Opening day at SFTM

RCD · **Posted:** Sat May 26, 2012 10:46 pm

Today was the first day of operations at the Shelburne Falls Trolley Museum. All went well and we look forwarded to a great 2012 season.

New Cross-bucks.

Volunteers and guest enjoying a 100+ car freight train

One of our most popular rides.

That is all for now.

mikefrommontana · **Posted:** Sun May 27, 2012 12:40 am

I take it the mirror on the post in the 1st photo is so a motorman can watch for cars in his "blind spot", or at least those trying to beat the trolley to the crossing? Not a bad idea if it is.

Michael Seitz
Missoula MT

S Bartlett · **Joined:** Tue Apr 05, 2011 9:26 pm **Posts:** 51

Yup, I couldn't really justify putting truck mirrors on a 1896 car, and the combine does have blind spot, which the fisheye on a pole solves. Running from the passenger end you have good over-the-shoulder visibility, but not from the freight-end.

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6482

Sam -

Combine #10 looks wonderful as usual. In the photo above, I noticed that the trolley pole indicates that the car is headed AWAY from the camera, but the lit headlight is on THIS end. Which brings up the question; do you change the headlight from one end of the car to the other when changing direction? Or do you have a headlight at each end? Or do you just leave the headlight on THIS end of the car even when running the opposite way? Just curious.

Les

RCD · **Posted:** Mon May 28, 2012 6:49 pm

Les Beckman wrote:

Combine #10 looks wonderful as usual. In the photo above, I noticed that the trolley pole indicates that the car is headed AWAY from the camera, but the lit headlight is on THIS end. Which brings up the question; do you change the headlight from one end of the car to the other when changing direction? Or do you have a headlight at each end? Or do you just leave the headlight on THIS end of the car even when running the opposite way? Just curious.

Les

We have a light on each end

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6482

RCD -

Thanks! Thought that might be the way you guys do it.

Les

S Bartlett · **Joined:** Tue Apr 05, 2011 9:26 pm **Posts:** 51

When we first opened, we had just one GG headlight, and moved it from end to end for every trip. Not very popular w the crew. When Green Mountain RR donated a second, we, for a while, switched on and off the appropriate light, but for a 1000' trip that got old too, and was easily forgotten or gotten wrong (on on the rear, off on the front). So we sacrificed authenticity for safety and leave them both on. Pictures show the SF&C (and I'm sure many other lines) didn't hang headlights in the daytime, let alone have them on. So to be authentic we would take them off, but people now expect a headlight on a big moving vehicle.

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6482

Sam -

That is really a wonderful old photo. Conductor on the rear platform. Motorman up front. Someone working in the baggage compartment. And three passengers. And the horse appears awed by the car. Lots of other folks in the photo, and other interesting stuff to boot. You guys are lucky to have this old shot of #10.

Les