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Steam & Excursion > Sometimes Steam's Simplest Chores Were The Most Important!Date: 02/12/16 03:16 Sometimes Steam's Simplest Chores Were The Most Important! Author: LoggerHogger Steam power was most often captured on film in beautiful settings with vast scenery serving as it's backdrop. However, there is something to be said for recalling the simple daily routine that most steam power was used in. We have just such a scene depicted here.
Our unknown photographer has trained his camera on working SP steam power in her daily switching service. #1274 is part of SP's famous S-12 Class of 0-6-0 switch engines built by SP at their Sacramento Shops between 1919 and 1923. The 57 inch drivers on this S-12s gave them better speed than the prior class 0-6-0s. At the end of steam SP felt proud enough of these workhorses to preserve 16 of them for public display. Let's watch as #1274 passes by with her fireman keeping a sharp eye out as she backs her cars through the daily grind of yard switching. Martin Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 02/12/16 05:32 by LoggerHogger.  Date: 02/12/16 05:28 Re: Sometimes Steam's Simplest Chores Were The Most Important! Author: wpdude OK Martin. I'll "bite" . What makes this an 0-6-6, and not an 0-6-0, if there is no truck to the rear of the drivers? I'm not a huge steam guy, so if I'm the only one who does not know, help me out! BTW nice pic, and love the CHALK graffitti.
Date: 02/12/16 06:32 Re: Sometimes Steam's Simplest Chores Were The Most Important! Author: Tominde Really nice. I think museums that have switch engines are missing a big draw. Many of us would spend an hour watching an 0-6-0 shuffling 2 or 3 cars back and forth on a short siding or runaround track. Picture Steamtown 26 pushing a few cars around. CNJ 113 would sell a lot of photo line tickets pushing around some hoppers on Reading and Northern. It's simple, will the draw in crowds, buy tickets for the 2PM train????
Date: 02/12/16 07:45 Re: Sometimes Steam's Simplest Chores Were The Most Important! Author: kingman Theres a fine story of these 0 6 0 yard goats in the last Classic Trains issue by someone who worked them way back.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/12/16 07:46 by kingman. Date: 02/12/16 07:56 Re: Sometimes Steam's Simplest Chores Were The Most Important! Author: tomstp WPdude: That is not graffitti. Those chalk marks were used in yards to show the crews the destinatons of the cars.
Date: 02/12/16 08:26 Re: Sometimes Steam's Simplest Chores Were The Most Important! Author: Frisco1522 Tom is right about the chalk marks. They're not graffiti.
I would love to spend an hour in a small town watching a dirty USRA light mike on the local switching the leads. I'd rather see that than countless runbys of the same consist on an excursion. Finish switching, tie on to the train, pump up air and get the word from the dispatcher to leave. Those were good days. Not the same with a diesel. Date: 02/12/16 08:33 Re: Sometimes Steam's Simplest Chores Were The Most Important! Author: patd3985 tomstp Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > WPdude: That is not graffitti. Those chalk > marks were used in yards to show the crews the > destinatons of the cars. With the exception of the occasional drawing and signature of the fabled "Bozo Texino". Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/12/16 08:41 by patd3985. Date: 02/12/16 08:34 Re: Sometimes Steam's Simplest Chores Were The Most Important! Author: LarryDoyle This was called "carman's chalk", in sticks about 1 1/4" diameter by 6" long. You can still purchase it at a hardware store, now called sidewalk chalk, available in colors, too!
-John Date: 02/12/16 09:42 Re: Sometimes Steam's Simplest Chores Were The Most Important! Author: railstiesballast Before they put the balloon track on the west end of Chama, NM, one of the best parts about the Cumbres & Toltec was watching and listening to the evening switching.
We camped nearby, what great background music! Date: 02/12/16 11:00 Re: Sometimes Steam's Simplest Chores Were The Most Important! Author: lynnpowell "At the end of steam SP felt proud enough of these workhorses to preserve 16 of them for public display."
Of the 16 originally displayed, how many of them still exist? How many are still in their original display location? Date: 02/12/16 11:30 Re: Sometimes Steam's Simplest Chores Were The Most Important! Author: LoggerHogger I think only the one that went to the San Francisco Zoo was scrapped. The rest are either on display or have been sent to railroads for future use.
For example the one that was in Stockton, CA is now in Virginia City, Nevada for possible future use there. Martin Date: 02/12/16 11:52 Re: Sometimes Steam's Simplest Chores Were The Most Important! Author: Westbound Interesting that despite the narrow oil compartment on the tender, for improved rear visibility, the fireman is still leaning out window for the shove.
Date: 02/12/16 13:15 Re: Sometimes Steam's Simplest Chores Were The Most Important! Author: johnsweetser >At the end of steam SP felt proud enough of these workhorses to preserve 16 of them for public display.
These small engines were probably selected for donation purposes because their scrap value was less than that of other classes. Date: 02/12/16 13:19 Re: Sometimes Steam's Simplest Chores Were The Most Important! Author: ValvePilot Don't forget " Kilroy was Here"!! Mudhops wrote on cars certain info helpful to the
switchmen or yard crews. There was a place to staple papers applying to that paricular car if need be. Date: 02/12/16 13:32 Re: Sometimes Steam's Simplest Chores Were The Most Important! Author: callum_out I like mine better at least it's still around and as for Martin's comment on the engine in Virginia City,
hopefully something good happens to it. It's been a long time and all good intentions are long gone. Out  Date: 02/12/16 19:46 Re: Sometimes Steam's Simplest Chores Were The Most Important! Author: Cumbresfan railstiesballast Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > Before they put the balloon track on the west end > of Chama, NM, one of the best parts about the > Cumbres & Toltec was watching and listening to the > evening switching. > We camped nearby, what great background music! It's not a balloon track but a long extension to the southeast leg of the wye. Before then only the engine and a few cars could be turned at the same time leading to a long evening of switching so they would face in the correct direction for the following day's trip. Now the entire train can be turned at once for servicing. |