The train thread

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David S
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Message 1491307 - Posted: 19 Mar 2014, 18:17:54 UTC - in response to Message 1490912.  

Of course, the biggest obstacles to this are A: my weight

Of you can always apply for the position of the Fat Controller !

Only if you wear a top hat.

And have a beard...

I have a beard and can get a hat, but I'm NOT ready to get into the deep and complex political scene at the museum.

I may have to put in a day in the barrel during Thomas, though. Maybe I'll get lucky and work regular trains instead of the Thomas train.

(I have a picture of Thomas hiding away in the closed-to-the-public barn where they keep him.)
David
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Message 1491316 - Posted: 19 Mar 2014, 18:29:06 UTC

On my recent steam day, the not-so-fat controller was resplendent with his white Yorkshire rose.

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Message 1491343 - Posted: 19 Mar 2014, 19:03:26 UTC - in response to Message 1491316.  

On my recent steam day, the not-so-fat controller was resplendent with his white Yorkshire rose.


If I ever want to dress that fancy, I'd have to buy the uniform myself. I understand they have a collection of vintage uniforms and if one fits you, you can have it, but I doubt they have one that would fit me. I'll probably have to get a museum golf shirt and some black slacks. Maybe steel toed shoes, at least if I work in the steam shop.

And I need to find a reliable watch that fits me. Or a decent pocket watch that's not too valuable an antique to carry around out there where it can get damaged.

If I become an operator, I'll be under federal safety regs, including hours of service and no personal electronic devices. Even my friend the Pullman conductor isn't covered by those, because he isn't an actual train conductor.
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Message 1491708 - Posted: 20 Mar 2014, 6:23:47 UTC

You can find a lot of cheap pocket watches now days. I buy mine at Walmart. I cant use a wristwatch as Id be getting cutting oil all over it. It might say waterproof to 3 meters, But Oil will get in the works real fast. Ive had it happen a lot.
[/quote]

Old James
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Message 1491809 - Posted: 20 Mar 2014, 12:32:51 UTC

Some good news for the UK at least....

Hitachi to move rail business to UK
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David S
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Message 1491933 - Posted: 20 Mar 2014, 17:09:48 UTC - in response to Message 1491708.  

You can find a lot of cheap pocket watches now days. I buy mine at Walmart. I cant use a wristwatch as Id be getting cutting oil all over it. It might say waterproof to 3 meters, But Oil will get in the works real fast. Ive had it happen a lot.

I need one that's reliable, accurate, and shows seconds. The last few non-digital watches I've had (either purely mechanical or battery/quartz) tended to stop or just jump around randomly.

I should start searching online.
David
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Message 1504443 - Posted: 15 Apr 2014, 20:06:50 UTC

A few more details about the rules exam at the museum, for anyone who's interested.

There are 100 questions. The first 20 are interactive, either signal displays shown on a screen, whistle signals done live (utilizing an air hose coming from outside), or someone actively doing hand signals. One of these was rather funny, an unexpected follow-up to a comment made earlier in the day, and it still has me laughing when I think about it. At the time, I laughed so hard I could barely mark the answer on my answer sheet.

The rest of the questions were printed. I kept smiling until I got to #47. From there through the 60s and most of the 80s, I had to really think and got rather nervous.

10 of the questions are called "quick kills." Get any of those wrong and you fail, even if you got all 99 of the rest right. A passing grade was 85. I got 97. Of the ones I missed, two involved speed restrictions (I gave answers slower than the correct speeds); I don't remember what the other was.
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Message 1504444 - Posted: 15 Apr 2014, 20:12:29 UTC - in response to Message 1504443.  

Lol, at least slower is better than faster in that respect. Reminds me of my exams.

They tested two at a time, and did not allow conferring. After two hours, we were sweating buckets, so he asked us a question and allowing conferring, left the room...

...returned some time later with three coffees, saw the panic on our face and burst out laughing...

...it was an unanswerable question then he told us we had passed.

The sheer relief...
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Message 1504625 - Posted: 16 Apr 2014, 7:00:49 UTC - in response to Message 1491933.  

You can find a lot of cheap pocket watches now days. I buy mine at Walmart. I cant use a wristwatch as Id be getting cutting oil all over it. It might say waterproof to 3 meters, But Oil will get in the works real fast. Ive had it happen a lot.

I need one that's reliable, accurate, and shows seconds. The last few non-digital watches I've had (either purely mechanical or battery/quartz) tended to stop or just jump around randomly.

I should start searching online.

In 2000, the lady I was keeping company with gave me a B.U.M. pocket watch for Christmas. She got it at WalMart. It lasted until just after my Dad died in 2007 - the cloth strap between the watch and the carabiner belt clip disintegrated from wear. So I started carrying my Dad's Timex pocket watch - same style & belt clip. On its 3rd battery, about ready for a new cloth strap, just like the other one...
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Message 1504627 - Posted: 16 Apr 2014, 7:14:32 UTC

We were talking a while back about Big Boy #4014 being moved to Wyoming for restoration. Some good pics with this story.
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David S
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Message 1504714 - Posted: 16 Apr 2014, 14:14:33 UTC - in response to Message 1504627.  

We were talking a while back about Big Boy #4014 being moved to Wyoming for restoration. Some good pics with this story.

Yes, that is a good story. Writer actually got it right.

Here's the detailed schedule for the trip to Cheyenne.
David
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David S
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Message 1504715 - Posted: 16 Apr 2014, 14:16:20 UTC - in response to Message 1504625.  

You can find a lot of cheap pocket watches now days. I buy mine at Walmart. I cant use a wristwatch as Id be getting cutting oil all over it. It might say waterproof to 3 meters, But Oil will get in the works real fast. Ive had it happen a lot.

I need one that's reliable, accurate, and shows seconds. The last few non-digital watches I've had (either purely mechanical or battery/quartz) tended to stop or just jump around randomly.

I should start searching online.

In 2000, the lady I was keeping company with gave me a B.U.M. pocket watch for Christmas. She got it at WalMart. It lasted until just after my Dad died in 2007 - the cloth strap between the watch and the carabiner belt clip disintegrated from wear. So I started carrying my Dad's Timex pocket watch - same style & belt clip. On its 3rd battery, about ready for a new cloth strap, just like the other one...

I guess I'll have to go to WalMart. I just learned that the one here in town closed. They built a new one maybe a mile away, next to Costco. The old Sam's is still there, though.
David
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David S
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Message 1504716 - Posted: 16 Apr 2014, 14:17:20 UTC

Speaking of steam engines, IRM did not get 1630 painted last weekend while most of us were at the safety meeting. They are aiming for this weekend.
David
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Message 1504907 - Posted: 16 Apr 2014, 20:10:48 UTC

Hello everyone :) Sorry to butt in.

Not sure if any of you have heard of the Shongololo Express? (Called after the African name for millipede - there's one of those in the bug thread :))



Anyway - it's sort of where trains meet southern african safaris. It's a nice concept in that they plough profits back into local communities along the routes and into environmental projects and wildlife conservation.

They do several different tours, and some of the trains are steam powered I think. :)





Never been on it myself but those I know that have, always want to do it again. :)
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Message 1504928 - Posted: 16 Apr 2014, 20:36:11 UTC

There are a great many train rides around the world that I'd like to take. Probably never will just because I can't afford to go there.
David
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Message 1504939 - Posted: 16 Apr 2014, 20:57:28 UTC - in response to Message 1504714.  

We were talking a while back about Big Boy #4014 being moved to Wyoming for restoration. Some good pics with this story.

Yes, that is a good story. Writer actually got it right.

Here's the detailed schedule for the trip to Cheyenne.

And to think ALCO built 25 of those Monsters for the UP, it would be nice if they had a working SP 4-8-8-2 Cab Forward Locomotive for that Promontory celebration in 2019, CP or Central Pacific is a Southern Pacific predecessor railroad, both CP/SP and UP met at Promontory to drive home the golden spike to open the 1st transcontinental railroad, which was made possible by US Governmental land grants, soldiers and such. The SP 4-8-8-2 is an oil burner built by Baldwin Locomotive Works(BLoW)... But I'm just day dreaming...

Southern Pacific 4294 at the
California State Railroad Museum
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anniet
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Message 1504941 - Posted: 16 Apr 2014, 21:03:15 UTC - in response to Message 1504928.  

There are a great many train rides around the world that I'd like to take. Probably never will just because I can't afford to go there.


I know what you mean :(
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Message 1504942 - Posted: 16 Apr 2014, 21:04:29 UTC - in response to Message 1504939.  

We were talking a while back about Big Boy #4014 being moved to Wyoming for restoration. Some good pics with this story.

Yes, that is a good story. Writer actually got it right.

Here's the detailed schedule for the trip to Cheyenne.

And to think ALCO built 25 of those Monsters for the UP, it would be nice if they had a working SP 4-8-8-2 Cab Forward Locomotive for that Promontory celebration in 2019, CP or Central Pacific is a Southern Pacific predecessor railroad, both CP/SP and UP met at Promontory to drive home the golden spike to open the 1st transcontinental railroad, which was made possible by US Governmental land grants, soldiers and such. The SP 4-8-8-2 is an oil burner built by Baldwin Locomotive Works(BLoW)... But I'm just day dreaming...

Southern Pacific 4294 at the
California State Railroad Museum


THAT is an AMAZING looking train!
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Message 1504952 - Posted: 16 Apr 2014, 21:30:14 UTC

Here's a rail road bridge for Ya.....



High Level tram and road bridge, Edmonton Alberta!
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Message 1504955 - Posted: 16 Apr 2014, 21:33:25 UTC - in response to Message 1504942.  

We were talking a while back about Big Boy #4014 being moved to Wyoming for restoration. Some good pics with this story.

Yes, that is a good story. Writer actually got it right.

Here's the detailed schedule for the trip to Cheyenne.

And to think ALCO built 25 of those Monsters for the UP, it would be nice if they had a working SP 4-8-8-2 Cab Forward Locomotive for that Promontory celebration in 2019, CP or Central Pacific is a Southern Pacific predecessor railroad, both CP/SP and UP met at Promontory to drive home the golden spike to open the 1st transcontinental railroad, which was made possible by US Governmental land grants, soldiers and such. The SP 4-8-8-2 is an oil burner built by Baldwin Locomotive Works(BLoW)... But I'm just day dreaming...

Southern Pacific 4294 at the
California State Railroad Museum


THAT is an AMAZING looking train!

And that is also the very last example of its type left in world too, so I doubt it will be running on the rails anytime soon.
The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's
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