Author: Jim Pearson

A large high-speed locomotive, like the New York Central’s Niagara 4-8-4, will consume a lot of water.  By volume, the loco will require many times more water than fuel.  At Tivoli, beside the Hudson River, #6009 takes water from a track-pan at 80 MPH.  A Hostler fills the tank to capacity from a water-plug, probably at Harmon where passenger trains from Grand Central Terminal switch from electrics to steam or diesel.

The Central’s marketing and advertising many times, included the phrase the “Water Level Route.”  Chicago-bound trains followed water-courses and avoided any serious grades.  Their posh all-Pullman 20^th Century Limited promotional material toted “ride and sleep on the Water Level Route.” 

Track pans were spaced about thirty miles apart for the entire route.  A closer look at the tender clearly shows the enormous length of the 46-ton coal bunker, and the relatively small water compartment. The Niagara needed refueling only once between the “Big-Apple” and the “Windy-City.”

Credits:   Photos by W. A. Akin as seen in Kalmbach’s Steam’s Lost Empire

Submitted by Gary Ostlund

Spotting features:                                      photo- Kalmbach Media           

This is not your ordinary well-manicured railroad R-O-Way (city park..?)  The roadbed is nicely maintained, the ballast is neatly dressed, (little attention is given to most land abutting RR ROW.)  The crossing arm is down as it should be, and we must assume the lights are flashing alternately.  (The crossing arms might be short, as there are no counter-balancing weights.  Perhaps this is a walking trail (in that park) rather than a highway crossing.)

Orange-tipped gas line marker (some rights-or-way are used for buried utilities, phone lines mostly, but this appears to be a line crossing under the railroad).  Rusty – welded, protective barrier made of used “rail.”  To me that means the railroad probably fabricated and placed it there.  (is it protecting a fire Hydrant.?  Seems to be in an unusual location, so close to the rails, yet there is foliage).  Graffiti-laden well-cars.  (the closest being an articulated unit, then a solo, followed by a 5-set, the fifth segment in the shade. Articulated units share a wheel-set between each car.)

Wally-world has gone modern (those containers have been extended to the legal limit of 53 feet, also there just may be an element of “promotion” with such dominant placement.)  It’s Spring or Summer (who can identify the red flowers..?  Can anybody ID the location?)

My friend and advisor, Dave Sprau correctly pointed out that this was a promotional display kicking off new logistics within the Walmart organization.

– Gary O. Ostlund  

Being the third day of winter, at least according to the weather bureau, let’s talk snow. With his pack, canteen and camera gear, photographer James A. Turner is ready for another day on Stevens Pass in the Washington Cascades.   The scene is Corea, near the Great Northern’s Martin Creek loop, in 1925.

Turner placed himself properly to one side, looking into the picture, in what must be a tripod, timed picture.  From what I know about him he traveled alone, and did not own a car. He no doubt rode the train from Seattle and managed a drop-off. A man of class, you will see Turner dressed this day with a white shirt and tie.   He was a personal friend of my friend, the late Warren W. Wing, also an avid railfan photographer and book publisher. Turner’s son’s home in Gig Harbor was literally a gallery of his father’s works.

Snow sheds were common in West Coast railroading.   Those vertical beams and sloping roof are solid 12 x 12s.    Providing those today would be nearly impossible.   Is it any wonder why the Great Northern Railway, with miles of snow sheds, invested in the 8-mile tunnel under Stevens Pass.?

There is irony here. Some say if the railroad had not cut down so many trees in their quest to build snow sheds, that saturated snow would have remained in place on those slopes.  Others will say the beams didn’t come from those same trees.   Hmmmmm.

Note the attachment: The eastbound is about to enter the Horseshoe Tunnel.  It will curve to the right, cross another trestle and work its way to and through the upper snowshed.  Turner was standing about where the boxcar is exiting the lengthened snow shed.

Credits:  attachment photo by Lee Pickett, seen in book:  Lines West by Charles R. Wood  – Gary Ostlund.