Steam & Excursion > Here Is How You Make This Large Steam Train Look Very Small!

Back in 1984 there was quite a bit of coverage of the World's Fair Daylight that ran from Portland, Oregon to New Orleans and back with a sold consist of Daylight painted cars.  The shear size of this train was most impressive and resulted in many fine photos taken by those all along the route.

I wanted to find a spot to shoot an image of the train that would find a way to dwarf the huge train against an even bigger backdrop.  This idea came to me as I followed the train on he Southbound trip out of Oregon a few weeks earlier.  I just needed the actual daylight to hold on the return trip for me to catch this shot.  Fortunately on her return, the light held, but just barely.

The location is near Hotlum Siding north of Weed, California on the flanks of majestic Mt. Shasta.  The 14,179 foot tall mountain with it's snow cap did just the trick to dominate the scene over the already very-impressive Word's Fair Daylight.

Back in those days (1984) I had to wait until Kodak processed and returned my Kodachrome slide film to know if the shot worked or not. 

Martin



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 05/31/20 03:43 by LoggerHogger.

---

Marten:
Beautiful photo! What is the location?
Steve Rippeteau
 

See paragraph #3, above...for location..
( seeche!!...)

Stilts

See that.      Solid orange!!!    Good one Martin.   I guess we'll never see the likes of this again. 

Martin -  Great photo and location!!   Yes, it is a good thing you took those photos when you had the opportunity!!   Times sure change unfortunately!!

Ron

wcamp1472 Wrote:

> See paragraph #3, above...for location..
> ( seeche!!...)

Notice that railscenes asked his question before the most recent edit Loggerhogger made to his posting (the timestamps on my machine say 3:36 a.m. and 3:43 a.m. PST respectively). Chances are, railscenes saw the photo and asked his question before Loggerhogger edited his original message to include the location.

The Dunsmuir diesel helper was taken off at Hotlum and sent back.  The dispatcher wanted the helper set and Doyle believed the '49 could make it alone the few remaining miles to the summit at Grass Lake.   That did not happen.

The train left Hotlum fine however only a short time later she stalled well before getting to Grass Lake.  With her original helpers now unavailable, they had a dilemma.   

The solution...pulling power off a westbound that was holding at Grass Lake and tie onto the Daylight and return to Grass Lake.  All of this took considerable time resulting in a vey late arrival into Klamath Falls.

I was with a handful of people at the Hotlum siding to see her leave without a helper.   Most chasers believed the helper would stay on until Grass Lake.  But my most memorable time was pacing her alongside the highway heading in Klamath Falls...too dark for photography and most chasers had gone.   In complete darkness...Listening to the whirl of the drivers at speed, only faint light from the cab, headlight and markers, but the occasional flash from the firebox...the memorizing affect of a steam locomotive at work.

Ken



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/31/20 07:40 by KMiddlebrook.

KMiddlebrook Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The Dunsmuir diesel helper was taken off at Hotlum
> and sent back.  The dispatcher wanted the helper
> set and Doyle believed the '49 could make it alone
> the few remaining miles to the summit at Grass
> Lake.   That did not happen.
>
> The train left Hotlum fine however only a short
> time later she stalled well before getting to
> Grass Lake.


If my memory is correct, we didn't actually "stall", but ran out of fuel oil, due to the grade. Remember that oil fired steam locomotives (except for the SP cab forwards) have gravity feed oil supply from the tender oil bunker, to the Fireman's firing valve, then to the burner. If we had had just a bit more fuel in the tender bunker, we would have made the grade.


 With her original helpers now
> unavailable, they had a dilemma.   
>
> The solution...pulling power off a westbound that
> was holding at Grass Lake and tie onto the
> Daylight and return to Grass Lake.  All of this
> took considerable time resulting in a vey late
> arrival into Klamath Falls.
>
> I was with a handful of people at the Hotlum
> siding to see her leave without a helper.   Most
> chasers believed the helper would stay on until
> Grass Lake.  But my most memorable time was
> pacing her alongside the highway heading in
> Klamath Falls...too dark for photography and most
> chasers had gone.   In complete
> darkness...Listening to the whirl of the drivers
> at speed, only faint light from the cab, headlight
> and markers, but the occasional flash from the
> firebox...the memorizing affect of a steam
> locomotive at work.
>
> Ken

HotWater Wrote:

> oil fired steam locomotives (except for
> the SP cab forwards) have gravity feed
> oil supply from the tender oil bunker, to the
> Fireman's firing valve, then to the burner.

When the oil level in the tender drops below
the level of the firing valve, the oil quits flowing?
So that determines how far above the rail the
builder puts the bottom of the oil bunker?

timz Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> HotWater Wrote:
>
> > oil fired steam locomotives (except for
> > the SP cab forwards) have gravity feed
> > oil supply from the tender oil bunker, to the
> > Fireman's firing valve, then to the burner.
>
> When the oil level in the tender drops below
> the level of the firing valve, the oil quits
> flowing?

Yes, on all oil fired steam locomotives, except the SP cab forwards, which had a pressurized oil bunker. Believe it or not, the same thing happens with the water in the tender, which is also gravity feed to the injector/injectors and/or cold water supply pump for the feedwater system.


> So that determines how far above the rail the
> builder puts the bottom of the oil bunker?

You got it. Obviously ascending a grade of, say 1% or greater, effects the oil flow out of the oil bunker, if it is low.

Superb image. You really captured what you set out to photograph.
Bob

HotWater Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> > > oil fired steam locomotives (except for
> > > the SP cab forwards) have gravity feed
> > > oil supply from the tender oil bunker, to the
> > > Fireman's firing valve, then to the burner.
>
> > Obviously ascending a grade of, say 1%
> or greater, effects the oil flow out of the oil
> bunker, if it is low.

With the delivery of the first cab forwards in 1910, SP discovered the oil flow issue of having to travel the length of the locomotive proper to the firebox.  Understandedly, the problem revealed itself when the fuel level dropped in the tender.   After initially trying marine type of fuel pumps with limited success, the railroad's solution was to reinforce the oil tanks and apply up to 5 pounds of air pressure.     With the solution identified, future cab forward construction orders included this design.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/31/20 09:20 by KMiddlebrook.

Beautiful

Posted from Android

HotWater Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ... Believe it or not, the same thing happens
> with the water in the tender, which is also
> gravity feed to the injector/injectors and/or cold
> water supply pump for the feedwater system...

Gee I did not know that gravity lifted water to a lifting injector?..  Learn new physics everyday on Trainorders!

Dreamer
 

Dreamer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> HotWater Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > ... Believe it or not, the same thing happens
> > with the water in the tender, which is also
> > gravity feed to the injector/injectors and/or
> cold
> > water supply pump for the feedwater system...
>
> Gee I did not know that gravity lifted water to a
> lifting injector?..  Learn new physics everyday
> on Trainorders!
>
> Dreamer

OK, smart a$$! If there is no longer any water being gravity fed into the connection hoses between the tender and engine, just how does a lifting injector work then?  

absolutely a GREAT picture Martin....Yes, I also remember well sending off my slide film and waiting the week+ to get the results back.......I also remember the decision process when purchasing the film....24 or 36......36 cheaper per slide BUT more $ on the front and it would take me longer to shoot...thus a delay in results....LOTS of decisions including do I shoot the photo or not.  At least we weren't packing in glass..........Stay well.......Arlen

Gravity has never been known to be the reason water was lifted to a lifting injector.  While there is an small attaction between the metals in the injector and the water it is not sufficient enough to lift the water to the injector.  If there is no water in the hose due to the crew using it all then why was that crew allowed to put themselves in that position in the first place?  I'd be looking for a new competent crew.

Dreamer



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/31/20 13:26 by Dreamer.

Trying to get back on topic here this photo has to be in the top 10 of any railroad  photos that I have ever seen.   Simply a great photo Martin!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/31/20 10:51 by elueck.

Superb photo.  The late afternoon sunlight that almost didn't last long enough turned out to be perfect!

I chased that magnificent train over Tehachapi and that is one of the best shots I have ever seen!!
I was working in DC at the time and coordinated my monthly visit to our Congressional District
to see it.
Beautiful. Reminds me of all the times I rode the SJ Daylight as a kid...

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA