Hey . . .
who has pictures of videos of the triple header ? I’ve been expecting to see some.
the 315 was to be in it . . . Whur is Dave Tayler ?
Google…
Well you didn’t say which one …
There was a tripple header a week ago that was the last run of the year for the 315. Some one must have photographed it ?
Narrow Gauge Lover said:
There was a triple header a week ago that was the last run of the year for the 315. Some one must have photographed it ?
I just did a search on the Cumbres&Toltec site. If you look on the site that shows the Camera Archives, the triple header occurred on Saturday October 19th I believe. There are a couple of stills shown.
Does anybody know how multiple steam engines are controlled ? (https://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-undecided.gif)
Here you go. They only tripled to Cumbres, then 488 took it solo from there.
Joe Zullo said:
Does anybody know how multiple steam engines are controlled ? (https://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-undecided.gif)
Yes…it’s actually a beautifully choreographed “dance” between three very experienced engineers and three experienced firemen. ALL three locomotives are operated independently of each other. In the case of THIS triple header, there were two engines that are Mikados and the 315 is a small Consolidation. The really difficult addition to this scenario is that they are coal fired locomotives. All three engines have to be pulling EQUALLY to make this work. You can’t have any driver slip on any engine or the burden on the other engines can change in a second! The two NG Mikados I believe were K36’s and the 315 is a C18. K36 has about 36,000 pounds of tractive effort and the C18 has about 18,000 pounds. The K36 weighs just under 86 tons and the C18 weighs about 33 tons.
OK Guys… The Triple Header on the 19th, was sorta a Grand finally for the C&TSRR end of year running, and a preview for the grand plans for the 50 year celebration in 2020. I sadly wasn’t there for prep or running that day. I was in SoCal for my 50 year HS class reunion…
A couple of things about Double and Triple Heading… Multi engine runs are ONLY run up hill… NEVER Downhill. The smallest ( pulling power) engine is in front of the bigger engine(s). Helper engines are always cut off the string, before the down hill portion. When a helper was added to the rear of a train, in steam days and a while after, they were cut in front of the caboose, something about the wooden frame tooth picking under the excessive strain. In some cases they would cut them in the middle.
ALL control of the train, lies with the lead engine. The brakes of the whole train are controlled by the lead engine, and the second and third engine has only control of their own engines brakes, not the whole train. On an uphill grind where a double or triple header is needed brake use is rather limited. The lead engineer “Talks” to the trailing engines by whistle. Anything wanted by the lead engineer is whistled, and following engines “Echos” back the command, which on a triple header, has a lot of tooting going on… The trailing engineers drive by the seat of their pants to feel the pulling needed, max possible without spinning the wheels, or dragging down the other engines.
Gary is almost 100% right… The triple header was 315, 463, and 488.
315 is a 1895, C18, 18,000 lbs of tractive effort and weighs 72,000lbs
463 is a 1903, K27, 27,000 lbs of tractive effort and weighs 136,650lbs
488 is a 1925, K36, 36,000 lbs of tractive effort and weighs 187,100lbs
Unique because there is three generations of steam engines. If you were to look each over closely, you can actually see some evolution of design, and function.
Sounds like it could be a real challenge to get those dissimilar (mismatched) locomotives to work in unison.
Hi Dave, . . . sorry you couldn’t be there. Thanks to all for posting.
Awesome! Must be incredible to see it in person.
Dave Taylor said:
…When a helper was added to the rear of a train, in steam days and a while after, they were cut in front of the caboose, something about the wooden frame tooth picking under the excessive strain…
I wondered about that; makes sense.
I am hoping perhaps next year to see 168 and 315 teamed up.
Lorna and all… 315 will be back dated to her original D&RG number 425 for the start of the 2020 season on the C&TS. We will be running lead engine out of Antonito on opening day. D&RG 168 will also be running a “Special” train out of Antonito on Opening day. 425 will be double heading with 463, and 168 will be a solo special.
168 and 425 will be running as doubleheaders during the 2020 season, as special photo charters, dates TBA. We are looking forward to doubling up with 168, as we will be the 2nd engine, with 168 in the lead, and this will be a first since she was restored. We are trying to get together a triple header of 168,425,463, All 3 of these are lettered for D&RG not C&T, but unlikely to happen, other then for show.
John Passaro said:
Dave Taylor said:
…When a helper was added to the rear of a train, in steam days and a while after, they were cut in front of the caboose, something about the wooden frame tooth picking under the excessive strain…
I wondered about that; makes sense.
I read that on a railroad, and I am not sure what one anymore, that the wood frame of the cabeese were compressing under the strain. After so many years of helper locomotives pushing on the cabeese, the shops had to add spacer blocks between the wood center beam and the end beams, to fill the spaces that were created.
I don’t know what RR that would have been, but it does sound like it might of been true.
Many tails of conductors, and rear brake men, refusing to ride in the caboose on a heavy drag, when they wood add a big power loco behind them, they would abandon the caboose and ride in the rear engine with the crew.
Wooden frame caboose were outlawed from being pushed on from behind, cause to many were “toothpicked” with fatal results. Just picture a 3000 horsepower engine pushing full out against your 70 year old wood caboose…
last year I was at Yosemite & Sugar Pine Railroad to ride their 3 truck Shay, and that day after the morning excursion, were hosting a closed event with their 2 Shays double headed and with them stopping at several locations for pictures and video runby action. Wanted so bad to stay for it but was made to leave for the closed event.