It was 9:27AM when I finally got my hand on the throttle. I was wearing gloves, but I took one off to test the controls, not as hot in the cab as I thought it would be. . Not too confusing. Let's see, first there was the headlight, then the Johnson bar, the whistle, the direct air brake, and of course the throttle. I didn't have to worry about the injectors or the glass. I had an experienced pilot and fireman to guide me. Pulled the Johnson bar all the way back, took up the slack on the throttle, blew 2 longs on the whistle, released the air brake, pulled the throttle to the first notch and off we went. Left the steam cocks open for a few seconds to drain out any water. Wow I'm moving 100 tons of a 2-8-2 Mike and you know, the guy was right, it was 100% of tractive effort at zero rpm. We got up to a roaring five mph when it began to get difficult. The pilot said: "OK stop by that crane". Now realize I'm about 100 yards from the crane when he said it. It only took me 3 starts and stops to get to that crane. And even then it was a good thing it wasn't on the same track. We did that 2 or three times, until I showed the pilot that at least, as he said "well that's fine if we were on a stub track". I figured out the snifter valve pretty quickly and was able to get us going without any wheelslip. Steamcocks closed, Johnson bar in the company notch and we're cruisin' oh maybe 13 or 14 mph. It felt like 100. Fireman sings out "WhistlePost" Damn that whistle was loud! Of course, I let off too quickly and had to blow it again when we got to the grade crossing. Praise the Lord, noone tried to run the gates. That hurdle out of the way the pilot mentions long downgrade comming up and to let'r drift. OK, now, first I moved the Johnson bar to full steam, then backed off the throttle just enough to open the snifters... hey it worked, we went drifting down the grade without losing much speed. Of course for every downgrade, there's an upgrade. Crank on a notch of throttle, settle the Johnson bar into the notch and we're climbing. Once we got moving, I began to look around a little, kept thinking I was in a car and had to watch the road all the time. But the pilot said it was ok to wave at the people and give a toot. All this time the fireman is running the injectors and throwing a little coal on. He even washed down the floor of the cab. We're now heading back, oh I didn't mention the first part of the run was in reverse. The pilot starts me working the brake and stopping and starting on grades, I learned very quickly that "lap" "application" and "run" are like playing a violin. I expect it will take a number of years to get the feel. It really is a seat of the pants job. You have to feel things, there's no time to look at the air gage, and don't forget lots of lost motion in all those links and cranks. That was probably the shortest hour I've ever spent. And about the second most fun I ever had! The pilot and the fireman took all the anxiety out and made it a wonderful trip. I'll know in about an hour if the pictures came out. ------------------ When in doubt, empty your magazine. Member #33
Now you know where the term ROCK N' ROLL! comes from! The Only cab ride I ever got was in a little "tea pot" that used to run at the Montecello, IL. Railway Museum when I was about Ten. It was in mid-July, man the cab was HOT! It was a blast inspite of the heat and yes, although we were going only 10 to 15 MPH, we ROCKED AND ROLLED! ------------------ Brent Tidaback, Member #234 BNSF Railfan-to-the Max and a N-Scaler to boot! "Ship it on the Route of The Roadrunners!" The Aransas Odessa & Western, a division of the BNSF
Well Chris, now you know the "feel" that a diesel doesn't give you. Its the bug that bit you. Ha! A steamer is definately unique! ------------------ Watash
True Watash, but I still want to get a Diesel cab ride sometime. The Steam era was before my birth (1964) so DE's are what I like best, but I still pay my respects to the Steam Giants! ------------------ Brent Tidaback, Member #234 BNSF Railfan-to-the Max and a N-Scaler to boot! "Ship it on the Route of The Roadrunners!" The Aransas Odessa & Western, a division of the BNSF
I have ridden the cabs of both steam and diesel and electric locomotives, and they were ALL very exciting The loudest was definitely a General Motors F7 look-alike, in Belgium, in run 8 it was deafening!! Welcome back, Chris Hope to get together next time you come over ------------------ Alan The perfect combination - BNSF and N Scale! www.alancurtismodels.com Andersley Western Railroad Alan's American Gallery
Okay Chris, but if that was the second most exciting hour you ever spent, what was the most exciting? Or is that better suited to public airing on some different sort of website of the type you don't like your kids to see? Only kidding; I have cabbed dead steamers and a Bullied Pacific (a large British 4-6-2 but tiny by US standards) with a huge hot fire getting ready to depart from London's Marylebone terminus on a main line run but have never ridden a moving steam loco (standard gauge, that is - I have driven 2 1/2 inch and 5 inch gauge engines) (other than a 2 minute or so ride on a Norwegian loco at Bressingham steam museum in Norfolk (England)which was impressive but nothing like being out on a proper railway) and would love to have even 10 or 15 minutes in the cab of a steamer running at reasonable speed on a main line. Not much chance of that so I'll enjoy Watash's wonderful stories of life in the cab in the real days of steam instead! Ben
It really was something, now that I've come back to earth. I'd love to do it again. Years ago I went sky diving... ok been there, done that, and got the tee shirt. But learning to drive that engine, I could do it every day. Yeah, I know cold nights, broken equipment out in the middle of no where, but was that exciting!!! Watash, I now know from whence you speak. It's magic. ------------------ When in doubt, empty your magazine. Member #33
I can't say I've ever gotten a cab ride in a steam locomotive (not yet anyway), but I've been priviledged to ride in the cabs of diesels on three ocasions: A Friday night in 1980 in the cab of a Frisco GP15-1 on the Ft. Smith Night Switcher courtesy of a fellow Frisco modeler and SLSF brakeman); a run from Hugo, OK to Madill, OK and back in the cab of a GP35M (one on each end of the power consist) on the Kiamichi Railroad's Madill Turn (65 cars west, the same amount east) for a magazine article in Trains. This trip took place on Saturday, December 8, 1988, and; riding with Texas Northeastern Railroad's crew in Paris, TX, as they switched out local customers. The power here was an ex-Santa Fe GP7 (with the Topeka cab). The closest steamers for me to even think about riding would be the slim-gauge kettles on the D&S, C&TS, and Georgetown Loop. A guy can dream, right? ------------------ Southeast....Southwest.. Ship IT on the Frisco! Bob T. http://hometown.aol.com/slsf1630/myhomepage/profile.html
Friscobob, Chris, any of you; if you get a chance to ride in the cab of a steamer of any size, DO IT!!! By all means if you can ride a diesel, do it! These are really two diffent memories, that pretty soon will be gone forever. You will never really forget it. Its like your first date, or first kiss, or-, well, it is that very special awakening to a unique experience. ------------------ Watash
I've ridden in our Alco S2 a few times, and it's not that bad of a ride. Of course, I still prefer a ride on the porch, but when it's cold like it is now, I'm not very inclined to stay outside! Hopefully by spring our 44-ton Whitcomb will be running. That'll be a different ride, I'm sure! ------------------ Brian Schmidt railohio@hotmail.com ICQ #21630753 AIM - railohio
Watash, I've ridden in the cab of a Pennsy GG1 and a couple of Diesels (they all look alike to me)but there is nothing to compare with cracking the throttle and feeling 100 tons start to move underneath your seat! there is also nothing to compare with trying to stop the Damn thing where the pilot tells you to!!!!!!! ------------------ When in doubt, empty your magazine. Member #33
Yeah Chris, I told about stopping on a dime on an earlier thread. Its not all its cracked up to be, is it? ------------------ Watash
