Local Color
Actually I’m not sure if #60 is rated for anthracite, but I’d bet there is a government regulation about it. Bituminous coal burns colder and produces more smoke. Seriously, you’d think the government would have had the whole steam locomotive thing down pat ages ago, but that’s not the case. New regulations were being added as recently as 2003. Talk about a never ending government department.
As much as I like full size steam engines, if I was a true blue dyed in the wool SteamHead, I’d be out to the Rough & Tumble Thresher’s Museum in Kinzers PA in a flash. Not only do they have a whole collection of old steam tractors and steam rollers, they also have a functioning Shay locomotive. These are the second rarest birds of all. Shay engines were used mostly in the logging industry. They run on narrow gauge tracks and their unique drive arrangement and low center of gravity allowed them to go up and down mountain tracks much steeper than regular trains could manage. They were slow, but they got the job done. In all the world there are less than two dozen of them still operational. From what I hear, the rarest engine of all is a creature called a Willamette, which was a locomotive similar to the Shay, but with a different kind of steam cylinder arrangement. There is exactly one of those still running.
Look, I’m not a SteamHead. I don’t know every last detail of every last locomotive ever made. But it’s interesting knowledge, and I know that there are folks who do know such things. So if I’m off on some of the details, or missing important bits, please feel free to correct me. Provide links to source documents and pages if you can. Thanks.
on 04/01/2011 at 08:32 AM
There is something about steam locomotives. Diesels and electric are just soulless in comparison. I agree they do chuck out a lot of smoke but who cares?
As soon as the government got involved, the cost went up and the time involved quadrupled.
But I agree Lyndon, there is just nothing like seeing a steam locomotive in action. The ones I wish I could have seen were the Union Pacific Big Boys.
How Sweet That Is!
And the sound of the whistle too. Love it.
04/01/2011 at 12:34 PM
