? Microwave safe, FDA approved. Image is printed on both sides of the mug. Dishwasher use is not recommended…. |
|
|
America’s Railroads – The Steam Train Legacy [VHS] $10.00 7 VHS Box Set: Vol.1 Â Last of the Giants, Big Trains Rolling; Vol.2 Â A Great Railroad at Work; Vol.3 Â This is My Railroad; Vol.4 Â Steam Locomotive, Freight Yard, The Railroad Signal; Vol.5 Â Progress on Rails, Wheels of Steel, Clear Track Ahead; Vol.6 Â Railroad Story, The Baltimore & Ohio Presents; Vol.7 Â The Golden Age of Steam Trains. This series faithfully records Ame… |
|
|
National Geographic’s The Great Indian Railway [VHS] $11.97 The British Empire’s legacy to India is the subcontinent’s railway system. The largest railway under single management in the world, it covers 40,000 miles and has 7,000 stations, with 11,000 trains running every day and 80 million people depending on the train for their livelihood. With a staff of 1.6 million, India’s railway is also the largest employer in the world. Steam trains and other locom… |
|
|
White Pass and Yukon Route: The Railway Built of Gold $0.99 … |
|
|
Thomas & Friends: Calling All Engines! $2.95 Summertime is always beautiful on the Island of Sodor. It is a busy time for all of the engines….but when the Steam engines and Diesels can’t get along, and no work is getting done, the engines are in a terrible mess! Will the new airport get ready in time? Will the bridge get built? Can the engines save the day?Product Measures: .5″ x 7.5″ x 5.25″Recommended Ages: 18 months & up… |
|
|
Thomas & Friends: Hop on Board – Songs and Stories $6.97 60 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital stereo; bonus audio CD; bonus footage; game; sing-along songs…. |
|
|
Train Sounds of the 40s & 50s – Steam Locomotives Original Recordings $14.99 Imagine standing track side while a variety of passenger and freight trains pass by one at a time. These are original period recordings from the 40’s and 50’s of trains powered by classic steam and diesel locomotives. It is a nostalgic revisit to the way railroads use to sound. Model railroaders play it as continual background ambiance for their layouts. The collection includes steam passenger tra… |
|
|
Train Whistle $2.59 This train whistle is a favorite of both kids and grown-ups. Blow into the four chambered whistle, recreating a steam locomotive’s call. Each whistle is 7.5″ Ages: 3+… |