Steam & Excursion > A War-Time Great Northern Freight At Speed Ne Bucoda, WA!

It is pretty easy to tell that this 18-car freight pulled by GN #3251 was photographed during WW-2.  The shields on the headlights and marker lights are a dead giveaway to the era when this photo was taken.

Al Farrow was taking a break from his job as a Northern Pacific engineer out of Auburn, Washington on this sunny day so he could capture a few frames of steam action on his trusty 616 camera.  While nearing Bucoda, WA he saw the fast approaching #3251 and her train bearing down on him.  He was just able to stop his car and set up his camera in time to catch this classic shot of steam at work during the War years.

Thanks Al for saving this scene for us.

Martin



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/18/15 03:42 by LoggerHogger.

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Martin,
Is the headlight placed unusually high on the smokebox or were they all like that?

Why this can't be.  You can't run a train with solid bearings on jointed rail that fast.  Tsk Tsk Tsk

masterphots Wrote:
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> Martin,
> Is the headlight placed unusually high on the
> smokebox or were they all like that?

Most GN steam had headlight placement like that.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/18/15 07:28 by dcoursey.

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Thank you, Martin and Al.

Frisco1522 Wrote:
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> Why this can't be.  You can't run a train with
> solid bearings on jointed rail that fast.  Tsk
> Tsk Tsk

I bet it doesn't have dynamic brake either .....

BryanTCook Wrote:
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> Frisco1522 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Why this can't be.  You can't run a train with
> > solid bearings on jointed rail that fast.  Tsk
> > Tsk Tsk
>
> I bet it doesn't have dynamic brake either .....

No radio, event recorder, and most likely no speedometer either. How did they do it without utter chaos?

Although this shot is in black and white, I'd be willing to bet money that nobody in the photo had on a chartreuse tear-away vest! 

ecoyote Wrote:
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> Although this shot is in black and white, I'd be
> willing to bet money that nobody in the photo had
> on a chartreuse tear-away vest!

Nor ear plugs or safety glasses! Beautiful locomotive.-BMT