844 rear tender axle

Was Hot Water at the throttle?

This is not a big deal. 765 went on the ground 3 times in one month a year ago. It happens.

It would not matter WHO was at the throttle, it would have happened anyway. And I can assure you that Hot Water was not the the throttle. For sure...

NO! I "retired" from the UP Steam Crew at the end of 2010, when Steve Lee retired from the UP. Besides, I was a Fireman anyway!

Hotwater, I have a question to ask you. I've seen you reply a lot on this forum and you have given a lot of great points and help people on this forum about trains and so I ask, How long did you work for the RR and which roads did you work for?

Did you happen to check my profile? It would be a LOT easier to answer your questions after you do that.

I read your profile. That is impressive. Question, Which railroad did you work for in the 1950's when you say you started learning and operating steam in the 50's?

I didn't work for the railroad in the 1950s, as I was a junior &senior in high school. Back in those days, there were none of the liability regulations we have today. If you could ride your bike to the shop, or later drive a car to the shop, and you took a REAL interest in hands-on learning, the men where always willing to teach. I grew up in New Jersey, and learned a LOT at the PRR South Amboy Shops. They taught me how to clean fires on K4s steam locomotives, and to lube running gear, and take water from the spout. However, they guys would NEVER let me take coal at the coal dock, as it was way too dangerous.

In 1962 I learned the fine art of hand firing on the Buffalo Creek & Gauley RR, out of Dundon West Virginia. They had three 2-8-0 steam locomotives and handled 50 to 60 empties up-grade to the mine at Widen, WVa. Shoveled 8 to 12 tons of coal per trip! THAT'S how you learn.

Although retired from working with the UP Steam Crew, I still am a Fireman on SP4449 (since 1975).

Besides hard work for you, I bet it was a lot of fun. Sometimes I wish and probably a lot of other people wish that steam engines could run mainline service or other services like they did in the 50's and 60's. I know there are excursions today, but it's different then back in the 20's, 30's, 40's, 50's, and 60's. Then came the diesels. On another question, since you are the Fireman on the 4449, and you know probably everything about her, why did they get rid of the large Southern Pacific letters on the side of the tender and put Southern Pacific Lines in small letters towards the top?

Probably because that's what the engine left the shop with in 1941.

Steve is absolutely correct. Our group returned 4449 to her "as delivered" appearance, just as the Fort Wayne group returned NKP 765 to HER "as delivered" appearance.

In 1946, the Southern Pacific changed from the small "SOUTHERN PACIFIC LINES" lettering, high up on the tender of the GS class locomotives, as well as ALL equipment, to the large billboard "SOUTHERN PACIFIC" lettering. After the American Freedom Train tour, 4449 was returned to the large billboard lettering, among other details, in 1981 for the grand opening of the California State Railroad Museum. She carried the large lettering until about4 to 6 years ago, when she was returned to the "as delivered" from Lima Locomotive Works in 1941, appearance.