Railway Preservation News :: View topic - Interesting Way to Load a Steam Locomotive

In 1986 Mt Rainier Scenic RR loaded our Heisler onto a flatcar in a similar manner. The GM built a ramp near the end of a rarely used yard, raising the track with ballast and making cribbing out of ties. The ramp had a modest slope and was easy to use. The engine was run onto the flatcar and secured for the trip to Canada.

The only downside of the whole idea? Well, the track is visible from our regular excursion route, and the conductors get tired of the questions about why we have a "jump ramp for trains". It does look a lot like that...

Given the methods and high movement costs quoted in some other posts, I have been wondering whether goose neck, aka swan neck trailers are used much in the USA. Generally the method is a lot less hairy than that shown in the video, but it is still pretty quick.

Once the neck is dropped, the deck may be only around 18 inches above the track. With a little practice and customised bits ready on the deck, a ramp can be built in minutes.

The only downside of the whole idea? Well, the track is visible from our regular excursion route, and the conductors get tired of the questions about why we have a "jump ramp for trains". It does look a lot like that...

Author:	whodom [ Sat Apr 06, 2013 6:32 am ]
Post subject:	Interesting Way to Load a Steam Locomotive
Who needs cranes or special trailers? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YY4LUZubyE

Author:	car57 [ Sat Apr 06, 2013 8:06 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Interesting Way to Load a Steam Locomotive
Nothing too strange there except for the fact she was in steam, this is the way they load steam and diesel locos in the UK all the time, the ramp maybe a bit steep ! In the UK we used gooseneck trailers which when dropped give you a shallower ramp, but we have driven our locomotives on to a trailer, scary when you cant see the trailer end from the cab ! Mike Pannell

Author:	sandiapaul [ Sat Apr 06, 2013 3:54 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Interesting Way to Load a Steam Locomotive
If I was doing it this way I would have done it the other way round and kept the crown sheet on the lower end. Maybe that's just me.

Author:	Pegasuspinto [ Sat Apr 06, 2013 4:42 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Interesting Way to Load a Steam Locomotive
No reason to care about the crown sheet if there is no fire. I wouldn't think there would be any need for a fire at that point, either drop it or let it die down as much as possible.

Author:	sleepermonster [ Sat Apr 06, 2013 7:12 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Interesting Way to Load a Steam Locomotive
Given the methods and high movement costs quoted in some other posts, I have been wondering whether goose neck, aka swan neck trailers are used much in the USA. Generally the method is a lot less hairy than that shown in the video, but it is still pretty quick. Once the neck is dropped, the deck may be only around 18 inches above the track. With a little practice and customised bits ready on the deck, a ramp can be built in minutes. Recently my own railway at Wirksworth had three coaches delivered on three trailers. The first had a ramp built up to it. The next two trailers were dropped back to back with the first, short lengths of rail were used to link the trailers, which were then coupled and drawn down the ramp as a train. That was a new one on me, I think it is on youtube somewhere. Regards, Tim

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Author:	Bobharbison [ Sat Apr 06, 2013 7:32 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Interesting Way to Load a Steam Locomotive
In 1986 Mt Rainier Scenic RR loaded our Heisler onto a flatcar in a similar manner. The GM built a ramp near the end of a rarely used yard, raising the track with ballast and making cribbing out of ties. The ramp had a modest slope and was easy to use. The engine was run onto the flatcar and secured for the trip to Canada. The only downside of the whole idea? Well, the track is visible from our regular excursion route, and the conductors get tired of the questions about why we have a "jump ramp for trains". It does look a lot like that...

Author:	weekendrailroader [ Sat Apr 06, 2013 8:34 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Interesting Way to Load a Steam Locomotive
Bobharbison wrote: In 1986 Mt Rainier Scenic RR loaded our Heisler onto a flatcar in a similar manner. The GM built a ramp near the end of a rarely used yard, raising the track with ballast and making cribbing out of ties. The ramp had a modest slope and was easy to use. The engine was run onto the flatcar and secured for the trip to Canada. The only downside of the whole idea? Well, the track is visible from our regular excursion route, and the conductors get tired of the questions about why we have a "jump ramp for trains". It does look a lot like that... I always wondered what why on earth that one spur track had a 4 foot instantaneous grade change...

Author:	EDM [ Sat Apr 06, 2013 8:42 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Interesting Way to Load a Steam Locomotive
I wonder what the springs, spring rigging and for that matter the rest of the running gear said when it hit that vertical curve? ("Ouch" may be an understatement-)

Author:	Mark Z. Yerkes [ Sun Apr 07, 2013 1:45 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Interesting Way to Load a Steam Locomotive
The Gramling guys load their engines in a similar manner, though I believe they still use a winch to them them on the trailer.

Author:	Al Stangenberger [ Sun Apr 07, 2013 1:49 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Interesting Way to Load a Steam Locomotive
sleepermonster wrote: Given the methods and high movement costs quoted in some other posts, I have been wondering whether goose neck, aka swan neck trailers are used much in the USA. Generally the method is a lot less hairy than that shown in the video, but it is still pretty quick. Once the neck is dropped, the deck may be only around 18 inches above the track. With a little practice and customised bits ready on the deck, a ramp can be built in minutes. In my experience at the Western Railway Museum, gooseneck trailers are fairly common for moving rail vehicles. We have shipped and received several cars on them. Our latest shipment was a pair of streetcar trucks being sent to Pennsylvania for rebuild. This was on a Silk Road rig which had just hauled a PCC from Pennsylvania to the San Francisco MUNI. We have a pre-assembled section of ramp rails stored near our loading/unloading track -- we just hook it to the rails on the gooseneck trailer, put some scrap ties under the ramp to support it in a few places, and proceed to load or unload. Another option for smaller equipment is a large flat-bed trailer whose bed can tilt down to ground level. These are sometimes used for hauling large buses and many commercial towing firms have them. Rails can be temporarily mounted on the bed, or sometimes for small track equipment some 2x4 studs are sufficient instead of rail.

Author:	jasonsobczynski [ Sun Apr 07, 2013 12:24 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Interesting Way to Load a Steam Locomotive
No concern for the damage done to the journals and cellars I guess.

Author:	Becky Morgan [ Sun Apr 07, 2013 2:51 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Interesting Way to Load a Steam Locomotive
Or to several of the employees. The guy jumping up behind the movbing locomotive made us both yell. It's not the method itself that's scary, it's the way they did it.

Author:	robertjohndavis [ Sun Apr 07, 2013 3:46 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Interesting Way to Load a Steam Locomotive
Bobharbison wrote: The only downside of the whole idea? Well, the track is visible from our regular excursion route, and the conductors get tired of the questions about why we have a "jump ramp for trains". It does look a lot like that... As a kid I loved the loading ramp on the Pine Creek RR in NJ. I would bring friends out there (any excuse for steam) and listen to them all tell how they thought the guys "jumped" the trains. Rob

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