The magic of steam engines

My personal observation has been that more people seemingly are more impressed with the steamers.  Why?  Guessing nostalgia for us older people and curiosity for the younger.

Steamers truly have a charm of their own.  They are like watching a work of art and mechanics in motion.  Most impressive.  

When I run a steamer I start thinking what it must have been like especially for those riding in open cabs up Marias Pass in the dead of Winter!

Still, like Boxcar Willie, "I love the sound of a whistle!  It always takes me where I want to go.  Lord I love the sound of a whistle.   It always picks me up when I'm feeling low."  

 

BIGKID,

I thought that was a commercial for Lincoln.

I've been modeling trains for about 45 or 50 years. Its always been steam engines. when I was a kid living on long Island , the passing steam would shake my moms dishes in her kitchen cabinets. The smoke the whistle, the wind as it passed by. WOW  what a thrill !   I still don't own a diesel, but have about 30 steam locos.   They just seem to me to represent  sheer power. I love steam

Well I guess you know how old I am.   Wishing all of you a Healthy Happy Holiday Season

No mystery to me...l hung out at a railroad station where steamers swapped coal hoppers on a country store siding, and my dad fired freight engines. I remember them well....to instill that in your kid and grandkids, take them to Cass, Strasburg, Silverton, and Portland, Me. for the two footers, and to Alaska for the White Pass.  Some of them, like us, will be hooked.

From what I have read, the old time steam engine men said steamers had a personality, a soul, more than an ordinary piece of machinery. I think they were right. A steam engine barreling down the track or just sitting, panting, waiting to run seems almost human-like.

As for the commercial, I think it's probably ignorance. I remember at the NRHS convention in Tacoma in 2011, 4449 pulled an excursion over Stampede pass to Easton and back. The normal "Foamer gaggle" was standing trackside waiting for the 4449 and the Amtrak P42 to turn on the wye when a pickup truck came up with some locals, who asked what the crowd was for. Someone told the driver (in layman's terms) and all the occupants were in a state of confusion. "Yeah, what's so special about that? They come through here once a day!" The saw no difference between 4449 and the P42 diesel behind it.

There really people who don't know that steam's been dead for decades on the mainlines now. I've met more than a few of them over the years...

A steam locomotive has no secrets.

Visually, all of her machinery is plainly visible - rods, wheels, valve gear motion, exhaust at the stack...it's all "right there" for all to see.

Aurally, there are no secrets there, either. Is the stack just a whisper, with soft, gentle chuffs? Or is it a series of ear-splitting cannon shots echoing off every lineside building within a half mile? It's easy to tell if she's just drifting or working hard.

And let's not forget that the steam locomotive engineer of the early 20th Century was the "astronaut" of his day. He was a hero to young boys everywhere. There are still enough people around who know of that era in our history to connect with that car ad and the "romance of the rails" that goes with it.

Being a long time railfan and retired railroader, I find Steam Locomotives to be a link with the glorious past history of railroading. Don't get me wrong here, today's railroads are pretty dramatic in their own way.

However, to me the sight, smell, sounds, movement and overall presence of a Steam Locomotive is something one has to experience to really appreciate. Having closely seen, the 765, 261, 401, 4449, 2101 and 1385;  it just cuts to my very soul and existence both as a fan and former employee. it is especially impactful when you see one of these beauties running at full bore on the mainline. There is nothing like it, as far as I am concerned!

Steam and snow is a nice combo ...  ..I do not recall anyone admiring the smell of a diesel ...

a few shots running last weekend at Eden Springs Park, Benton Harbor, Mich .... 

Diesels have thier place and can make life easy ...... but easy is over rated

Cheers Carey

@hotwater:You are correct, it was Lincoln, tells you how much I pay attention to car commercials *lol*. 

Not sure how much of it is nostalgia from when locomotive engineers were the astronauts or whatnot, I think the kid (or adult!) today who loves the look of steam engines probably doesn't even know how much in the early days of railroading locomotive engineers were looked up to, how romanticized the position was (the reality was obviously not so romantic, given the way the railroads often treated their employees), and these days it likely is just a job to most people. I tend to agree it is the visuals, you actually see a steam engine working, the side rods moving, the cylinders chuffing, the steam pouring out, diesel engines are obviously very self contained boxes, they are after all a cousing to the long haul truck, and there isn't much imagery of the diesel prime mover driving a generator to power the traction motors on the wheels, since all that is hidden. 

 

 

 

 

For me the drawing power of the steam locomotive is just that, its sheer power! There is nothing like seeing a steam locomotive coming towards you wide open, making the ground shake, ringing your ears, and having each exhaust beat punching you in the stomach. The only thing that comes close is seeing an F18 go super sonic, but even that is for a split second and the sonic boom is gone. With a steam locomotive, that sonic force is always present (for the most part when working hard) and it is so exhilarating. 

To be honest, nothing else can feed my hunger for pure horsepower and speed other than a steam locomotive. 

I have an old book dedicated to teaching you to be a locomotive engineer. funny, because the first chapter emphasizes the need to be a gentleman, hard worker, courteous and conscientious. evidently the first ones weren't. Today diesel is what we got so enjoy or stay on the porch.

A steam locomotive is a living machine:  Heart (boiler,) stomach (firebox,) lungs (air compressors and cylinders,) circulatory systems (air and water piping,) voice (whistle and bell,) arms and legs (side rods and drive wheels.)

You gotta feed it and give it drinks of water.  Plus in the case of a coal burner, it will leave "droppings."

And of course a tender behind...

One knows when it's happy and it WILL let you know when it isn't.

A living machine built by man's sweat, muscle, back and brain.  All held together by rivets, bolts, friction and the lowly wedge and cotter pin.  Computers and cell phone apps need not apply...

Rusty

OGR Webmaster posted:

A steam locomotive has no secrets.

Visually, all of her machinery is plainly visible - rods, wheels, valve gear motion, exhaust at the stack...it's all "right there" for all to see.  ...

And let's not forget that the steam locomotive engineer of the early 20th Century was the "astronaut" of his day. He was a hero to young boys everywhere.

Rich,  nailed it.  You can see the workings and the power of a steam "machine" and yes, engineers were the "heros" 

Larry

There is no machine more "alive" than a steam locomotive.  As Rusty noted, they give warmth; they most definitely breath and pant; they need feeding and watering. Often they must be pampered and treated right.

You don't just turn a key or flip a switch to bring one to life.

"When I hear the iron horse make the hills echo with his snort like thunder, shaking the earth with his feet, and breathing fire and smoke from his nostrils, (what kind of winged horse or fiery dragon they will put into the new Mythology I don't know), it seems as if the earth had got a race now worthy to inhabit it."

You won't ever see a passage like that written about a diesel.

Rusty Traque posted:

Computers and cell phone apps need not apply...

Back in 1999, the world was on the edge of panic concerning the supposed effects of "Y2K," which--as the calendars turned over to "00"--would have planes falling out of the sky and the banking system grinding to a halt.

Taped to the tender of Santa Fe 3751, on display at Railfair '99 in Sacramento, CA, was a delightful statement. It read simply, "Y2K Compliant."

That anybody could be concerned about the effect of an arbitrary, capricious, man-made date in a world that had progressed beyond flint tools was way beyond me.  I slept well that night.

Well...that wasn't really the point of my post, but OK.

SMD4----The last I remember you were just embarking on a new career as a steam locomotive engineer.  How did that turn out?  Are you still running those big steamers?  We have a scenic short railroad in Stone Mountain Park here in GA.  They used to run a real old 4-4-0 assisted by a diesel switcher disguised as a baggage car.  I was told by one of the young engineers that the average career of one of their engineers was only a month or two before burning out with boredom running 'round and 'round on their five mile circle of track.  Eventually the 4-4-0 was replaced by a GP9 and donated to our local railroad museum. 

        Born in 1943 I, too, remember the mountainous (to me at least) steam engine that roared past our house in a continuous parade of steam powered trains just minutes apart on the Milwaukee Road as well as other trains on the C&NW, Soo etc.  I used to look up into the cabs of those old steamers and dream about the days when I would be up there.  But the years passed on and so did the old steamers.  The guys running the diesels looked like bus drivers and I lost interest.  Even today I only have models of steam locos.

I have a few of the Marx diesels, but in Lionel compatible l only buy steam, except l'd buy period internal combustion railcars, such as Mack railbuses, etc. Otherwise, steam 

And you might notice in the Lincoln ad the HO engine had a keystone in the front.  PRR!  And the girl is in the right seat of a loco with the Bellpaire firebox.  At least is was not another Hudson!

Back in 1944 I saw a steam engine first time in my life and I was very impress, the wheel size, the connecting rods moving, the black smoke, the steam sound, what a thrill, I have about  50 steam locomotives in my layout: Lionel, MTH and 3rd Rail, the oldest one: Lionel 2037 and the new one, the Cab forward.

Ah yes, but some of us think engines with Belpaire fireboxes and a Keystone suffer the same over-proliferation problem as a Hudson wheel arrangement.��

This is a sad day for Madison Avenue advertising.  They're trying to get you to buy a car and all we're talking about is the steam engine.  Some of us don't even remember what brand of car it was.  I personally liked the same commercial but the girl was watching some hobos in a open door boxcar and at the end she was one of the hobos watching the car going down the highway.

I've always loved steam and modelling steam.
I'm a young guy too(less than 30, you can guess later!)
From the time I got my first train set(run on the wooden table at max throttle of course), I've always preferred steam to diesel or electric. I think a lot of it has to do with seeing everything operating that "drives" the engine forward or back. A diesel or electric engine are just shells on wheels that move, especially to a kid.
But to see all the parts that move on a steam engine operate the way they do, and especially to see a real one operate, it just brings everything more to "life" especially in the minds of kids.

 

It also didn't help things that when my family visited a certain railroad museum, I believe it was the Mid-Continent, my dad managed to wrangle a cab ride in the cab of their operating steam locomotive for me and him. Sadly, I can't remember the engine number and all of my pictures are in deep storage.  I was under the minimum age at the time but the museum was gracious enough to grant his request  when he was able to show them that I was mature enough to handle the responsibility. The engineer and fireman sure put me to work. I got to shovel coal into the mouth of that beast and pull the whistle lanyard while we were moving.  Some of the best memories I have of being a kid are either behind a real steam engine or operating model steam engines.

I'd love to get on a cab ride of the Durango and Silverton some day but I don't have any spare organs to sell unfortunately.

 

Odd-d posted:

SMD4----The last I remember you were just embarking on a new career as a steam locomotive engineer.  How did that turn out?  Are you still running those big steamers?  We have a scenic short railroad in Stone Mountain Park here in GA.  They used to run a real old 4-4-0 assisted by a diesel switcher disguised as a baggage car.  I was told by one of the young engineers that the average career of one of their engineers was only a month or two before burning out with boredom running 'round and 'round on their five mile circle of track.  Eventually the 4-4-0 was replaced by a GP9 and donated to our local railroad museum. 

Bob, I qualified several years ago as a fireman, and have my engineer's training certificate. I've run the train a few times (although our steamer is far from large--it's a little 0-4-0 Vulcan saddle tanker). It's everything you dreamed about.

Our engine will be going down for her 15 year inspection in February, so that will likely be the past time I run her for some time.

Here's another little connection between you and me: Stone Mountain had an inoperable Vulcan 2-6-2--you may have seen it at some time. A few years ago, that engine was donated to our railroad, where it is currently undergoing restoration to operation. One of our steam firemen--Robert Connor--is now at Stone Mountain as an engineer.

What love about both the Lincoln ad, and the video posted by Lionel and Bachmann, is the focus on girls and trains.  There is so much talk about attracting new people into the hobby, yet here is half the population that we should try to appeal to.

At my HO club, one of the members brought down his ten year old grand daughter to the open house.  I think she ran almost every train on the layout.  When she had to go to a baby shower the other day she told him that she'd rather go with him to the train club.  I reminded him that in a few years she could become a junior member and come down with him.

At the hobby shop that I work at people quite often ask me if we have things for girls.  I tell them that everything in the store is for girls.

Stuart

SMD4----I'm glad to hear that it all worked for you.   I remembered an old disused six coupled engine years ago but it was not easy to see as it was stored away from the track behind undergrowth.  Are you still building those gorgeous models?  Since I went to three rail O gauge I don't do much modelling except for a little HO for my modular club.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Whenever I experience a steam locomotive with all of it's aural, visual, aromatic, and earth shaking qualities I break into a wide smile. We just don't see a steam locomotive in action ... we experience it.   I've seen/experienced all the steam locos at Stassburg, Steamtown, and of course the N&W 611.  I get butterflies in my stomach and a huge smile every time!

 To me the steam locomotive is like a symphony orchestra with 100 musicians performing simultaneously ...  the percussion crashing, the high shrill of the violins and flutes, and the brass section blaring, all parts working in precise synchronicity to create great music!   Perhaps this is what inspired the composer Authur Honneger to compose Pacific 231 ( European steam locomotive wheel arrangement for a Pacific steam loco ).  If you've not heard this composition do give it a listen.  The orchestra  sounds like a steam locomotive

Steam power itself, Train Locomotive, Naval Steam, Automotive Steam, agricultural and Stationary all share the same attraction and idiosyncrasies that draw folks to them. As some have noted above, Steam is Alive, and each engine is somewhat different from each other. Whether this is caused by variations in the passageway castings or some other unknown variations in the building process is unknown, and this also gives steam power its "living" reputation. Steam engines will react favorably to proper care, and will actually "telegraph" problems back to the operator--if he/she recognizes the "signs." Some folks seem to understand this instinctively, others don't. It's what made some engineers and firemen great teams when others weren't. Today's locomotives, while the may be more efficient, and require much less daily maintenance (note how few backshops there are nowadays?), are more "push the button" operations than the Steamers, or even first and second generation "Dismals"--not to say it doesn't still require knowledge of your route and the reaction of your train to throttle and braking actions. Now a little light-hearted bit to close with: A Pessimist sees a dark tunnel An Optimist sees light at the end of the tunnel A Realist sees a freight train The Train engineer sees 3 idiots standing on the rails

Hmm, that was nicely spaced out when I posted it. Oh well. . . .

I like all  steam. The development of steam power was very important to the existence of our  industry and society.  One steamer I really like were the little watercraft that cruised the lakes and rivers.

As a young boy, I remember hearing steam locomotives on the P&WV going through Cross Creek WV and the sound would echo to my bedroom window on Hooverson Heights less than a mile away as the crow flies.  Saw my first steam locomotive from afar across the Ohio River PRR while in school in Follansbee. Same year my dad was driving up Market Street in Steubenville, Ohio and a PR K4 was stopped at the station going west. I begged my dad to stop but he said we couldn't.  I remember looking out the rear window as we drove up Market Street hill and the whistle blew and the K4 pulled out of the station.  The next steam locomotive I saw was a dead move from Racoon Creek State Park WV, through Montgomery WV, a C&O K4.  It wasn't until I went to Cass WV that I got to see a steam locomotive in action.

Larry

Of all the railroading I've been a part of, my most enjoyable and mentally embedded experiences came from my years running steam for a tourist railroad. The sights, smells, sensations, et al, are firmly etched into my memory banks. Goose bumps were a common part of my work day.

I was very careful to not let it slip that I would pay them to do it instead of them paying me!