Billy Byrd, often made the drive to Chattanooga to mark up as a regular engineer at the Tennessee Valley Railroad. Billy was a walking/talking advertisement for the entire steam tourist industry and loved by all that knew him.
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| Charles Kuralt, Billy Byrd & Crab Orchard & Egyptian 17 https://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=31332 |
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| Author: | J3a-614 [ Wed May 04, 2011 10:49 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Charles Kuralt, Billy Byrd & Crab Orchard & Egyptian 17 |
This turned up on Bachmann's discussion page, and it looks like it might be appropriate here--a Charles Kuralt profile of Billy Byrd in 1983, working on the then-steam-powered Crab Orchard & Egyptian. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8g01-uCTpg |
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| Author: | softwerkslex [ Wed May 04, 2011 11:23 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Charles Kuralt, Billy Byrd & Crab Orchard & Egyptian 17 |
Thanks for the link! I visited CO&E as a little boy (thanks to my mother) in 1981. I had seen CO&E in Trains and had written ahead of my visit. I had a nice tour and a cab ride. |
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| Author: | SR6900 [ Wed May 04, 2011 11:39 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Charles Kuralt, Billy Byrd & Crab Orchard & Egyptian 17 |
That's real neat, I've shared it with some friends who knew Billy real well. Be interesting to hear what they say. |
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| Author: | Bob Lyndall [ Thu May 05, 2011 3:25 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Charles Kuralt, Billy Byrd & Crab Orchard & Egyptian 17 |
Billy Byrd, often made the drive to Chattanooga to mark up as a regular engineer at the Tennessee Valley Railroad. Billy was a walking/talking advertisement for the entire steam tourist industry and loved by all that knew him.
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| Author: | Joshua K. Blay [ Thu May 05, 2011 6:23 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Charles Kuralt, Billy Byrd & Crab Orchard & Egyptian 17 |
Have never seen a strobe light on a steam locomotive before! Joshua |
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| Author: | Bruce4501 [ Thu May 05, 2011 11:42 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Charles Kuralt, Billy Byrd & Crab Orchard & Egyptian 17 |
Thanks for posting the link! Best one that has been on here in a long time! Bruce |
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| Author: | Jim Herron [ Thu May 05, 2011 6:52 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Charles Kuralt, Billy Byrd & Crab Orchard & Egyptian 17 |
Billy was a fine man. I visited him both at TVRM and at his home in Kentucky. He truly loved steam driven equipment; locomotives first and anything else after that. When I visited him at home, he fired up his 1/2 scale Case traction engine and let me drive it. I do the same thing today with my 5/8 scale traction engine as I like to see others enjoy it, too. Our new L&N video is dedicated to Billy's memory and has a scene of him running TVRM's 610. -Jim Herron |
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| Author: | Newriver400 [ Thu May 05, 2011 10:52 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Charles Kuralt, Billy Byrd & Crab Orchard & Egyptian 17 |
He was also featured in Charles Kuralt's book related to the series. I remember getting called to run in his place due to him not feeling well and returning home to Madisonville a few days early. He then went to the hospital where he passed on a Sunday morning. Billy Byrd was absolutely one of the best storytellers ever. He could have won a storytelling competition with his talent. The best part was that most of his stories were railroad related and most of those were set during the steam era. Oddly, a couple of the funniest stories he ever told were about him and his wife at home. Perhaps one day his stories will be compiled and published. I know some of them were documented by a college library or archive, though I don't recall the details. He was, by far, the easiest engineer at TVRM to fire for from a work standpoint. Less coal and water used than anyone, but speed did not suffer in the least. A locomotive at speed not blasting a grade with tonnage should sound "like eggs fryin' at the stack" with just an ever so slight light gray or brown haze indicating a good fire. Bob, thanks for posting the photo of Billy and our late conductor Nelson Seaman. They met at TVRM and were fast friends. I suspect their shared close age helped a great deal in that respect. They are both missed greatly. Best, Michael Brown |
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| Author: | J3a-614 [ Sat Feb 25, 2012 2:45 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Charles Kuralt, Billy Byrd & Crab Orchard & Egyptian 17 |
As so often seems to happen, I'm looking for one thing, and find something else--in this case, more footage of CO&E 17--alas, not with Billy Byrd, as far as I can tell. . . http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=en ... gkWLw1XJKY A promotion for a commercial video of the CO&E: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9LPUglu8Qs Other material, pretty grainy, but where else can you find more on the 17? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lN9DrtKfVJM Why does all the good stuff go away? Why do all the good people go away too soon? |
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| Author: | Adam Phillips [ Tue Feb 28, 2012 4:44 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Charles Kuralt, Billy Byrd & Crab Orchard & Egyptian 17 |
I will always cherish my time with Billy. Like our beloved L&N, Gone But Not Forgotten. |
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