Steam & Excursion > When Needed, Even These Locomotives Worked In Helper Service!

When we think of Shay geared locomotives we usually see them working by themselves with their log trains on rough temporary track on steep grades.  Rarely do we see them double-heading and  even more rare do we see them cut into the middle of another locomotives log train.  However, there were exceptions to that rule as we see here.

In the mid-1950's Pickering Lumber Corp. was still logging with steam out of their Soap Creek Pass Camp.  The log trains out of this camp left with one locomotive in charge of them.  However, when they reached Beardsley Dam the grades ahead on the Peeled Onion stretch of the line caused the trains to be split in length and a second big Shay cut into the middle to act as helper to conquer these grades.

In this view we see just such a train has stopped for water along the way.  Big 90-ton Shay #33 is working helper duty on this day and she is getting some attention from her engineer after filling her tender with water. 

In just a couple of minutes there will be 2 blasts from the whistle from the lead Shay and the will be off again to get these loads over the top and then downgrade the rest of the way to the mill at Standard, California.

Martin



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 02/24/21 02:35 by LoggerHogger.

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Great image. Did Westside try PSR?
—Mac

MacBeau Wrote:
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> Great image. Did Westside try PSR?
> —Mac

PSR???

Martin

LoggerHogger Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> MacBeau Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Great image. Did Westside try PSR?
> > —Mac
>
> PSR???
>
> Martin

Ignore him Martin, he tried to make a funny and it flopped, badly.

MacBeau Wrote:
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> Great image. Did Westside try PSR?
> —Mac

If Wikipedia is to  be believed:

"Precision railroading or precision scheduled railroading (PSR) is a concept in freight railroad operations pioneered by E. Hunter Harrison. It shifts the focus from older practices, such as unit trains, hub and spoke operations and individual car switching at hump yards, to emphasize point-to-point freight car movements on simplified routing networks. " - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Precision_railroading

I'd say the answer is yes! (GD&R)

Arved Grass
Fleming Island, FL

First time I'd seen a Shay mid-train and in this day and age...
—Mac

Arved Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> MacBeau Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Great image. Did Westside try PSR?
> > —Mac
>
> If Wikipedia is to  be believed:
>
> "Precision railroading or precision scheduled
> railroading (PSR) is a concept in freight
> railroad operations pioneered by E. Hunter
> Harrison. It shifts the focus from older
> practices, such as unit trains, hub and
> spoke operations and individual car switching
> at hump yards, to emphasize point-to-point
> freight car movements on simplified routing
> networks. "
> - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Precision_railroa
> ding
>
> I'd say the answer is yes! (GD&R)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/24/21 19:16 by MacBeau.

Where does anyone get Westside out of this?  This is Standard Gauge Pickering Lumber Co. and not narrow gauge West Side Lumber Co.  Amazing how much some people miss in Loggerhogger original post.   I agree to ignore the poster who wants to mix thing 50 years apart when he does not know what railroad is posted.  The Peeled Onion is only on Pickering Lumber.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/24/21 13:29 by PlyWoody.

I did miss that, read Pickering wrote Westside. Old age is a bitch. 
—Mac


PlyWoody Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Where does anyone get Westside out of this?  This
> is Standard Gauge Pickering Lumber Co. and not
> narrow gauge West Side Lumber Co.  Amazing how
> much some people miss in Loggerhogger original
> post.   I agree to ignore the poster who wants
> to mix thing 50 years apart when he does not know
> what railroad is posted.  The Peeled Onion is
> only on Pickering Lumber.

I wish I could have watched / heard this train approach, pass, slow then stop...............then start up again.  What a show that must have been!

Looking at the size of that water tank, if both engines took water they probably just about emptied it!