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Bill Bates
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Train spotter. or foamer?
I prefer the British term "Anorak".
It's official, I'm a Train Spotter
- Thread starter Bill Bates
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I prefer the British term "Anorak".
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Anorak; a new word for my vocabulary!
I was a trainman and switchman for 30 years.
Cool pics of an amazing machine.
I was a trainman and switchman for 30 years.
Cool pics of an amazing machine.
THE PILGRIM
Member
And I thought an Anorak was a Jacket!
'An anorak is a waterproof jacket with a hood. Another word for an anorak is a parka.'
Back in the day, there was a large network of interconnected Narrow Gauge Railroads in S CO and N NM.
The only remaining long runs are the well known Durango and Silverton, and the Cumbres and Toltec.
Toward the end of the Narrow Gauge Era they had lost most of their passenger and freight business but still had the Mail contract.
They needed a cheaper way to make the runs.
So they came up with Locally made Truck- bus-car machines which came to be called Galloping Geese.
Several of the Galloping Geese survive and make runs on the remaining track.
Here's a Galloping Goose relaxing in Chama, NM.
'An anorak is a waterproof jacket with a hood. Another word for an anorak is a parka.'
Back in the day, there was a large network of interconnected Narrow Gauge Railroads in S CO and N NM.
The only remaining long runs are the well known Durango and Silverton, and the Cumbres and Toltec.
Toward the end of the Narrow Gauge Era they had lost most of their passenger and freight business but still had the Mail contract.
They needed a cheaper way to make the runs.
So they came up with Locally made Truck- bus-car machines which came to be called Galloping Geese.
Several of the Galloping Geese survive and make runs on the remaining track.
Here's a Galloping Goose relaxing in Chama, NM.
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N&W 1218
The Norfolk and Western line from Richmond west to Appomattox and beyond is the rear boundary of my house property. After seeing this beast come by a couple of times on its annual Autumn Leaf Special run, I and my family just had to try it, which we did twice, riding in the old non-air conditioned coaches with the windows open and the cinders blowing in. We loved it!
I read somewhere that the engine/tender combo is 122' long!
The oiling pic gives you an idea of the size of this monster of an engine. Not long after our outings, N&W stopped the runs and parked it for an overhaul, cancelled the overhaul while it was completely torn down, then after a public outcry, designated it a museum piece, but missing crucial parts to enable it to run, which I was sad to hear. At least it wasn't sold to a factory as a stationary steam power plant as was once proposed.
Norfolk and Western 1218 underwent a cosmetic restoration and is now displayed in the Virginia Museum of Transportation, Roanoke, Virginia.
The Norfolk and Western line from Richmond west to Appomattox and beyond is the rear boundary of my house property. After seeing this beast come by a couple of times on its annual Autumn Leaf Special run, I and my family just had to try it, which we did twice, riding in the old non-air conditioned coaches with the windows open and the cinders blowing in. We loved it!
I read somewhere that the engine/tender combo is 122' long!
The oiling pic gives you an idea of the size of this monster of an engine. Not long after our outings, N&W stopped the runs and parked it for an overhaul, cancelled the overhaul while it was completely torn down, then after a public outcry, designated it a museum piece, but missing crucial parts to enable it to run, which I was sad to hear. At least it wasn't sold to a factory as a stationary steam power plant as was once proposed.
Norfolk and Western 1218 underwent a cosmetic restoration and is now displayed in the Virginia Museum of Transportation, Roanoke, Virginia.
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One of the reasons some 100+ year old RR bridges are able to handle the very heavy unit trains we have now is because the structural engineers back then saw how rapidly locomotive weights were escalating.
Looks like the hero's vehicle in a postapocalyptic movie where travel is by rail.
When I was training in Harbor Craft Operation at Fort Eustis, VA they had steam powered cranes designed to unload cargo ships. Guys that were training as stevedores worked in that arena. I was reading on the plaque attached to one of the huge cranes, it was referring to the manufacture, year of manufacture, etc. When it came to Lifting capacity it simply read UNLIMITED. I asked our instructors how they could rate a crane ULIMITED. He said "The only thing limiting this machine is how well attached it is to the quay, it would pull itself out of the ground if ever attached to anything that heavy." That made an impression on me. We didn't have any steam powered tug boats, we did have one sweet little 30' "Yard Tug" that had a single cylinder Buda engine, a little darlin for sure but not large enough to live aboard. That was part of the attraction to Tugs, they were big and comfortable to live aboard, excellent military duty.
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Bill Bates
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Just got back from Durango, CO. where we road the Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.
twodog max
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I have ridden both the Durango and Silverton and the Cumbres and Toltec. My favorite is the Cumbres and Toltec
Never was one to go out of my way to see a train. But I did know this song by heart as a kid. Kinda always made me wanna take a ride one day.
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mHKEcsEKvI[/ame]
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mHKEcsEKvI[/ame]
my last "train" ride was at the children's zoo for my wife's birthday.. lol
the BIG ones are more majestic
the BIG ones are more majestic
THE PILGRIM
Member
A while back we were touring down in LA.
After I've been in LA a few days I always get a strong urge to leave.
So we're N of LA parked on the side of the Highway eating Ham Sandwiches.
Here comes a train. Then it makes a loop and goes under itself!
What? Later when I tell some Train Chaser Buddies about it, they just go crazy!
They know all about it but have never seen it.
I have seen it but don't know anything about it!
'Tehachapi Loop. The loop allows trains to gain the elevation necessary to make it up a portion of the mountains by making the incline more gradual. The loop is roughly 3,800 feet long and covers a 77 foot incline.'
After I've been in LA a few days I always get a strong urge to leave.
So we're N of LA parked on the side of the Highway eating Ham Sandwiches.
Here comes a train. Then it makes a loop and goes under itself!
What? Later when I tell some Train Chaser Buddies about it, they just go crazy!
They know all about it but have never seen it.
I have seen it but don't know anything about it!
'Tehachapi Loop. The loop allows trains to gain the elevation necessary to make it up a portion of the mountains by making the incline more gradual. The loop is roughly 3,800 feet long and covers a 77 foot incline.'
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My first train rides was a from Albany NY to Great Lakes Boot camp in the mid 60s, and then back home!
My last train ride was in 2004 in Alaska. It was a combination land and sea cruise. We spent a few days just admiring the scenery and then went on the ship for about 12 days. We realy enjoyed the train ride and might return to spend more time there in the future.
My last train ride was in 2004 in Alaska. It was a combination land and sea cruise. We spent a few days just admiring the scenery and then went on the ship for about 12 days. We realy enjoyed the train ride and might return to spend more time there in the future.
If you come across a movie called Trainspotting be aware it has nothing to do with trains.
It's a very dark disturbing movie.
It's a very dark disturbing movie.
I grew up listening to the big boys pulling out of Cheyenne heading west over the summit. I still remember those lonesome whistles and love hearing them today as old 4014 leaves and returns from its annual tours.
During the time we were back on the ranch, if the wind was right, we could hear the whistle 20 miles away.
During the time we were back on the ranch, if the wind was right, we could hear the whistle 20 miles away.
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