How would you like driving down the freeway and seeing this next to you?

[old bear]

The lack of discernible smoke was very impressive. I grew up in what was called "The Railroad Center of the South", the largest repair shop between Washington and Atlanta which was closed and all the employees were forced to move to Atlanta or Kentucky or somewhere else to continue to be employed. All those steam engines were powered by coal during that time and when they moved under their own power their smoke would block the sun and lay a coating on the surroundings. Most of the old shop buildings are upgraded and house what is now called "The North Carolina Transportation Museum", located in Spencer, North Carolina, 28159.

I've been lucky enough to visit the above several times, it's always a fun visit. If any of you ever make to NC, the trip to Spencer is well worth the time.

 

[Whitwabit]

Rode a train called the Rocket .. from Peoria to Chicago on a 6th grade field trip oh so many years ago .. went right along the Illinois River heading north .. A trip I will never forget .. was very interesting riding the old train ..

I tried to get a ticket for The City of New Orleans last run to Chicago but wasn't able to get leave from the tech school I was in at the time .. the AF wouldn't allow me to start the school a week later so didn't make that trip ..

 

[UncleEd]

As a kid I remember the steam engines for the Chicago & North Western
that ran into Chicago from the suburbs. I remember they were big.

Back in those days, houses along the route faced sooty
linens while the the laundry was drying on lines in the yards.

My brothers, all much older than me, were given the task
of collecting coal along the tracks during the 1930s to heat
the house.

If we didn't take the train, then it was the very slow double ended
electric trolleys along Milwaukee Avenue to the center of the city.

 

[Watchdog]

How would you like driving down the freeway and seeing this next to you?

I'd like it just fine.

 

[shouldazagged]

I grew up riding behind coal-fired locomotives, including the 4-8-4s. Diesel-electric units didn't start to appear until later in my train travel, and we still traveled by the steamers.

To this day, the rare scent of coal smoke puts me deep into time travel.

I remember when the major train stations in this part of the country were impressively built of stone; and they, like most of the downtown buildings in those cities, were black with coal soot.

 

[Bob L]

What a beautiful piece of engineering!

 

[1morethan8]

I'm old old school...

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWbUyULuCzY"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWbUyULuCzY[/ame]

 

[Texas Star]

That's because there's just about enough action in the firebox to run the whistle. 3,000 hp diesel behind it doing all the work. No propane powered steam locos for safety (external combustion) reasons. Joe (trainbuff 60+ years)

Train Buff Joe-

Go to YouTube and watch the Rovos Rail train ride in South Africa, probably the most luxurious train in the world. You can even see the menu and wine list, and a stop to see the Big Hole at the Kimberly mines. Runs from Pretoria to Cape Town, I think.

This is probably what used to be called the Blue Train.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdzIlC6PshE[/ame]

The suites are quite nice. Here is a short video, but I urge you to go to YouTube and play the longer ones, too. This one doesn't have the look at the menu and wine list, but shows the suites well, and you meet Mr. Vos, the owner. I think the Vos girl shown is probably his daughter.

Most of the wines I saw on a list were South African. The first wine was made in South Africa by Gov. Simon van der Stel, at his estate Constantia, in the 1650's. The Dutch founded Cape Town in 1652. There's a wine festival in the Cape, much like those in California. Most of the major varietals like Cabernet sauvignon, etc. are grown, with some local grapes, like Pinotage.

One of my less probable fantasies is to ride this train with Candice Swanepoel as my travelling companion and guide. See Wikipedia if you don't know who she is. Alas, she's engaged to someone else and I can't afford to go there and ride the train, anyway. But why waste a good daydream?

Seriously, I think you'll find it worth your while to watch several of those Rovos Rail videos. Next best thing to being there.

 

[pharmer]

Thanks for that, TS. Current favorites are Youtube western Arizona and California rail vids. Something neat about pushing 10,000 tons of freight up Tehachapi and down the other side. I guess I was wrong about #3751 maybe it is "pulling." I spent some time in the early 60's behind Reading #2124 (Iron Horse Rambles) when it was burning anthracite. Stick your hand out the window and feel the sting. When she was pulling, there was exhaust steam everywhere around the pistons and the safety valves were constantly popped. Joe

 

[diegobxr]

That was OUTSTANDING footage. Wow, really, really awesome.
Must be amazing to see it in person or ride on one of those.

I dont' know much about trains but I've always been drawn to them.
Thanks for sharing!