Re: Super-Square Valve Timing / Bill Stetler (NNG)

Gads, youse guys have a knack for rekindling old memories -

Bill(y) was just a 'young whippersnapper' in May of '91, IIRC "only" 19 or 20, but he had spent a lot of time at Felton as a volunteer and knew what he was doing. During the middle of the week following Railfair '91, the crew took #2472 down south of the display area in Old Sacramento, spent a lot of time adjusting the valves, and then running back-and-forth to test them. (I have a bunch of pix - which I have promised to provide to Jim Bunger of the GGRM - but they are deeply buried after moving to a new home last year. Please forgive!) *

On "Resurrection Day" the following weekend, #2472 performed flawlessly, actually doing most of the work as the double-headed "Oakland Daylight" climbed the approach to the big bridge at Benicia. Neal Vodden was indeed a master engineer, but his long-time fireman John 'Clear Stack' Teshara also deserves a lot of credit. Together - along with Doyle and crew - they invoked the "eee-pitomization" of S.P. mainline steam.

"Resurrection" - #2472 returns to revenue service:


Per the crew, #2472 was doing about 75% of the work in the B&W photo below.  If anything, the exhaust may be TOO clear!
I call this one "Clear Stack rides again!"


Following #2472's extensive rebuild the past few years, Bill Stetler - IIRC now in command of Canadian Pacific's steam program - again visited his friends at the Golden Gate RR Museum (relocated from Hunter's Point to the Pacific Locomotive Association's facilities at Sunnyside on the Niles Canyon Railway), and when #2472 debuted on Memorial Day Weekend, 2008, her exhaust was about as 'square' as this foamer has ever heard!!

"A Phalanx of Phoamers." (John Teshara firing, JBWX in black vest at far right.)


- Roosso

p.s. To you young master-mechanics-in-training, such as Ed & Jarret, and Jeff, Curtis, et al whom I haven't had the privilege of meeting (yet), take Bill Stetler as an example of what you can look forward to achieving in the next 15 to 20 years. Also take him as an example of what STAYING IN SCHOOL, earning a Master's Degree in Business, Public Relations, Management or whatever can do for you in the way of opening doors to a really GREAT career - not just earning a living! The greatest idea in the world isn't worth two cents if you can't communicate it to others and earn their trust and support. The difference between 'their', 'there' and 'they're' IS important if you want to move up in the whirled world, as is the difference between 'your', 'you're' and 'yore', etc.

*   "Only" three years later - I finally found, scanned and posted those photos - see [ngdiscussion.net].



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 01/01/2016 06:42PM by Russo Loco.