Steam on the Horseshoe Curve (United States)

I just saw this video of 765, a Nickel Plate Road Berkshire (in this case, pronounced like "he's a berk", not "the tree is covered in bark") ascending the Horseshoe Curve - an approximately 600 ft radius, 180 degree curve on a 1 in 58 gradient. Worth seeing, and more importantly worth hearing!

[video=youtube;SiV1hb4PYGA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiV1hb4PYGA[/video]

 

NKP 765 has been on the Road since July 20 and is on her way back to Fort Wayne, Indiana arriving on Wednesday there. I have been meaning to make a thread about the locomotives travels in the States of Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. Next Month, the Berk shall be traveling from Fort Wayne to St. Louis.

Skip over the Mitt Romney ad for President and the ad in the mid point (Clip 1)

Some links from the last few weeks
Nickel Plate Road 765 Bellevue to Bucyrus - YouTube


Chasing Nickel Plate Road 765 Across Ohio-Part 2 - YouTube

NKP 765 Pittsburgh Runs 2012 - YouTube

Nickel Plate Road 765_ Steam on the Pittsburgh Line - YouTube

Nickel Plate #765-Harrisburg Pa (August 18th 2012) - YouTube

 

Love the spare fuel complete with JCB bringing up the rear! Great video.

Dave

 

If you would like to see a Berkshire in action in the UK (albeit a smaller one). The FSMR, near Melton Mowbray is having its twice yearly opening this weekend... See index for more details


Steve

 

I've got an old 12" stereo LP. One side is 4472 in the USA and the other is 765. One very long on board sequence of her climbing the horseshoe - awesome.

 

The website says the Berkshire is out of action for all of 2012.

 

Just noticed that myself! Still, I will be visiting for the Stunning EAR class 31...

 

ha ha LOL
I was there.
not in the trees though i wasn,t to mean to pay to get trackside at the curve park.
Have a look at the vid again and when the loco is square on to the camera look for the three bright red lights.
they are holes in the outer wrapper straight through into the fire i was told after asking they are to let air into the fire at specific points.
The loco slipped as it came on to the curve and it gets steeper after the camera position and it slipped again but was well controlled on both occasions.
It was a very good morning with a good atmosphere in the company of the "Foamers"
The melter,

 

Overfire holes are not uncommon on late US steam and were then first step towards Porters GPCS developments. Some even had steam blow across the holes and this was supposed to bring extra top air to the fire and reduce/eliminate smoke in certain intollerent places. Chicargo Union Station most famiously

 

That video sums up the majesty of US steam: huge black brutes, spectacular whistles and a landscape worthy of its adversary!

US steam is awesome.

 

That is true but the steam fans look over there look at us with green eyes, and wish they could do what we do.
US steam on the mainline is very rare ( that event was the first on the curve since 1977).
We should be oh so gratefull for what we have,

The Melter

 

HI yes US steam is awesome great video, went to the states once and traveled from san francisco to denver for about three weeks and visited along the way most of the steam railways, plus the famous loop at tehachapi, that is a spectacular place to watch trains and had a special visit to UP work shops at cheyenne where they keep UP steam locos and at the time they were over hauling 844 boiler , still in frames all the tubes out and both tube plates out and replaceing the inner fire box in frames . we were able walked from smoke box to fire box so massive in side best hols ever had for steam, ps plus done the fire box of a big boy loco thats is really big big big. FISH7373 81C

 

Very true, I was talking about US steam generally, specifically the locos - not the mainline scene over thee, which is sadly sparse.

 

Our mainline steam scene is a little better this year. We have 2 Southern Railroad locomotives returning to the rails. That brings our count from 9 last year to 11 this year.
261, 1225, and 4501 are in Overhaul, with 4449 going into overhaul late this year.

630, 700, 765, 844, 3751 and 3985 are in operation. Include 4449 we have 7 in operation and 3 in overhaul. That is an improvement.

Under Restoration in New Mexico is SF 4-8-4 2926.

 

I hope people remember this the next time we are having a hanbag duel over pain and other silly things,
What really matters is that we have them and they work.

and another issue is they really really wish they had a team like we have at the NRM fighting their corner.


The Melter

 

Pain?

 

paint sorry,

the melter

 

A little off topic but for anyone who might be of interest the great folks who operate Daylight 4449, a streamlined passenger they have a 2-day trip planned into the mountains to Bend, Oregan and back in October. A trip behind this locomotive is a must for any railfan. SP 4449

Trip description

http://4449.com/excursions/12deschutes/index.html