Railroaders' Nostalgia > A Thomas Tank engine question

Didn't know where to post this question. Local newspaper had an article about Thomas coming to Pittsburg's amusement park, Kennywood. Was this full size Thomas built by Strasburgh shops? I don't think it really steams. Their shop has built at least 7 Thomas engines, but the only one that steams, stays there.

The steaming one does get out, but usually does not go far from the shop. I know people that have run and fired it, and have nothing but good to say about its abilities. They now have a Percy also.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/17/18 14:59 by sixaxlecentury.

As far as I know, the ones I've seen are not-powered units. When they are on a train at a museum, they are at one end and a locomotive is at the other end pushing the train. There may be some out there that are powered but I haven't seen them.

John

I've served numerous times as Thomas' "Engineer" at two different venues. Via radio.

-John

sixaxlecentury Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The steaming one does get out, but usually does
> not go far from the shop. I know people that have
> run and fired it, and have nothing but good to say
> about its abilities. They now have a Percy also.

Of course they have nothing but good things to say about
Thomas. After all he is "a very useful engine"!

Direct quote from The Fat Controller!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/17/18 18:52 by 4489.

Definitely not in this sub forum.
nygiant Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Didn't know where to post this question. Local
> newspaper had an article about Thomas coming to
> Pittsburg's amusement park, Kennywood. Was this
> full size Thomas built by Strasburgh shops? I
> don't think it really steams. Their shop has built
> at least 7 Thomas engines, but the only one that
> steams, stays there.

Posted from iPhone

I've put some time in on a few of the replicas.  They are like riding in a 3000 gallon empty oil drum.  The air reservoir is in the 'coal bunker' and when the control valve is charging, it makes a very distinctive screeching noise.

One of the best improvements they made from the earlier models was to add a glycol smoke generator, like you would see on a movie set (or old disco).  The original ones had a metal box that you would light smoke bombs and throw them in the box and the smoke would eventually make it out the stack.  Those bombs had a very distinctive smell, and if you got it in your gloves you might as well throw the gloves away.

One amusing thing occurred one year:   While riding Thomas in appropriate garb, we shoved into the station and amidst all the photo snaps being taken, a small boy walked forward, pointed at the ground and said "YOU get off of him!"

At a shortline I used to work at, we would climb into the "boiler" and give it the cross eyed look for the next display site. The cover was already placed on the smoke box, so it wasn't evident until it was unpacked at the next site.

SP4360 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> At a shortline I used to work at, we would climb
> into the "boiler" and give it the cross eyed look
> for the next display site. The cover was already
> placed on the smoke box, so it wasn't evident
> until it was unpacked at the next site.

Boy do they ever get mad about that! Always fun when the engine first shows up to your event and you pull the cover off for the first time, never know what you will find. Got one one year with bloodshot eyes, the representative was pissed!

Posted from Android

A Friend that worked for BHCRR for 11 years referred to it as the Big Blue Dumpster. Every time it was in Hills City they had to fix something on it.
Steve