The DIS Campers Train Thread: From Model Trains Up To The Real Thing
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bama_ed
It's kind of fun to do the impossible-Walt Disney
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So I went to the ball game on Sunday afternoon for Bama in the Super Regionals (2nd level of playoffs). There was a 5-hour (!) rain delay at the start of the 8th inning which was not resolved that night.
Thus on Monday morning 11am, both teams (and me a Bama fan and season ticket holder) showed up to resume play in the 8th inning. And Bama closed out the game against St. Johns with no drama to go to Omaha for the College World Series in Baseball (5 SEC teams out of 8, what conferences are the other 3 from?).
First Bama visit to the CWS since 1999.
But Saturday morning last week, we got in the first passenger car behind the big green lady, the 4501. For a very good reason. DW stays in her seat but I am up/down and sticking my head out the window or doorways. Because I want to smell the smoke, cinders, coal dust, and hear the chuff of the wheels as they go uphill, downhill, and the wail of the steam whistle as they go through road crossings. First, though, we have to set up the train, pull it off the TVRR private tracks onto the various multi-user railroads and clear our travel with their dispatchers over the radio.
The crew was still talking the day's plan.
We passengers were called to get in line. Looking at the loco in the distance, you can see the white steam escaping from the steam dome (heat from the flues flashes the water to steam) and the black smoke which HAS passed through the flues having burned the coal and is passed out of the loco thru the stack.
Finally we lumber out down the line of the TVRR track for the "exit ramp" to the multi-rr tracks.
We pass a diesel on its way to pull the TVRR Saturday short line run ("Missionary Ridge Local") which is 3 miles to the TVRR turntable to the shops and tour there then return. It's an hour well spent.
After about 2 miles (8-10 minutes) we round the curve to approach the Civil War-era horseshoe tunnel under Missionary Ridge (Chattanooga geography and Civil War history, ya'll).
I love standing on the platform outside behind the loco through a tunnel. Where else can you feel the heat, smoke, and smell the cinders and coal burn?
We passed through the downtown Chattanooga area at slow speed until we got out of the area and into Georgia (Rossville, GA from Chattanooga, TN) and could run a little more freely and without too much worry of other traffic.
This was the map of our route.
From the top of the photo (TVRR's Grand Junction Depot) to the bottom (Summerville, GA with its turntable) and back.
More in the next post.
Bama Ed
PS - and what was I doing while hanging out the windows and doors behind the loco?
Or said in a different way, what could I hear?
Thus on Monday morning 11am, both teams (and me a Bama fan and season ticket holder) showed up to resume play in the 8th inning. And Bama closed out the game against St. Johns with no drama to go to Omaha for the College World Series in Baseball (5 SEC teams out of 8, what conferences are the other 3 from?).
First Bama visit to the CWS since 1999.But Saturday morning last week, we got in the first passenger car behind the big green lady, the 4501. For a very good reason. DW stays in her seat but I am up/down and sticking my head out the window or doorways. Because I want to smell the smoke, cinders, coal dust, and hear the chuff of the wheels as they go uphill, downhill, and the wail of the steam whistle as they go through road crossings. First, though, we have to set up the train, pull it off the TVRR private tracks onto the various multi-user railroads and clear our travel with their dispatchers over the radio.
The crew was still talking the day's plan.
We passengers were called to get in line. Looking at the loco in the distance, you can see the white steam escaping from the steam dome (heat from the flues flashes the water to steam) and the black smoke which HAS passed through the flues having burned the coal and is passed out of the loco thru the stack.
Finally we lumber out down the line of the TVRR track for the "exit ramp" to the multi-rr tracks.
We pass a diesel on its way to pull the TVRR Saturday short line run ("Missionary Ridge Local") which is 3 miles to the TVRR turntable to the shops and tour there then return. It's an hour well spent.
After about 2 miles (8-10 minutes) we round the curve to approach the Civil War-era horseshoe tunnel under Missionary Ridge (Chattanooga geography and Civil War history, ya'll).
I love standing on the platform outside behind the loco through a tunnel. Where else can you feel the heat, smoke, and smell the cinders and coal burn?
We passed through the downtown Chattanooga area at slow speed until we got out of the area and into Georgia (Rossville, GA from Chattanooga, TN) and could run a little more freely and without too much worry of other traffic.
This was the map of our route.
From the top of the photo (TVRR's Grand Junction Depot) to the bottom (Summerville, GA with its turntable) and back.
More in the next post.
Bama Ed
PS - and what was I doing while hanging out the windows and doors behind the loco?
Or said in a different way, what could I hear?
bama_ed
It's kind of fun to do the impossible-Walt Disney
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DW and I went to Chamonix in May 1992. Rode the telepherique (French spelling) to up near the top of Mt. Blanc (stopping once to let off some folks with their hang gliding equipment).
Back then of course, only photographs on film and no digital and I would have to pull out photo albums. DW laughed at me because once up at the top, I got woozy from the quick bounce in altitude but she didn't.
From Chamonix we took a sleeper train to the Riviera. From cold Mt. Blanc (tallest mountain in Europe) to the warm sunny Med.
@wabbot, your journey is taking you all OVER the place. ED
Back then of course, only photographs on film and no digital and I would have to pull out photo albums. DW laughed at me because once up at the top, I got woozy from the quick bounce in altitude but she didn't.
From Chamonix we took a sleeper train to the Riviera. From cold Mt. Blanc (tallest mountain in Europe) to the warm sunny Med.
@wabbot, your journey is taking you all OVER the place. ED
bama_ed
It's kind of fun to do the impossible-Walt Disney
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Thanks, @wabbott .
I hope me and DW can do some more travel again in the very near future. Although I think Italy will be first on the list with the Holy Land and Scotland/Ireland down the line (I want to walk the Dingle Way and hike up/down Ben Nevis [tallest mountain in the UK]).
ED
PS - although I could start reading reviews of hotels and b&b's in Zermatt.
bama_ed
It's kind of fun to do the impossible-Walt Disney
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Back to our ride on the 4501.
After leaving the private rail grounds of the TVRM we ambled slowly along a shared belt line towards downtown Chattanooga. Our route took us past the Chattanooga National Cemetery which is the 2nd largest National Cemetery in the US (after Arlington).
Related to trains, there is a monument in the CNC of "The General" (a steam train stolen by Union spies in Georgia during the Civil War and caught/captured by Confederate pursuers) because 8 of the Union spies are buried in CNC after having been executed for that military crime. (Walt Disney made a movie about the thievery in 1956 "The Great Locomotive Chase" which starred Fess Parker - I have this dvd).
We rumbled slowly (15-20mph) south out of the Chattanooga area into Georgia and the countryside.
We even had to pull into a siding to allow a freight train to pass us in the opposite direction.
One thing that was odd was that on the way south to Summerville, we had to stop 4 times each for a couple minutes often in the middle of nowhere. The last two times I was up near the front and saw one of the locomotive crew climb down and mess with the air pump on the side of the locomotive. (the air pump compresses air into a reservoir tank [powered by steam] to operate the brakes on all the cars down the line [the air hose is connected car to car so pretty important]).
The 2nd time I saw them (the 4th stop) there were two crew on the ground and another two shinnied out along the top side of the locomotive and were banging on it with something.
I began to doubt if we were going make it back.
I had asked the conductor if we were being trailed by a TVRM diesel locomotive (sometimes done to provide back-up service if the steam locomotive breaks down and usually trails a mile or two behind to remain out of sight) but I was told we had no diesel back-up.
We did finally arrive in Summerville where a local festival was going on.
The town has a turntable to spin the locomotive 180-degrees and let it pass on the side to the far end to hook up to the consist and thus be in the front when pulling us home.
Another post is coming.
Bama Ed
PS - the reference to "what I could hear" at the end of my previous post was that I use an app on my cell phone to record the sounds of the locomotive and the ride down the rails. I've done this several times on steam trains that I have ridden behind. That's one reason I try to find an open side door or platform as close to the locomotive as possible. Whistles, clanking, steam blow downs, and the general chuff gets caught in mp3 files usually about 60-90 seconds in length. I go back and work on them at home with the freeware program "Audacity" to remove the wind sound on the phone microphone and to combine/blend the outtakes and intakes of the sound files into a longer, audibly cleaner, more varied sound loop. Steam locos have an audible "finger"print that identifies them. And the engineer can play the whistle like a musician.
After leaving the private rail grounds of the TVRM we ambled slowly along a shared belt line towards downtown Chattanooga. Our route took us past the Chattanooga National Cemetery which is the 2nd largest National Cemetery in the US (after Arlington).
Related to trains, there is a monument in the CNC of "The General" (a steam train stolen by Union spies in Georgia during the Civil War and caught/captured by Confederate pursuers) because 8 of the Union spies are buried in CNC after having been executed for that military crime. (Walt Disney made a movie about the thievery in 1956 "The Great Locomotive Chase" which starred Fess Parker - I have this dvd).
We rumbled slowly (15-20mph) south out of the Chattanooga area into Georgia and the countryside.
We even had to pull into a siding to allow a freight train to pass us in the opposite direction.
One thing that was odd was that on the way south to Summerville, we had to stop 4 times each for a couple minutes often in the middle of nowhere. The last two times I was up near the front and saw one of the locomotive crew climb down and mess with the air pump on the side of the locomotive. (the air pump compresses air into a reservoir tank [powered by steam] to operate the brakes on all the cars down the line [the air hose is connected car to car so pretty important]).
The 2nd time I saw them (the 4th stop) there were two crew on the ground and another two shinnied out along the top side of the locomotive and were banging on it with something.
I began to doubt if we were going make it back.
I had asked the conductor if we were being trailed by a TVRM diesel locomotive (sometimes done to provide back-up service if the steam locomotive breaks down and usually trails a mile or two behind to remain out of sight) but I was told we had no diesel back-up.We did finally arrive in Summerville where a local festival was going on.
The town has a turntable to spin the locomotive 180-degrees and let it pass on the side to the far end to hook up to the consist and thus be in the front when pulling us home.
Another post is coming.
Bama Ed
PS - the reference to "what I could hear" at the end of my previous post was that I use an app on my cell phone to record the sounds of the locomotive and the ride down the rails. I've done this several times on steam trains that I have ridden behind. That's one reason I try to find an open side door or platform as close to the locomotive as possible. Whistles, clanking, steam blow downs, and the general chuff gets caught in mp3 files usually about 60-90 seconds in length. I go back and work on them at home with the freeware program "Audacity" to remove the wind sound on the phone microphone and to combine/blend the outtakes and intakes of the sound files into a longer, audibly cleaner, more varied sound loop. Steam locos have an audible "finger"print that identifies them. And the engineer can play the whistle like a musician.
Last edited:
bama_ed
It's kind of fun to do the impossible-Walt Disney
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At Summerville for the turntable spin I slipped down between the lines to get close (better to ask for forgiveness if need be rather than permission) and the great lady slid right past me with its front bell clanging away.
At this point I flipped the phone from photo to video to get the turn which I will try to gif.
When the loco very SLOWLY rolls onto a turntable, then near end under it sinks down slightly (slack in the system) and it rolls forward until the tender and all wheels are on the turntable and proceeds ever so slowly until the center of gravity crosses the midpoint and the turntable tips ever so gently toward the front of the loco. That's when it is balanced (one hair to either too far or just short is the same thing) and the turntable motor kicks on and turns it around. Getting balanced and in the middle is a slow, careful art form.
After the spin, I went back to photos to catch her rolling off the turntable.
At Summerville we did need to add some water from a fire hydrant but we carried all the coal we needed from the get-go.
As I said there was a weekend festival in Summerville and the mechanical bronco, altho running very slowly, still had commers.
And the locals came out with their unique forms of transportation.
And at the risk of revealing too much, here is a selfy of me in front of the loco after it was replenished with H20 and ready to head back to Chattanooga.
Not much left to tell on the ride back except for one thing in the next post.
Bama Ed
At this point I flipped the phone from photo to video to get the turn which I will try to gif.
When the loco very SLOWLY rolls onto a turntable, then near end under it sinks down slightly (slack in the system) and it rolls forward until the tender and all wheels are on the turntable and proceeds ever so slowly until the center of gravity crosses the midpoint and the turntable tips ever so gently toward the front of the loco. That's when it is balanced (one hair to either too far or just short is the same thing) and the turntable motor kicks on and turns it around. Getting balanced and in the middle is a slow, careful art form.
After the spin, I went back to photos to catch her rolling off the turntable.
At Summerville we did need to add some water from a fire hydrant but we carried all the coal we needed from the get-go.
As I said there was a weekend festival in Summerville and the mechanical bronco, altho running very slowly, still had commers.
And the locals came out with their unique forms of transportation.
And at the risk of revealing too much, here is a selfy of me in front of the loco after it was replenished with H20 and ready to head back to Chattanooga.
Not much left to tell on the ride back except for one thing in the next post.
Bama Ed
Last edited:
wabbott
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Ed, would you pay any amount of money to drive that locomotive?
(Walt Disney made a movie about the thievery in 1956 "The Great Locomotive Chase" which starred Fess Parker - I have this dvd).
Have that one on my DVR and been saving it for when I'm in the mood. I think I will be when we get back home!
(Walt Disney made a movie about the thievery in 1956 "The Great Locomotive Chase" which starred Fess Parker - I have this dvd).
Have that one on my DVR and been saving it for when I'm in the mood. I think I will be when we get back home!
bama_ed
It's kind of fun to do the impossible-Walt Disney
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I would love it. But TVRM does offer a ride-along on their own short rail ride, the Missionary Local. The Local is 3.5 miles each way, goes through the tunnel, there is a turntable on the far end along with shops and repair facilities for the engines which is covered in a short walking tour.
https://www.tvrail.com/train-rides/missionary-ridge-local/
Usually on summer weekends, they have a smaller steam loco (the 630) that pulls the Local and I have considered doing this. But the 630 is out of action for its 15yr review/rework (federally mandated) so only diesels are pulling the Local year round for the time being. The 4501 is only being used for these longer, special excursions and she isn't used to run the Local. And if it were me, I wouldn't let a non-certified person in the 4501 cab while on the Norfolk Southern (or any other) lines or during an excursion. On my own property for the 630, maybe, but not with the Jewel of the South.
There is a diesel ride-along too but don't care too much about it however could do it soon and do the steam one once the 630 comes back.
https://www.tvrail.com/equipment/southern-630/
You can read in a paragraph in the link above that the 630 was restored and returned to service in 2011 so you can see we've hit the 15 year mark. I asked what the status was and the answer was that they don't have shop space at the moment to begin work on it yet. The estimate is 2 years once work begins (but that's only an estimate - manpower and money drives the timeline).
With that 15 year mandate in mind, the 4501 is good until August 2029 (restored and put back in service in 2014). Thus you see that there is time still (3 years) to get the the 630 back in operating shape (2 years). One thing TVRM has managed to do over the 30+ years I've ridden with them is they have always at least one steam loco operational (they have another loco, the 610, but I am told the restoration on that little loco would be pretty substantial so it's not a priority).
You can read about all their locos here: https://www.tvrail.com/equipment/
But at least the possibility is still out there. It will happen.
Ed
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wabbott
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wabbott
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I posted that link bragging on all their fancy and modern equipment a bit too soon. They were 50 minutes late arriving @ Munich today.
Teamubr
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bama_ed
It's kind of fun to do the impossible-Walt Disney
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One thing to wrap up this ride story is to include a couple video clips. First is a clip of the 4501 being pivoted around on the Summerville turntable (this video is at 2x speed).
The ride back to Grand Depot at TVRM was smooth and uneventful. I was told that the air pump/condenser problem had been solved at Summerville with "a little lubrication".
The last thing was that TVRM usually does a "run-by" for its passengers. As in they find a pre-arranged deserted stretch and let passengers off to stand and watch the loco and train run past them for videos and photos. That way you get the experience of seeing the train up close on the move from the outside as well as get the ride from the inside.
So the train stopped at a community college property along the return route, let those who wanted to get off get off then backed up far enough to get a good head of steam/speed up and come at us with the whistle blowin'. It's pretty cool.
Then we loaded back up and rumbled on back to the depot.
It was a long but satisfying drive home. If you ever get a chance to ride on a steam-driven train, take the opportunity and smell the soot and cinders and enjoy the sights and sounds.
Bama Ed
PS - oh I got a new hat and moved my big and small pins over to it.
The ride back to Grand Depot at TVRM was smooth and uneventful. I was told that the air pump/condenser problem had been solved at Summerville with "a little lubrication".
The last thing was that TVRM usually does a "run-by" for its passengers. As in they find a pre-arranged deserted stretch and let passengers off to stand and watch the loco and train run past them for videos and photos. That way you get the experience of seeing the train up close on the move from the outside as well as get the ride from the inside.
So the train stopped at a community college property along the return route, let those who wanted to get off get off then backed up far enough to get a good head of steam/speed up and come at us with the whistle blowin'. It's pretty cool.
Then we loaded back up and rumbled on back to the depot.
It was a long but satisfying drive home. If you ever get a chance to ride on a steam-driven train, take the opportunity and smell the soot and cinders and enjoy the sights and sounds.
Bama Ed
PS - oh I got a new hat and moved my big and small pins over to it.
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