NGJon Wrote:
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> Gentlemen,
>
> As a firefighter of over 40 years of experience, I
> can tell you brush fires start in more ways than
> just a coal powered tourist trains! I live in
> Florida and we have brush fires all over the place
> but we are not blessed with steam powered tourist
> trains. While the coincidence of a coal fire
> train cannot be ignored as a possible source...any
> investigator worth his substance would not jump to
> that conclusion without really investigating fire
> origins for a definitive source. Cigarettes
> carelessly discarded, lightning strikes, and
> discarded bottles (attains a focal length in the
> sun that acts like a magnifying glass and ignites
> nearby foliage) I would say cannot be eliminated
> without a thorough investigation.
>
> I think a very creative solution to the railroad
> at a cheap cost would be to employee volunteer
> firefighters who are also narrow gauge fans to
> assist the Fire Patrols. I am sure their are also
> other USFS "Red Card" (card awarded by the forest
> service to fight forest fires) certified guys like
> me who would love to ride behind the train and
> enjoy the sites along the right of way. Spend a
> week at a time riding the rails and possibly
> fighting fires is a dream come true of both
> passions.
>
> As an idea, I would refurb that big motor car in
> the Antonito yard, which has enough room for 3-4
> fire fighters and gear and pull a small car which
> would have about 150-200 gallons of water, with
> gas powered pump, a foam injection system, and a
> small 1" reel. With that system, 2-4 highly
> motivated, narrow-gauge firefighters we would have
> a ball. Heck, build a real life "Fire Goose" out
> of parts that currently exists...weather it up and
> let us go at it every fire season as an element of
> the Friends organization. The days off could be
> spent working on other projects. Firefighting is
> not for everyone, but those of us who do it, we
> love it...combine the two...we would be in
> heaven!
>
> Just an idea.
>
> Jon
IMHO that is a interesting idea.
