Anyone Else Fascinated By Old Locomotives?

Riley P said:
How much torque did those monsters have and how did they compare to the modern diesel/electric?
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I once made the mistake of saying that the demise of the steamer was because the diesel was more powerful. The general manager at the Angus (CP) yards in Montreal gave me a good talking to telling me the only reason for the diesel was because it got rid of several employees i.e. the fireman as well as the need for water towers and coal bins for "refuelling" and the manpower attached to that. He said the steamer could out pull a diesel any day. Don't know about the current generation of diesel's though. Now-a-days it is possible to stagger the locomotives within a train so that you have some pullers and further back a puller/pusher unit.
You can imagine the manpower to run several steamers together with the firemen etc. Plus the electronic controls to enable everything to work together with the diesel units is probably a lot simpler.
 
LeBaron and his first ride... :thumbs:

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I read some engineering document that states a steam engine was a constant force machine up to a certain speed then moves into a constant hp machine whereas a diesel is a constant hp machine throughout its entire range. Long story short, even though both have the same horsepower and top speed but due to the engine characteristics, electric motors, and advantage of tractive forces of a diesel, it can out pull a steam engine on a grade. I was pretty shocked reading that.
 
Spence it is a well known fact that one should not post when one is still half asleep. The Corvette shots went into the wrong thread.

I am not worthy. :ROFL:
 
This steamer is a real old timer...Los Angles RR pic taken in Santa Monica in 1875 according to the note on the pic...

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That last one looks like the Trouter's Special. It left St. John's early on Saturday morning of the 24th May long weekend and dropped off trouters along the way where ever they wanted. The trouters would either have made the arrangements before hand or let the conductor know along the way. The 'Special' made its way to the Argentia station (I think) where it waited until the evening. It then returned to St. John's picking up anyone waiting alongside the tracks. It only did the trip this one day and was looked forward to by a lot of people. The return trip was usually quite the party I have been told.
 
Great story Fred. I will see if I can find some more pics from your end of the country. Beautiful spot.
 
12cents said:
Although the tracks are long gone, there are still a few stations converted into museums and a few static railway displays around. I am thinking that a road trip may be in order...Ol Yeller, whaddaya think?
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Were those the narrow gauge tracks? I don't think NFL (not football) ever converted to the wider gauge.
 
12cents said:
Although the tracks are long gone, there are still a few stations converted into museums and a few static railway displays around. I am thinking that a road trip may be in order...Ol Yeller, whaddaya think?
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Sounds good to me...Lets go. :heavycar:
 
LE BARON said:
Were those the narrow gauge tracks? I don't think NFL (not football) ever converted to the wider gauge.
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LEBARON, I wouldn't know if the tracks are wide or narrow, but I can take a measurement and you can tell us which one it is/was.
It's NL now, used to be NFLD.
 
Pics mandatory!! :thumbs:
 

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