Model Railroading > Steam Action in the Basement

It's a Saturday evening in your basement so many, many years ago. What are we going to do tonight that will keep us busy and interested ? I know-- let's go downstairs to the basement and run some trains for a while. That should be fun.

Near the center of the basement room, back of the furnace that heats our old Victorian home, is the Roundhouse. We walk over and check out the fine locomotives resting in their stalls and decide that a nice SP 'Pacific'-type, Class P-4, in polished brass finish, will pull our loads tonight!

The following photos show that memorable Roundhouse scene.

KRK Archives.

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The P-4 is brought off of the turntable onto the "firing up" track and is fueled and the boiler lit off by the Hostler/Roundhouse Foreman assisted by a young "KRK" ...

In the next photo after steam is raised, the mighty P-4 is shown stepping out proudly on the mainline with a local freight drag.

And in the next photo at busy "Fruitvale Junction", the mighty P-4 comes out of the tunnel with train in tow, with "KRK" at the throttle, while Vic Shattock has his double-headed "Mikes" stopped by the Towerman
at a red board, to let the P-4 pass first.

Photos from KRK Archives.

Note: With 2 1/2-inch gauge track and 90 lbs PSI in each of those boilers, this could REALLY be a lot of fun. Visitors over the years really enjoyed the show ! Even "John Allen" from Monterey, CA came to our house twice.
If radio control had been available, it would have been even better.

Cheers.

KRK



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/14/12 06:26 by KeyRouteKen.

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Ken, a while ago, you mentioned "Radio Control". That reminds me of a question I've been meaning to ask, how were these trains controlled? To make a meet, you obviously lined a switch, but then what? How do you stop the train? Reach in and grab tiny johnson bars and brake valves? Silly questions, I'm sure, but I've always wondered.

Thanks for sharing these wonderful childhood memories with all of us though, and hope your recovery is going well.

Similar to pre-R/C Gauge 1 live steam. Pull the throttle, watch it go...

Mike Massee
Tehachapi, CA
Photography, Railroading and more..

Last image, look at the child in the gentleman's face. That is what it is all about! Thanks for sharing!

It's decided to bring out another locomotive from the Roundhouse to increase the action on the layout. SP # 3217 has entered the turntable. This is an SP "Mikado", Class MK-4 (smaller driving wheels).. Since the locomotive sports a custom paint job (actually done by SP forces), it is indicative that this time period is AFTER the loco's famous debut in the studio of "Hobby Lobby" in New York on October 19, 1938.

In the second photo, 3217 is shown crossing the Ballast deck trestle in the mountains.

In the 3rd photo, two SP P-4 "Pacific"-type locos double-head a freight drag on "Main 2" as Yardmaster Tim Reardon watches things carefully.

Photos courtesy of KRK Archives.

KRK

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TomCarter Wrote:
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> Ken, a while ago, you mentioned "Radio Control".
> That reminds me of a question I've been meaning to
> ask, how were these trains controlled? To make a
> meet, you obviously lined a switch, but then what?
> How do you stop the train? Reach in and grab
> tiny johnson bars and brake valves? Silly
> questions, I'm sure, but I've always wondered.
>
> Thanks for sharing these wonderful childhood
> memories with all of us though, and hope your
> recovery is going well.

Hi Tom-- My chest still hurts from the Bypass surgery and I get out of breath kind of easy so have to be careful. Thanks for asking!
To answer your question about locomotive control in the basement:
The throttle stuck out of the roof of the Cab just a little bit so that you could tap it with your finger as the engine went by to make it go faster or slower or complete stop. Simple, huh ? More than once, a locomotive would somehow get a shot of steam and really speed up and then the "chase was on". Running around the basement perimeter trying to catch the thing!

KRK