Keeping that locomotive chugging must be a lot like flying a big warbird, constant maintenance. Apparently Friday’s delay was partially due to the boys having to replace hoses or fittings or something on a siding north of Tioga. I can only image how hot that engineer must be all day.
JWilsonphoto wrote:
Keeping that locomotive chugging must be a lot like flying a big warbird, constant maintenance. Apparently Friday’s delay was partially due to the boys having to replace hoses or fittings or something on a siding north of Tioga. I can only image how hot that engineer must be all day.
They had some sort of air tool deployed on it in Ennis on Sunday. Maybe greasing some fittings?
Ray Swindle wrote:
Looks like a gov't job. One man working, 3 men supervising.😀
Yeah, it had occurred to me that perhaps someone was over supervised . Not sure how willing I would be to work on a hot steam engine in the middle of a Texas summer. Luckily it was actually pretty cool (in the Texas sense) on Sunday. Friday was pretty toasty, though.
^^^^^^^I believe they, the govt., call it job security Ray!!!! ...
Heavens knows in farming there are no "titled supervisors"! You may have the farm owner..hauler..grainary...but these people, and their employees,know what has to be done and when it that will be! No "pickin'-n-grinnin'" while scratching their heads??
Dan
Sorry Ray I should have clarified my statement that the normal hard working American worker is immune from my post. Just pertains to those we pay our taxes to...well some of them anyway!
Dan
Ray Swindle wrote:
Looks like a gov't job. One man working, 3 men supervising.😀
Probably a boss (engineer?), who knows what he is doing.
A worker, who "knows what he is doing", but is still learning, and requires supervision.
And, a couple "trainees", who don't know sh*t, but are trying to learn, in the hopes that one of them can become the "worker" when the "worker" becomes the "boss".
I suspect that there aren't that many people actively working in the railroad industry that have the knowledge, or are qualified to operate a steam engine. If that thing isn't going to a museum, then some of the railroad personnel need to know how to operate it, and they will need successors, as long as the locomotive is being operated by the railroad.
That locomotive was basically in a museum until UP took it back, converted it from coal to oil and completely restored it. It's UP's outreach program. And judging by the mobs of people that show up wherever it is, It's working pretty well for them . It wouldn't shock me that the very people who restored it are the ones operating it. UP also has a Challenger engine they've restored.
Yes, I'd say it's a great outreach program. I don't have any idea what it costs to do the loops they do, but there is quite a following. I talked to one guy at the crossing in Tioga, he was from Seattle, picked the train up in Cheyenne and planned to follow it the entire route. Another guy was from Utah, same plan.
I was focused on droning the locomotive, but had I thought of it, I should have constructed a GoPro mount that I could have screwed to the ties. That would have been some cool footage. I was tempted to risk an untethered one, but reason prevailed so I just put a quarter and a nickel on the rails for James.
Marveling at the technology we have at our fingertips. I'm about to shoot a big architectural project in Amarillo for the designers. We just did an hour long Zoom meeting involving three architects in different locations, pages of schematics and renderings, it was a seamlessly amazing collaboration. I have not worked with these gentlemen before so it was a tremendous help to be able to see and hear what their vision was for the design of the building, and what their hopes were as far as what our imagery will convey.
RobMoser wrote:
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It wouldn't shock me that the very people who restored it are the ones operating it. UP also has a Challenger engine they've restored.
Rob
I could see museum volunteers helping to, or restoring the locomotive. I could see museum volunteers helping to maintain the locomotive, and even helping train UP maintenance personal.
I'm NOT a lawyer (and I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night). But, it seems to me that UP allowing a locomotive operated by non-UP personal, on UP trackage, hauling other UP equipment, would be a serious legal liability for UP if anything happened involving that locomotive, or any railcars attached to that locomotive. I can't see UP's (or any railroad's for that matter) corporate law firm telling them that it would be a good idea to allow museum volunteers to operate any locomotive (steam, or otherwise), on their trackage.
Everything I have read about 'Big Boy' says UP did the restoration and operates the engine. They have their Heritage Fleet Operations to restore, operate and maintain several engines and passenger cars. https://www.up.com/heritage/fleet/
I have my own heritage fleet. A 1944 Lionel switch engine and a 1946 (1947?) 6.8.6 freight steam engine. My father bought these when they were nearly 10 years old for Santa to give me and my brother. He only gave us the switch engine. It was several years after he left the family that my brother and I discovered the rest of the Lionel gear (including the freight engine and additional cars) in a box in the attic. In 1991 I found a neighbor who was a Lionel addict. He looked at the engines and got them running, then he updated the wiring on the 4 control transformer (he replaced the wrapped cord with a modern cord). I set it up on plywood with landscape and buildings for my young daughters. They enjoyed it out in the garage when the weather was pleasant in Houston. It has been stored in my garage and now my barn since around 1994. I will never repaint the cast iron, but I will clean up the metal. I know they look rough, but they are five years older than me...and they look better than I do!
In Maryland we are lucky to have about 5 or more private railroad companies and they do have mechanics and semi old style locomotives. Not to the extent posted above but not the sleek modern locos of some present day companies.
We also have the B&O RR Museum in Baltimore that has some beautiful relics of the days gone by. It is well staffed with engineers and mechanics.
Need to take a "road trip"!
Dan
Oh we also still have a ferry that crosses the Potomac River from MD to VA...The General Jubal Early ferry.
A "cut and past" image. I have some olde time photos of the General I need to dig out!
Locals on both sides of the Potomac tried to re-name the ferry because it was offensive! Never happened!!! Thank heavens!!
kwbarnes wrote:
I could see museum volunteers helping to, or restoring the locomotive. I could see museum volunteers helping to maintain the locomotive, and even helping train UP maintenance personal.
I'm NOT a lawyer (and I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night). But, it seems to me that UP allowing a locomotive operated by non-UP personal, on UP trackage, hauling other UP equipment, would be a serious legal liability for UP if anything happened involving that locomotive, or any railcars attached to that locomotive. I can't see UP's (or any railroad's for that matter) corporate law firm telling them that it would be a good idea to allow museum volunteers to operate any locomotive (steam, or otherwise), on their trackage.
There isn't a museum involved. It's the UP's steam shop that restored and operates the various engines and cars. Are there volunteers among the crew? I have not idea but maybe. Maybe some of them are retired UP employees. Not sure it really matters. I'm sure UP operates it.
Now from the backroads of Maryland near the WVa border.
Dont have a clue as to what these were. The gentleman I talked with stated they were converted from steel wheels to tires for parades..shows..They are steam driven and ran between Sharpesburg(Antietam), Md and Charlestown, WV. in the early 1900's.
Odd looking "ducks"!
. Not sure how willing I would be to work on a hot steam engine in the middle of a Texas summer. Luckily it was actually pretty cool (in the Texas sense) on Sunday. Friday was pretty toasty, though.
