EBT Fall Spectacular Report part 2
This report is from my point of view, which will not include all things that occured at this event. In addition, this is all from memory, and I may have forgotten some things.
I was able to work 1st shift on Friday, which made it possible for me to arrive at about 3:45 pm in the pouring rain.
In the process of rewiring #15's headlight, Frank discovered the generator did not work. They hooked up air to #17's generator to verify that it worked, and swapped the two. While this was going on, some FEBT guys were looking over their 'new' EBT speeder. It operated, but apparently the belt shrunk and won't fit. I don't know all the details on this.
A safety meeting was held in station around 7pm. Most EBT staff, plus representatives from the trolley museum and FEBT were present. All train orders were reviewed.
Saturday's weather left much to be desired. It poured rain most of the day until the afternoon. The night trains were, fortunatly, mostly dry.
Saturday morning all staff got out of bed around 5 to 6 am. Larry and company had a large breakfast in the museum pavillion which was appreciated because of the full schedule of the day. I woke up to the smell of coal smoke from across the yard.
The first movement of the event was the Silver Sightseer (unofficial name) to the grove and back to drop off another speeder at the 's' curve. They went around the wye and checked all track for obstructions. The crew included Mark Gutshall and several FEBT members to help lift the speeder from the main to the side track.
I believe M-7 spent the night coupled to the picnic train. M-4 and M-6 were moved just outside of the roundhouse for display before #14 and #15 backed out. M-7 departed the station with both cabooses full and only two people on the other 5 cars for the photo doubleheader coal train. I departed on this train to help with switching at the grove because the conductor detrained with the photographers. At the wye, M-7's train couln't back up the clay spur on the first try because of wet rail and a second successful attempt was made. In the process, we broke a fan belt, overheated the #2 engine and burned off all the antifreeze. We then drifted into the grove with #2 engine shut down. I stood at the south wye switch was #15 and #14 pounded by me with a coal train in tow; what a sight it was. They stopped short of the north switch and uncouple #15. She wyed, then #14 with the coal train wyed, but not without slipping once. Linn had her in control in less than a revolution of the drivers. The south switch was thrown and the picnic train went onto the main and backed north clear of the switch. #15 then came onto the main with #14 following and they recoupled for the southbound runby. While waiting on the coal train, Mr. Kovalchick ran to the local hardware store to purchase replacement belts and antifreeze for M-7. Our train made it back with one engine and the repairs made quickly. This photo special caused the rest of the day's trains to be late.
M-1 made its trip with, I believe, 30 of 36 seats filled Saturday. The Silver Sightseer ran to the 's' curve after the last train to retrieve the speeder. The picnic train in the last set of trains I think was cancelled.
Attendance was fairly light the rest of the day and the 4:40 trip was not made. At one point Mr. Kovalchick said he's never seen a spectacular train so empty. However, considering the crappy weather, I believe we had good turnout.
Speeders were not ran Saturday, mostly on account of the rain. They ran all day Sunday and were well patronized.
The rain stopped and the night trains were prett well filled. I had to make a pit stop at the grove, which gave me an interesting point of view. While #14 waited on the main for #15 to turn, the silhouette of caboose 27 with markers ablaze was inside the glow of #14's headlight. We also watched the markers of the passenger train leave the grove and disappear down the mainline.
When we returned to Rockhill, Stanley requested that M-7 be shifted to the picnic train for the morning. Courtney and I watched #14 back around the Rockhill wye from the shops ladder track. We then drifted down to the crossing and shifted around locomotives so #14 and #15, in that order, went to the ash pit and M-7 backed into the picnic train.
#14's fire was accidentally dropped Saturday night and didn't have much steam left on her after being put away. Ron quickly built a new fire and got her back up. Several people stuck around for night shots of #14 and #15 being put away for the night.
Sunday went pretty much the same as Saturday.
The photo train was more full this day and ran smoother and didn't screw up the schedule near as much. With dry rails, M-7, #14, and #15 made it up the wye without slipping.
M-1's Sunday trip was almost cancelled, but it did run, and with the Kovalchick family aboard. At one point, I spotted Nathan Kovalchick showing off his prized possesion to some friends.
The 4:40 train was also cancelled Sunday. While the last pair of trains was out on the main, Courtney and I brought M-6 down the main and backed into #17. We sat here for a while until the last trains of the weekend came back. The Silver Sightseer came back first with the other speeder and went up the coach track to put both away. The train wyed, parked their trains, and did a little shifting. While they shifted, we brought #17 down to the main and past the wye switch and waited until #15 coupled up and put her away. M-6 folled the pair to the south end of the yard and we plucked the open boxcar out of the coach track to put in the locomotive shop for some work. M-6 was parked at the end of the coach track. Courtney, Frank, Stanley, and myself ended up being the last people on the property.
While not occupied, I babysat #17, trying to keep people out of the cab since we had no "please keep off" signs this year. A couple guys were climbing on top of the tender and on the roof of the first boxcar.
Well anyway, I think it was a pretty good weekend. I think if we would have had perfect weather, this would have been the best Fall Spectacular ever. No word on how well the weekend went as far as actual numbers, but I do know the gift shop did VERY well.
Only two more chances to catch #14 and #15 operating together.
