If you ever in New England, You should see this. A 37% grade
(http://www.thecog.com/images/gallery/ascending_jacobs_ladder.jpg)
Wow. That's quite a picture. I would love to be there.
kevin
Pike's Peak Cog Railway is only 25% maximum grade, but still a breath taking ride.
http://www.cograilway.com/history.htm
And if you make it east, You have to see this. Its the only 3' narrow gauge railroad still in operation east of the Mississippi. Its shop complex is well over 100 years old and it is complete. Some of the tools are used now but all are in great condition and usable.
http://www.ebtrr.com/ (http://www.ebtrr.com/)
I agree - the East Broad Top is well worth the trip! Coming up from the south, you even get to see a covered bridge!
Gene
if you are in the area of the east broad top, there are 3 places relatively close you should check out.
1. altoona. railroaders museum AND horseshoe curve. nuff said.
2 cumberland, md. home of the western maryland scenic railroad. uses a 2-8-0 steamer and 2 western maryland gp30s.
3. romney, wv the potomac eagle runs excursions through a spectacular mountain gorge using a c&o fp7.
altoona and cumberland are also home to large locomotive shops and cumberland also has a hump yard.
Cog railway video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orlMEIEGxX0&feature=related
Nine step passing siding switch that is being replaced by an automatic switch.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBdCN7Ssuc0
Rich
Steamtown Scranton PA. You can walk through the yard. This was a couple of years ago.
http://www.nps.gov/stea/
(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l267/richg1998/Roundhouse2.jpg)
(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l267/richg1998/Roundhouse1.jpg)
(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l267/richg1998/th_mvi_0458.jpg) (http://s98.photobucket.com/albums/l267/richg1998/?action=view¤t=mvi_0458.flv)
(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l267/richg1998/th_mvi_0481.jpg) (http://s98.photobucket.com/albums/l267/richg1998/?action=view¤t=mvi_0481.flv)
(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l267/richg1998/th_mvi_0421.jpg) (http://s98.photobucket.com/albums/l267/richg1998/?action=view¤t=mvi_0421.flv)
(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l267/richg1998/th_mvi_0433.jpg) (http://s98.photobucket.com/albums/l267/richg1998/?action=view¤t=mvi_0433.flv)
More Yout Tube Steamtown videos.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=steamtown&aq=f
Rich
Technology at the cog railway.
http://www.thecog.com/cog_technology.php
More cog railway information.
http://www.google.com/search?pz=1&ned=us&hl=en&q=cog+railway+automatic+switch&btnmeta%3Dsearch%3Dsearch=Search+the+Web
Rich
The big show in the U.S.A. for 2009. www.trainfestival2009.com
Chama NM and Durango CO-- complete steam facilities and trips
Sacramento, CA, Golden, CO, Strasburg, PA Museums
Dear Jeff,
Ditto that on Altoona.
Open invitation to anyone traveling through this area for coffee and pie. Also, a tour if I can get away from work.
EBT is 1.25 hours from Altoona and a lot of fun up close, not too concerned with egregious safety procedures and really neat cobbled up small transportation stuff.
Stasburg, I believe has on of the last K4s Pacifics, sadly outside and rusting.
If passing through, please give me a head's up at JSMVMDatAOLperiodCOM.
Best Wishes,
Jack
The Cass railroad in WV is a great place to visit.
Illinois Railway Museum is a very great place for visit. More locally, I love the Kankakee Model Railroad Museum. They have three pieces of real equipment; a Union Pacific Caboose, fully restored ex-ATSF-ex-Amtrak coach. Finally, a restored Trolley. Not to mention they have three layouts, one in HO, one in Three-Rail O, and finally, one in N scale.
Look here:
http://www.kankakeerrmuseum.com/index.htm
IRM:
http://www.irm.org/
Joshua
Not sure it qualifies as "great" but can be an interesting spot to spend a little time: The Wilmington & Western here in Delaware.
www.wwrr.com
Ned
Tehachapi Loop - Where the train crosses over itself.
(http://www.sarget.com/traintour/tehachapi/teha-11.jpg)
Golden Spike National Historic Site - Reenactment of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad.
(http://www.sarget.com/traintour/goldenspike/goldspike-34.jpg)
Quote from: Ned on March 26, 2009, 07:44:42 AM
Not sure it qualifies as "great" but can be an interesting spot to spend a little time: The Wilmington & Western here in Delaware.
www.wwrr.com
Ned
Hi Ned
Thanks for the link. I was a NASA Contractor from 1970 to 1984 at Wallops Island, VA and was never aware of the road when I use to travel North up Rt 13. Maybe I will get down that way in the future.
Rich
Dear Ned,
A very nice little rr that I used to pass on the way to the Jersey Shore.
Rich,
Many times we stopped at Wallops info center on the way to Chincoteague. How the heck did you fight all those pesky green heads?
What did you do there, or would you have to shoot me if you told?
Best Wishes,
Jack
The Wilmington and Western has just done ALOT of reconstruction work, and is a nice ride. Plus it's all done by volunteers!
The Strasburg RR is the oldest running short line still in operation since 1832
http://www.strasburgrailroad.com/
Plus while you are visiting the Strasburg, you can just walk across the street to visit the RR museum of PA.
http://www.rrmuseumpa.org/
If you wanted to spend a weekend in the mid atlantic area, there are alot of areas to visit to see steam!
Quote from: jsmvmd on March 26, 2009, 03:35:42 PM
Dear Ned,
A very nice little rr that I used to pass on the way to the Jersey Shore.
Rich,
Many times we stopped at Wallops info center on the way to Chincoteague. How the heck did you fight all those pesky green heads?
What did you do there, or would you have to shoot me if you told?
Best Wishes,
Jack
I sent you a direct email. Off subject.
Rich
On a trip back from Scanton, I came across this viaduct/ Totally awesome.
http://www.historicbridges.org/pennsylvania/tunkhannock/index.htm (http://www.historicbridges.org/pennsylvania/tunkhannock/index.htm)
(http://www.historicbridges.org/pennsylvania/tunkhannock/newyork1122.JPG)
Key Facts
Bridge Name
Tunkhannock Viaduct
"Nicholson Bridge" Railroad (St Lawrence and Hudson / Norfolk Southern) Over Tunkhannock Creek Nicholson: Wyoming County, Pennsylvania Concrete Deck Arch, Stationary 1915 By: Flickwir and Bush
Technical Facts
length-2375 Feet (723.9 Meters)
span height-180 Feet (54.9 Meters)
Width-34 Feet (10.4 Meters)
Total height-240 Feet (73 Meters)
spans-12 (2 buried in approach fill)
If any of you ever drive the Florida Keys, you can see a lot of the Florida Keys railroad. There is a passenger car at Pigeon Key where Henry Flagler's workers stayed in buildings on the island. Tours take you down the old railroad bed/road to view the structures. You would not expect to see a railroad car in the middle of the Keys. I traveled the railroad bridges converted to car brdiges in 1960 and was very aware of how narrow the roads were. Some times cars or trucks would knock off the drivers outside mirror. The converted bridges were all replaced by 1980.
Here is a photo I took of a steel bridge that was converted to a road after the hurricane of 1935. The original tracks are inside the steel bridge.
(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l267/richg1998/Florida/Southend.jpg)
http://overseasrailroad.railfan.net/
http://www.pigeonkey.net/history.html
http://overseasrailroad.railfan.net/views.htm
A building was put up in Key West that resembles the old train station.
I have done this route in 2007 and 2008 as I like exploring where there are not many people.
Rich
http://www.miniatur-wunderland.com/exhibit/video/4-minutes-wunderland/
Longest video I've seen of this extravaganza. Next time I'll close my eyes when the double headed Challengers go by.
Gene
Dear Rich,
Not sure if the email got through my spam filter. And me liking SPAM!
Best Wishes,
Jack
P.S. Very interesting pix of the FL Keys. I have been there twice with family, but did not see any of that. What is the part Arnie blew up in True Lies?
P.S. Very interesting pix of the FL Keys. I have been there twice with family, but did not see any of that. What is the part Arnie blew up in True Lies?
[/quote]
I believe that was Seven Mile Bridge. BTW the History Channel had a documentary on the destruction of the FEC along the Keys during a hurricane in the 1930(??)s. It was amazing what Flagler did in that time period!
It is a nice drive & some of the original bridges are used as fishing areas. BUT I would not want to be there with a hurricane approaching - long stretches of road are 2 lanes in many places.
We've been to Key West a few times. The last time was probably 12 years ago.
I get a real uneasy feeling on those bridges when the sky darkens and the wind and rain start.
If you are of a nautical mind, take a day cruise on the Schooner Wolf out of Key West.
We've done that a couple of times. What a really peaceful and enjoyable time (until the sky darkens and the wind and rain start). There's a guy named Rich McKay that plays guitar and sings seafaring ballads on the cruise.
Here are a couple more from the Florida Keys.
Railroad car.
(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l267/richg1998/Florida/img_0634A.jpg)
(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l267/richg1998/Florida/img_0635.jpg)
Rail bridge converted to vehicle bridge. The rails where used as guard rails after the 1935 hurricane destroyed the railroad.
(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l267/richg1998/Florida/img_0596.jpg)
This bridge, the railroad was "inside". The vehicle bridge was on "top" after the railroad was wiped out.
(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l267/richg1998/Florida/Center.jpg)
Rich
Quote from: Yampa Bob on March 25, 2009, 03:11:49 AM
Pike's Peak Cog Railway is only 25% maximum grade, but still a breath taking ride.
http://www.cograilway.com/history.htm
I second that.