Steam & Excursion > Skookum Today On Niles Canyon Railway

The Niles Canyon Railway ran morning and afternoon trips today with the Skookum double headed with
Clover Valley #4 (Double Headed Articulated Steam)

1. Runby east of Farewell.
2. Rearranging power at far east end of Niles Canyon Railway at Verona.
3. Westbound nearing Farwell.

Regards, Jim Evans
 

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Everybody seemed to have a great time.

Regards, Jim Evans

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Here is an image from the east of Farewell runby #2 and of the snake (gopher) everyone unknowingly stepped over to create the photo line in Jim's image.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/11/19 22:55 by KMiddlebrook.

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Niles Canyon ran two doubleheader trips.   Supporting the cause, I had a ticket for the second trip.  These images were taken while pacing the earlier trip.

#1 - Leaving Niles
#2 - East of Farewell
#3-  Departing Sunol - both trips went east to Verona Road



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/11/19 22:56 by KMiddlebrook.

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Everyone around me was convienced that it was a baby rattler!

Regards, Jim Evans

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FiveChime Wrote:
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> Everyone around me was convienced that it was a
> baby rattler!
>
> Regards, Jim Evans


I would agree that is rattler. The shape of the head and the way the bands are shaped is a dead (no pun intended) give away.

Cupolau Wrote:
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> FiveChime Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Everyone around me was convienced that it was a
> > baby rattler!
> >
> > Regards, Jim Evans
>
>
> I would agree that is rattler. The shape of the
> head and the way the bands are shaped is a dead
> (no pun intended) give away.
wit
I'm not a snake expert, but I tend to agree with FiveChime, about the shape of the head, plus the tail looks like it already has the initial button of a rattler.

Ronnie McCallay
Cañon City, CO

That's a rattlesnake!  Headshape of a gopher snake is blunt.  That's diamond-shaped.

Stan Praisewater

That's cuz it is a rattlesnake. The tell all is the pupils - if they are vertical diamonds as is the case here, it's a rattler. If they are round it's a gopher. Oh, and that rattle on its tail is also kinda a giveaway...

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> Everyone around me was convienced that it was a
> baby rattler!
>
> Regards, Jim Evans



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/12/19 09:37 by JamesSchlinger.

Yeah......

That's a rattlesnake.  Looks like a young Northern Pacific Rattlesnake (no, not named for the railroad).  Diamond shaped head, rattle nub, black and white stripes at the tail.  

Way back when I was in Boy Scouts, a kid who got either lucky or unlucky depending on your view managed to grab one of these behind the head when it popped out of its hole and thought it would be funny to carry it into the middle of camp, having no idea it was dangerous.

Watch where you step out there, folks!

Z
 

And young rattlers inject more venom than adults--very dangerous age for rattlesnakes.  A friend of mine was bit by one while in college, and still suffers problems internally from that young snakes nasty bite!!  You folks were SOOOOO lucky!!!!!!!!!

On a snake that young you probably wouldn't even hear the rattle because it only has two chambers.
Has to shed it's skin a couple of times before there's enough chambers to really make some noise.

Have seen a number of adult rattlesnakes near my home of at least 2 varieties. Although I or my dog were very close, none ever rattled! Only a baby rattler gave me the old tail shake. Keep on the lookout. Do not ever expect advance warning! 

Jim et. all,
   Thanks for posting photos of this most unusual and historic event.  Seems that rattler got more attention than the locomotives involved in this event but a good education for many.  Congratulations to NCRy.for giving the public this event and wishing the organization continued success with special events schedulaed the remainder of 2020.  Being a long ago departed native of the Bay Area I appreciate the coverage.       TomE