(Volume 27, No. 3)
Presidents Soapbox
I hope everyone is excited by the progress we made on Phase II in the last two weeks. Even though we got off to a slow start, the new L-Girder framing went so much easier than the box frames we used on the Phase I section, we should be close to the preliminary schedule I forecast at the end of December last year. With sufficient assistance, we are at the point where several groups can be organized to work on different sections or phases of completion. As of now, the biggest challenge is having the tools and material on hand so that progress can be made on more than one front. Please make yourselves available by volunteering to work and showing up on Thursday nights ready to add your efforts to this project. The experience gained in the construction of Phase I is making this newest project much easier and better constructed and should soon provide expanded operational opportunities for the club.
Others are quite interested in our work as well. During the recent days while I have been there working several individuals has come down to see what we are doing and last Thursday afternoon, Pat gave some visitors a personal tour. Other contacts I have made also show a great deal of interest in the project as well. On a visit to the Pocatello Club's recent open-house, I was asked if we ever have an open house? Weeell yes, of course, we did have one in December and we drew a few visitors. Remember, we committed to have at least one per quarter and now it is nearing the end of the third month of a new quarter. We should be planning for one to be held in March or at least April to keep us on schedule. Looking ahead, it is probable that I will out of town on March 23rd so I am suggesting that we plan for such an event either on or before the 15th or later in April as there is also an activity in Boise on the weekend of the 29th which some us will surely attend. We will find that many people are interested in the methods of construction and learning how to lay out track so our being incomplete should not be a deterrent to an open house.
Our public outreach does not have to be limited to open houses at the club layout. Remember that we still have all the modules and could easily set them up in the Mall for a weekend and gain even greater exposure; our doing this might even attract more visitors to the club layout. As there will be many whom would never see us otherwise. We should have photos and other materials on hand to explain our organizational goals and show our progress.
March is shaping up to be a busy month with the Ogden show leading the way. It is an excellent place to view a high level of model railroading as they always have a wide range of model layouts and displays. With the improvements in the weather, we now have greater opportunities for rail fanning and I have several places in mind which I want to visit. One such journey would be to follow the railroad between American Falls and Nampa as there are still several water tanks standing along the right of way. I have good pictures of the one at Bliss but there are others not quite as accessible. With all the traffic occurring, an excellent opportunity for action shots as well.
If you haven't visited JD Hobbies lately, I might suggest that you do so. John reports that his arrangement with Walthers as a supplier has improved and that he now has a more manageable minimum order level. As a result, I note that he has increased his stock of model RR supplies and, by listening to and supplying our wants; he can better serve us and the local model community. We are now assessing our track and turnout needs for the new extension and here is an opportunity for him to piggyback additional items for us individually. (Shameless plug)
Timetable
February 28, March 1 & 2.....Hostler's Train Show, Ogden, UT
March 6.................................Business Meeting
March 13...............................Work Night
March 20...............................Work Night
March 27...............................Club Operating Night
March 29...............................3rd Division Meet, Meridian, ID
April 3....................................Business Meeting
August 6-10............................PNR Convention, Eugene, OR
Riders - a Railroad Story
I have been reading a borrowed book about the history of Union Pacific's Streamliners and I was intrigued by some of the stories about the early days and models of the first Diesel Electrics. The first Diesels, of course, were primarily used as switch engines and as they developed, they began replacing steamers on passenger trains. The first streamliners used a variety of engines including distillate and gasoline before the modern diesel engines were perfected. They were mostly underpowered and consequently limited the train to four and five car consists. In fact, the first experimental sets were articulated as a way to reduce their weight, but that too presented a dilemma in that when one car had a problem, the entire train had to be taken out of service for the repair.
It is interesting to note that on August 1 1945, the Union Pacific owned 1551 steam engines (all types) and 103 diesel electrics. Of these diesels, 31 were passenger A & B units and the rest were switchers. Less than fours later, the numbers had changed to 1026 steam and 530 diesels with 330 freight and passenger engines and 200 switchers.
Of special interest was the revelation that on these early passenger diesels, there was an additional crew member assigned to the engine called a Rider. His assignment was to make repairs while en route and keep the engines in operation. This was no easy task, as they would often perform such tasks as replacing a piston and making emergency wiring repairs while running down the track. In the book THE UNION PACIFIC STREAMLINERS by Ranks and Kratville, I came across the following story:
These train riders were seldom surprised at the way small problems often led to larger and more complicated ones. For example, the 5M-1A and 5M-2B (predecessors of the more modern E-units) was among the first to have the new 12-567 engines {12 cylinder-567 cubic inch per cylinder}. For some reason, the bearings on the water pumps frequently went bad. One cold January, one of the diesels shut down because of the failure of its circulating water pump. A short time later the boiler water supply in the 5M-2B was exhausted. Therefore, when the water pump on the steam generator in the 5M-1A refused to function, the train was without heat. The conductor stopped the train in Wamsutter, Wyoming for an additional supply of boiler water for the 5M-2B. Because no one was on duty to help and because the rider was busy changing the pump on the inoperative steam generator, a road foreman of engines, who happened to be riding the units, offered to fill the boiler water tanks. All of a sudden the rider heard first one and then the other diesel engine in the B unit shut itself down. (These early diesels also had two engines, one a 1200 HP and the other a 1500 HP engine.) Dropping his tools noisily to the floor plates in the unnatural and ominous quiet, he hurried to the outside door to check the fuel level in the tanks. His heart sank when he saw the water supply hose gurgling away in the FUEL OIL TANK.! Grabbing the nozzle, he shouted at the gaping road foreman, "The damn things won't run on water". Immediately conscious of his serious mistake, the chagrined road foreman contritely asked, "What do we do now?"
The situation was serious, the cab unit had but one engine running, and its one steam generator was inoperative. The B unit had water in its fuel tank so neither its steam generator nor its diesels could be operated until clean fuel was available. About this time the conductor arrived on the scene to find out how soon the train could leave. Without explaining in detail, the rider told of the steam generator trouble and asked the conductor to get on the phone (no operator on duty) and persuade the dispatcher to let them commandeer the 500 class steam locomotive setting on the passing track. It was headed in the same direction and fortunately had steam connections on its tender. While the conductor hurried away to the depot, the road foreman filled the water tanks on both the units. The conductor soon returned with the steamer and coupled it onto the crippled diesels. Meanwhile, the rider had resumed his labors with the water pump on the A unit steam generator, all the while busily planning how to purge the fuel systems of the two dead diesels. One way would be to drain the fuel tank completely and refill it at the next fueling facility. However, such a procedure would further delay the already late train and he was not convinced that this method was really necessary. The end of the fuel supply intake extended almost to the bottom of the fuel tank. Because water is heavier than diesel fuel, it should settle in the bottom portion of the tank. Therefore, the rider reasoned that he could pump the water out of the tank by means of the fuel supply pumps, but leaving most of the fuel oil. Furthermore he could do this while the train was on the move - pulled by the doughty steam engine. Convinced of the soundness of his plan, he stopped work on the water pump and told the conductor to highball out of town.
As the shiny Streamliner resumed its delayed journey behind the rotund rump of the 2-10-2 and beneath a black cloud of smoke, the rider disconnected the fuel lines to the two dead diesel engines and started up the electric fuel pumps. Unfortunately, the dark scummy water that gushed from the fuel lines created shallow slippery pools all over the floor because there was no easy way to dump the discharge directly onto the right of way. While the road foreman watched the spouting lines for evidence of uncontaminated fuel oil, the rider completed the change-out of the defective water pump on the A unit steam generator and started it up. Because the fuel lines were still spewing polluted oil, the rider then turned his attention to the dead diesel in the A-unit. Replacement of the bad-order water pump did not take long and the revitalized diesel was soon adding its throaty roar to the rapid exhaust of the 2-10-2.
Now the rider had the problem of getting the two B unit diesels back on line. First he disconnected the fuel lines on the engines themselves and blew them out with an air hose. He also drained and changed the fuel filters. By this time, the fuel oil spurting from the lines appeared to be free of water. Reconnecting the fuel lines, the ride tried his luck with the steam generator. He gave a big sigh of relief when it started functioning without difficulty.
Now for the big one. Would the batteries be strong enough (after pumping out the polluted fuel) to crank up the two diesels? Holding his breath, the rider pushed the start button on one of the engines. The starter ground, the diesel sputtered, coughed a few times and then caught with a most welcome roar! The second diesel, for some reason, was more difficult to start; but soon it too was adding sweet thunder to that of its mates.
The tired and oil-smeared rider wearily sloshed through the puddles to the cab where he informed the engineer that everything was finally operating satisfactorily. The rejuvenated train stopped at the next open station long enough for the steamer to cut off and scurry into a passing track. Once again the COLA (City of Los Angeles) was on its way - late, yes, but running.
Sorrowfully, the conscience-stricken road foreman began to compose the sorry confession of his mistake and the resulting havoc it had wrought on the COLA's schedule. He and the rider had worked together for a long time and the rider knew that it had been an honest mistake, made in haste and because of concern over the situation and not of indifference and carelessness. He persuaded the foreman to let him handle the reports. Consequently, in the required but succinct telegram to Omaha the rider stated, "Frozen water pumps on steam generator and on No.1 engine diesel engine in 5M-1A caused delay to COLA....". Seeking more details, a telegram from the supervisor asked, "Explain freezing of water pumps". Reply from rider, "frozen meaning seized, due to bearing going bad". No further messages were exchanged and no one else found out about the road foreman's mistake at the time. Long afterwards, the rider admitted that the steam engine had been used not so much as a source of heat, but to provide power to pull the Streamliner. To ask for additional motive power at the time would have led to additional inquiries which would have exposed the mistake. The merciful subterfuge was not generally known until long after the foreman's death.
Leo Harker
Butte & Boise Railway Company
The Butte & Boise Railway Company was incorporated on January 2, 1910 to build 418 miles from Butte to Boise. The line had been discussed in 1909, with the backing of Judge J.A. Richards and W.D. Booth of Boise. The proposed railroad was authorized to issue $24 million in stock, and preliminary surveys made for the proposed line. Supported by business interests in Chicago and other eastern cities, with French business interests involved, the headquarters for the new rail line were to be in Boise. T.F. Halveston of Boise, one of promoters, and most of the other backers were from Boise and Chicago, with the principal financial support coming from Chicago.
The Butte & Boise Railway was to go from Boise County in southern Idaho east along the Boise River to Moore Creek. It was then to go to Grimes Creek, northeast along Grimes Creek to the South Fork of the Payette River near Deadwood Creek and east along the Payette River to Warm Springs Creek. The route was then to go northeast to the Middle Fork of the Salmon River, southeast to the East Fork of the Salmon River at or near Stanley, and then northeast along the Salmon River to Salmon City. From Salmon City the line was to go along the North Fork of the Salmon River to Gibbonsville and on to a point in Bitter Root Mountains known as May Creek, on the Continental Divide, and then southeast along May Creek to the Big Hole River. From this point it was to go southeast along Big Hole Creek to a point on the river at or near the Butte Electric Power Company dam. The last leg of the route was northeast to a point on the Butte, Anaconda & Pacific and then southeast and ending at Butte City.
Apparently there was a lack of money, despite optimistic projections and support for the line, and the articles were forfeited on December 1, 1912.
Thornton Waite
Upcoming Meets
A couple of upcoming meets are mentioned in this newsletter. I had planned to put the information on these meets in the newsletter, but I ran out of space. Look at the club layout room for flyers on these meets, and plan to attend one or both. I have already made my reservation for the PNR convention.
Doug Herrmann
Material Needed
If you have material for a future Eagle Tracks, please send it to the Editor. We need to have more of a selection for future issues. This month we have an excess of material to choose from, and that is really nice. Keep those articles and pictures coming and we will get them in as we can.
Doug Herrmann, Editor