Re: White Pass & Yukon #70
| August 07, 2022 12:30PM |
Everett Lueck Wrote:
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> As it has been told to me, the 69 was almost too
> big for the White Pass and it is substantially
> lacking in crew comfort, being a deckless cab with
> the boiler literally poking out the back of the
> cab. Even after its restoration, it has not run
> much.
When I was there in 2011, the crews indicated that they much preferred the 70-class, and in fact, were looking to acquire another one (the derelict one at Dollywood), at least at that time. As it was explained to me, the 69 was no longer super-heated and required water support stationed at Glacier Siding (tank cars and pumps) in order to do the Frasier Meadows excursion, whereas the 73 could make it all the way to Frasier. And as others have noted, the ergonomics of the 69 are pretty poor. The Engineer and Fireman cannot see each other, both are squished between their respective cab walls and the boiler, and the Fireman cannot see his fire. As a result, the 73 was used pretty much as long as it was serviceable. I was fortunate to get to see both of these engines, as both were used on the 2011 Rotary Train.
/Kevin Madore
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> As it has been told to me, the 69 was almost too
> big for the White Pass and it is substantially
> lacking in crew comfort, being a deckless cab with
> the boiler literally poking out the back of the
> cab. Even after its restoration, it has not run
> much.
When I was there in 2011, the crews indicated that they much preferred the 70-class, and in fact, were looking to acquire another one (the derelict one at Dollywood), at least at that time. As it was explained to me, the 69 was no longer super-heated and required water support stationed at Glacier Siding (tank cars and pumps) in order to do the Frasier Meadows excursion, whereas the 73 could make it all the way to Frasier. And as others have noted, the ergonomics of the 69 are pretty poor. The Engineer and Fireman cannot see each other, both are squished between their respective cab walls and the boiler, and the Fireman cannot see his fire. As a result, the 73 was used pretty much as long as it was serviceable. I was fortunate to get to see both of these engines, as both were used on the 2011 Rotary Train.
/Kevin Madore
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488 stops for water at Los Pinos tank on closing day Oct. 1979. Photo courtesy Don Richter
The NGDF was started by Don Richter and is currently operated in his memory by Nathan Holmes and others. Others who have contributed to the upkeep of this board are (in no particular order): Charles McCandless, Everett Lueck, Ted Wilton, Cole Adams, James Bane, John Moellmer, Jon Bentz, Linn Moedinger, lloyd lehrer, Rod Jensen, John Craft, Steven Forney, Herb Kelsey, Bill Ramaley, Russ Sperry (El Russo Loco), Josh McNeal, John West, Jim Armstrong, Bob Bergstrom, Greg Scholl, Blake Forbes Doug van Veelen and Mark Fuller.