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25 Years Ago Yesterday: "Four Score and Seven...." http://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=35876 |
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Author: | Alexander D. Mitchell IV [ Tue Nov 19, 2013 10:39 am ] |
Post subject: | 25 Years Ago Yesterday: "Four Score and Seven...." |
Twenty-five years ago yesterday, the 125th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address was marked in a way that was seemingly audacious back then, and that would be unthinkable today: Strasburg Railroad was hired in to operate a steam train, with PRR "7002" and vintage cars (including the then-newly-built dining car Marian), over Chessie/CSX ex-WM trackage from Hanover, Pa. to arrive at the former Western Maryland station in Gettysburg, carrying a Lincoln reenactor who then proceeded in a procession to the National Cemetery to reprise the famous Gettysburg Address. The run, with Linn Moedinger at the throttle in bowler, included a stall on wet rail in rain half way between Hanover and Gettysburg--leaving me to stand on top of a covered hopper up the track in the cold drizzle and hear the pyrotechnics from afar while waiting for my shot. Photos from that day: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/archiv ... x?id=87463 Mine are somewhere over in the fireproof vault. I'm still trying to remember how I got wind of that somewhat "hush-hush" event before the Internet--probably direct phone tag from a Conrail dispatcher a couple days before. I remember calling off of work that day on short notice. |
Author: | EDM [ Tue Nov 19, 2013 12:13 pm ] |
Post subject: | Re: 25 Years Ago Yesterday: "Four Score and Seven...." |
Agreed on the 'unthinkable'; "You say its a STEAM locomotive? What kind of couplers does it have? ...(edited in) Does it even have air brakes?" How times have changed... And standing atop a covered hopper to get the shot? We've all done it, but it seems like in past lives. |
Author: | Alexander D. Mitchell IV [ Tue Nov 19, 2013 12:18 pm ] |
Post subject: | Re: 25 Years Ago Yesterday: "Four Score and Seven...." |
And look at that well-dressed gent RIDING THE BOTTOM VESTIBULE STEP in that photo! I can tell you, from being there that day, that said train is not backing up slowly, but headed east at a reasonable, Strasburg-like speed! |
Author: | Bobharbison [ Tue Nov 19, 2013 1:31 pm ] |
Post subject: | Re: 25 Years Ago Yesterday: "Four Score and Seven...." |
Wood cars, truss rods, friction bearings (I assume). Just how much laughter would ensue if you asked CSX to run this now? |
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