Back in the days when NS was running 611 trips, I remember how people on the train between Portsmouth and Columbis OH enjoyed watching the Highway Patrol stop the pacers on the highway that were trying to keep up with our train. Train 1, Pacers 0. HP 20
I dealt with pacers vs. chasers with NKP 765’s ex-Erie Buffalo-Corning NY trips in 1985. After riding Youngstown-Buffalo on Thursday June 6, Friday June 7 I scouted the line from the Portageville Bridge to Corning noting locations. June 8 I rode and got the trackage and noted the times at every point–765 was doing up to 72mph (Attica Hill-a hotbox detector put an end to that!); a Worthy Challenge! What transpired Sunday was that my aunt and grandmother delayed my departure from Rochester and I got to The Bridge at the time of yesterday’s train(!)–But the train was 20 minutes late! So, yes I got a lot of shots of 765 on The Bridge (now of late lamented memory) and since there were annual spring slow orders near Dalton, 765 crawled through which meant I easily caught up to her and continued on.
Now here’s where pacers vs. chasers enters; I caught on that there seemed to be some headlight/flashers code which showed which one you were but I can’t remember now what it was! I do remember the challenge of passing (my Dad taught me how to handle two-lane roads so I knew how) that afternoon and got some choice locations while having to give many others up with a 60-70mph train. The only incident I saw all weekend was the previous day when someone ran off the road just east of Hornell with his car standing on its right side then falling to earth right side up; no I didn’t get the picture. Don’t know if it was a railfan or an outsider–Be Careful, Boys! I didn’t go out to chase in 2015–I knew locations would be gone, the spring slow orders were gone too, and with the trees cut around The Bridge it was now just a not-so-big ancient rusty wrought-iron trestle bridge from 1875 undergoing daily inspections for safety (I spoke with the crew doing the inspections)–and I had driven out 450 miles two months earlier for Final Portageville Bridge Worship Services.
So, what was the Chasing like for 765 in 201
A story I remember on another Rail forum was about a man standing in the driver’s seat, his body sticking out a sun-roof, with one foot on the steering wheel, his eye glued to the viewfinder of a movie camera ained at steam loco on the mainline. It was assumed the car cruise control was on. I have no idea how long it lasted, but no mention was made of any sort of disaster.
Seeing all of the above horror stories about chasing/pacing confirms that I had the right idea. I would pick out a good spot and get my pictures at that spot. After the train passed and the crowds went away, I would stick around for more pictures of ordinary operations. I did not feel the need to shoot whole rolls of film on SR 4501, N&W 611 or whatever.
I rode on the #844 steam special trip in 2010 from Omaha to North Platte, she was cut off and diesel took us from one side to another in Bailey Yard where classic diesels were hooked up to take us back to Omaha. We had seats in dome diner and watched a lot of pacers and saw some near accidents But the funniest one was a cop car doing speed limit and a huge line of cars behind him, no one dared to pass him as they would get a ticket. #844 left them all behind. We all got a laugh out of that creative cop. Have never paced except when we rode #611 in 2015 and went next day to watch her at a crossing we’d been told about. She passed and we jumped in the car and our driver did keep up very well for a short distance until tracks veered away. And we just returned from Golden Spike event and by sheer luck, we caught the double header in Echo Canyon heading to Morgan, UT which was where we were going. We kept it with them for about 15 mins and got great pics and video. The traffic was bad at first but it suddenly opened up and we had no problems. It can be dangerous.
By “pacing,” do you mean shooting from a moving car traveling parallel to the train? (I’ve never done that.)
I have often chased trains, leapfrogging them, getting pix while I’m stationary at a location. I’m guessing most of you have done this also. But even with just me (no other chasers), this can be dangerous. Often I drive faster than usual, and sometimes I might brake suddenly if I see a good photo location. One is focusing on more than driving. I’ve never had an incident, but I’ve had some close calls.
“Pacing” is train-chasing that involves moving parallel with the train, usually with the power, without ‘leapfrogging’ to get to good views, setup locations for photography, etc. It does not necessarily presume a solo driver is taking photos or video while doing so, although of course many examples of the ‘practice’ show this – because we wouldn’t be seeing them at all if the solo driver hadn’t been shooting…
Here for your enjoyment is one of the ‘canonical’ examples of pacing, which never grows old (I’m pretty sure from the relative camera stability it was shot by a passenger):
(Go to about 2:30 to 2:40 for the moment you may be wanting…)
Great pacing shots! Just a couple of things…
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I DO hope whoever was shooting those movies was in the back seat with the camera, and NOT the driver!
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Man, the fireman on 3751 really knows his business! Talk about a clean stack!
Every time I see one of those magnificent machines putting on a show that nothing else can I still ask myself “Why’d they get rid of those things?” Of course I have to tell myself “Stop asking stupid questions, come on now, you KNOW why they got rid of those things!”
But I still have to ask. Know what I mean?
But you see, you are conflating two very different things in the question.
Were all ATSF (or BNSF) operations possible with perfectly and lovingly maintained steam locomotives, driven without regard to meets or other operational delays, with reserve diesels ready in any case of road failure … you might see more of them.
If normal ATSF level steam operations could be conducted with perfectly maintained locomotives, cared for by volunteers in most respects … the economics would work better.
The thought of hundreds or even thousands of these things, glorious as they are, each with its giant sucking sound consumption of … well, not waste oil as some folks seem to think, is not nearly as promising as what we derive from the number of current or prospective steam restorations. Remember ‘familiarity breeds contempt’? – might become disturbingly true even for much of the fan community given enough time. And also remember that pacers don’t pay for the train.
Like I said, I know why they got rid of those things. Dammit.
Think of Thomas Jefferson’s “Head and Heart” letter, heavily edited, and applied to steam locomotion instead of Maria Cosway.
Ouch!
(At least we can remember Fanny Brawne as an enthusiastic steam railfan … which she was! Look it up!)
Wow! Other than in some historic b/w films, I have never seen a steam locomotive go that fast.
Yes, clearly, pacing could easily end in tragedy. Have there ever been any bad accidents from pacing?
I tried, man. The only thing “steamy” I found out about Fanny Brawne was her romance with John Keats.
She was a cutie, though!
One thing I unlike is the Engineer is very relaxed and drinking (coffee) while operating smoothly and calmly. Astounded people might say, COOL.
He might as well enjoy his coffee and relax a bit. When you come right down to it you can’t stop that thing on a dime anyway!
I’m sure he’s aware of his surroundings and what’s going on in those surroundings, i.e. signals and such. And more than likely there’s a BNSF track pilot in the cab as well.
Once your train “settles in” you really can just kick back and enjoy the scenery (alertly, of course). That’s one reason for alerters - in case the engineer “settles in” a little too deeply…
I actually like it when the alerter starts its routine - it means that I’ve got a good balance of throttle and the need for same. Tap the alerter button and keep looking for deer on the tracks.
I typed unlike, I ment to say liked. He had that engine running nicely. Where the UN came from, I have no clue. Sorry.
No problem! I “fat finger” and mess up my typing all the time. Usually I catch it in time before I post.
PS: Did it again and caught it. I spelled usually as “usalally.”
No, Wayne; the problem is not “fat fingers;” the problem is that your sharp brain works faster than your fingers can, and your fingers get confused with the fast flow of instruction–it’s my trouble, too.
Oh, is THAT what it is? [;)]