Great Western #90: Dual Service

Very nice work. Thank you for posting.

Nice job, Mike! Of the currently-operating steamers, 90 is my favorite--especially that whistle. As a rule, I don't buy brand-new trains, but if someone were to produce a model of #90, I think I'd have to have it. 

I hoped this was about a model of #90. Last trip west l got a little deeper into the small NE Colorado towns served by her home road, which was NOT lettered on her tender above!  I, too, will spring for one upon announcement.  I hope maybe the quantity of models saleable might interest 3rd Rail.

colorado hirailer posted:

I hoped this was about a model of #90.

Since this is the "REAL TRAINS" Forum, why would you think THAT???

Last trip west l got a little deeper into the small NE Colorado towns served by her home road, which was NOT lettered on her tender above!  I, too, will spring for one upon announcement.  I hope maybe the quantity of models saleable might interest 3rd Rail.

Thanks everyone! She's definitely a beaut! 

Had the good fortune of riding on #90 last year for the great train robbery. One heck of a show. #90 did not disappoint.

Great pics, Mike. Thanks for putting these up!

I don't care about forum headings...l am interested in prototypes AND models...."#90" grabs my attention, while whole genre of other types of locomotives are paged hastily by. Train rides behind those, and models of those, are ignored.  When l have wanted to take time to ride behind #90, it wasn't running, although l have been there on the platform when it steamed out.  It has been over 40 years since l rode the Strasburg, and do not remember the locomotive.

Mike, these photos are just great, you need to do a photo book.

They are just too good to do nothing but post 'em up.

Ed

EDIT...just got done watching the video, very nice. In the last shot, however, all the passenger cars except the fourth one back say "Strasburg"  on the billboard..it says, and this makes me wonder, is there a deal in the air..it says "Western Maryland". Hmmm.

Ed Mullan posted:

Mike, these photos are just great, you need to do a photo book.

They are just too good to do nothing but post 'em up.

Ed

EDIT...just got done watching the video, very nice. In the last shot, however, all the passenger cars except the fourth one back say "Strasburg"  on the billboard..it says, and this makes me wonder, is there a deal in the air..it says "Western Maryland". Hmmm.

Thanks for the compliment Ed! I'm always trying to improve. 

I am not speaking on behalf of the railroad since I am not employed or directly connected to anything there, but I will say that I've noticed those "Western Maryland" passenger cars for a number of years there. I hate to speculate, but I think they placed them in that livery to keep them historically authentic. I could be wrong though. Hopefully Kelly Anderson or someone else from the SRC can chime in. 

Back in time. hard to believe  it's 2017....... Great pics...  this place is on my bucket list.

Maybe so Mike, do you think that they could have been Western Maryland cars at one time?

Ed

Ed Mullan posted:

Maybe so Mike, do you think that they could have been Western Maryland cars at one time?

Ed

I think they were and that was the point of lettering them that way. 

I saw Break heart Pass was on which had Great Western #75 as the locomotive in the movie, out by me is Great Western #60, and Strasburg has #90. It makes me wonder how many other of Great Western's steam engines are still alive today somewhere? Any idea? I sort of wonder if #90 would be in any movies in its own right since it is such a unique engine(at least on the east coast)?

Ed Mullan posted:

Mike, these photos are just great, you need to do a photo book.

They are just too good to do nothing but post 'em up.

Ed

EDIT...just got done watching the video, very nice. In the last shot, however, all the passenger cars except the fourth one back say "Strasburg"  on the billboard..it says, and this makes me wonder, is there a deal in the air..it says "Western Maryland". Hmmm.

Ed - that is a real WM coach. The original number escapes me, but it sat outside at the museum for years.

Dave NYC Hudson PRR K4 posted:

I saw Break heart Pass was on which had Great Western #75 as the locomotive in the movie, out by me is Great Western #60, and Strasburg has #90. It makes me wonder how many other of Great Western's steam engines are still alive today somewhere? Any idea? I sort of wonder if #90 would be in any movies in its own right since it is such a unique engine(at least on the east coast)?

I don't believe there are any more GW steamers out there, operating at least, other than #60 and #90. The GW only had like 4 or 5 steam locomotives to begin with, with #90 being their biggest.

Beautiful work, Mike.  You always seem to find new and interesting angles on what is probably the most photographed 4.5 miles of railroad out there.

Dave NYC Hudson PRR K4 posted:

I saw Break heart Pass was on which had Great Western #75 as the locomotive in the movie, out by me is Great Western #60, and Strasburg has #90. It makes me wonder how many other of Great Western's steam engines are still alive today somewhere? Any idea? I sort of wonder if #90 would be in any movies in its own right since it is such a unique engine(at least on the east coast)?

Strasburg #90 has appeared in some PBS documentaries, but I don't believe she's been in any major motion pictures.

IRM's Russian decapod had a cameo in "A League of Their Own."

Rusty

Pennsypride, technically you are right. That's because the 0-4-0 tank engines used for switching at the sugar factories were owned by the factory and not the railroad. So they didn't really have a lot of motive power. 

Fascinating little railroad, though. As I recall, when I returned from Vietnam in 1970 they were still using one of those tank engines in Loveland and in Brighton. And at one time they had a McKean for passenger service.

If you would like to see some really nice old pictures of 90, check this out: http://www.westernrailimages.c...at-Western-Railroad/

I'm in an area where there aren't many (if any) model railroaders, but I sure would like to see some photos of Great Western layouts, regardless of scale.

Rusty Traque posted:

Dave NYC Hudson PRR K4 posted:

I saw Break heart Pass was on which had Great Western #75 as the locomotive in the movie, out by me is Great Western #60, and Strasburg has #90. It makes me wonder how many other of Great Western's steam engines are still alive today somewhere? Any idea? I sort of wonder if #90 would be in any movies in its own right since it is such a unique engine(at least on the east coast)?

Strasburg #90 has appeared in some PBS documentaries, but I don't believe she's been in any major motion pictures.

IRM's Russian decapod had a cameo in "A League of Their Own."

Rusty

Funny, A League of Their Own was just on the other day. Interesting stars aligning or something. I keep catching some interesting things here and there.

PennsyPride94 posted:

Ed Mullan posted:

Mike, these photos are just great, you need to do a photo book.

They are just too good to do nothing but post 'em up.

Ed

EDIT...just got done watching the video, very nice. In the last shot, however, all the passenger cars except the fourth one back say "Strasburg"  on the billboard..it says, and this makes me wonder, is there a deal in the air..it says "Western Maryland". Hmmm.

Thanks for the compliment Ed! I'm always trying to improve. 

I am not speaking on behalf of the railroad since I am not employed or directly connected to anything there, but I will say that I've noticed those "Western Maryland" passenger cars for a number of years there. I hate to speculate, but I think they placed them in that livery to keep them historically authentic. I could be wrong though. Hopefully Kelly Anderson or someone else from the SRC can chime in. 

While neither of us can speak for the railroad their website can and it includes a full list of equipment and states that the car is former WM. I suggest taking a look, the heritage of these cars is often overlooked. https://www.strasburgrailroad....er/equipment-roster/

There are several of the GW sugar plants with silos that are very obvious from l-76 NE out of Denver, and a few have "dinky" tank engines displayed outside the plant, or in the town square. I kitbashed a 3 rail #60, but l want a commercial #90 (have several relettered "dinkies").