Re: East Broad Top fall spectacular pictures

John E. Bull Wrote:
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> Thanks for the correction, Lawrence,
>
> I was not sure if I saw the M-1 getting past the
> M-7 on the west leg of the wye as we were backing
> into the tail of the wye. It was sure a great
> evening for all the riders and I gather we left no
> passenger on the platform after the M-1 left. I
> thought I saw #15 poping its safety valve several
> time so maybe, just kidding, the fireman was
> sitting down (on the window sill-job) too much and
> failed to open the valve to the pumps. How could
> there be not enough steam to the pump, a plugged
> pipe? That could be a good question for Linn.
>
> How long did it take the M-1 to get back into the
> yard and did it eventually turn on the wye?


Seeing as I was firing, it sure wasn't because I was sitting down. Friday evening after the photo train and night shoot, the fire was given a shake down, but wasn't properly cleaned. By the end of the day Saturday, the fire was dirty, deep, and infested with clinkers. Saturday was a bad day anyway as we got some coal that left a lot to be desired. Combine the bad coal with a dirty fire and it's difficult to keep steam.

The pumps aren't manually turned on and off, they are regulated by a governor and start pumping when air pressure drops below 95psi in the reservoir.