Steam & Excursion > A Wonderful Spot For The Brakeman To Ride!

On a fine spring day in 1948 as Western Pacific 2-8-8-2 #253 was eastbound approaching Williams Loop on the Feather River Line, her brakeman has decided to enjoy the weather and the view as he takes up a perch on the big engines pilot. Fortunately, W. Sievers was on hand to record this wondereful scene.

Can you imagine the sights and sounds he enjoyed from this vantage point? Wow.

Martin



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 04/03/14 05:20 by LoggerHogger.

---

Would have been a great trip. I've ridden a pilot deck for a couple miles trying to figure out an odd valve gear noise. Granted we were backing up but it's still an enjoyable seat.

Taylor

Posted from iPhone

What a great collections you have. I hope you have a plan for these photos so they can be enjoyed in perpetuity.

I wonder if anyone has a shot form that location recently?

While the scenery was not nearly so spectacular nor the locomotive so interesting, Prescott & Northwestern 17, at this time leased to the Arkansas Railroad, was equipped with a seat on which the head brakeman could ride, presumably (and with good cause) to be better able to observe the condition of the track ahead. Photo taken 9-3-57 between Star City and Gould, Arkansas.

Gordon

---

I would say that engine is very interesting indeed. She is a standard Baldwin 90-ton Mike and those in my book are way cool. Thanks for sharing.

Martin

If looking for rocks et-all, both of those fellas should have been on the engineers side so he could flag him.

Martin

A better shot of the locomotive and also a shot depicting why the brakeman rode where he did (though actually there turned out to be nothing wrong).

Gordon

---

---

Or, could have been a bo, out of sight?

Nudge

gbmott Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> While the scenery was not nearly so spectacular
> nor the locomotive so interesting, Prescott &
> Northwestern 17, at this time leased to the
> Arkansas Railroad, was equipped with a seat on
> which the head brakeman could ride, presumably
> (and with good cause) to be better able to observe
> the condition of the track ahead. Photo taken
> 9-3-57 between Star City and Gould, Arkansas.
>
> Gordon


He's using as a seat but that is actually just a step, found on many engines.

Nice view, great breeze, out of the heat of the cab. I just wouldn't want to be there to witness a "cornfield meet!"

John

I humbly apologize to everyone for referring to this STEP as a "seat", irrespective of the use to which it is being put.

I bet that was really nice on hot days, spring days, beautiful weather, etc. Uh...trying to imagine what it would have been like to ride there in rain, when it was freezing cold, at night in a freezing cold rain, so on and so forth?!? LOL!!! Be careful what you wish for because you MIGHT just GET IT. :-P And in that last shot, that humped over brakeman (probably working a 16-hour day?)...he looks...err...kind of tired?

Does this count? That's no brakeman! Reading Ramble, Macungie, PA, in 1964.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/05/14 20:48 by hasbt77fst.

---