Steam & Excursion > What Is This Union Pacific Crew Up To At Reith, Oregon?

I had so much fun with the Shay puzzle this morning I thought I would Post another one this afternoon.

Who can tell me what is going on with this UP crew at Reith Oregon in the 1940's?

Good Luck.

Martin

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Appear to be using a Fordson tractor to pull the turn table into position.

Very Good! That didn't take long.

The turntable motor has gone out at the UP facility in Rieth, Oregon in the 1940's so they lowered a tractor into the pit to provide the power until the motor could be fixed.

Martin

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At Abilene, KS they had a turn table that used a little air motor geared to a track. We would balance an engine on the table, hook the air motor's hose into the MR hose on the engine, and it would slowly motor the table around.

The guy up above in pic 1 is giving it the "armstrong" treatment.

In the mid 1970's in Durango Colorado the hostler had to go get a front end loader to finish lining up the turntable for a K-28. It worked for about 75% of he spin but the gears failed to mesh for the last 25% of the spin.

shoot Martin, you had me stumped from the get go with "Reith, Oregon"....had to look it up. Reith = pre Hinkle. another neat photo. Arlen

When the Motors on the Amtrak Turntable in LA were out for a rebuild, we used a Big Forklift, tough to move 2 F-40's, but fun watching

nycman Wrote:
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> The guy up above in pic 1 is giving it the
> "armstrong" treatment.

I thought he was trying to push start the Fordson.....

ddg Wrote:
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> At Abilene, KS they had a turn table that used a
> little air motor geared to a track. We would
> balance an engine on the table, hook the air
> motor's hose into the MR hose on the engine, and
> it would slowly motor the table around.

One doesn't exactly "balance" the engine on the turntable. You spot the engine slightly off balance toward the end with the motor. If perfectly balanced, the turntables wheels on both ends will be lifted off the ring rail, and you can't move with the motor. If too much weight is put on the end with the motor, the motor will be unable to power it. Creep the engine onto the table 'till you feel it tip to a balance. It's a spooky feeling! Then, back up or move ahead in the direction of the motor 'till you feel it tip down. Another spooky feeling. Set the independent, center the reverser, and walk to the turntables' control cab.

-John

asheldrake Wrote:
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> shoot Martin, you had me stumped from the get go
> with "Reith, Oregon"....had to look it up. Reith
> = pre Hinkle. another neat photo. Arlen

Well I had the advantage on this one Arlen! When I first started driving over-the-road
I learned that the hill on the freeway west of town was known by the drivers as "Reith Ridge"
And of course it's right above the old UP yard.

Larry Dodgion
Wilsonville, OR

LarryDoyle Wrote:
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> One doesn't exactly "balance" the engine on the
> turntable. You spot the engine slightly off
> balance toward the end with the motor. If
> perfectly balanced, the turntables wheels on both
> ends will be lifted off the ring rail, and you
> can't move with the motor. If too much weight is
> put on the end with the motor, the motor will be
> unable to power it. Creep the engine onto the
> table 'till you feel it tip to a balance. It's a
> spooky feeling! Then, back up or move ahead in
> the direction of the motor 'till you feel it tip
> down. Another spooky feeling. Set the
> independent, center the reverser, and walk to the
> turntables' control cab.
>
> -John

I watched the hostlers at the San Jose roundhouse do this. I thought it was interesting how far the table would tip. It wasn't a subtle bump - it was a fairly solid thump. I never went close to see what the rail offset was but it must have been at least a couple of inches. But the SDP45's didn't seem to mind.