Our Train Is on Fire!

At least that was my thought in 2003 when we threaded our way through Proviso Yard in a crew truck and neared our train, but that was not the case at all. In all my years at working on the railroad I had never seen a full sized steam locomotive approach, and the plume of smoke was incredible. I actually though there was a major fire close to our destination.

It was actually a Steam Train Excursion run and it was neat to see such a lumbering machine sneak past our train and park next to us for the day/night. Being employees of the railroad, we abused our privilege and took a pile of pictures and boarded the train to see how everything operated. We even got to talk to the night fireman as he pitched shovelfuls of coal into the fire box and watch the old bituminous coal burn.

Quite the experience in any case...

SWEEET!

Wish I had the time and money to build a steam powered truck. Could register it as "alternative fuel" and get a tax break.

SMITTY wrote:SWEEET!

Wish I had the time and money to build a steam powered truck. Could register it as "alternative fuel" and get a tax break.

Like you could get it registered in MA....... BWAHAWHAW. LMFAO. ROTFL...............

And yeah, steam trains are way cool.

Rick

I'd love to roll into an inspection station with black smoke billowing out the top - smoke out the whole garage. That would be a riot! Big fat "R" plastered on the lower right corner of the windshield ...

If you guys ever hear of UP's 844 or 3985 running though your area, be sure to check them out.

These are incredible living, breathing machines

844




3985




BTW, these burn oil and don't burn coal anymore because coal's not readily available in all the areas they travel

Here's two photos I took a couple months ago of 844 right after it rolled into the station.