family geekery - steam trains
My dad is a steam train nut. If he were of our generation, he'd be called a geek, but to him that's a really bad thing to be called, so I'll call him a nut.
He's one of those guys who reads detailed dry books about the whens and wheres and hows of train systems and engines, and when one of the cool old steam engines is out soemwhere, he likes to go and see it and take pictures and get all giddy.
It's rubbed off a bit. I don't care too much about the technical stuff, but yes, I do find the trains exciting. Last and this weekend, they've been running one of the local old famous steam trains, the 4449 aka the Daylight (which also did a stint as the Freedom Train in 1976 with a different paint job), up and down a bit of rail in SE PDX as the Holiday Express, so I went to go see it. Dad and my brother weren't able to get up here, so I called dad while I was there and took a few pictures with my crappy old film camera (need a digital! yes I know). And it was indeed exciting.
Someone's clip from last year: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ykfLz3ch_t0&feature=related
From the Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation's website: (http://www.orhf.org/index.html)
"Southern Pacific #4449
Built in 1941 as a 4-8-4 GS-4 "Northern" type locomotive, she is 110' long, 10' wide and 16' tall. With locomotive and tender weighing 433 tons and a boiler pressure of 300 psi, her eight 80" diameter drivers and unique firebox truck booster can apply 5,500 horsepower to the rails and exceed 100 mph. Retired to Oaks Park in 1958 for display only, in 1974 she was completely restored specifically to pull the 1976 Bicentennial Freedom Train throughout the United States to the delight of over 30 million people.
"The only remaining operable "streamlined" steam locomotive of the Art Deco era, this grand Lady of the High Iron pulled Southern Pacific "Daylight" coaches from Los Angeles to San Francisco over the scenic Coast Route and then on to Portland until 1955. She is arguably one of the most beautiful locomotives ever built -- and kept that way by the all-volunteer Friends of the SP 4449."
It's almost more of an anticipatory, yay I got to go see it than a wow this thing is huge and loud. Still, very cool. Lots of old folks and even young families, there to see it or take a ride. The tracks very cleverly have a bike/ped path built next to them, so there are people who pace it, running or biking (it goes slow for safety). I know it's super-polluting and all, but I like keeping a few dinosaurs around - reminds us where we come from, and keeps some of the emotional attachment to trains alive, which is good for keeping the train system alive.
Sadly, while I was there, an elderly train enthusiast was visiting the cab of the engine, and collapsed, possibly too excited and had a heart attack. The paramedics and the ambulance came, but it was an out-of the way spot, and it took awhile. I was rather shocked to see the paramedics, first on the scene, walk at a steady pace, not even a quick pace, towards the train. Remind me to not need paramedics...
He's one of those guys who reads detailed dry books about the whens and wheres and hows of train systems and engines, and when one of the cool old steam engines is out soemwhere, he likes to go and see it and take pictures and get all giddy.
It's rubbed off a bit. I don't care too much about the technical stuff, but yes, I do find the trains exciting. Last and this weekend, they've been running one of the local old famous steam trains, the 4449 aka the Daylight (which also did a stint as the Freedom Train in 1976 with a different paint job), up and down a bit of rail in SE PDX as the Holiday Express, so I went to go see it. Dad and my brother weren't able to get up here, so I called dad while I was there and took a few pictures with my crappy old film camera (need a digital! yes I know). And it was indeed exciting.
Someone's clip from last year: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ykfLz3ch_t0&feature=related
From the Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation's website: (http://www.orhf.org/index.html)
"Southern Pacific #4449
Built in 1941 as a 4-8-4 GS-4 "Northern" type locomotive, she is 110' long, 10' wide and 16' tall. With locomotive and tender weighing 433 tons and a boiler pressure of 300 psi, her eight 80" diameter drivers and unique firebox truck booster can apply 5,500 horsepower to the rails and exceed 100 mph. Retired to Oaks Park in 1958 for display only, in 1974 she was completely restored specifically to pull the 1976 Bicentennial Freedom Train throughout the United States to the delight of over 30 million people.
"The only remaining operable "streamlined" steam locomotive of the Art Deco era, this grand Lady of the High Iron pulled Southern Pacific "Daylight" coaches from Los Angeles to San Francisco over the scenic Coast Route and then on to Portland until 1955. She is arguably one of the most beautiful locomotives ever built -- and kept that way by the all-volunteer Friends of the SP 4449."
It's almost more of an anticipatory, yay I got to go see it than a wow this thing is huge and loud. Still, very cool. Lots of old folks and even young families, there to see it or take a ride. The tracks very cleverly have a bike/ped path built next to them, so there are people who pace it, running or biking (it goes slow for safety). I know it's super-polluting and all, but I like keeping a few dinosaurs around - reminds us where we come from, and keeps some of the emotional attachment to trains alive, which is good for keeping the train system alive.
Sadly, while I was there, an elderly train enthusiast was visiting the cab of the engine, and collapsed, possibly too excited and had a heart attack. The paramedics and the ambulance came, but it was an out-of the way spot, and it took awhile. I was rather shocked to see the paramedics, first on the scene, walk at a steady pace, not even a quick pace, towards the train. Remind me to not need paramedics...