Steam Trains, railfanning, and other stuff!

[C W Morse]

CW
I hear ya about trying to work for railraod companys, I am not a railroad fan, I can only imagine what it's like trying to work for one of those outfits. (I worked for the power company as a steam plant mechanic and that is bad enough, they like the railroad have two faces, the one they like to show to the public and the real one that the employees see.) But I do like the machine, yes steam was hard work and dirty but man they sure were neat, especially when you get into what makes them tick !

Oh the diesels are just a big generator on wheels nothing really fascinating about them. lol.

Yes, the steam locos were pretty fascinating! And I will admit that watching one work with a train of heavy steel coaches is neat, indeed! There is a hill that comes up out of Cramerton, NC from the Catawba river southbound that really made the big
2-6-4, et al, work. The exhaust was deafening in the cuts! And you had to admire the old engineers who cut their teeth on steam and still held seniority. They knew what they were doing, and would "claim out" on the excursion trains just to get to run 'em again. And they could coax the big engines up and over the hill just as they did when they were young--even tho many of them had been away from steam since the 1950's; they never forgot! And, like the high-speed pass that night at
79 MPH, it was all quite the glimpse into how it must have been prior to 1953 when Southern gave up steam. I have a photo that I retrieved from the TRASH, no less, of the day when the last revenue steam run was made. It shows the Best Friend of Charleston replica, the 4-8-4 Mikado being retired, and an F-unit all lined up for an official photo. I got lucky in that the picture hung in the Roadway Equipment shop office for years. When they remodeled the shops, I just happened to be in the office when, in the trash can, was this picture! And I grabbed it. Who knows, it might be valuable someday!

BTW, like you, most railroaders are not "fans" as such. But it was still funny because when the whistle sounded on an un-announced move, the old guys (and about everybody else) would drop what they were doing and run outside to watch 'er by.

And, just as a bit of semi-personal history, if you ever go to the Smithsonian and look at the magnificent Southern PS-4 1401, look at the frame near the drivers (I forgot which side now) and you will find a thermite weld on the frame! I knew the fella who worked at Spencer Shops and put that weld there! He was still working when I came on in the 70's. I just thot it was neat to know those fellas who actually worked on
the PS-4's.
73


CWM

 

[CDX8412]

Yama,

Go ahead and copy the photo.
On the backside of the photo, it identifies the engineman as G.W. Satterfield and the fireman as my grandfather, M.J. Roche. It also states it was taken at the South Philadelphia engine terminal in June of 1927.

If interested, here are 2 more photos.
This one was taken in 1951, also in South Philly.
The engine is #9348, a GE 44 tonner. My grandfather is on the top right along with the Fireman, conductor and 2 brakemen.

This on does not have the date or any info written on the back, but I can tell this was taken near the end of my grandfather's career (thats him on the left), probably around 1960. I think it is a Baldwin locomotive, but not positive.

I have much of his stuff, like his PRR employee badge, employee timetables, but these company photos are really special to me, to see him through his career.

 

[Beetle]

My dad was a freight conductor for UPRR, and HIS dad was an engineer (steam) on passenger service for UP.

I remember my dad handing me up to my granddad who was in the cab of one of the passenger locomotives in Las Vegas, probably around 1946 or '47. I was probably 3 years old, but I remember that was the hottest, noisiest place I'd ever been (didn't get out much at that age!) - but at the same time it was really interesting.

'Bout that time, people taking the train to Los Angeles began ignoring the steam trains for the "streamliner". It marked the end of granddad's career. Change is good...for some.

 

[yama junk owna]

Thanks 8412 I will put them with the rest of my photos. The power plant I use to work at still has a GE 44 tonner like the one in the pic, I use to get to play with it ever now and then. They had a 100 ton that they used most of the time to switch with, I ran it, right much, several years ago when I worked in the coal handling end of things!

 

[C W Morse]

I am a conductor for NS CW. Can you say sleep deprevation? LOL

AWRITE! Then you know the "language" of railroading....."like moving from one assignment to another" (which meant NO overtime--at least for Extra Board Clerks), marking up, claiming out (if you were the call clerk, you had to watch the trainmen, else they would mess you up and cause a time claim and get the clerk out of service. All of which you probably hear everyday. I am happily OUT of the grind, and often go over to the lake and fish under the dam, or sleep. Anybody that finishes a career on NS (or not finishes it due to disability) EARNS their pension!

BTW, did you hire on with Southern or NS? I came in the last days of Southern (1978).


73

CWM

 

[robogator]

Hey CWM...just my opinion but I like it better when you just post here about the Trains instead of who received some fine or citation....It was geting to be like beating a dead horse...anyway
I am also glad that you started a thread on trains here.
Now that you have retired,you can enjoy and remember some of the good times that you had during your employment with the RR.
I can see from your above posts and your vast knowledge of the RR that you did have some good times and not all of it was bad..
I could take the trains or leave them as I never foamed at the mouth about them...I wasn't interested in being a foamer or a railfan either....I have had a couple of ham freinds that worked for the Railroad and a distant relative works for CSX,I think...
To make a long story short,4 weeks ago I went to visit my mother in Columbus,Ga and a brother-in-law had a 7 1/2 guage engine that he built and rode all the time and I became interested in them (he just sold it for $25,000) as a money making proposition (I know 7 1/2 Guage is not what you guys are talking about here) anyway while I was visiting him he asked me if I wanted to ride with him to Manchester Georgia to see the trains and I told him yes and as it turned out it was the best relaxing day that I had in a long time...the city of Manchester built a train watching platform complete with scanners to listen to the trains with...there is something like 10 complete tracks and more than 40 trains that pass through there in a 24 hour period so there was a lot of movement in the yards which is just off to the front and right of the platform...I won't say that I foamed at the mouth but I will say that I had a very good time...I live in NW Florida and wish we had something here like they did in Manchester but we don't so I guess I can't become a Railfan or a Foamer except here on WWRF when you guys post about the trains....I do enjoy hearing what you guys have to say here about the trains...to me it is interesting.

Here is a link to a picture of the engine that my brother-in-law built in his machine shop and just sold for $25,000 Cash.......

http://robogator.us/train/
it takes a minute to load so give it a few seconds to finish

 

[CDX8412]

Hey Robogator...
how is that engine powered?

Where I used to live, there is a group the builds and operates live steam train models.
Here is their website for you to check out. Amazing stuff.
www.palivesteamers.org
Check out the photos section.

 

[C W Morse]

Robogator,

To clarify, there is quite a difference in "someone who 'likes' trains" and a foamer! You just have to meet one to know what I mean! LMAO! These folks are a real trip!! They were the ones who DID almost foam at the mouth at the sight of a train! No LIE! I mean, they'd knock you over to get at a steam engine! Or they'd come out to the station at 3 AM to see Amtrak come in, and you are out there in the rain because you HAVE to be there. They are dressed in striped overalls and red bandanas with railroad patches all over their matching caps
(that no modern railroader would be caught in!). And, worse, they would tell you that you are doing the job wrong because "they read in 'Trains' it was supposed to be done this a-way"! Hee! Hee! And the boss just gave you instructions 20 minutes ago!!! Funny, funny stuff! The "foamers" got really 'et' up with it, and we would mock them mercilessly behind their backs. A railroader learned real quick when confronted with one of these people to LIE about what you did for a living! Don't EVER say, "I work for the railroad" or you'd never be able to get away from them! LOL!

"Normal" folks who have a mild interest in trains, that's different! Nothing wrong with a discussion on railroads or equipment of answering a question about how something works.
But, them "foamers"? WHEW! Whole different animal!!!!
Lazybones can tell ya!!

73

CWM

 

[Lazybones1222]

BTW, did you hire on with Southern or NS? I came in the last days of Southern (1978).
73
CWM

NS. I have only been there a year. Still an extra board conductor. Got laid off at the airlines last year.

Lazy

 

[C W Morse]

AH, yes, the "lovely" Extra Board! I feel for ya! Been there and done it! I worked one time 24 days straight without a day off except during the time I had to observe Hours of Service as
a clerk operator. But wasn't a day off; it merely meant that I had to be "off" 10 hours before I could return as an operator. I could be called to other assignments.

Don'tcha just love it when you call in to find out where you stand on the Board and get told, "Yer 7 out and no holes showing". Oh goody! It's Saturday afternoon and no way I'll have to work before 7 AM. Call the friends and drag out the cooker! Um, would you believe 7 people marked off second trick "sick"? and you had to go to work in mid-shift? :roll: Taught me not answer the phone AFTER call time! Anytime after that happened at "naught-one past the call hour", no WAY I would answer the phone! LOL!


CWM

 

[robogator]

That engine that he built used an 18 HP Onan engine (2 Cyl ) it would haul about 20 Adults with ease..