Steam Trains

[gert]

I live up the hill from a rail maintenance yard; usually not a pleasant experience, but last week they had this in for servicing: (the "Royal Hudson")

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3626/3500388531_5c47b7a073.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3643/3500305237_4c93a66da3.jpg

What a wonderfull noise they make compared to their diesel cousins.
I swear you could see the grins on the crews faces from my place.

Why is it a steam whistle sends chills of pleasure down your spine?

[Brian Palmer]

We took the boys on the Strasburg Railroad when they were both very little. It is an out and back trip, so at the far end of the line they have to run the steam loco around to the other end of the train. As it goes past the coaches at about 5 mph, all you hear is a gentle "woosh woosh woosh" as the cylinders work back and forth.

Brian

[reddog]

Gert,a few years back when we were in Van for my brother's wedding my mom,dad and I took the RH up to Squamish and returned by boat.A great train ride and the Royal Hudson was the creame de la creme.I had worked for the CNR out of Winnipeg for a couple of years and believe me the diesel electrics don't hold a candle to the old steam locomotives.

Earl

[James McMullen]

I'm headed out in October to ride the Cumbres & Toltec narrow gauge from New Mexico to Colorado and back again with my kin. Steam engines are mesmerising.

[Rob Stokes, N. Vancouver]

I was trimming out a boat in N. Van and heard it pass on the tracks a few blocks away. Made me stop smile. We need more of those.

[TerryLL]

Probably dates me to admit it but growing up in a small town in western Washngton, we kids would hang out around the water tank waiting for the locomotive to stop and fill up. At one time I had an amazing collection of clinkers picked up along the tracks. A different time.

[Jay Greer]

One of my pals, and avid race sailor, is the proud owner of a private car that he is planning to rent out from time to time, when he finishes re-building it. He has invited us boat bums to go to Santa Fe NM for the maiden voyage.
Jay

[WX]

Ahhhh, steam trains, who could not like them? diesels and motor rails just don't cut the mustard for me.

[Jay Greer]

I must admit that my other addiction outside of wooden boats is Z gauge model trains.
Jay

[Bill Griffin]

Steam Trains = Wooden Boats (esp. sail)

Diesel Electric + #$%^&&@@$$

[ahp]

I remember Steam Trains very well. In 1953 I went from London to Glascow on the Flying Scot. My best memory was driving down into Wheeling, West Virginia, and coming the other way along side the road was an articulate (2-6-6-4?) hauling a long string of loaded coal cars. Muscle!

[elf]

Porthmadog yesterday. Steam narrow guage train. A sweet sound.

[P.I. Stazzer-Newt]

Elf - if you like them, and are still in the area Llangollen (http://www.llangollen-railway.co.uk) worth a visit.


Did you ever watch The Prisoner (http://www.portmeirion-village.com)
http://blogs.coventrytelegraph.net/thegeekfiles/portmeirion.jpg

[abe]

The Cog railway on Mt. Washington is a popular tourist attraction.

http://cheerio.zenfolio.com/img/v4/p551311413-4.jpg


Service required before next ascent:


http://cheerio.zenfolio.com/img/v4/p503017873-4.jpg


Descent:

http://cheerio.zenfolio.com/img/v4/p769288051-4.jpg

[abe]

Mt. Washington, New Hampshire, USA

http://www.thecog.com/




http://cheerio.zenfolio.com/img/v4/p922500866-4.jpg


http://cheerio.zenfolio.com/img/v4/p911849956-4.jpg


http://cheerio.zenfolio.com/img/v4/p667223972-4.jpg

[Mad Scientist]

Reminds me of '92, when our ship (HMCS Protecteur) was anchored at Narvik, Norway. It was their 'Winter Festival', and a little old steam engine (4-4-0 in the Whyte classification system) came along the tracks. It was named 'Svarta Bjorn' (sp?), which translates to 'Black Bear'.
My boss saw it steaming along...he said "There's a real machine!...a man's machine!...a machine with 'F*** The Environment' written all over it!"
That Y-100 boiler that Tinman talked about was certainly a work of art! GT's and diesels just can't compare.

Tom

[Rich VanValkenburg]

Gert, I was just a boy when my uncle took me to a yard near London, Ontario where there was about 40 acres of those big engines waiting to be scrapped. A sea of black, all of them asleep.

[Sailor]

Mad Scientist, how long were you in PRO for? I'm just finishing up my posting to her sistership PRESERVER. I took my brother on a tour of PRO when I was out west posted to PRO and his comment coming down the ladder overlooking the engine room from the flats outside HQ1 was a rough, gruff Tim Allen from Home Improvement type "OH! OH! OH! Now THIS is an engine room". He was at the time posted to ALGONQUIN with turbines and all that modern stuff, as a phase VI MSE.

[Sam F]

The Shay engines at the Cass Scenic Railway in West Virgina are a sight to behold.
If you're ever nearby they're a must see:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5d/Cass_Scenic_Railroad_State_Park_-_Heisler_6_and_Shay_11.jpg/800px-Cass_Scenic_Railroad_State_Park_-_Heisler_6_and_Shay_11.jpg

[Capt Nat]

...new steam in Britain...

www.a1steam.com (http://www.a1steam.com)

[Peerie Maa]

...new steam in Britain...

www.a1steam.com (http://www.a1steam.com)

new steam video (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7745105.stm)

You can reset to full screen with the button bottom right.

[Capt Nat]

...damn office computer has so much security on it I can't make video work...

...but thanks Nick, I'm sure others will enjoy!