A today shot may consist of an interstate and a McDonalds in the way, the track may have been abandoned, or it survived and became a part of CP. I know Jake from http://www.railchat.com he’s a good kid, but that is a very sad pic of that steamer cold and forgotten slowly, quietly rusting away in peace, I wish it could be saved and put in a museum but due to the NS it could never run, but it would be neat to see it cosmetically restored.
Although when you look at that photo it is very close to the rails…hmmm. HEY RANDY, BUY THAT ONE OR SOMETHING!!! [:D][:P][;)]
I guess I’m happy that they didn’t scrap it. Every steamer that gets scrapped leaves one less to restore.
In Ron Ziel’s book “Twilight of Steam Locomotives” several pages are devoted to a series of photos showing the scrapping of an articulated locomotive.It is very sad[:(].
Dear Sirs,
In the early Sixties a friend and I watched them Cut Up over One Hundred Steam Locomotives.
At first it was all new to us, and appalling, as some of the Engines had just received Overhauls and were immaculate. Stacks Capped with White Canvas , Gauges, Headlights and Windows intact.
Others had been Sitting for years, and the Torch was a Blessing.
Messy Work all the way around.
Once the Cabs had been torn off by the Steam Locomotive Crane on a parallel track, they were not Locomotives anymore, just big Boilers on Wheels.
As high summer, it was hot and dusty as Jackets, Lagging and Boiler Shells cut apart. Asbestos still a Good Word, then. Wonder how those Men fared in later years.
A Cab Ride on the GM Yard Goat bringing up Five More created a Quandry, as we HATED Diesels, but, took the Cab Ride, anyway. Traitors??
Watching the Steam Engine nodding along out the back cab windows of the Yard Engine on its last Trip to the Scrapping area was something. Never to Roll again unless in a Gondola.
Account slight Grade and grass on rails, Diesel Stalled out with Five, reduced to Three, a slight delay that did not affect the outcome, as Sunday, anyway.
A run around, and other Two pushed and Spaced in position between the waiting Cranes, one Steam, ( soon to meet ITS Fate, too!! ), and a new Diesel Crane with Electro Magnet for small bits.
Piles of Headlights. Most Bells long stolen. Number Plates on the way to eBay.
Majority of the Engines were Junk by then, and Scrapping a Blessing.
Looking at the Park Engines, some are worse off that those Cut Up Forty Five Years ago.
The Steam Engines in Roanoke Hmmmmmm. The BLW Diesels might by useful, tho’, for