Mookie is loose again!

[Mookie]

[:0] Forum been a little stiff lately w/o our friend from whatever that state was.

So I will regale you with a story. I was in a meeting this morning, looking through a nice Southern Pacific calendar someone gave me. We use this calendar to mark the vacation time off for the department people.

Found the beautiful model for July is an AC9 #3804 - a 2-8-8-4 articulated oil burner in 1955.

Reminded me of the Big Boys and my heart went pitter-titter...

End of story.

But! Curious as usual - why did those Big Guys have such a big front porch? The number and sometimes the headlight went way down the rail before the engine! From the looks of this one, they could have had lawn chairs out there for the ride!

I know you will give me your gems of wisdom and tell me just what I want to know. [8)]

Mookie

[Mookie]

[:0] Forum been a little stiff lately w/o our friend from whatever that state was.

So I will regale you with a story. I was in a meeting this morning, looking through a nice Southern Pacific calendar someone gave me. We use this calendar to mark the vacation time off for the department people.

Found the beautiful model for July is an AC9 #3804 - a 2-8-8-4 articulated oil burner in 1955.

Reminded me of the Big Boys and my heart went pitter-titter...

End of story.

But! Curious as usual - why did those Big Guys have such a big front porch? The number and sometimes the headlight went way down the rail before the engine! From the looks of this one, they could have had lawn chairs out there for the ride!

I know you will give me your gems of wisdom and tell me just what I want to know. [8)]

Mookie

[Anonymous]

Questions! Questions! That big front porch on the leading ends of the long mallets was for relayers. The boiler was so long, the engineer or fireman couldn't see around the front to see signals or the road ahead. Relayers would camp out front and relay signals back to the cab as to conditions ahead. At night, they used lanterns. In foul weather, fussees were not unknown. Anything else I can help with, don't hesitate to ask. :ol :o) 8o0

[Anonymous]

Questions! Questions! That big front porch on the leading ends of the long mallets was for relayers. The boiler was so long, the engineer or fireman couldn't see around the front to see signals or the road ahead. Relayers would camp out front and relay signals back to the cab as to conditions ahead. At night, they used lanterns. In foul weather, fussees were not unknown. Anything else I can help with, don't hesitate to ask. :ol :o) 8o0

[CShaveRR]

OK, Mookie's the cat. Good thing, because I'd hate to think of my kid sister as being a "loose" woman!

(You sure make it easy to liven up a "stiff" forum, Kiddo!)

I'm not as familiar with the workings of (and working with) the large steam locomotives as others may be, but it might be instructive to note that as long as those platforms are, they still have wheels underneath them. That would suggest that the length was needed to provide room for all of the wheels needed to support the beast's weight.

Carl

P.S. I'm not buying that other story without corroboration.

[CShaveRR]

OK, Mookie's the cat. Good thing, because I'd hate to think of my kid sister as being a "loose" woman!

(You sure make it easy to liven up a "stiff" forum, Kiddo!)

I'm not as familiar with the workings of (and working with) the large steam locomotives as others may be, but it might be instructive to note that as long as those platforms are, they still have wheels underneath them. That would suggest that the length was needed to provide room for all of the wheels needed to support the beast's weight.

Carl

P.S. I'm not buying that other story without corroboration.

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by skeets

Questions! Questions! That big front porch on the leading ends of the long mallets was for relayers. The boiler was so long, the engineer or fireman couldn't see around the front to see signals or the road ahead. Relayers would camp out front and relay signals back to the cab as to conditions ahead. At night, they used lanterns. In foul weather, fussees were not unknown. Anything else I can help with, don't hesitate to ask. :ol :o) 8o0

[:I] Oh Skeets, I am so glad you aren't still upset with me! [:X]

That is a very good reason to have those front porches! I had never heard that! Never even gave it a 2nd thought until I was studying the pictures in the calendar instead of listening to the dull as oatmeal meeting!

Thanx!

Jen

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by skeets

Questions! Questions! That big front porch on the leading ends of the long mallets was for relayers. The boiler was so long, the engineer or fireman couldn't see around the front to see signals or the road ahead. Relayers would camp out front and relay signals back to the cab as to conditions ahead. At night, they used lanterns. In foul weather, fussees were not unknown. Anything else I can help with, don't hesitate to ask. :ol :o) 8o0

[:I] Oh Skeets, I am so glad you aren't still upset with me! [:X]

That is a very good reason to have those front porches! I had never heard that! Never even gave it a 2nd thought until I was studying the pictures in the calendar instead of listening to the dull as oatmeal meeting!

Thanx!

Jen

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CShaveRR

OK, Mookie's the cat. Good thing, because I'd hate to think of my kid sister as being a "loose" woman!

(You sure make it easy to liven up a "stiff" forum, Kiddo!)

Carl

P.S. I'm not buying that other story without corroboration.

Brother Carl - you have some explaining to do - ! Mookie is loose? Sez who? And Stories? Sez Who? Who have you been talking to? We better talk!!!!![;)]

Mook

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CShaveRR

OK, Mookie's the cat. Good thing, because I'd hate to think of my kid sister as being a "loose" woman!

(You sure make it easy to liven up a "stiff" forum, Kiddo!)

Carl

P.S. I'm not buying that other story without corroboration.

Brother Carl - you have some explaining to do - ! Mookie is loose? Sez who? And Stories? Sez Who? Who have you been talking to? We better talk!!!!![;)]

Mook

[JoeKoh]

I would have to agree with carl.Those front trucks were used to guide the beasts around curves. Alot of running gear under there.And the last time I knew girls were made of sugar and spice(and everything nice). You can use that in your oatmeal like you do here.
thanks jen
stay safe
joe

[JoeKoh]

I would have to agree with carl.Those front trucks were used to guide the beasts around curves. Alot of running gear under there.And the last time I knew girls were made of sugar and spice(and everything nice). You can use that in your oatmeal like you do here.
thanks jen
stay safe
joe

[Anonymous]

The cab forward developed by SP was an attempt to do away with the relayers. The engine crew was moved closer to the "action", but then they couldn't see well down the long boiler to the rear. If you look at a cabforward, they still had the now-rear porch for the relayers to watch to the rear. Since there was less to do in that position, SP promptly eliminated one relayer on most runs. There had been two before. Honest.

[Anonymous]

The cab forward developed by SP was an attempt to do away with the relayers. The engine crew was moved closer to the "action", but then they couldn't see well down the long boiler to the rear. If you look at a cabforward, they still had the now-rear porch for the relayers to watch to the rear. Since there was less to do in that position, SP promptly eliminated one relayer on most runs. There had been two before. Honest.

[Anonymous]

[Anonymous]