Am I A traitor?

[Anonymous]

There may be help for you yet; go take a ride on a steam train ;i suggest thr george town loop near denver colorado or the derango and silverton or any other good and well maintained steam engin .it will get into your blood if you just get up close to it ,andlook at the gleaming ,oily, steam soilked ,metal of it all... glennbob

[Murphy Siding]

QUOTE: Originally posted by samfp1943

As a 1940's edition, I think that it is the esthetics of the machine that draws us, Power and spectacle that attracts us, as children, we fantasized with our toy trains and models, as adults we admire grace and beauty, who could not be thrilled at trackside as the 3985 crossed the Mississippi River Bridge, black smoke boiling out of the upper stell of the bridge, the Frisco Bridge, and then watched saw the pilot engineer climb down at Memphis, all grimey and sooted faced, with the biggest smile you ever saw on any man's face, then see her opened up for smoke box repairs at the site of the old Lenox Station on the L&N, to actually see men standing in that huge open smoke box, and then to look around and see other men,rairoaders, from the IC, L&N, Norfolk Southern, watching the show just like everybody else, ..or to hear the dispatcher in Jacksonville, Fla, clear Extra 3985 north to Bruceton ,Tn..it sort of gave you goose
bumps when she went by at track speed, I expect Steve Lee was also pretty excited as he rolled into new territory with a mixed train of UP and CSX cars. I think you are not a traitor if you prefer steam over diesel or vice versa at any given time..it is excitement, power and probably some envy at the men/women who are doing what you would do it swapping places was possible.Trains anywhere and anytime are interseting.

Cool post! Made me think of the John Fogerty song, "Big Train From Memphis" now it's gone,gone gone...gone,gone,gone.

[Anonymous]

What's wrong with steam?

I use it on my face all the time...

[Train Guy 3]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Murphy Siding

Train Guy 3: Never said I didn't LIKE steam trains,just said they didn't do much for me. What part do you like best?

It's just something about seeing all the rods turn and move with the wheels. It's just so much technolgy put into a very simple machine as lcocmotives progressed. A steam locomotive to me just seems so alive.

[samfp1943]

As a 1940's edition, I think that it is the esthetics of the machine that draws us, Power and spectacle that attracts us, as children, we fantasized with our toy trains and models, as adults we admire grace and beauty, who could not be thrilled at trackside as the 3985 crossed the Mississippi River Bridge, black smoke boiling out of the upper stell of the bridge, the Frisco Bridge, and then watched saw the pilot engineer climb down at Memphis, all grimey and sooted faced, with the biggest smile you ever saw on any man's face, then see her opened up for smoke box repairs at the site of the old Lenox Station on the L&N, to actually see men standing in that huge open smoke box, and then to look around and see other men,rairoaders, from the IC, L&N, Norfolk Southern, watching the show just like everybody else, ..or to hear the dispatcher in Jacksonville, Fla, clear Extra 3985 north to Bruceton ,Tn..it sort of gave you goose bumps when she went by at track speed, I expect Steve Lee was also pretty excited as he rolled into new territory with a mixed train of UP and CSX cars. I think you are not a traitor if you prefer steam over diesel or vice versa at any given time..it is excitement, power and probably some envy at the men/women who are doing what you would do it swapping places was possible.Trains anywhere and anytime are interseting.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by toyomantrains

Do you just take that picture, and put in whatever lettering you want?

[Wdlgln005]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Murphy Siding

Interesting that we seem to have our own version of the lost generation.[B)]

You might be a traitor if
You prefer to see the last operating steam engines pushed over the side in order to let the new diesel pass. Let the poor old souls that knew how to run them tinker with them on the side of the road.

You prefer Amtrak to go bankrupt & get no money at all, so the freight can roll.
You ask why can't "they" breing back the train that was discontinued when
Jimmy Carter was President.

You think at the next price of gas crisis "they" can just pull the steamers out of retirement & back on the rail.

The main problem may be simply a lack of proper education. You need to find a steam powered tourist railroad. It's tough to get excited about a picture in a book. Video's don't capture the power or excitement of steam trains.

[Murphy Siding]

A couple years ago,BN had a steam excursion trip come through town. We went to see it come into town, and granted,I did get up early to photograph it leaving town the next morning. it was interesting as far as being something different. I would probably be more excited to see something along the lines of an RS-3 rolling through.[:)]

[fuzzybroken]

Wow! Amusing thread. I guess I can't say I'm much of a steam fan either, but I know when it's important to get pictures of it. (See MILW 261 and CP 2816 on my website! Too bad I didn't have a digital camera when 3985 came through cheese-land! [banghead])

-Mark
www.fuzzyworld3.com

[Anonymous]

When I was young around the ages of 4-9. I used to skip reading about Steam engines I always thought the big GE dash 8 and 9's and SD40's and other diesels were cool. Now I am 17 and understand the importance of steam engines.

[AlcoRS11Nut]

no.......im a diesel fan.

[agentatascadero]

I agree with the thought that we tend to yearn for that which we grew up with. As a product of 1942, I grew up on STEAM, and in a railroad family. My favorite toddler story, and I wish I had the recall to match, is from my learning to walk era:at the time (late 1943), we lived above the Aromas,CA station, on the SP Coast line. I could walk OK, but when I had to move fast, like when I heard a train coming, I would get down on all fours, and JET over to the window to see my precious train. Imagine a thundering AC passing by only a few feet from the window, or the Daylight passing at speed. I can recall riding in wooden equipment in regular service, and seeing cars equiped with arch-bar trucks in regular service, probably freight cars. To witness present day railroading is an amazing experience, though often deathly depressing, but as one from the steam/train order era, nothing new comes even close,and as a (formerly) young person, I thought I would be immune from TGOD syndrome....you know, the good old days.

[Murphy Siding]

Train Guy 3: Never said I didn't LIKE steam trains,just said they didn't do much for me. What part do you like best?

[Anonymous]

[Anonymous]

[Train Guy 3]

How can you not like steam locomotives? They are just such beuatiful and outstanding pieces of machinery. I love them.

[Anonymous]

As a kid, I didn't have to try everything my mom put on the table to know I wouldn't like it, but I'm sure glad I tried pizza and chocolate ice cream.

IMHO the Silverton train and/or the Cumbres and Toltec should be a must do for almost every railfan. Unlike many museum operations where the locos are barely working hard, you'll hear plenty of music echoing off the canyons as these do some real work getting uphill. If nothing else, Colorado is a great vacation place for railfans of all eras and there's plenty for families to do as well. A trackside visit for any of the big mainline locos might do it as well. Personally I wish I could have seen and heard 3985 pulling that double stack.

[Murphy Siding]

Where is the BNSF K line? Is that the same as the Spine Line, from Twin Cities to Kansas City?

[bnsfkline]

QUOTE: Originally posted by edblysard

No!
No!
Anywhere but Iowa...please!

QUOTE: Originally posted by Mookie

QUOTE: Originally posted by dharmon

Traitor.....make your arrangements today...for tomorrow you will be shot, unless of course you desire to go to the Eastern front.

Is that....like......Iowa?

edblysard, you are hereby ordered to report to the Eastern Front.........AKA IOWA.......by 0030 hours tommarow....your first job.......cleaning out the mexican cattle cars that a musuem bought.

[Murphy Siding]

Interesting that we seem to have our own version of the lost generation.[B)]

[bobwilcox]

A further demonstration we live in a fallen world.

[zigg72md]

While I agree you are not a traitor. I also agree with a little"therapy" you can be cured/turned. For an intersting story hows this:

I am a 1972 model. have nver seen a real steamer in my life. Yet I much prefer steamers. Why you ask.... The answer lies with the 1946 lionel 2020 that was around the Chrismas tree my whole life. Yes I still have it, it still runs and I will get rid of it when flyong pigs skate in you know where(think hot...lol)

[trainfan1221]

Same problem I and others have. We did not see steam in regular service, and it has been a long time, so it is easy to not be intwerested. However, they are a major part of our favorite pastime`s history. Trust me, Murphy Siding, if you see a real steam locomotive in person doing its thing, you will understand the appeal. They are amazing machines. I respect them for what they were and their history, but I am a modern railfan and do prefer diesels. My summation has always been that you have to go by what`s coming on the next train, and it isn`t going to be a steamer. While a couple of friends of mine have made comments on my diesel affiliation over steam, (even though they aren't old enough to remember it, either), I personally would rather live in modern times and not the past. But a good steam locomotive is a sight to behold any day, especially a large one at speed that shakes the groung like anything as it speeds past.
Awesome stuff!

[espeefoamer]

I,too, have no memory of steam in regular service[:(].Even though I enjoy chasing and riding steam fantrips, what really excites me is a long freight pulled by first generation EMDs or ALCos.I especially like the Santa Fe alligators[:p]!

[CopCarSS]

QUOTE: Originally posted by glennbob

Chris : nice pic of you and the challanger[C):-)]glennbob

Thanks glennbob. Actually its the 844 (though the 3985 is behind it). My cousin saw the picture, and said I should add the following text to the pic:

"My other car is a Northern."

Oh how I wi***hat could be true!

Chris
Denver, CO

[Anonymous]

Chris : nice pic of you and the challanger[C):-)]glennbob

[CopCarSS]

Murphy,

I don't think you're a "traitor" unless you actively seek the destruction of remaining steam locos to meet the steel needs of Red China. If that's the case, I think I'd not hang around here! [;)]

Seriously, though, it is kind of interesting to me. I'm a 1980 model, and I live to see steam. Diesels are OK to pass the time between infusions of steam in my life, and I won't lie and tell you that I don't get excited when I see a Geep 9 or an ALCo diesel running around. But the thrill of watching even small steam is an unmatchable experience to me. Shoot, I'll hang out for hours at the Colorado Rail Museum just to watch G-scale live steam!

And then there's the big guys. Witnessing 844 and 3985 double heading at 40-50 mph? There's nothing in the world quite like that. Now if they could just re-open Tennessee Pass and run the double header up there, I would be the happiest guy ever!

Whatever interests you is what counts in your world. Railfanning doesn't have many rules. Stay safe, be legal and have fun are about the only three I can think of. As long as you follow those, its all good.

[Anonymous]

a steam engin is a living breathing thing ;an external combustion engin (the fire on the outside).... they are about as diffrent an a horse pulled wagon and a high performance racing car... most steam engins did not even have a speedodemeter; the engineer had to judge speed by the seat of his pants; being an engineer ment something then ;the driver had to keep all sorts of engineering data in his head when operating a steam engin.. for example if you creat enough draft (by using the blast pipe)you can pull small burning embers of coal up the fire tubes and doubbling or tripple ing the grate area; and thus have a hotter fire and more steam and more power, but do this too much and the tubes will become fowlled and the engin will clog up and die on the spot..running a steam engin is like juggeling; keeping 27 balls in the air at the same time. so i say what ever floats your boat >>>>you can do it the hard way ,or the easy way, some people just enjoy the process...glennbob[^][;)][angel][2c][soapbox]

[edblysard]

No!
No!
Anywhere but Iowa...please!

QUOTE: Originally posted by Mookie

QUOTE: Originally posted by dharmon

Traitor.....make your arrangements today...for tomorrow you will be shot, unless of course you desire to go to the Eastern front.

Is that....like......Iowa?