Steam & Excursion > Sierra Railway #3 at Sonora

Sierra #3 just arrived in Sonora moments ago with the help of Baldwin/Whitcom diesel #1265. Engine 3's first visit to Sonora since 12/31/92.

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Why did they need diesel help?...Just curious

I can't believe it has been 20 Years since #3 was in Sonora!

Here she is puling into Sonora on October 23, 1949, soon after her first rebuild by the Sierra. No Diesel helpers needed here! Wil Whittaker photo

Martin



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/01/12 17:07 by LoggerHogger.

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Only a very wild guess but looks like they were backing up the entire trip? At least from the motion blur in the image it appears that way. In that case, it would provide protection.

They got the lights on.

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As to the diesel, be my guess that the #3 would need help on wet rail on that grade.

Engine 3 has no back-up sanders!

Sure it does, two guys on the tender pilot with buckets of sand!

Just barely in the 1949 photo, a truck with Sierra RR heralds on it. If it still exists, it would be a prize exhibit at an Antique Truck meet.

DNRY122 Wrote:
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> Just barely in the 1949 photo, a truck with Sierra
> RR heralds on it. If it still exists, it would be
> a prize exhibit at an Antique Truck meet.

Sierra Motor freight for LCL

Actually the 1265 took the consist (Coach 12 and Caboose 7) to Sonora, and the 3 came by herself a little bit later on.

Matt Starman
Greenleaf, ID

WAF Wrote:
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> DNRY122 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Just barely in the 1949 photo, a truck with
> Sierra
> > RR heralds on it. If it still exists, it would
> be
> > a prize exhibit at an Antique Truck meet.
>
> Sierra Motor freight for LCL

LCL = "Less than Carload Lot"?

-Alex

sp8270 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> WAF Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > DNRY122 Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Just barely in the 1949 photo, a truck with
> > Sierra
> > > RR heralds on it. If it still exists, it
> would
> > be
> > > a prize exhibit at an Antique Truck meet.
> >
> > Sierra Motor freight for LCL
>
> LCL = "Less than Carload Lot"?
>
> -Alex

Yes, LCL to the station, truck delivers from the station to customer.. or you can come by and pick it up

Yes, Sierra #3 did require help to get that consist up the hill. As we all should know by now, Sierra #3 followed the 1265's train up to Sonora after the Sierra Northern pilot (our dearly departed friend Tom Bispo) was shuttled back down to Jamestown to ride the #3 back to Sonora. On a rainy day like that, Sierra #3 had no chance on the grade. Maybe if it were a nice, warm summer day she MIGHT have, but she'd likely need a bit of help. The biggest issue is the track speed that the Sierra has set for trains. High drivered engines (anything larger than 50") have low horsepower at slow speeds, making it difficult going only about 12 mph at the fastest. If she ran at the hill with that consist like she would way back when, she likely would have made the hill just fine.

- Mike N.

By the way, here's my favorite (and I think the best overall) video from that trip last year:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNZhd_9WHaY