Steam & Excursion > The All Important Steam Service Spot With Both Fuel And Water!

For any steam locomotive the key "consumables" that they went through were both fuel and water.  For that reason, the preferable service spot would have both of these available at the same location.  Just such a servicing facility is what we see here.

On the Hammond Lumber Co. line out of Samoa, California was Rodolfo Tank.  This spot provided both bunker fuel oil and water for the passing logging locomotives operated by Hammond.  On this November, 1951 day we see Hammond's Baldwin 2-6-6-2T #12 stopped to "Get Her Hide Tight" as the logger would refer to the taking on water.  This was an old reference carried over from the days when oxen were used to haul logs if from the woods.  Watering the oxen was known as "Getting Their Hide Tight".

Soon the fireman of #12 will be done and they will be on their way for yet another load of logs from the woods.

Martin



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/18/21 02:44 by LoggerHogger.

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High class operation. It even has electric light.

Martin:

Thanks for posting the photo. My first take was, "Where are all the warning signs, safety tips, stripes, 10,000 watts of halogen lighting, etc. etc.?" Amazingly simple, functional and illustrative of an earlier era.

Thanks again,

John MIlls