Re: South Africa...4-8-4's ????
| June 01, 2006 08:07PM |
Okay this must be the CMO.
346 I saw once at the CRRM about 25 years ago, but oddly enough have never seen 463 in action.
It was not running the years I was there for some reason(1992,1993, 1997).
You would have liked my tour of the shop in Bloefontein. There were probably 20 engines in various states of rebuilding. Swarms of folks were jackhammering staybolts out of boilers on one boiler hulk, while another got running gear work, etc. We got a special tour in 1984, and this was the place that I think supplied some wheel lathe to Durango I believe.
When we were in a small backshop in De Aar(4-8-4 territory, there was a guy working on a drill press of some sort with the Cincinnati name on it. Being from the Cincinnati area I thought that was rather cool. Yep, South Africa in 1984 was about like being in the US around 1954 when steam was still in ample supply on most railroads. In some respects the country itself felt like the 1950's or 1960's at times too. By far the best trips were the 30 day trips to South Africa in 1977 and 1984. Each trip had sunny sky photography for 29 of 30 days. The only clouds were the line along the Indian Ocean which is typical. One bad day there out of 4 was not bad though. Cold mornings for dramatic steam effects, and sunrise and sunset shots were fun to attempt every day. That was the closest I would ever get to seeing real steam operations on a daily basis. We have to remember here in the US whats left is really all entertainment steam in some fashion. Seeing steam in regular service in both Europe and South Africa before it was gone was my way of visualizing what US photography was like for guys older than I am in the 1940-1950's.
One reason I still like the NG in C&TS and D&S is that the lines are still pretty similar to the old days and with a little imagination, you can see the 1960's if you don't look at the tenders or the tourists too hard. Its always nice just to hear a 2-8-2 charging up the 4% grades.
Some of the younger fans should realize that these places are really special, especially compared to some of the other tourist operations out there that are far less exciting steam destinations(My opinion...no hate letters please unless its with a video order and cash
" />)
Greg
346 I saw once at the CRRM about 25 years ago, but oddly enough have never seen 463 in action.
It was not running the years I was there for some reason(1992,1993, 1997).
You would have liked my tour of the shop in Bloefontein. There were probably 20 engines in various states of rebuilding. Swarms of folks were jackhammering staybolts out of boilers on one boiler hulk, while another got running gear work, etc. We got a special tour in 1984, and this was the place that I think supplied some wheel lathe to Durango I believe.
When we were in a small backshop in De Aar(4-8-4 territory, there was a guy working on a drill press of some sort with the Cincinnati name on it. Being from the Cincinnati area I thought that was rather cool. Yep, South Africa in 1984 was about like being in the US around 1954 when steam was still in ample supply on most railroads. In some respects the country itself felt like the 1950's or 1960's at times too. By far the best trips were the 30 day trips to South Africa in 1977 and 1984. Each trip had sunny sky photography for 29 of 30 days. The only clouds were the line along the Indian Ocean which is typical. One bad day there out of 4 was not bad though. Cold mornings for dramatic steam effects, and sunrise and sunset shots were fun to attempt every day. That was the closest I would ever get to seeing real steam operations on a daily basis. We have to remember here in the US whats left is really all entertainment steam in some fashion. Seeing steam in regular service in both Europe and South Africa before it was gone was my way of visualizing what US photography was like for guys older than I am in the 1940-1950's.
One reason I still like the NG in C&TS and D&S is that the lines are still pretty similar to the old days and with a little imagination, you can see the 1960's if you don't look at the tenders or the tourists too hard. Its always nice just to hear a 2-8-2 charging up the 4% grades.
Some of the younger fans should realize that these places are really special, especially compared to some of the other tourist operations out there that are far less exciting steam destinations(My opinion...no hate letters please unless its with a video order and cash
" />)Greg
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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.