....of the big black iron beetle rounding Windy Point? C'mon, we need some action shots here, not just "roster broadsides"!! And try orange lettering instead of the white-- maybe a set of orange "cat's whisker's"?

This is getting off the wall........

> You, sir, are a bad influence. :)

> Against my better judgement (ten years in
> Purgatory for offending the gods of steam,
> not to mention my reputation sullied), your
> wish is my command.

> Did you hear they're electrifying west of
> Antonito even as we speak?

> Crayuft

I have one of the number stencils from the REAL 4884.......... another was shipped anonymously to David Kwechansky in Canada (author of a stellar "I took my Grif Teller painting of 4884 aboard 4884" piece in Trains years ago).......

LNER4472-NOSPAM-@bcpl.net

I would have been nice -- had I thought of it sooner -- to petition NJ Transit to include one of the Jersey G's plinthed at the new South Amboy passenger station, whose parking lot sits on the old motor storage tracks.

Rob

trains@robertjohndavis.com

As most of you know, the 25K volt electric plans the Rio Grande had for Cumbres were nixed due to concerns about the wires in the winter. The road figured that at least 25 miles of snowsheds would be needed to keep the wire in working order, and the costs skyrocketed from there.

So the idea died.

I've seen plans for coaches converted to MU cars, and even technical drawings for mounting trolley poles on the tenders of K-36 and 7's to activate the planned signal system... kinda like the Pacific Electric's 44-tonner.

All in all, the documentation shows the idea reached it's peak right before 1950 as the Rio Grande looked to make a cost-cutting move in anticipation of moderinzation similar to that already happening on the standard guage road.

One report noted that the vista domes so popular at the time would probably not be allowed under wire, and that the snowsheds would negate much of the value of dome seating.

I have heard that control stands were actually purchased for a test MU installation with wires to be hung along a section of the Creede Branch. One stand is supposedly in a fan's basement outside Boulder, along with the hangers off of one of the lineside poles erected for the electrification test. Wire, by the way, was never strung.

As we all know, economy and reality took things in a different direction.



trains@robertjohndavis.com

> *We'll trade you a "surplus" GG1
> for a K-36 we can use at East Broad
> Top.............

I've got 22 odd acres of undeveloped property in North GA. I have about 800 feet of frontage on the ex-SRR Atlanta-DC main. If I could afford it, I'd love to put a GG1 on the property. Two relatives of mine worked in the Harrisburg electric/diesel shops for PRR (one actually visited Strasburg for a few years to give OK and signature to their diesel for FRA (ICC?) in the 1960s).

I had one relative killed (circa 1915) and two injured in Enola (circa 1925 and circa 1938).

I actually streched the truth on a short lived HO/HOn3 layout having GG1's interchange with D&RGW narrow gauge at Strasburg (darned if I know which state it was in). Crazy looking having a K-27 and a GG1 side by side. Dual gauge under catenary.

DvV


douglasvanveelen@mindspring.com

Dual gauge couplers? I assumed that you would regauge the GG1!

> Attn: John Craft -- Photoshop assignment:
> speed lettering on PRR iron-hulled electric.
> Don't forget dual gauge couplers!

tramways@canada.com

Why? NJT would probably try to arrest you for taking pictures of it. Why not put it somewhere more hospitable to railfans?

> I would have been nice -- had I thought of
> it sooner -- to petition NJ Transit to
> include one of the Jersey G's plinthed at
> the new South Amboy passenger station, whose
> parking lot sits on the old motor storage
> tracks.

> Rob


Al's Rail Photos
acp19809@yahoo.com

A GG1 in Colorado would be rather odd, but in the food for thought category: What if some standard guage line that does movie and television work( like the Sierra RR, for example)brought a GG1,and other NEC equipment west, found a spot that could pass for New York or New Jersey(not that hard, really) and strung a few feet of wire for looks. They would then have all the bases covered since they already have the old-timey western thing down. Seems to me the railroad could increase its Hollywood business a good deal. Of course the thing wouldn't really run but that isn't a problem. GG1's don't smoke anyway.
mw

> I've got 22 odd acres of undeveloped
> property in North GA. I have about 800 feet
> of frontage on the ex-SRR Atlanta-DC main.
> If I could afford it, I'd love to put a GG1
> on the property. Two relatives of mine
> worked in the Harrisburg electric/diesel
> shops for PRR (one actually visited
> Strasburg for a few years to give OK and
> signature to their diesel for FRA (ICC?) in
> the 1960s).

> I had one relative killed (circa 1915) and
> two injured in Enola (circa 1925 and circa
> 1938).

> I actually streched the truth on a short
> lived HO/HOn3 layout having GG1's
> interchange with D&RGW narrow gauge at
> Strasburg (darned if I know which state it
> was in). Crazy looking having a K-27 and a
> GG1 side by side. Dual gauge under catenary.

> DvV


p_michael_warren@yahoo.com

Besides, you forgot the Ridgeway spark arrestors!

dave

irondave@bellsouth.net

John, the 490 class of D&RGW engines were K-37's

the 480 class were k-36,

the 470 class were k-28,

The C&TS owns:

> K-27 2-8-2 463 (out of service pending Part
> 230 compliance work)

> K36 2-8-2 483 (out of service since 1976 or
> so)
> K36 2-8-2 484 (returned to service May 2004)
> K36 2-8-2 487 (returned to service May 2004)
> K36 2-8-2 488 (currently under overhaul,
> July goal)
> K36 2-8-2 489 (to be overhauled after 488 is
> completed)

> K36 2-8-2 492 (never used on the C&TS)
> K36 2-8-2 494 (never used on the C&TS)
> K36 2-8-2 495 (never used on the C&TS)
> K36 2-8-2 497 (out of service pending Part
> 230 compliance work)

> JAC

....this is gonna be rough on my beloved track structure. We better call Wild Bill back to work.

Some China Pix

> ....this is gonna be rough on my beloved
> track structure.

hehehehe . . . a G on 20-degree curves, how interesting ;)

I wonder how Marvin would take it?

JAC

How much super elevation would be needed for 100 MPH GG1 on a 20 degree curve? Maybe 36"??????


DvV

> hehehehe . . . a G on 20-degree curves, how
> interesting ;)

> I wonder how Marvin would take it?

> JAC


douglasvanveelen@mindspring.com

I highly doubt they would use the Sierra to film anything except western or wilderness scenes, after all the landscape and steamers cry out "old west" immediately. There isn't really too much along much of the line. Plus why bother installing catenary (even if it was dummy catenary and the electric was pushed by a diesel) when you can visit somewhere with an active electric railroad? Being a regular driving down I-95 to New York City, along the highway for several miles (mainly between Pelham and Rye) the mainline runs right along the road and is easily visible. You can drive right alongside and see the usual Metro-North MUs, the occasional Acela or AEM-7, or if you are lucky...a Genesis pulling a train from Danbury or Waterbury. I have even seen FL9s, and Geeps on work trains on the NH main.

If they wanted to film somewhere with electrics, they would most likely come out east. They filmed "Superman" in Grand Central Terminal with a Penn Central FL9 in New Haven colors (it showed too how forlorn the New York area commuter motive pool was...although this wasn't one of the ones where they just painted the PC worm logo *right over* the New Haven McGinnis paint! Although an FL9 isn't a straight electric (although it runs on third rail too), there are plenty of spots along the NEC and New Haven mainlines where one can get footage of trains running. It's kind of neat driving along I-95 between Pelham and Rye, New York...you never really know what you're going to see. I have seen FL9s, Gennies, Geeps on work trains, the usual MU cars, as well as AEM-7s and Acela trains.

You can really film trains anywhere. The only reason why the Sierra is so popular with the movies is most likely the fact that its landscape, the California Mother Lode, is still very much unchanged and can easily pass for the 1880s. The #3 could also be easily transformed into a wood-burning old west-style engine. The combination of the equipment (also including the period rolling stock) and the landscape are probably what makes it so popular.

The Fillmore & Western has also been doing movie work, particularly using F-units or other diesels. I believe both "ER" and "Monk" used the F&W to film. The modern day descendant of Short Line Enterprises (former owners of the D&R 4-4-0 #8 which once was used at Jamestown for movie work and excursions) has been representing the F&W and the Sierra. It really depends on what the filmmakers need.

And of course what about the special effects scenes. Obviously they won't put precious steamers in danger (although the Rio Grande wrecked two Consolidations for a film, they were run via remote control head onto each other). For Back to the Future Part 3, a scaled down dummy version of the Sierra #3 was built (I believe in Ken Keagy's shop in Sonora where the 5" scale steamers were also built) which was wrecked for the camera. And I heard that some of the wheels from that sequence are now used on Chris Allan's 0-4-0 #18, a 5" scale 15" gauge locomotive that now runs at the Hillcrest & Wahtoke Steam Railroad near Fresno. And another sequence where the #3 returned heavily modified by Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) into a time machine...that of course didn't involve touching the #3 but instead a full-size mock up was made that is a display today at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida (I will try and find picture).

Jack Sessums, who also is well-known in the live steam area for his 1" scale and now 15" gauge layouts, does special effects. One sequence in a film which used the SP Daylight 4449, involved a derailment. So he used his 1" scale GS-4 instead for the wrecking.

As for other locomotives used on TV and the movies, we can't forget commercials. I have seen the UP #4466, an 0-6-0, in a commercial (it escapes me at the moment). And Ed Archer's impressive 7-1/2" gauge Pennsy E6 Atlantic has been used in a diaper commercial, probably the smallest locomotive to appear on the screen. The track that appeared in the commercial was the Tradewinds & Atlantic in Coconut Creek (Fort Lauderdale area), Florida.

I don't want to bore you all any longer with all this movie stuff...

Also, talking about moving locomotives around, it would be neat if the K-27 #464 which is now at the Huckleberry Railroad by way of Knotts Berry Farm, would move to the Durango & Silverton...
Does anybody have photographs of the Mudhen 464 running at Knotts? I heard it was used occasionally but did not run on the line well. The 1976 "Guide to FUN Railroads of the West" lists the 464 as still being in Buena Park at Knott's.

Just for fun, I linked to a photo of Ed Archer's Atlantic to show that little engines can do big things. The photo was not from the commercial.

Happy Rails,
-Ed Kelley


GTNGRR@aol.com