Well, this is one steam freak who has to admit he kinda likes the sound of a diesel horn coming from somewhere off in the distance. The CSX James River Line runs about 2-3 miles from the "Fortress Firelock" and it's cool to hear the horn blowing for the crossings. I refuse to call it a whistle. If it's a very quiet night you can even hear the rumble of the coal cars.
Reminds me of when I was growing up in Northern New Jersey and could hear the horns on the Eries RS-2 and 3's running on the Pascack Valley Line. Lady Firestorm could hear the diesel horns on the Erie Main Line from her side of town.
However, NOTHING beats the etherial, other-worldly sound of a steam whistle. Sounds like the past, present, and future all rolled into one.
I would always give the nod to a Westinghouse Cross Compound's thump click over the dubba-dubba of a Roots blower.
Aren't turbo-generators neat? They whine noisily and you know they're running. You have to be looking at a dial in the cab on a diesel to know its batteries are getting charged.
You never know when a diesel is about to reverse direction unless you are part of the crew. On a steamer, just watch the expansion link's sliding block and the attached radius arm (or equivalent on other forms of valve gear).
And then there's all that steam leakage and dripping hot water. Gotta love a device that bleeds because it loves its work.
Big John No Diesel is as much fun to watch as a live steamer. So many moving parts flashing in the sun ! And no air horn ever sounds so sweet as a steam whistle. One engine on the old Illinois Central must -have had a custom chime. The engineer's trademark was his "Whip-poor-will". Such a sweet memory.
No Diesel is as much fun to watch as a live steamer. So many moving parts flashing in the sun !
And no air horn ever sounds so sweet as a steam whistle. One engine on the old Illinois Central must -have had a custom chime. The engineer's trademark was his "Whip-poor-will". Such a sweet memory.
Beg to differ on both counts. A diesel may be less of a visual attraction but it still has much to offer to the other senses.
You apparently have never heard a Nathan of Leslie horn in the distance on a quiet summer night or even the single-note horn on a switcher over the squeal of the retarders on Clearing's hump.
You must be thinking of Casey Jones and his legendary "Whip-poor-will" whistle, and yes, it was custom made by (I believe) Casey himself. I believe it's still in existance, the Jones family had it for the longest time, it may be in a museum now.
People who heard it said Casey could make that whistle "say its prayers" he was so good at "quilling".
cefinkjr Nice try. That may be a 4-8-4 (OK, a 242 on the east side of the pond) but a Niagara, it's not. Still, many thanks for posting this video. The 242F2009 is a very pretty machine. Very glad to see her running. Can you provide a little more of her history and specifications? The Beyer-Garratts were very interesting, too. This is the first time I've seen one in motion. Again, many many thanks for posting this video.
Nice try. That may be a 4-8-4 (OK, a 242 on the east side of the pond) but a Niagara, it's not.
Still, many thanks for posting this video. The 242F2009 is a very pretty machine. Very glad to see her running. Can you provide a little more of her history and specifications?
The Beyer-Garratts were very interesting, too. This is the first time I've seen one in motion.
Again, many many thanks for posting this video.
Wikipedia provides some info about it's tech data : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4-8-4#Spain
Despite being operational (sometime ago there were talks for installing an air compressor, the engine has only vacuum brakes, not very well suited for 'high speed' running), it's been some years since it has entered Madrid's Delicias Museum, and from the part of ADIF (the entity that manages Spain's rail infrastructure), there seems to be a no steam rule. even the 'Tren de la Fresa', a touristic train that operates between MAdrid and Aranjuez is now ether diesel or electric powered, and it would be a nice candidate for this engine, but in my opinion a too light of a train for such power and speed (normal indicated power is 2700 HP and it's maximum permitted speed is 125 Kmhr)
NorthWest cefinkjrThat may be a 4-8-4 (OK, a 242 on the east side of the pond) but a Niagara, it's not. That depends on your opinion...if you consider that the NYC called them Niagara's because they didn't like the Northern name, like Mohawk instead of Mountain, it is,...but yes, it isn't a NYC 4-8-4.
cefinkjrThat may be a 4-8-4 (OK, a 242 on the east side of the pond) but a Niagara, it's not.
That depends on your opinion...if you consider that the NYC called them Niagara's because they didn't like the Northern name, like Mohawk instead of Mountain, it is,...but yes, it isn't a NYC 4-8-4.
Did any wheel arrangement have more names than the 4-8-4? I was about to list the ones I knew and ask how many others there were. Before posting though, I did a Bing search on "4-8-4 names" and, to my surprise, found this list at http://modeltrains.about.com/od/railroads/tp/Steam-Locomotive-Classes.htm:
I had heard of and forgotten most of these but the last four on this list were new to me. Also, weren't SP's also called Daylights after the trains they hauled? Anybody have any others to add to the list?
ChuckAllen, TX
Well, the National de Mexico called their 4-8-4's "Niagras", however note the different spelling.
Hey, "south of the border" it wouldn't make sense to call them "Northerns".
Railroads in the American South wouldn't call them "Northerns" either but for quite different reasons. Another story.
Names can be confusing! Remember that Hudson vs. Baltic argument we had?
Sincerely,
NW
Mario, that is one magnificent locomotive, really "Delicias" to look at. Looks like Spanish steel is good for a lot more than swords!
Hey, I even liked those two diesels with their almost New Jersey Central paint schemes!
Oh, tell me those diesels were broken and the "Confederacion" was hauling them to the nearest repair shop.
I'll tell you, go anywhere in the world and there's no-one who doesn't like steam. Maybe that's the key to world peace? I don't know. Could be.
Thanks for posting!
Actually locally it was always called 'Confederación' (the name given to it it's not relative, since it's huge). With the exception of Andr´Chapelon's 242A1 prototype, the 10 big engines of 242F2000 series built by Maquinistas Terrestre y Maritima (MTM) of Barcelona, to RENFE (to commemorate the builder's centennial) where the most powerfull 'serial' team engines in Europe. The first one, after leaving the factory was tested with a dynamometer car behind and reached 4426 HP and a top speed of 93 Mph (track could bear any more). After a first ressurection in the late 80s and a sudden stop, it recently got a second life in wich some minor adaptations (middle wheels had to be 'flangeled out' in order to respect 'modern' track specifications, complete boiler overhaul), it's now ready to operate again, but only sporadicaly will leave it's new house at Madrid's Delicias museum.
watch?v=r5lIR5NBxeo
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