The glamour and the grit of railroading. Mr. Delano didn't spend all his trip ensconced in Pullman luxury. Here he skims the catwalks with the brakemen and samples the grit, as the glamour drifts downgrade in the form of the five year old streamlined Chief. Probably not a coincidence that Northern 3770 was built the same year the Chief went stainless.
Yes. Perhaps two does not a gaggle make. But I did say Mikes. I guess I wasn't clear. I was saying that it is the equipment and territory west of LaJunta that seems to impress people. But the Santa Fe was still one hell of a railroad, even across the plains.
What is the 'house' around the front of the engine all about? A mechanical stoker would be machinery between the tender and the cab of the locomotive. The Dynamometer car is following the tender.
They weren't making sure the stoker kept working, they were trying to determine if it distributed the coal in the firebox as well as a fireman did. If it just left a smoldering pile of coal, instead of spreading it across the grate where it could get enough oxygen to flash, that would affect performance. I think I read somewhere that the earliest designs had that problem. The performance, the bottom line, is what they wanted to know. I can't explain the platform around the smokebox. I've seen it in other pics. Obviously the weather affects the form it takes, because I've seen open platforms too. But why a tech is needed on the nose I don't know.
Same image just zoomed in a bit and the dust specs photoshoped away. March 1943 at Corwith yard, Chicago, Ill. Jack Delano photo from Library of Congress collection.
Same day at Corwith yard. Jack Delano photo. The snow does not stay long where the ground is covered with all the coal dust and ash.
Ooops. I made a mistake on this one. I guess I will leave it here for now. Not Santa Fe but C&NW. Still Chicago but different date. It is at the roundhouse and coaling station at the C&NW Railroad yards, Chicago, Ill. Jack Delano Photo, Dec. 1942.
Number 5004 was one of ten Texas-type built by Baldwin in 1938. The 2-10-4 type was first built for the Texas & Pacific RR deriving their name from there. Intended as a heavy freight locomotive, their power and speed made them quite effective on passenger trains as well. The Santa Fe eventually ordered 25 more of the type that were equipped with roller bearings and numbered in the 5011 class. Four of the 5011s are preserved today as well as their predecessor 2-10-4 #5000, the "Madam Queen".
Pulling an excursion train near Azusa, California up to Cajon Pass in 1955. Screen shot from a Pentrex video.
No. 1225 is in La Junta, Colorado on January 23, 1919. This 4-6-2 Pacific was built by Burnham, Williams & Co in 1903 and rebuilt (superheater added as well as other updates) by the Santa Fe in 1914. Photograph by Otto Conrad Perry. Denver Public Library Digital Collection.
It is likely that the Otto Perry one has been colorized. I don't believe that he was known for shooting any color film especially in 1919.
