Steam & Excursion > Mount Rainier Scenic 2001 Triple header.

Here is a slide show with audio.
I'm hiding in the bushes with my Sony DAT recorder at E 46th St in Tacoma Wahington. May of 2001.
MRSR Porter 2-8-2 #5 is leading Alco 2-8-2T # 17 and Cowlitz, Chehalis and Cascade Baldwin 2-8-2 #15 towards Fredrickson, Washington where 15 will uncouple and take the branch to Chehalis, while the rest head for home at Elbe and Mineral.
Photos are from the same time of the recording and then near the end I added a few extra from other Tacoma Railfan Days 2001 trips.
I brought my late 80's year old dad with me to visit his Grandson Aaron who was running or firing on some of the trips. We had a great time with all of the crew at MRSR. 
Things to listen for:
3 different whistles in the beginning 5, 17 15 in turn.  Also as the engines pass listen for the "heaviness" of the 90 ton #15, just a bit different. And, of course, the beautiful Ashton 3 chime on #5. 
Turn up the volume and enjoy the triple header.

Rick Z
PS: does the train pass left to right or right to left on your system?

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Seems to go right-to-left on my system..... Nice recording, great whistles.

Earlk Wrote:
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> Seems to go right-to-left on my system..... Nice
> recording, great whistles.

Thanks Earl.  Generally direction is irrelevant, you can pretend you were on the other side of the tracks, but when there is a photo 
it messes with my feeble brain. 
Rick z

Thanks for posting Zoohogger;

The whistles alone would be worth the post!  I was trying to think of what MRS would have tripleheaded that year, didn't know of the get together with CCC #15. 

I was able to attend the all MRS tripleheader seven years later when they got the Willamette #2 going along with #17 and the Hillcrest #10 Climax but I think you got the best of it.

Timothy

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I'm still missing a Climax and Willamette cab ride in my experience. Shay and Heisler yes, rod engines from 0-6-0 to 4-8-4, even the Challenger, but I am looking forward to the bouncy, hopping of a Climax. So I envy you.
thanks for the good comments. 
rick z
 

I didn't get to ride in the cab but got to ride right behind, even better to see, hear and smell all three.  You have something to look forward to! 

The geared locomotive fans of my early days steadfastly claimed there were four, the Willamette and the Shay were two different birds.  And since I was born and grew up in the Willamette Valley where they were born, what could I say?  Best moment of that day of my triple header, though, was not several hours up close and personal with a live logging tank rod engine, a live Climax, and a live Willamette but meeting Jim Gertz (The Willamette Locomotive), who bought #2 and sheltered it for many years until he was able to pass it on.  I was astonished when MRS secured and restored his Willamette, never imagining not only that someone would get one running, nor that I would get to see it and a Climax work together, but that I would actually meet Jim, get to thank him and shake his hand.  I had known of him for some thirty or more years, kind of like a legend who had actually done what a young boy fascinated by steam dreamed of doing.  He passed on not too long after. 

He may well have been there your day, too, but you would not have known it unless he was pointed out to you,

A little better view of all three on a better curve and Jim (with bottle) that day (MRS photo I think):

 

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