Re: Photos of 2248's finest hours ... on Donner Pass!

Russo Loco Wrote:
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> 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.
>
> - Roosso


Speaking of the 2248 and 2252 as fire fighting engines, a Trains Magazine article on this very subject was included in their Great American Railroad Stories book they put out about a year and a half ago for the magazine's 75th anniversary.

Brian Jansky
Houston, Tx
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