Coalpail.com Forum

www.railarchive.net/firing/

Used to think all it took was a strong back to be the fireman, boy was I wrong.

what a fantastic resource. it's going to take "a pair of minutes" to read all the way thru for sure.

thanks,
steve

Thanks, B. Great find !!!!

I started reading some and will read more later. I find it very interesting.

Paul

I have had the opportunity in my life to be "firemen" aboard two steam driven machines; one being a coal burning steam locomotive when I worked for the railroad, and the other was at the Woodsman Days here in Maine on an old steam powered, but wood boiler, Lombard Log Hauler. On both occasions, the duties were but a mere few minutes.

The first was a complete shock, thinking the diesel consist we were assigned for the day in Chicago had somehow caught on fire. Instead it was a steam train excursion run being done between Chicago and Minneapolis. Being part of the railroad, we were invited on board and got to shovel a few shovelfuls of coal into the boiler. A person does not get to do that everyday!

The Lombard Log Hauler was less involved as it was just tossing some sticks of wood onto a fire, but in that situation I got to "drive" the machine on a separate trip. It is put in quotes because I was not the engineer, but rather the steersman. This is NOT a big deal actually. The University of Maine rebuilt this Lombard and used donations and public funds, they therefore feel it belongs to Mainer's and so they give rides in it, and allow the public to steer it. I did NOT get special treatment, so if people are interested in this, go to the Maine Woodsman Days in Maine in October and enjoy the Lombard. Equally there is so much more to see at that event as well as it is set up to be like a 1790 logging camp, with sawmills, blacksmith shops, houses, food, etc.