Thanks. I feel better now.[;)]
Hey, hey, hey! Watch it there!
I’m of the same ilk, MS. I will go out of my way to get shots of a steam excursion going by, but only because it’s rare. If I were given the choice to sit alongside, say, the Grand Canyon Railroad or the SF transcon, I’d choose the latter. I do believe it’s the result of growing up watching nothing but diesels (born in '54).
No. If it has steel wheels and operates on steel tracks, then you are still a railfan. Steam or diesel or otherwise (motor car or hy-rail) still counts.
I was born in 1950 when steam was still around (somewhere) but didn’t become aware of trains until 1955. By then diesel was operating in the area where I lived, so consequently I took a liking to the F-series locomotives. Steamers are neat and have a romantic aura about them plus the fact that it took a real hogger to run them. Videos and photos of steam engines are a fascinating way to explore railroading history.
Yes. You need to get trackside when a steam locomotive roars by and see the side rods working and feel the cinders raining down. A steamer is alive, the diesel is a painted metal box on wheels, although it is all we have to look at in daily operation these days unless you live by a tourist line.
Heavens no! You are/were hooked by what you have experienced in your life. Man, what a pile of psycho babble. I figure that’s a fragment of my disjointed education at work[:0]. I was hooked when, as a little tyke my mom (rest well, you’re son’s still as nuts as ever) would walk to the New York & Northern Englewood depot for the excercise. Well, other moms did the same thing. When an Erie pacific, or RS2 arrived, the little ones would put out a scream of protest at the noise and smoke and so on. NOT ME![}:)] I cried when mom decided to leave! Dig what you can, while you can. Defend the rights of railfans! When we get harrassed, the terrorists win a battle without firing a shot, or murdering innocent people.
No!
No!
Anywhere but Iowa…please!
a steam engin is a living breathing thing ;an external combustion engin (the fire on the outside)… they are about as diffrent an a horse pulled wagon and a high performance racing car… most steam engins did not even have a speedodemeter; the engineer had to judge speed by the seat of his pants; being an engineer ment something then ;the driver had to keep all sorts of engineering data in his head when operating a steam engin… for example if you creat enough draft (by using the blast pipe)you can pull small burning embers of coal up the fire tubes and doubbling or tripple ing the grate area; and thus have a hotter fire and more steam and more power, but do this too much and the tubes will become fowlled and the engin will clog up and die on the spot…running a steam engin is like juggeling; keeping 27 balls in the air at the same time. so i say what ever floats your boat >>>>you can do it the hard way ,or the easy way, some people just enjoy the process…glennbob[^][;)][angel][2c][soapbox]
Murphy,
I don’t think you’re a “traitor” unless you actively seek the destruction of remaining steam locos to meet the steel needs of Red China. If that’s the case, I think I’d not hang around here! [;)]
Seriously, though, it is kind of interesting to me. I’m a 1980 model, and I live to see steam. Diesels are OK to pass the time between infusions of steam in my life, and I won’t lie and tell you that I don’t get excited when I see a Geep 9 or an ALCo diesel running around. But the thrill of watching even small steam is an unmatchable experience to me. Shoot, I’ll hang out for hours at the Colorado Rail Museum just to watch G-scale live steam!
And then there’s the big guys. Witnessing 844 and 3985 double heading at 40-50 mph? There’s nothing in the world quite like that. Now if they could just re-open Tennessee Pass and run the double header up there, I would be the happiest guy ever!
Whatever interests you is what counts in your world. Railfanning doesn’t have many rules. Stay safe, be legal and have fun are about the only three I can think of. As long as you follow those, its all good.
Chris : nice pic of you and the challanger[C):-)]glennbob
Thanks glennbob. Actually its the 844 (though the 3985 is behind it). My cousin saw the picture, and said I should add the following text to the pic:
“My other car is a Northern.”
Oh how I wi***hat could be true!
Chris
Denver, CO
I,too, have no memory of steam in regular service[:(].Even though I enjoy chasing and riding steam fantrips, what really excites me is a long freight pulled by first generation EMDs or ALCos.I especially like the Santa Fe alligators[:p]!
Same problem I and others have. We did not see steam in regular service, and it has been a long time, so it is easy to not be intwerested. However, they are a major part of our favorite pastimes history. Trust me, Murphy Siding, if you see a real steam locomotive in person doing its thing, you will understand the appeal. They are amazing machines. I respect them for what they were and their history, but I am a modern railfan and do prefer diesels. My summation has always been that you have to go by whats coming on the next train, and it isn`t going to be a steamer. While a couple of friends of mine have made comments on my diesel affiliation over steam, (even though they aren’t old enough to remember it, either), I personally would rather live in modern times and not the past. But a good steam locomotive is a sight to behold any day, especially a large one at speed that shakes the groung like anything as it speeds past.
Awesome stuff!
While I agree you are not a traitor. I also agree with a little"therapy" you can be cured/turned. For an intersting story hows this:
I am a 1972 model. have nver seen a real steamer in my life. Yet I much prefer steamers. Why you ask… The answer lies with the 1946 lionel 2020 that was around the Chrismas tree my whole life. Yes I still have it, it still runs and I will get rid of it when flyong pigs skate in you know where(think hot…lol)
A further demonstration we live in a fallen world.
Interesting that we seem to have our own version of the lost generation.[B)]
edblysard, you are hereby ordered to report to the Eastern Front…AKA IOWA…by 0030 hours tommarow…your first job…cleaning out the mexican cattle cars that a musuem bought.
Where is the BNSF K line? Is that the same as the Spine Line, from Twin Cities to Kansas City?
As a kid, I didn’t have to try everything my mom put on the table to know I wouldn’t like it, but I’m sure glad I tried pizza and chocolate ice cream.
IMHO the Silverton train and/or the Cumbres and Toltec should be a must do for almost every railfan. Unlike many museum operations where the locos are barely working hard, you’ll hear plenty of music echoing off the canyons as these do some real work getting uphill. If nothing else, Colorado is a great vacation place for railfans of all eras and there’s plenty for families to do as well. A trackside visit for any of the big mainline locos might do it as well. Personally I wish I could have seen and heard 3985 pulling that double stack.
How can you not like steam locomotives? They are just such beuatiful and outstanding pieces of machinery. I love them.
