Steam & Excursion > If You Ever Wondered How Effective These Trains Were-Look!

The Southern Pacific fire trains were so often caught on film parked in the yards at Truckee or, more often, at Roseville that it is hard to find photos of them in action. Here is an exception.

On January 28, 1935 Clarence Hess was out visiting from Clyde, Ohio when he was treated to a demonstration of one of SP's fire trains in action over Donner Summit.

On the point was SP 2-8-0 #2676 with her water canons in full operation. The force and volume of the water she is able to aim in all directions from the track certainly shows how effective she would be in dousing any fine in a timber snowshed or along the right-of-way.

Another mystery of SP's steam era is solved through one simple photo. Thank you Mr. Hess for recording this scene.

Martin



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 07/16/17 04:31 by LoggerHogger.

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Nice Photo catch!, and I assume the trailing cars are water holding? and if so how was it pumped up to the engine, and then pumped out to those nozzles? looks like at least 300-400 psi maybe? As an old weed sprayer, we used to be able to shoot out about 50-75 feet with the right nozzles, at about 40-60 psi, but that photo looks like about a 200-300 foot reach maybe? Wow, again Great Photo,Thanks!

Jim Baker
Riverside, CA



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/16/17 05:56 by Boomer92.

Whn I've thought I've already seen everything for trains. This is the first time I have ever seen this. That's a great photo.

I think it was steam pumps that pushed the water.


Nudge

Reminds one of fire boats....

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

Impressive, first photo like this I've seen.

Any idea on the location, two water tanks and all the rocks?

Yeah, does look unfamiliar-- how about
looking compass-south at Stanford?

See also:
https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?10,3717203
https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,1049434,1049525#1049525

The photo location is Emigrant Gap on the center siding just west of the fire train spur. If you look close the last car is spotted at the east plug taking on water.

Edit: Great photo!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/16/17 16:34 by GoldenState.

Not Emigrant Gap. Aside from the other
objections, the sun tells us the train
isn't pointed SW.

West end of Stanford center siding.

The water was pumped for at least one of the fire trains using a steam pump that was adapted from a steam fire engine. This steam driven fire pump later found it's way to private ownership and ended up stored for for a time at the Sacramento Railroad Museum. At about the same time, a friend of mine, a retired Orange County Fire Department Captain, was working to restore a Steam Fire Engine that was missing the pump. He eventually was able to obtain the pump stored in Sacramento and later research actually determined that it was original to the fire engine and had come full circle.

The Steamer was sponsored for many years by the California State Firefighter's Association and an internet search for the CSFA Steamer will lead to lots of pictures.

The owner, Dave Hubert, was kind enough to bring it out and fill the 3751 using the steam pumper in Barstow California in August of 2002!