FYI For Those Heading to Horseshoe Curve to see the 765..

As expected, I don't think anyone paying the $20 fee to be trackside "upstairs" was gonna capture a cover photo.  Just too many folks in the way -- not to mention the angle up their is not conducive to giving a "birds eye" view of the curve, not to mention the overgrowth of trees and shrubs.  Nonetheless, I would have gladly paid $20 to be trackside, 'cause the value was in EXPERIENCING 765 first-hand up close on the curve -- not necessarily photographing it, if you know what I mean.  Sometimes there's an innate, simple value just "enjoying the moment".

The most memorable photos of Horseshoe Curve have ALWAYS been from a vantage point  that is often not available to the casual visitor.  (Isn't that often the case with most venues?)  I don't know the in's and out's of Horseshoe Curve territory all that well, but I would think you'd need to be high in the hills to capture the best photos of trains on the curve.  And I'm not sure how much of that land up in the hills is public vs. NS private property (or other private property for that matter). 

The NS photo captured from the signal bridge is an excellent viewpoint showing 765 and its consist within a generous portion of the curve -- nicely composed image, without needing to hike up into the hills...  but needing OBVIOUS permission with appropriate inside connections to NS.  I just wonder if a few more images will surface that might have been captured high in the hills on the East slope.  But again, I don't know what kind of access/permission is required to reach those areas.

I'm somewhat more familiar with territory a bit west of the curve, where there are some terrific vantage points that I'm sure will be very popular for the return trip on Monday!    And access to those is relatively straightforward... and safe.

David

I think the attraction for being at the curve for this special moment is not in the pictures or the video you will get. It is in the visual and sonic experience you will be a part of!

In this day and age, we rarely have an opportunity to use all 4,500 horses the 765 is capable of producing. However, climbing the 1.7% grade at the curve you can be sure I will have the throttle "on the roof" as the old-timers used to say. (That means "wide open" for those of you in Rio Linda. ) And fireman Steve Wincker has said he will do his best to have at least two of the pops lifted going around the curve.

You cannot imagine the sonic energy that a steam locomotive working all out at 10-15 mph can produce. It is deafening! The best sound system in the world pales to the sound of the real thing. Visually, the plume of steam and smoke will be blasting out the stack and rising a hundred feet or more in the air! You'll see"dust" down at the drivers as the sand I'll be using is crushed under the drivers. You'll see a little plume of steam behind the 4th driver where the rail washers wash off that sand after the drivers have used it. This has not happened at this location for 27 years.

Back in the 70's the 759 made it around the curve with 15 coaches. She had almost all she could handle with that train, and held a steady 11-13 mph. We will have an even heavier train! We'll have 13 coaches, an A-tank, a 432,000 pound diesel (equal to the weight of a little more than 3 coaches) and 3 coal gons on the rear. That's the equivalent of about 20 coaches! The 765 will be taxed to her absolute maximum limit on this climb and I may even have to use that diesel a little to maintain speed.

It will be an awesome display of Lima Superpower at its best!

Does anyone know if any pro companies will video this event.  A helicopter with suspended camera along with audio onboard the engine and shot in blueray would be a superb thing.  Is you video company doing a video of this rich.

No, I am not shooting any video. Not in that business any more.

So I take it to mean that at the current time, the plan for the Horseshoe Curve assault is a 10-15mph slog on the hill?

re: helicopters on the curve....for the sake of everyone, I hope there are none.  If there are, don't expect anyone shooting video or audio to come away with anything decent.  I suspect there will be however

Kevin

Personally, I think a shot of the #765 at MG Tower would be awsome!  A neat spot to catch westbounds, but I'm sure this area was well patrolled by the RR gumshoes....

I hope there IS a helicopter at the curve. I'd like to see some professionally shot aerial images of the 765's assault on that grade.

As for the anticipated speed, I'm not sure (don't have my timetable handy) but I think maximum track speed on the mountain - up OR down - is only 10-15 mph for a "mixed train" like ours. (Mixed, as in passenger and freight equipment. The coal gons will be on the rear.) A 1.7% grade is a serious operating obstacle and not to be taken lightly.

Here you go Rich & Kevin, with a little imagination, this is what it might sound like

with a chopper or two in the air next Monday.

Would be nice only if about 50 or so trees would be cut down.

Just pretend your paying extra for fireworks.  All National parks charge admission and an additional $10 bucks is chump change.  Chump change to us, but a nice boost for the Museum.  Have you never made a donation while at Steamtown?

I'd bet on a helicopter - too bad we can't "helipool", lol!

/the other Mitch

Where's this image (and accompanying info)?

A photo from the vantage point seen in the noted video above is featured on Railpictures and Carl himself commented as follows:

Ah! One of the perks of being a NS employee....you can climb the signal tower and not get in trouble! Very nice shot.

I don't think Carl would praise himself, lol.

Casey maybe?

/Mitch

If only they would be Apaches!  Then they would be able to, weather conditions, allowing it, to stand off one or two miles, get great video and not make hardly any noise.

I hear (pun intended) the desire for some good aerial video, but I want to be there for the sonic picture. My house is located near one of the crime scenes for the Washington DC sniper of a few years ago.  There was one or two news choppers hovering over the scene daily for almost two weeks.  They were annoying, drove us out of our backyard, and could even be heard inside the house.  I don't want to hear that next Monday :-(

Hopefully, if a helicopter or two does appear, they will stand off, or keep it in "Whisper Mode" - yeah, don't we wish that was a real option. That said, this kind of an event is a mixed bag as far as who do you please. Considering that there's an awful lot of tree & shrub growth close to the tracks, an aerial view is going to yield better results, but keeping that sound to a minimum is difficult at best.

I spent 14 months in Vietnam based smack next to two Marine Air Groups which flew both F4 Phantoms & Cobra attack helicopters constantly throughout each day. Today the sound of a Huey cruising overhead still bothers me, but when it comes to aerial photography or videography, they're still tough to beat!

OT: spent over four years on a carrier (USS America) as a photomate and many, many hours in SH-3's.  Not a great photo bird (needed to keep at least 50kts of forward airspeed or else the turbine gases blurred the view out the cargo door) but workable nonetheless:

Mitch:

I agree.  Casey Thomason probably was the photographer.  The NS watermark should have been a dead giveaway.

Curt

After seeing that wonderful aerial of the USS America, it's quite obvious that you had a much preferred MOS during your tour of duty than I did (71H20), and with carriers, you sure didn't have to concern yourself with tree trimming either.

I have watched videos shot from helecopters that are awsome.  Pentrex did one on the santa fe 3751 with a special camera mtg to copter for a steady pic and had the sound recording in the engine and did not have a copter sound in it whatsoever.  This is the only way to do something as long as this train and curve.  They can let you see everything and with hifi recording the sound is awsome.  The video is titled "Above 3751"

Something along these lines? Go ahead to 3:30

Yes, something like that, hopefully without the slips and the smoke.

after seeing the video posted by pete, i was horrorified by the overgrowth of trees and brush on both approaches to the curve.last time i was there was 2006 and it was bad then. you just wonder sometimes what the curve  employees get paid for .-jim

No helo's today!  The ceiling was likely too low, the clouds were just below the mountain tops.  

The show was wonderful.  Kudos to Rich and all the 765 gang for a successful run and thanks to NS for the show.

Bob, I certainly did my time scrapping, painting and cleaning!  Became an expert in carrying enough food for 40 men up eight flights of "ladders" during my mess duty in 1981.  Once wiggled through a 12x12-inch hole into a vacuum distillation unit that had been flooded with jelly fish.  I have never smelled anything so bad before or since.

After almost five years, spent my last full day on the boat needle gunning an unlit void (empty space meant to absorb missile damage) in 100 degree temps, followed by red lead paint.

Cheers,

Bob