I couldn't imagine living in Altoona during the age of steam.
Track fiddler I never thought about soot being in the air next to a steam yard.
Cheers, the Bear.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
While looking at your Scranton picture, I noticed a brakeman standing on top of a car. The thought popped it to my head...'if your a brakeman, you better hope the engineer likes you'
Penn & Bear I went and bought a big boy phone on my day off yesterday. An old dinosaur with a new modern day gadget, not a good combination. "I'm confused I'm confused". I'm just learning how this thing works. It took me an hour to log back into the forum because it didn't recognize my new phone. No auto log-in and I forgot my password. Yup yup I know.
I really enjoyed the pics. They were really clear with my new phone and I could zoom in on stuff and darn near count rivets.
These pictures were somewhat Erie. Perfect I would have to say I enjoyed that part........Soot
If there's any more feel free to send some more or anything else ya got.........I Like It
Thanks Track Fiddler
Track fiddlerIf there's any more feel free to send some more or anything else ya got.........I Like It
Ok, my favourite (?) Shorpy photo.
http://www.shorpy.com/node/10514?size=_original#caption
That's a good one Bear ! I do thank you for that one
You clinched it. A railroad Steam barge in rough icy waters. Icicles dripping off the sides. And then Detroit readable between the spaces of ice.
NICE.........THANKS Track Fiddler
PS. That steel wheel tractor stuff behind the cornplanter tanker car I must admit I do not have a clue. Please do elaborate if you will. Thanks. TF
I've been told, that they didn't make tires that big. There for the steel wheels. On occasion you might see a steel wheeled tractor with rubber bolted on the wheels. This was usually done so they could run the tractors on the streets in parades and such.
Track fiddlerPS. That steel wheel tractor stuff behind the cornplanter tanker car I must admit I do not have a clue. Please do elaborate if you will.
Gidday TF, my apologies if I’m taking you too literally but those are “traction engines” or more precisely, (and I had to put on my spectacles) Buffalo Pitts traction engines. Here’s a link to traction engines in general…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traction_engine
Track Fiddler ... Thanks for the interesting thread.
We moved from TN to IL before I was 5 years old, and I have vague memories of seeing steam locomootives hauling freight trains in TN. Our house in Illinois was in Clarendon Hills in the western suburbs of Chicago. I could see the train from our house. I rememebr some big steam locomotives which litterly shook the ground with heavy freight trains. The doors of our house would sometimes shake on their hinges . Our first trip to see Santa Claus in Marshall Fields in downtown chicago was on an old steam powered suburban train. At time smoke would block the view from the coach window.
In only a few years, diesels replaced steam. Suburban trains were e-units pulling Budd built double decker coaches. Freight trains had mostly F-units, but some GP's or SD's were included. There was a parade of pasenger trains (commuters, Zephyrs, Empire Builder, North Coast Limited, etc.) .. The local lumber yard received boxcars delivered with a team switcher ar first, and a diesel switcher in later years.
I spent a lot of time with friends watching trains like this one in downtown Clarendon Hills . I walked there or rode my bicyle to there. The side track to the lumber yard connects to the mainline in the photo. The train is westbound.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
If you like all things that are steam powered and the smell of burning coal, then try to visit
Rough and Tumble in Lancaster County Pa. Try to get there during the
First of all I haven't been able to log into the forums for two days. Customer service says it has something to do with the format of my new phone from my old one, but they still don't know what to tell me New gadgets go figure.
Garry thanks for sharing your memory, I have enjoyed this thread too. I really like reading everyone's similar but different memories and links to steam machinery.
Bear and Penn thanks for the links and information on traction tractors.
I read through everything over coffee this morning and found it interesting stuff. Tried to login before work to comment, but nope. It would be cool to ride in one of those steel wheel Steam machines.
Regards Track Fiddler
PS A little frustrated here, my login doesn't stay logged in. It takes me a dozen times to login sometimes and sometimes Nope. Then I give up.
Customer service said they would get back to me tonight. They are so kind and courteous people. Maybe it will take some time down there for someone to figure out what's going on.
It is what it is so don't sweat the small stuff right Track Fiddler
I have another story from a childhood memory along the Burlington Northern Railway. The story ends with no answer to it and I hope someone has it for me because I have not known the answer for about 45 years.
We used to walk or ride our bikes down the trail on the south side of the BN Tracks towards Cedar Lake Minneapolis. There was a Lindy Rig manufacturing company about 1/3 of the way down.
You know how kids are, we dug through the garbage and picked out all the molded fishing worms Mr. Twisters you know stuff like that. When you're a kid that kind of stuff is neat.
One day one of the workers came out and yelled hey you kids what are you doing digging through the trash. Well we told him, we're looking for worms. He said " You don't need to dig through the garbage for worms those are the junk ones with air bubbles, we throw those away, come down at 5:30 in the morning when we're getting off a double shift and I'll give you some good ones". So We said OK! ......and we did..... enough of that part of the story though.
The next morning us kids were getting down to Lindy Rig a little too early. There was a Burlington Northern Caboose parked on the siding. The old railroad guy was leaning up against the back of the cabooze smoking a cigarette. He said hey what are you kids doing? One of us explained and he said hey I have a riddle for you.
He told us the riddle and told us he would be down there tomorrow night and he would give the answer to us if we hadn't figured it out by then. We went back tomorrow night and he was not there. I don't think it was his choice he probably got called out on the road or stationed somewhere else.
I don't remember the exactly how the riddle went. After all that was 45 years ago. I do remember the gist of it though. It started with $7 dollars. The money was allotted out in a certain way one dollar at a time and it all made sense until the end. It was mind-boggling. We could not make sense of it. The last line of the riddle was,......What happened to the extra dollar......Edit It may have been (other dollar or missing dollar?) There were three of us. None of us figured out the answer.
Maybe someone on the forum is familiar with this riddle and has the answer for me.
I don't feel that I am This did take place on the side of the Burlington Northern Railway. Just hopeful for an answer after all these years
My recollection of the steam days goes back to when my parents lived about 1-1/2 blocks from the DM&IR tracks in Two Harbors. I remember my mother washing clothes only on days of an east wind. The tracks were to the west and the soot would blow away from the clothes lines. She always cleaned the lines before hanging out the laundry because of the soot.
My father was a locomotive engineer on the DM&IR and almost every one in town worked for them somewhere. The town was always under a hazy cloud with the steam trains, coal burning tug boat and all the ore carriers also burning coal.
When my father and I would go partridge or rabbit hunting we would take the passenger train north out of town and get off somewhere along the line. The engineer would know we would want a ride back to town later on in the day and expect us to be waiting. Usually when they stopped for us we would ride in the locomotive cab back to town. They would stop the train in town and all we had to do was walk the block and a half to home.
I would go with my father when he would go down to the roundhouse to check the call board. If he got into a longwinded B.S. session I would go wander around the roundhouse. Never was told to get out by anyone. Just enjoyed myself snooping about.
Rode many times on steam and diesel engines. I look back now and remember it was no big deal to be around trains and train tracks. The tracks andwoods along side were our playground growing up. We all knew to pay attention to the trains and no one ever came close to getting hurt. It was drilled into us by our parents about the dangers, something we never forgot.
My dad said "Don't ever go to work for the railroad." I didn't, went to work for a mining company instead. After I retired I became a RR conductor on the North Shore Scenic Railroad. (Sorry Dad) Just this year, after 5 years and $750,000 we hve steam back on the rails. Love the smell in down town Duluth now. A 2-8-0 #28. A former DM&IE and D&NE loco.
My father is probably turning over in his grave.
The steam era was a grand time to be alive, just wish I had paid more attention to it, but thankful I got to be there.
God's Best & Happy Rails to You!
Bing (RIPRR The Route of the Buzzards)
The future: Dead Rail Society
SouthPenn If you like all things that are steam powered and the smell of burning coal, then try to visit Rough and Tumble in Lancaster County Pa. Try to get there during the Threshermen's Reunion.
How in the world did I not know about this place? Already planning PTO to take a few days there next year.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Bing & Kathy
I'm not much of a man that dips into feelings too deeply. My wife does and I'm starting to learn from her as we grow older together.
I have to say your story really touched my heart, I wiped a tear away. I am very familiar with the Duluth Mesabi area and the Iron Rage.
I spent several months living in Duluth with my Auntie Mary after my parents were seriously hurt in a snowmobile accident in McGregor Minnesota. That surely was many years ago. I have a great memory of the time spent with my Auntie Mary. I also remember watching the Duluth Mesabi Railroad operations while I was there. I love to watch trains, always have.
I toured the Glensheen Mansion in Duluth once. Wealthy tycoons named there mansions back in the day. Chester Congdon went from a school teacher to somehow the owner of the Iron Range and the richest man in Minnesota of the day.
I enjoyed reading your memory. I did not live the steam era but I got a big smile on my face when you talked about your Mom's laundry line and your dad's work and how you wandered around The Roundhouse.
My parents long after their snowmobile accident bought a resort on the Canadian border where I grew up after starting in our house in St Louis Park. We all did a lot of grouse hunting in the wilderness at the resort. Besides fishing it was my favorite thing to do.
I just want to end by telling you. Your daddy isn't rolling over in his grave. He has a big smile on his face You admired what he did. Now you're doing it because you want to and now he admires that.
Yup your Dad has a Great Big smile on his face.
Track Fiddler
My dad used to take the Jersey Central from Plainfield NJ to Jersey City dailey on his way to work in Brooklyn in the 1940's. We used to walk the 5 or so blocks to the station often to meet him on his return. Recall watching the steamers going to and fro as we waited for him. Also recall standing next to the locos as they were stopped and the wheels being as big or bigger than me. didn't know what type of locos, just knew they were huge and steam was coming from everywhere. Taking the train into Macy's to see Santa Clause was also a big deal. Those experiences were the beginning of a lifelong interest railroading.
Track fiddlerI do remember the gist of it though. It started with $7 dollars. The money was allotted out in a certain way one dollar at a time and it all made sense until the end. It was mind-boggling. We could not make sense of it. The last line of the riddle was,......What happened to the extra dollar......
I've heard that one before but I don't remember all of the details. It's a math trick.
I could never figure out what was the big deal when my grandmother got a clothes dryer. Now I get it. Thanks for filling in the blanks with the clothes washing posts.
SouthPenn It's too bad I live so far away from Pennsylvania. The Thresherman's Reunion sure looks like a lot of fun.
One can only go so many places in a year. Next year is going to be Trainfest for sure.
Maybe I will be able to check out the Thresherman's Rally one of these years.