Thanks Shannon .. I appreciate that. Jim .. I don't think the tunnel is visible from the highway on the north side. Trees obscure the portal. Maybe from a high spot across the freeway. ~shrug~ I have answered the question about access at Altamont Press just a few minutes ago. I'm going to try and be there when the first train comes through too. I have alittle latitude though because I know the man in charge and I have permission from the head man at CORP to enter their right of way. We'll just have to wait and see what happens.
Hi Tim ..welcome to Trainboard. The boiler needs to be retubed, xrayed, ultra-sound, calculations and inspection; staybolts under the fire bricks have to be drilled out through and through, or replaced; super heater tubes need to be cleaned, inspected and pressure tested; front sheet needs some work; smoke box needs patching; replace exhaust nozzle and petticoat; install the nose plate and smoke box inspection door; brake cylinders need to be rebuilt and certified; air tanks need to be hammer & pressure tested; air pump(s) need to be rebuilt; air governor needs to be rebuilt; new fire bricks have to be installed; sand domes have to be reset, throttle body needs to be installed; recap the steam dome: Crown, flexbolts and all other staybolts need to be inspected; new floor in the cab; install all new insulation in the cab backhead and on the boiler barrel; install boiler and backhead lagging; install all pipes, tubes, electrical, instruments, hydrostatic oiler and injectors, whistle and do some rust control painting .. just to name a few. Obviously, there's a lot of work to be done. Then, IF the loco is finally back to gether, it'll have to pass FRA inspection(s). Not likely we'll run her this year .. maybe never again. Wanna get yer hands dirty? We could use your help once we get started. ;o) [ March 01, 2005, 09:48 PM: Message edited by: Ironhorseman ]
Bill, If work on the 19 begins again over the summer I could probably try and go up and help work on her. I never really had teh chance to work on a steam locomotive before, but I know quite a bit about them and helping working an her will give me a chance to see work on a locomotive besides those I have seen in pictures. One thing I'd like to do is maybe run the 19 if that ever happens.
Tim - Your labor would be greatly appreciated if and when we start work on her again. However, the best thing that may expect as far is any operational function of the train is working as a fireman. To engineer the train requires a license. I worked as a volunteer for about 8 years during which time over the last 3 years I was broke in as a fireman. I then was provided with a 'student license' to learn how to handle the train, (I had to have a licensed engineer with me while doing so). I have been a licensed engineer to operate the train by myself for the past 4 years. I have to say it was worth the wait and an answer to a life time dream. I'm a lucky guy. If you have the patience to wait it out and keep working with the crew, I suspect that something could work out for you one way or another.
Bill, Thanks for the input on how to be able to run the 19. I don't really care how long it takes to get there I'd just be happy get the chance to fire a locomotive and I don't care how hot and dirty it is. In "Emperor of the North" the 19 is shown as a coal burner, but in pictures I've seen of her prior to that on the Yreka and McCloud River, and after on the Oregon Pacific and Eastern she is an oil burner, was the 19 converted to coal for the movie or was a differnt locomotive used for the scenes in the cab? [ March 03, 2005, 01:19 PM: Message edited by: SP Cabforward ]
Tim - The 19 was originally a coal burner when it was built for the Caddo & Choctaw lumber company in Arkansas. It was soon sold to the American Mining & Smeltering company in Mexico to haul raw materials for world war 1. We believe while in Mexico it was converted to oil because it was an oil burner when it was sold to the McCloud River RR. In the Emperor of The North, the oil tank was removed and replaced with a small fuel tank, which was out of view behind a false coal bin with a small amount of coal within. Because she was originally a coal burner, she has a large firebox, which makes her fairly easy to keep up pressure.
Bill, What is the verdict on the Yreka Western and is the tunnel about ready to be re-opened to traffic?
No 'verdict' on the YWRR yet. There's still a court battle over who owns the railroad. Next hearing will be on the 16th. I'll try and attend that one too and report to you afterward. The tunnel should have its first train pass through it in another week or two. Scuttle butt has it that CORP wants to borrow a couple of passenger cars from the McCloud to haul a bunch of dignitaries up to the tunnel for the grand re-opening. Now that would be something to see because UP has a clause in the lease of the Siskiyous line ... NO passenger service! If they do it, maybe it will open the door for the YWRR to take the Blue Goose to Weed once in awhile.
Bill- Would that really be considered as being a passenger train? Seems that the occupants aren't paying customers. And it's directly RR business. Boxcab E50
I don't know if it has any direct bearing on being a 'paying' fare or not Boxcab. I think is more an issue about insurance and liability for the riders. I would have to also question if the definition of an excursion train qualifies as a passenger train.
Bill, In 1996 CORP had ran a rail mileage exursion train over the Siskiyou Line before UP took over the SP, was SP's rules different than the UP's?
Seems to me this just would not fit the definition of a passenger train. To me, that only happens when members of the general public pay to ride. This is private RR company business. More or less, just like having an oversized crew running a train...? Guess we'll soon see the outcome. Boxcab E50
Just remembered something, what about in 1999 when Amtrak ran a talgo down from Eugene down to Ashland? That was considered a passenger train as I recall.
The C.O.R.P. has slowly and cautiously moved a train through the tunnel a few times and discovered there is a lateral clearance problem. The new opening date of the tunnel is now 1 April. *April Fool*!!! Haven't we heard this before?? L(
The saga just continues, eh, Bill? I would have thought that lateral clearances wouldn't be an issue.
Y'know Jim .. I felt the same way. Maybe it's a FRA thing (not enough clearance to pass by a hobo or sumthin like that!); Or, maybe the new rail was not laid properly in all their haste to get it open. I donno.
