Re: Operating Iron Victorian Horses on the C&TS

Casey Akin Wrote:
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> when you mention all these wood stops, are the
> engines stopping at every one, or are there extras
> for the "just in case?"
>
> Casey

Hi Casey,

I don't know if you've ever had the opportunity to ride behind Eureka. I've been lucky enough to ride a couple of Eureka trips on the D&S, so I've seen the "wood lobbers" in action quite a bit. It's perhaps a funny analogy, but Eureka and wood are like pilots and bathrooms. One never passes up the opportunity for the other. LOL!! Being an older pilot, I can say that. My "range" has been steadily decreasing over the years.

When Eureka leaves a wood stop, her tender is piled high and deep with wood. Dan's crew has some folks who are very skilled at cramming every slab possible on the pile. Running uphill from Hermosa, she goes through wood like gas goes through a funnel. Years ago, I saw a neat video depicting the firing operation, which requires 2 firemen. One brings wood forward to the cab and the other actually stokes the fire. It was astounding how fast that wood supply goes away. Wood doesn't have anything like the BTU value that coal does. I have seen Eureka arrive in Silverton with just a few slabs of wood remaining on the tender floor. Presumably, Glenbrook will have a voracious appetite as well, but she's not been tested in the same way since her restoration, because the loop at NSRM is not nearly as demanding. It will be just wild to see two, similar-sized wood-burners, piled high and deep with wood, departing Antonito with a period train. I cannot recall anytime in my lifetime when such a scene has been recreated. As much as I am looking forward to seeing the 168, the 425 and the 20, it was really the prospect of seeing the wood-burners that sold me on the VIHR and had me buying into every photo trip I could get.




A month from today, I will be in Colorado!

/Kevin Madore