Steam & Excursion > C&O 1309 at Helmstetters

The Germans have a word to describe the experience of nostalgia for a place you've never been or could never go.  "Fernweh".   This is as close as we can get to re-creating those days.    This image evokes the days of heavy freight drags pounding up the Alleghenies.  Here #1309 hauls a load of coal empties at Helmstetter's Curve.

Mike Massee
Tehachapi, CA
Photography, Railroading and more..

---

IOTD IMHO!  Beautiful!

mike woodruff
anacortes wa

Superlative! Creating a black and white image makes this timeless!
Bob

An astonishingly good photograph...

Thank you for sharing.

Excellent steam shot!!

Larry

It's amazing it can make it up the hill after losing that much steam!

Out 

Heh! That's a great pic of 1309 strutting its stuff. The use of B&W here really brings out the excitement of the moment. What did it sound like? Sewing machine or thundering iron beast?

jkh2cpu Wrote:
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> Heh! That's a great pic of 1309 strutting its
> stuff. The use of B&W here really brings out the
> excitement of the moment. What did it sound like?
> Sewing machine or thundering iron beast?

I have a video...has the unique sound of a compound mallet...sounds good...

Mike Massee
Tehachapi, CA
Photography, Railroading and more..

callum_out Wrote:
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> It's amazing it can make it up the hill after
> losing that much steam!
>
> Out 

Condensation from extreme cold...coldest charter I've ever been on.

Mike Massee
Tehachapi, CA
Photography, Railroading and more..

A short train of empties, even uphill, will not nearly tax the 
power generation that the loco is capable of.

A small 2-8-0, maybe; the 1309, not so much.

But it makes a great picture.

The 4- sets of piston "rod-packing" are still blowing --- not a good sign..
either the metallic rod packing is defective, worn, or both; OR,
the other components of the packing gland are not sealing the way
that they should.

Blowing rod-packing used to be common on worn-out locos; newly rebuilt
locos might blow for several trips..; but, 1309 is well past the 'several trips'...

​W.

Being able to recreate what is an iconic image from the steam age in today's world is incredible.  Doing it justice is even even better.  That is fantasic!

Elizabeth

wcamp1472 Wrote:
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> A short train of empties, even uphill, will not
> nearly tax the 
> power generation that the loco is capable of.
>
> A small 2-8-0, maybe; the 1309, not so much.
> ​W.

A 5lb set on the brakes before coming into the photo runby zone can make it work harder and be more impressive.

Current freight car air brakes automatically go to 
a 10lb reduction.... a too-light reduction, if deep in a train, 
so the individual control valve automatically goes to a 10-lb reduction.
It takes a 10 lb reduction by the engineer, in order ensures later, complete release.

in fact, every freight car that gets regularly tested with a 'single-car testing device' 
uses a test condition simulating a slight BP reduction --- the test verifies that
under such condition, the car being tested, does in fact, go to a 10-lb reduction.
A 10 lb reduction is sufficient to ensure complete release ( and exhaust of air
from the brake cylinders).

Typically, long freight trains are difficult to brake evenly and yet, are able to fully
release brakes when BP increases ---- back to the original BP pressure.

Its a myth that you can make a 5lb reduction ---- it will be modified, by each car as if it was
a 10-lb reduction--- thus, ensuring a positive 'release' .

​W.

( Passenger cars typically are operated with a "graduated release" mode, 
   [ where brake cylinders retain air at a reduced pressure],
    and if electric MU'd, can use dynamic braking of their traction motors,
    when at high speeds.)
   

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/06/23 17:57 by wcamp1472.

Outstanding re-creation!
GK

wingomann Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> wcamp1472 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > A short train of empties, even uphill, will not
> > nearly tax the 
> > power generation that the loco is capable of.
> >
> > A small 2-8-0, maybe; the 1309, not so much.
> > ​W.
>
> A 5lb set on the brakes before coming into the
> photo runby zone can make it work harder and be
> more impressive.

Sorry but, minimum reduction is 6-8 pounds ( with 26 or later brake valve systems), otherwise the freight car brakes "stick". To be absolutely sure of a minimum reduction, it is best to make a "first service " of 8-10 pounds.

"A 5lb set on the brakes before coming into the
> > photo runby zone can make it work harder and be
> > more impressive"..

NOT MY WORDS!...
Somebodyelse's !


W.

I agree with Hot Water. The 1309 has a 26 brake valve.

Sam

That may be…

Freight cars’s brake valves ABDX, etc. will go to a 10-lbs reduction and will trigger their trailing-brothers to also go to 10-lb Reduction..—even if the engineer’s choice is lower
( like 7 or 8 lbs)..

That’s why, with freight cars on
repair tracks, must pass ‘the single car test’ device procedure before being returned to service.

In todays world, the test device is automated and records each tested car —-and reports to RR data bases
the results..

One of the first performance tests
( of the single car testing device) is the automatic response to a
‘Partial reduction’ [ 5 to 8 lbs]—- to verify that the tested car will go to a 10-lb reduction..
and the brake valve being verified, will also reduce the local BP pressure with a 10 -lb reduction.

( And in a train, even if well back,
The car ahead will reduce its local
Train line pressure by 10lbs … as an
affirmative, intentional reduction …
thus, assuring effective brake
application),

With a train over a mile long…
you want the rear cars to respond
( as is nearly as possible to a brake application).

It also counters the attempts at ‘feed valve’ braking… where some engineers
try reducing BP pressure by slightly reducing the reference pressure that
sets the loco’s Equalizing Reservoir’s pressure,

It’s the ER pressure that controls the
BP pressure. The automatic brake
valve handle controls the pressure
in the ER.

Don’t try to apply the train’s brakes by watching the BP (Brake Pipe
pessure) ! Big Mistake!

W.

Posted from iPhone



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/07/23 12:41 by wcamp1472.

I'll stick to the beauty of the picture.  Thanks for making and posting it.  Gerry

wcamp1472 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> "A 5lb set on the brakes before coming into the
> > > photo runby zone can make it work harder and
> be
> > > more impressive"..
>
> NOT MY WORDS!...
> Somebodyelse's !
>
>
> W.

If you go back to my post, the point I was making is to make a locomotive work harder while going past the photo line put a set on the brakes.  Ok, I was wrong about a 5lb set.  Make it a 10lb.  Happy?  I still believe older cars with AB brakes can do a set below 10lbs.  I have operated a train with them and you could set a lite drag by just bleading off a little air.  It's been a while since I was in the cab.  I thought it was 5lbs, maybe it was 10.  Sorry for not getting it right.  Do you feel better now?