Steam & Excursion > Steam returns to the MS&PP (Cog RR)

Today was "press day" for the MS&PP as they ran a test run of recently reworked #4 and one of the orginal passenger cars.   A small group of local press was invited to observe the operation and ride a few hundred yards up the main. 

1. Crew getting #4 ready in the Manitou yards
2. 3. Backing down "light engine" and doing some test runs up and down a few hundred feet 

Normally one will not get a good view of the front end of this engine as it is almost always coupled to a car. (not coupled in the true sense, but butted up) 

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What's the little orange deal going up the side of the stack?

1. Builders note plate
2. Watering at end of track, using the old fire hydrant method
3. Waiting at end of track for the passener car to be carefully coated down the track. Car can be seen passing through the station as the 1:30 regualar train passengers watch. 

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One does not actually couple cars on the MS&PP, but gravity keeps the car pushed against the locomotive at al times due to the grade.   A set of vertical and horizontal rollers push against each other and allow vertical and lateral motion to occur between the engine and car as they bump up and along the track.  Also, should the engine suddenly loose all tracation and break it;s cogs then it would run down ahead of the car and brakemen could safely stop the car with passengers. 

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1,2 After watering, and attaching the car, train waits at end of track for the positioning and departure of the 1:30 diesel train. 
3. NBC and FOX local Colorado Springs reporters were present, here is the "Foxy 21" reporter interviewing MS&PP management for a short news clip. 

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First run up the hill with media folks riding in the train. 

For those interested, MS&PP will be running trains a short distance up the line for public rides on June 30, Aug 25, Sept 8 and Oct 6.   Four runs are planned each day, so check with the cog railroad (www.CogRailway.com) for details and contact information.  

You have to watch this engine go by as the side rod motion is "not normal".....

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Thank you very much for the great photos of this rare engine.
I had heard that she was going to run on June 30 for the 125th
avviversary of the railroad, but I had not heard about these test
runs.  I had thought she was going to run only on June 30.  It
is great that she will run several other days, too.

I have never before seen a steam locomotive whose steam
chests were bigger than her cylinders.  I am also surprised that
her steam chests are round, instead of rectangular, as are all of
the locomotives of her era.  (I had thought that all pre-1900 steam
locomotives had slide valves, instead of the modern pistons.
Learn something new every day!)

Happy 125th anniversary, Manitou Springs & Pikes Peak Railway!

I am SO glad the #4 has been made operational and will run as part
of your big celebration.

Great coverage. Beautiful equipment. Thanks for posting.

Thanks for sharing the great photos of this unique locomotive in service on this beautiful line.

Martin

Margaret_SP_fan Wrote:
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> I have never before seen a steam locomotive whose
> steam
> chests were bigger than her cylinders.  I am also
> surprised that
> her steam chests are round, instead of
> rectangular, as are all of
> the locomotives of her era.  (I had thought that
> all pre-1900 steam
> locomotives had slide valves, instead of the
> modern pistons.
> Learn something new every day!)

Actually, it's a Vauclain compound engine.  The smaller cylinder houses the high pressure piston and the larger cylinder houses the low pressure cylinder. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vauclain_compound



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/26/16 04:47 by SR-RL_Nr_10.

Did they say anything about whether they will operate longer runs with steam and, if yes, when?

No matter what they can't run past Mountain View Station as there are no water facilities available.   Not sure the exact limit of the public runs, I seem to get a different answer every time I call or ask someone.  

Their publicity flyer (you can find it on a link in the Cog RR website) states the trips will travel 1/4 mile up the line.  Mountain View is a lot further and was where trips in previous years would go to and take siding, wait for passing trains.  

What is needed is that a club or group run a charter (hopefully a photo charter) like in past years where they would carry some passengers on the old coach pushed by steam and a larger group would ride a diesel train just ahead of the steam, and all would get out for photo runpasts. 

HOWEVER, that was before the new owner took over.  For those not aware, the new owner (last 4 ? years or so) is non other than Phil Anschutz.   As we all know, some of the things he does really support historic preservation, but other things related to railfan interests not so much.  Time will tell. 

Thanks for posting these photos.  Would have been nice to have been there.

Jim Barton

flash34 Wrote:
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> What's the little orange deal going up the side of
> the stack?

Scott, 
  It appears to me that the "orange deal" is the exhaust for the dynamo mounted on the front pilot, perhaps a copper or brass pipe.

I think going at least to Mountain View would be great.  It seems to me they should be able to bring water to Mountain View eventually so the trip could go the whole way.  They could truck water to the top as well if needed.