As many of you already know, I love railroads and everything about them. I love the long slender perspective of the rails, the smell of the creosote, and the trembling of the earth as a mammoth locomotive approaches.
Railroading is an old technology, employing the concept of minimizing friction by having a very minute amount of contact between the steel wheels and the steel rails. This allows more tonnage to be moved with less fuel consumption. Amazing, this now ancient technology is green too!
Did you know that the motors in modern diesel locomotives are actually electric? These huge truck mounted motors are driven by electric power supplied by diesel generators aboard the locomotives. This provides the ultimate amount of control and eliminates the need for variable gearing or transmissions.
I love it when I hear the horn of an approaching train. I scramble to get my camera ready in hopes of getting a good photo. I also photograph old railroad buildings and depots anywhere and everywhere.
And what about cabooses? Kids today don't even know what they are!
Note: I remember as a small child the last holdouts of steam chugging up and down the rails of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Many were making their last run, to be dismembered and sold as scrap. Wouldn't it be great to revive a technology that does not depend on petroleum?
Whooooo Whoooo hooooo Hey guys, I just started a new group, Trains and Railroads for train buffs on AR. Come by and join today, and we'll share photos and stories from around the land!
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Richard Weisser, Broker, Associate Broker, Auctioneer, E-Pro, CE Instructor |
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All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Coweta Fayette Real Estate, Inc., and may not be used without the expressed written permission of Coweta Fayette Real Estate Better Homes and Gardens Metro Brokers, Newnan Georgia. All information is believed to be accurate but is not warranted, Copyright 2003-2009. Richard Weisser REOS, E-Pro. licensed Auctioneer. 770-827-6225.
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Richard - I too love trains. I actually got to drive a switcher when I was 6 on an outing with my first grade class. (Ok, sat in the engineers lap and pulled the horn cord).
Have you ever been to the Horseshoe Curve in Altoona, PA? Very impressive. Or travel I-80 through Wyoming. Near Green River is a convergence of the major east-west and north-south traffic. Mile long trains with an engine and up to 5 helpers everywhere you look.
I miss the steam and spark spewing old black locos and the red cabooses.
Richard, when I was a little kid my family used to travel by train all the time. I can remember visiting my Grandparents every year by train. Once we moved to Florida and took the train from Wisconsin. It was a two day trip and very exciting for a kid. I lived in Japan for a few years and that was the only way to travel. With the cost of air fare escalating every day, who knows traveling by train may come back. I didn't know trains are now electrically powered by diesel generators. Great Photo!
Good Post!
Mike...
Yes, I have been to Altoona, but I was in high school and not into photography at the time. There is also a great short line in Orbisonia PA called the East Broad Top Railroad, still running steam excursions on the original trackage.
I have never been out West at all. Maybe one day!
I have a lot more interesting stuff but I think I'll put all that in a new post! Thanks for jogging my memory.
Michael...
Wow, you have some great memories of riding the rails. Japan is perfectly suited to rail travel, as the country is compact and the Bullet trains can get you there in a hurry!
Here in the Atlanta Metro area, there is a master plan to have commuter rail service from the bedroom communities by the year 2012. I think the rival of the local commuter trains is imminent in most areas.
Thanks for the nice comment, I really appreciate it!
Richard,
I used to have model trains. I had quite a big collection when I was a kid. My Dr. also had a big set in his office and used it for the kids to play with. My family seemd to spend lots of time at some train stations and I picked up my parents so it was like an every day task. My grandfather used to take to me to the station on Sundays just to watch the trains and actually we could look out his window and see them and they also were loud as the tracks were literally in his bedroom:)
Richard I am a train junkie as well love to model,(G-scale) I see you got the CSX in picture the old Cessie system line and B&O. All we have left here in Florida is the FEC (Florida East Coast line) I see the CXS line roll thru every couple days.
Neal...
I still have all of my HO trains packed up lovingly in boxes. I always said that when I had a house with a basement I would build a new pike, but 6 years after acquiring the space the project has not commenced.
Were you living in Florida when you were a kid? I'll bet that trains still make you think about your grandfather. I still love to watch trains. It drives my wife crazy because I slow down when coming to a crossing in hope of the red lights coming alive!
Darin..,
I love the FEC color scheme, one of the best looking liveries in the country. I have wanted to do a G-scale garden railroad, but the weak dollar has put that out of my price range for now. I actually made a scale model of my former house and had it on the last setup I had operating, it looked great!
Richard, About 2 years ago, I was traveling to Richmond, VA on business and was trying to decide what mode of transportation to get me there. I was in Charleston, SC at the time and of course had several options. The airfare was not unreasonable, but was cumbersome given that neither airport was very big and had a layover in either Charlotte or Atlanta (which was going to take me about 5 hours or so). The next option was to drive, but the time and the distance behind the wheel by myself was not my best option. And then there was the train. Charleston was a stop on the Amtrak circuit through to the eastern seaboard and it had been about 40 years since I had taken the train. Need less to say, I chose the last option and wow what an adventure. It was one of the coolest things I have done in a long time. It was kind of like walking back in time. The sound of thr train as it pulled up to the station, the "ALL ABOARD" call form the manager and the Porter taking your ticket. The ride through the parts of the country that only get seen as a blink of an eye or sadly never get seen anymore was humbliing and yet inspiring. The old train depots in the small towns that were of a bygone era was sad, but the experience was priceless. I was transported (literally) back to a time of glory and the eros of it is something that we all should experience. An experience I will soon not forget.
Bo...
First of all, this comment is so nicely written you should make it a full post! I'm sure more ActiveRainer's would love to hear about it.
Second, was the train the Southern Crescent? It runs from New Orleans through Atlanta and on to D.C. I have always wanted to take it to the Big Easy but it's one of those dreams that I have put on hold.
However, your positive experience is making me rethink this. I need to give it a ride before it's too late. Thanks for the great comment.
Richard -- I had the privledge to ride the 'Silverton' train a couple years ago. Its a narrow gauge ride 45 miles long cut into the side of a cliff...scary all the way around. But, fun!
Clint...
I have many friends and relatives that have made the trip out west for that purpose! They all said they were terrified! Thanks,
Terrified doesnt even explain it...when you get near the top of the canyon, there are places where hanging out the window can lead to a 500 ft drop straight down. Its wild!
Richard,
Doesn't Chattanooga have the railroad museum and maybe some of the older trains and cabooses?
That Silverton ride sounds like something that I would like to take.
BTW, Why not set up your old HO, I remember as a kid having my old Lionel set up with the smoking locomotive whew those were the days silly kid that I was I even played on train tressels not knowing the danger but loving it.
Don R.
Richard...Love the Train Yards. Like you said the power of a locomotive is awe inspiring. I also loved the old Steam Loco's. Very Dirty, but what a sound!
Clint...
OK, it's now on my "Bucket List!" Thanks.
Don...
Yes, and we have some great area museums, but I'm saving those for a localism post! I also have a 1950 Complete Lionel NYC Diesel sat that was given to my parents as a wedding present. It still runs, with all of the accompanying ozone! Thanks for the comment and please stayed tunes, I'll get that post up sometime this week!
Bill...
You can actually believe those steam locos are alive! They belch and hiss a creak and that whistle will make your hair stand up! Thanks again, my friend!
The town I grew up in has the SC Rail Road Museum in it. You can still ride the old style trains out through the country and through the old rock quarries.
On another note, my mom before I was born, managed to fall off of a train in the mountains. Tweetsy Rail Road I think it's called. I laugh my ass off evertime she tells someone about it to this day.
JL...
HA, the Tweetsie is in Blowing Rock NC I believe, or there abouts. Now, I'm going to ask the question that os on everyone's mind"
"Was she pregnant with you when she fell of the train?"
Richard, from one train rider to another, my grandfather worked 44 years for the DRG & GR (Denver Rio Grande & Great Western) and I grew up spending the summers walking tracks, climbing on engines, checking hot boxes, making sure of connections between cars, etc. and loved every minute of it. So I decided to share a couple picture with you of a coal fired engine still operating between Durango and Silverton Colorado. I grew up out there and hope to move back soon. So these are of the Durango-Silverton and were taken about a month ago.
Richard - I've got an old Lionel set that my folks bought for me in '63 that's packed away. I'll give it to our son someday if one of the kids doesn't give us a grandson first.
Come up for a vacation and we'll hope on the AK RR and ride the rails.
Richard... I was going to ask JL that myself... that would explain a lot wouldn't it?
Whooooo Whoooo hooooo
Hey guys, I just started a new group, Trains and Railroads for train buff on AR. Come by and join today, and we'll share photos and stories from around the land!
Wayne...
This was so good that I created a group for you to post it! Trains and Railroads will expose your great photos to a wider audience (eventually) and will get you 200 points insted of 25!
Jesse ...
Lets put our digitals to work and get some great train shots! You guys have inspired me with your pics!
Actually Richard, truth be known, she was indeed pregnant with me when she fell off the train. Maybe that clears up some things.
JL...
Crystal clear .... but you should like trains since you had a pre-natal experience with one!
Richard,
Thanks sor the kind words. Coincidentally, I was thinking the same thing. There are so many details of the trip, it probably does deserve a separate piece. Be on the lookout for it....thanks for the nudge.
The Crescent is supposedly an extraordinary journey and is still showing on Amtraks servce.
Bo
My dad and granddad were Road Foremen of Engines for the Missouri Pacific in Texas when I was growing up. That meant that I got the occasional ride in the engine or the caboose between Kingsville and Bishop, a distance of five miles, but the best five miles a little kid could ever have.