Steam & Excursion > Servicing No. 90

The hostler is shown servicing No. 90 at Strasburg, PA this morning prior to the afternoon runs.

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Strasburg No. 90.

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Nice shots. Was this part of the hostler tour or were you just around? Looks like no "crowd".

People shots are all too often forgotten in steam photography. Of course we don't want the tourists in our photos but as long as the crews are appropriately dress sans safety vests, they often make interesting subjects going about their work.

All of the shots were taken outside. Photo 5 was taken while standing outside an open door at the end of the building. I zoomed in with the lens and used the built in camera flash to frame the picture and make the exposure. The first train was not scheduled to leave today until Noon. I was there at 10:00 and there were very few people there at that hour.

I see he is able to use the grease gun with a zerx fitting. Would zerx fittings be around back in the early 20th century and in use on steam locomotives? Seems like an automotive invention. Just curious, and obviously I would put as many of those on that beast as possible. Great pics!

Sean McCaffery

bigmc83 Wrote:
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> I see he is able to use the grease gun with a zerx
> fitting. Would zerx fittings be around back in
> the early 20th century and in use on steam
> locomotives? Seems like an automotive invention.
> Just curious, and obviously I would put as many of
> those on that beast as possible. Great pics!
>
> Sean McCaffery

Those are probably the "button head" type of soft grease fittings.

This does appear to be one of the smaller size of button fittings. However, zerk fittings are also used on some locomotives.

Posted from iPhone

Very nice to see steam servicing shots like these....

Steve Mitchell
http://www.yardgoatimages.com