Nostalgia & History > Glenbrook 30 years ago.

  I had intended to post these photos last year, when the Glenbrook was steamed up for the first time, but I couldn't find them at the time.

  Thirty years ago, I was was in the employ of Shortline Enterprisses, working at the Nevada State RR Museum, under Chris DeWitt, as an apprentice boiler maker and mechanic. I was there to assist Chris in the rebuilding of the D&R #8's boiler but, as the project began to draw to a close, we began looking towards the next project, which was the Glenbrook. It was decided to move the engine from the museum side of the building, over to the shop side. We rolled it outside on some snap track, swung it over with a crane and then pushed it into the shop where it was placed off to the side near the reastroom. Later that evening, we had an impromptu party in the the shop. With a few drinks in us all and feeling pretty good, someone dared anyone to try and climb inside the boiler. I, being a skinny 20 year old kid, accepted the challenge. I managed to slip through the dome and lay atop of the tube bunch, the barrel of the boiler giving my chest just enough room to breathe. I'm not particularly claustrophobic but, once they started joking about putting the dome on, it was time to get out, something which proved to be even more difficult that it was to get in since there was no room to even bend my legs! Back then, I never imagined that it would take so long to finish the project.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/22/17 21:16 by crackerjackhoghead.

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Just for a perspective of size, here is my dad standing next to the rear end of the boiler. And, that's the larger wagon top portion!

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