Re: Geared Locomotive ride question

meuritt Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What I read on this thread matches up with what I
> have read in histories of the logging industry. I
> thought it would be interesting to inject a little
> Climax PR into the discussion for everyone's
> amusement.
>
> [www.climaxlocomotives.com]


I'll have to disagree with the statement in the cited text about
the later Class C types not having a vibration that damaged the
trucks...this just is not so. This was pointed out to me by the
late Harry Wright in the 60's when he was engineer at Hillcrest Lbr.
Co. on Vancouver Island on their 70 ton class C Climax. Between
my rides on her in regular freight service and also time on her
at Mt. Rainier Scenic Ry. in WA, I've experienced several hundred
miles riding a modern Climax...they never did solve the rough ride
and it most certainly did transmit into the trucks with resultant
cracks.
On the plus side, for her size she is an incredible puller. That
day that we took 27 loads from Mesachie Lake down to Lake Cowichan
was a great example. When Harry got the slack stretched on the
entire train, he grinned and said "now watch this" and pulled the
throttle out all the way out on the sliding bar. The fire was
forced so hard that the flame came clear out the firebox door and
impinged on the oil bunker. No tank heater necessary on this trip.
The Climax just sat down and took that heavy train through the
forest to town with no trouble at all.