Joe Zullo said:
Eric Schade said:
Blow the whistle and ring the bell!
Hey Eric,
I pretty sure F7’s have horns and not whistles, but what do I know. (https://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-kiss.gif)
Its just rude to say go blow your own horn though! Happy birthday!
Happy Birthday John. Sounds like a great birthday adventure.
Shane
Happy birthday!
This is funny I was just looking @ a photo taken when we rode that line… Great time ! Happy Birthday …
John Caughey said:
My sister likes to keep my spirits up… My bro in law and her have said they got the best smile per buck, on the Cumbres and Toltec. So for my last birthday she suggested we ride the Verde Valley Scenic in Northern Az. I agreed and half joking asked about an invitation into the cab. Going one better, she signed me up this Sunday for the Ride Along.
I’ll be sitting between the Engineer and conductor all day and I can’t take pics unless given permission by the crew. I’m to be part of the crew! Including dressing the part; boots with a definite heel (I’m sure that’s for rung ladders), dark jeans and a coat and they’ll supply the rest… For a ride that starts at 1pm I have to report at 10:30 and pass the safety test (100% required to ride) … help make up the train, take the head count and get them aboard… At the half way stop, I help move the 2 locos to the other end.
A real bus man’s Holiday!
Hey how fast can this old pair of FP7s go???
No Pics! When one enters a cab, FRA rules take effect, so until my sibs forward some pics, it didn’t happen according to our folk lore here! No electronic devices! Since my camera doesn’t use film … phone went into Airplane mode.
I have seen 1 pic my bro took, but he left this morning to see his Mom back east.
Day started with an intro with the director of operations who made sure I passed the test which basically said listen to the engineer/conductor, Safety.
Next up was meeting the crew and to help them make an 8 hour day we scooped and delivered ice to all cars and the engines. Yes I paid to work, even though I promised not to ‘foam’ too much! Was fun to wear the Verde Valley safety vest, a few ‘jealous’ looks from the speckled lips crowd.
I rode the ‘firemans’ seat both ways, but they have 2 FP7s from Alaska, set back to back, so we walked through the engine compartments, kinda sideways, to clear the hot 567 V16 engines.
Start up was informative, since the exhaust is a straight shot up, moisture can get into the cylinders over night. 8 large T handles were mounted just below the heads on each side 1 per cylinder and each got spun open and the starter turned over. Loud Phhfftts could be heard moving from one to another cylinder as compression cleaned out non compressing water (which could blow a head/ gasket.) Spun closed the old engines fired up on the first try each. Loud in a friendly way, I felt at home in the greasy steel box. Old scents and memories from a wild child youth … free run of a huge navy base, back in the fifties when the Chaplain’s kid did. But I digress. The engines are taller than I am.
The windows are a big arch over the nose, I looked out of the lower quarter and you know, from 13’ up, 4’8.5" does not look very wide, especially over tall trestles on a windy day! An interesting modeling note; one bridge/trestle had an old turntable for the span. Turns out a nearby shop was upgrading to a longer table at the time the line was built.
On my trip out I had the cliff side where I kept looking back in the mirror, to see if we cleared some mighty close tolerances. It’s been known as the ‘Crookedest line in the world’ due to all the curves it makes dropping into the beautiful green valley. Even as Az. suffers a drought, water flows and the dogwoods thrive. On the way back I had the scenic side and from a modeler’s perspective, I could see how the line was carved into the (hey Devon) Basalt cliffs as we climbed up a long curving grade. I had joked to the engineer on the way down that the builders were lucky to find such a nice shelf to build on.(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif) Got a chuckle. “A hundred and eighty feet that way”, my eyes followed the finger, “the road goes the other way” he said pointing out my side window. We turn slightly and entered a tunnel and make a 170 degree turn finishing the turn on exit. The effect keeps the openings hidden.
The crew kept me off the ground so no pics… My official train guy pics will be mailed along with my crew’s names … I’m terrible at names with out name cards I can see once or twice. I’ll edit them in here…
The run around at Perkins, was Gold City in the movie How the West was Won … where they blew up the water tank! Only the legs remain. 18 miles farther on the railroad connects to the BNSF. A Santa Fe road built the line in 1894 and 95 and the Santa Fe sold it off in 1988. They have a freight operation hauling about 300 cars a year of cement out and coal and coke (smelter fuel) in.
As we began the ‘roll by’ all the passengers crowd to wave to the crew and not being shy they filled the windows and basked… I stood up behind them to wave to sis, but she said she didn’t see me, maybe the camera did. They told me This is where you get your picture on facebook 200 times! Trains run daily.
I did cut the venture short, after we had cut off the front and hooked up to the original front, as promised in the literature came time to dump the lavatories, one car at a time. They utilize an RV style waste dump, but Ed said my bro was looking for me and they excused me from further duty. I thanked them and headed to the office…
I think one should ride the line as a passenger first. I didn’t get the guide of the area, my focus was more from the crew’s job so later I could 'splain to sister why they applied the brakes so often, to keep the cars from bunching up and spilling drinks. When asked if I saw the ruins, I replied I wasn’t told they were there to look for because with 254 passengers and 18 cars ( 6 or so flat cars converted to open air cars) we watched the track. I asked about boulders and no they don’t carry dynamite, just in case. (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-undecided.gif)A highrail does make a run an hour or so before each run and I saw a couple of tractors parked in the middle.
I learned about a farmer that feeds his cows near the tracks, because the crew has to avoid running them down, not a passenger favorite! Most irksome is when the cows use the tracks to get down to water, it’s the only way because the drop off is shear, I could look 60’ straight down the embankment and see water in places.
I know where the skinny dippers frolic, but alas none that day.
Rock ‘n Rollin’ the locos ride stiff and are top heavy, looking back I saw we rocked twice as much as the passenger cars. I asked and the road’s rating is 10 freight and 15 passenger. Curvature made me think my 10’D are not so bad after all, at 7mph! Had the line supported 20 mph, the ride would have been smoother, they claimed.
The crew are nice guys and I felt at ease in their company. Yes I would do it again, but after one as a passenger. I had to ask for the history the guide on each open air car provides. It’s a matter of perspective I suppose. A true Foamer could care less! The crew invites you into their world, the behind the scenes and wearing that vest, oh my!(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)
My bro in law is the test, he liked it!
I cannot believe you made me read through all that Ice Man !
I need pics (and will wait)
Very cool John and Happy Birthday “Old Man”
Gald you got to enjoy the trip! it was a great ride when we did it years ago, really want to get the cab ride now!! waiting for the pictures
Pete Lassen said:
Gald you got to enjoy the trip! it was a great ride when we did it years ago, really want to get the cab ride now!! waiting for the pictures
Nothing like starting the day scooping ice and being the twist tie guy to start one’s railroading day! It’s not cheap, you pay to help them and be graded on your twist! Be good, when he missed the box a cube escaped! Oh My(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cry.gif) … Dork alert!!!
I only got a reprieve because the bag didn’t fully come undone! Whew!!!(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)
First timers to the canyon, oh you eastern folks need to understand that we really know how to do canyons! I’ve walked from the north rim, down and up the other side of the Grand Canyon and I’ve driven down into the Salt Canyon, which for many years I considered it to be a secondary Grand, but now, I have a new Little Grand…
Next is the Turntable Bridge;
I saw my sister’s pics yesterday, these came from the Internet … she took mostly vids, while Tom was doing the stills, when he gets back I’ll validate my existence!
Salt River canyon is a really beautiful drive, the hill leaves some to de desired, especially for a fully loaded trucker, but after a couple of times you can sit back and enjoy the ride down to the bottom and back. I was looking on their websirte and saw the cab ride price!!! and after that they make you work too!!! Also noticed absolutely nothing on the website about the Locomotives or the cars, very train foamer unfriendly!
Yeah, it’s not cheap, I’m hoping it’s an insurance bump vs. greed(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-undecided.gif). You do get a free shirt or cap and pics taken with the crew and alone in front of the FP7! Plus a certificate … I’ll know more when I see it, but the lady gets Sunday off, so it will be in the mail…
Salt creek is a fun drive except for fully loaded truckers(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif) I s’pose it’s a matter of perspective.
After the ride my sister handed me their Publication; Rail, that has the history. There are 10 active FP7s left and they have 2. What else do you need to know?
