No fair right clicking the photo for hints
(http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u134/pdleth/dcp00268.jpg)
Someplace in New England - perhaps the Berkshires, if not there, Vermont, New Hampshire, or western Maine.
Gene
give or take a thousand miles.NADA next ;D
NHN Grade out of the Ossipee Pit? Conway Scenic? City of Prineville Railroad?
still NO
Cass?
5% Grade in Barre Vt (I've heard its the steepest freight grade east of the Mississippi).
NADDA
Salida on the Southern RR.
And we have a Winner!!!!!!! Soon to be abandoned and never again to see scenes like this. #611 with 4 heavies, stalling on the grade. ( hit grease but got going again )
(http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u134/pdleth/0229.jpg)
Is that the approach to Marshall Pass? If so, it would be in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison.
I tuned in late today, wife's got me working on some outside jobs. :D
Quote from: Yampa Bob on June 20, 2008, 03:11:15 PM
Is that the approach to Marshall Pass? If so, it would be in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison.
I tuned in late today, wife's got me working on some outside jobs. :D
Bob,
This is east coast, not Colorado.
Ja
Saluda is in the carolinas. Very steep grade down from Saluda to Melrose and at some points over 5%. They originally built two safety tracks to stop runaway trains but only one is needed. speed is 8 MPH tops. This hill has claimed a few trains and lives. But its all history now. Its no longer being used and may turn into rails to trails.
I wish I could see those J series...
Jay
Read yoiur last post, you said Salida not Saluda. I have a picture of Marshall Pass that looks very much like it.
Quote from: Yampa Bob on June 20, 2008, 05:14:51 PM
Jay
Read yoiur last post, you said Salida not Saluda. I have a picture of Marshall Pass that looks very much like it.
Probably a typo, the 'u' and the 'i' on the keyboard are right next to each other.
:D I do it all the time.
Quote from: Santa Fe buff on June 20, 2008, 04:02:19 PM
I wish I could see those J series...
here's the link, go half way down the page
http://www.polkcounty.org/saludagrade/TheSaludaGrade.html (http://www.polkcounty.org/saludagrade/TheSaludaGrade.html)
Quote from: pdlethbridge on June 20, 2008, 05:38:03 PM
Quote from: Santa Fe buff on June 20, 2008, 04:02:19 PM
I wish I could see those J series...
here's the link, go half way down the page
http://www.polkcounty.org/saludagrade/TheSaludaGrade.html (http://www.polkcounty.org/saludagrade/TheSaludaGrade.html)
It's so beautiful! And sad at the same time.
Interesting facts about the hill during the steam era. Santa Fe's were almost used exclusively on the hill and several were customized for the service. They had extra air pumps to keep the train line constantly chargerd, larger water glasses so they wouldn't run the boiler dry and a special watering system that sprayed water on the drivers to keep them cool. Apparently the brakes would get the drivers so hot they could fall off.
Quote from: pdlethbridge on June 21, 2008, 04:49:59 PM
... larger water glasses so they wouldn't run the boiler dry and a special watering system that sprayed water on the drivers to keep them cool. Apparently the brakes would get the drivers so hot they could fall off.
I am left wondering how a larger water glass would keep the boiler from running dry.
That is interesting about the water spray for cooling, although I suspect it was to prevent the tires from coming off the wheels, not the wheels off the axles.
water glasses, also called site glasses. were used on both sides of the cab to show the water level in the boiler. On the steep incline, they would have to keep the level of water a bit higher to prevent a low water problem. Injecting water into a boiler that is in a low water condition, could lead to a catastrophic boiler explosion as the added water turns to steam upon hitting the overheating metal of the boiler causing a sudden and uncontrollable increase in pressure. Remember the engine on the Gettysburg RR that scalded the crew from a crown sheet failure ( low water ) that caused the FRA to come down hard on all steam tourist lines. Tires are heated on to the wheels, as they cool they get smaller and snug up to the wheel . Heating up the tire would cause it to expand and loosen from the wheel
The water glass is normally about 10" tall. The "normal" water level for the boiler is shown with the water half-way up the glass on level track. A full glass means you probably have too much water, and the loco won't steam as well. No water and you have a problem! Even on a shallow grade like 1%, there is a noticable change in the apparent water level. Downgrade and the water level drops in the glass; upgrade and the water level rises. Most railroads had main line grades of less than 2%, and an experienced fireman knew the road and knew what the water level variations would be. On a 5% grade, the water levels would go beyond the "normal" limits, so a longer glass, especially with a long-boilered loco like a 2-10-2, would be useful. Incidentally, the problem on the Gettysburg RR was maintenance-related. One of the feed lines to the water glass got plugged with sediment, leaving what appeared to be a half-full glass. Someone did not blow down the glass to assure a clean feed. Also, they weren't paying close attention to how much time had elapsed between water feeds with the engine working hard. I was on that train (but not in the cab). It was not a pretty sight.
SP had to ban the Cab Forwards from the Siskiyou Line (original Sacramento-Portland line) after one blew up. Couldn't keep water over the crown sheet on that long boiler on the 3% upgrades. gj