Re: Three-cylinder memories (NNG)

Hi. Earl -

Man, you sure have a knack for stirring up some good memories!

I never got to see U.P.'s 9000's in action, but do remember S.P.'s three-cylinder 4-10-2's on the Shasta Division. Due to the dynamics of thrust and/or counterbalancing, two 2-10-2's or both engines of a 4-8-8-2, etc. would generally get in synch with one another after a while, but when a 2-10-2 was helping a 4-10-2, or a 4-10-2 was helping a cab-forward, even though they all had 63" drivers, this wouldn't happen - and, as you say - the chaos that echoed out of the canyon was incredible.* As a ten-, eleven- and twelve-year-old railfan in the early 1950's, it didn't bother me at all to be woken up at 2:00 or 3:00 a.m. when one of these nightmare lashups charged by our motel north of Dunsmuir ... **

- Russo Loco

* Imagine a bagpiper playing "Molly Malone" and two guys playing "Mustang Sally" on banjo & accordion all at the same time, and you've got the idea ...

** Ted and Vivian Fay's "Lookout Point Motel" is long gone, but in its place there is now a small city park overlooking the Sacramento River and the railroad - with Mount Shasta towering overall - about two miles north of downtown Dunsmuir. (Plus a trail down to Fern Creek Falls and/or the river.) Even in the age of diseasels, it's well worth taking a break there if you're travelling between Sacramento and Portland on I-5.