Re: Straightening out the History of the "Mad Dash" power swap

tomc Wrote:
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> i wonder why they swapped power around some-
> where if they were in a rush?  The pick that John
> posted shows 478 in the lead.

Apparently #476 had picked up some bad coal – either in Alamosa or when topped off in Antonito – as according to photos taken in Chama that day she was spotted over the ash pit shortly after arrival and then given a fresh load of coal at the Chama tower while in the meantime #478 took the train on ahead to Gato.  See [ngdiscussion.net] et seq for further information.

John West Wrote:
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> A lot of these details are not really important in
> the great scheme of things, but it is fun to try to
> keep them straight.  For years I assumed that
> the helper had run ahead of the freight to Gato,
> and even had pictures to "prove" it.  The helper
> at Navajo tank was in bright sun . . . {photo} and
> the "following" train was in the dark . . . {photo}
> So obviously the helper must have gone first —
> that was the traditional routine.  Well thanks to
> Olaf, Roosso, or somebody in some prior posts
> we got that corrected.  When I checked the num-
> bers on my slide mounts they confirmed I took
> the picture of train immediately before the picture
> of the helper.  The sun must have poked through
> at the last minute . . .

That was Ernie, John.   Or, more accurately, me posting Ernie's photos.  You must have been standing on his shoulders – or vice-versa – when you took your second shot (above), but fortunately he was using B&W negative film that was much faster than your color slide film, and was able to follow the action all the way to Gato (and then some).  It makes more sense for the helper to precede the train to Gato, take water, and then pull ahead and wait to couple up while the road engine takes water.  But for pretty good proof that on the Day of the Mad Dash (good title for a Gary Larson book?) the helper followed the train (assuming only minimal optimization of the picture in PhotoShop™), see the first photo on [ngdiscussion.net].   (Which, IMHO, would be among the top contenders on Scott's "Going Away" thread if it were posted thereon.)

> As time passes and fewer and fewer people are
> still around who can remember what really hap-
> pened, the record risks being corrupted.  What
> seems logical is not always correct.  And even
> first hand memories are not infallible, especially
> when they involve us older folks.  And while no-
> body (except maybe me) cares if the helper went
> before or after the freight, the same issues apply
> to the bigger issues of history.  So if some of us
> seem to what to quibble over details, maybe it is
> good. Drives me crazy when I hear class lights
> called marker lights, or trainorder signals
> confused with block signals.


O-K, John - I confess . . .

Like I said above, "absence of proof is not proof of absence", so the lack of photos being posted showing #478 over the ash pit in Chama is not proof that she too did not have her fire cleaned on the afternoon of 05/28/68.*  But given the desire to get the train to Durango a.s.a.p., and the fact that SFAIK westbound K-28s pulling the San Juan in earlier days did not usually pause in Chama to have their fires cleaned, I assumed that, to save a bit of time, #478 ran ahead to Gato while #476 was delayed by the need to deal with a relatively uncommon problem with her fire.

- El Abuelo Histœrico, Greengo y Curmudgeoño de los Locomoturas Viejos y Verdes,
aka Der Grossväterlich DünkelOlivGrünDampfKesselMantelLiebHabender

    *  Maybe no-one got photos of #478 over the ash pit because you & Gordon & Ernie & Olaf had all skaedadeled (sp?) over to Vera's place (aka Kelly's Café)** for a late lunch, or maybe Ernie took photos but didn't send those negs to me for scanning,*** or maybe I scanned them but didn't post them 'cause the shots of #476 were better.  Only 'The Shadow' (and maybe Olaf) really knows.  

  ** See [ngdiscussion.net].

***  And faked the frame-sequence numbers on the ones he did send . . .    



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 01/02/2021 02:24PM by Russo Loco.