Kelly,

Seeing those photos of 90 hauling freight brought back some great memories of riding the Friday morning mixed train as a child. Back then 31 was the power with the combine for the passengers. There is just something about Paradise in the early morning that has a special feeling while watching the crew switch out the train. Has there been any thought to reviving that tradition now that the freight business has picked up?

Kevin O

WOW - now that is a beautiful sight. Does there happen to be any video of this run at all? And I agree about the mixed train runs - would be cool if they could happen more frequently (other than Trains and Troops weekend).

If freight traffic demands another 2000 ton train or higher (give or take) on a fairly consistent basis, will there be a need for another diesel, such as a Geep? Or will steam with the 8618 become a common occurance on freight trains?

(Hope my question doesn't sound too foamer-ish)

Big Jim:

Here's some video our Purchasing Manager, Mr. Eissele shot:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HuuvS1t4fw

Kevin O:

We tried some trial runs last fall and this spring. So far the mixed hasn't fit our operational matrix. We're trying to look at some new ways to do this.

.

So a 2-10-0 can only haul 9 cars? I would have expected a 30 car train with an engine that big.

That is a beautiful sound and sight!! Love it!!

Actually, I emailed Kelly with some of my own stories concerning this topic.
I have been engine crew in the following situations:
-50 ton 0-6-0t handling a 15 car loaded grain train.
-90 ton 0-6-0 handling a 4 caboose train.
Both engines struggled with their loads.

The difference?..........Ruling Grade!

The Grain Train was on 0.2% grade.
The Caboose Train was on 6% and 8% grade.

Just amazing! The last time I smiled like that was when I was watching "Girls Jumping on Trampolines". Just a beautiful sight.

And here everyone thought a trip to Iowa was the only way to see a revenue steam powered freight!

#90 looks awesome. Great to see her back in action!

I wonder how many people got word but were still en route during the action? Based on the sun angle, looks like the event was between 6:30 AM and got moving along near 9:30 or so?

Any word on a departure, or will the cars be moved in smaller lots by diesel?

Thanks for the photos and video link!

/Mitch

I counted 12 cars. Bear in mind that #90 is a "light" Decapod, not a "heavy" or "Russian" Decapod. Kelly points out that alone she is capable of 1,443 tons on their ruling grade; she could probably do more on a flat Midwestern railroad. And an EMD SW8 is only 800 h.p. There was not a lot of excessive power on that train.

Looks like the Strasburg has quite a diverse freight customer base, I thought they only had one who shipped covered hoppers? Good to see though.

Hello,

Kudos to the Strasburg! Its refreshing to see the correct locomotive in the lead........and the correct locomotive pushing!!....not as it was in the last days of steam.

If Sparky was firing, she had her hands full, that dragon was quite a bit more hungry than her Russell!

Thank you Kelly for the post.

Best regards,

Randy

So can anyone calculate the tonnage during the famous 1970's run documented in the best-selling "The Road to Paradise" book, where 90 is shown with the four biggest PRR steamers and five idler gondolas en route to the abuilding Museum? Let's see, the weight of an L1s, an M1, and ......

.

"If freight traffic demands another 2000 ton train or higher (give or take) on a fairly consistent basis, will there be a need for another diesel, such as a Geep?"--Mike the Railfan

"Over Linn's dead body. He didn't want to get the SW-8, and certainly wouldn't approve getting another. What it can't handle, it can do in multiple trips or teamed up with steam."--Kelly Anderson

Well, now, there is a perfectly acceptable solution to this--use another steam engine!

I don't know if service cycles would allow the use of another engine that might have steam up, or if it would require the overhaul and/or acquisition of another locomotive, but that would be the way to go.

Oh, yes!! :-)

Alternately, could the Strasburg need something just heavier in general--like that Pennsy I1 up in New York? She would be at home in Lancaster County. . .could probably handle anything that would show up, and the passenger service wouldn't tax either her speed or steaming capacity.

By the way, how did No. 90 handle its rated load? Did it feel that it was at its proper limit, or did it feel that the calculations at Baldwin may have been conservative, i.e., could the engine have handled the train alone?