There's another chapter in #2248's life, John -
After her years of glory pulling S.P. varnish, and subsequent downgrading to secondary runs, #2248 (and her sister, #2252) had a third life on Donner Pass, where they were equipped with powerful steam-powered pumps for use as real fire engines to protect S.P.'s many miles of creosote-soaked wooden snowsheds. IIRC, from late spring through summer and well into autumn both engines were kept hot 24/7 at Norden, near the summit of the pass - one facing east and one facing west, with a couple of tank cars of water attached - ready at a moment's notice to rush to the site of a fire that could threaten California's mainline connection to the nation. I'm way too young to have taken photos myself, but there are a few in Signor's "Donner Pass" (pp. 172-173) and in other well-known publications.
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Roosso
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/23/2016 11:19PM by Russo Loco.