I was sad to read in the current issue of TRAINS that New Hampshire's Mount Washington Cog is now mostly diezelized. I recall the one and only time I've been there, approaching the mountain from the west and seeing multiple plumes of smoke ascending and descending. The very fine article didn't state whether or not the descents continue to be made with the coaches under their own brakes, and not even touching the locomotives. Is this as necessary for the diesels as for the steam locos?
If my previous readings are correct, during steam operations, the coaches were still against the locomotives when going downhill. The locomotives just drifted without actually using any steam.
I rode the seat nearest the loco on a descent in the late 90's, when only steam was in use. A young brakeman boarded and announced that he was actually in command for the trip down, and would be quite busy applying and releasing the brakes. The locomotive would descend inches ahead of us, and would be there as a fail-safe. I recall how the young man fought the brake wheel on the steepest sections of the descent. But it gave me great comfort to remember that--should he or his brakes falter--the loco would take over. I guess the coaches also connect with the "rack" at the center of the rails. It's too steep for four wheels to be able to hold you back.
When I was a kid growing up in the late 40's and early 50's I was witness to the end of steam and the coming of the diesels. I saw the smoke, steam, noise, dance of the reciprocating parts and general drama of the steam engines replaced by the humdrum seemingly effortless passage of the diesels. When I rode the cog railway to the top of Mt. Washington a few years back the drama was recaptured in all it's noise, soot ,cinders and vibrancy. As the engines labored to the summit they talked so loud and shook so hard that lumps of coal skittered scross the tender deck and fell to the right-of-way. You knew that engine was WORKING. It was a dramatic spectical that was worth the full price of the ticket. After my experience with mainline steam, I could never warm up to the diesels. I'm afraid now it will be the same with the cog railway.
I had to nod my head in agreement to Jim Valle's post. Believe it or not the earliest thing I can remember is a steam locomotive. I can close my eyes now after all these years, 54 to be exact, and still see it. Big, black, centered headlight, smoke from the stack going "CHUFF- CHUFF- CHUFF!" I wasn't more than three years old at the time. And by the way, I wasn't frightened, I was fascinated! Guess that's what made me a steam freak! And I imagine a lot of you out there have a similar story to tell!
We're straying a little off topic, but yes, it still puts a tingle in my spine remembering as a kid lying awake listening to steam locomotives at work. They were alive! If they were struggling to get a train started (drivers slipping), if they were racing down the main line, if they were drifting in to a stop, everybody in town knew it.
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"A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner
The passion for steam that dominates these most recent posts argues for one of the points made (in this month's TRAINS feature) by the owners of "The Cog": most of their fans aren't railfans. When I was there several years ago, the many tour buses in the parking lot carried senior adult groups--folks who remember steam, but aren't nostalgically or emotionally tied to it. If actual, steam-loving railfans would travel to New Hampshire and demand to ride the (now) single steam trip that heads up the mountain each day, I expect the Cog's owners would be obliged to rescue one or two others of its old steamers from mothballs. Again I recall the thrill of approaching Mount Washington in our bus and seeing multiple plumes of smoke ascending and descending the steep grade.
I rode up Pike's Peak on the M&PP many years ago when the service was provided by single-unit Swiss railcars and two-unit coach-locomotive sets with shovel noses that looked like they were built by St. Louis Car. Mt Washington's home-built diesel torque-converter locomotives may not be steam, but they still have character, not unlike the M&PP two-unit sets.
You know, I've ridden the Manitou and Pikes Peak railway twice, and certainly the ride's the thing, not what pushes or pulls you up there. And what a ride it is! On the way down the mountain on our last trip we could the the USAF "Thunderbirds" practicing over Colorado Springs. Just the icing on the cake! Still, it would have been fun if they were running one of the old steam engines. Oh well, the folks on Mount Washington "gotta do what they gotta do." At least they're not sending the steamers to the scrapper!
could the environmentalists have had anything to do with this? smoke abaitment?
Not to worry. This is a sign of the times. The steamers are quite old. Built in the 1930's I believe.
I was there last summer. One steamer and three diesels where running.
About a ton of coal for the trip. A water stop about half way. The fireman is actually trying to keep a miniature volcano or blast furnace operating to maintain steam pressure. Four cylinder locomotives.
I was at the rear of the car and could feel the heat from the smoke box front while leaning against the rear wall. Noisy and a lot of vibration.
On the way down, the steamer stays a little ahead of the car and the brakeman has two large brake wheels to operate.
On the way up. I put my arm out the open window and within thirty seconds my arm was covered with coal dust.
The engineer who designed the diesels I believe retired from the NH sub base at and came up with the diesel design. I got a close up look at them. Probably a couple push buttons to operate. They use diesel hydraulic drives with a cog on each axle.
Go look at the cog railway website for info. Anything I tell you could be considered opinion.
Rich
At the passing track for the water stop, both turnouts are solar panel operated. The nine step manual turnout is still used near the top.
Takes a lot of cooperation to run four trains on a single track with a passing track.
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
Since some will refuse to look for the cog site, below is the link.
http://www.thecog.com/
Go to You Tube and search for mt washington cog railway. I made some videos but will let you look for them. Many others have made them also.
http://www.youtube.com
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