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Post by markm on May 9, 2019 22:27:59 GMT -5
I came to Ogden for my first Southern Pacific Historical and Technical Society (SPHTS) convention and the Transcontinental anniversary. That it is a joint convention with the UP Historical Society plus UP steam is icing on the cake. For the people who haven't been to one of these events, I can highly recommend it. These people know EVERYTHING. While I have considered myself knowledgeable about these railroads, what I know would fit in the eye of an ant and roll around like a b-b in a boxcar compared to them. A real resource for anyone serious about details. Case in point, a session today on modeling PFE cars that covered everything down to the nearest 1/4". For anyone interested checkout: harley-trains.smugmug.com/ for PFE construction data and history. Today's presentation should be on this site in a few days. Tomorrow, Promontory. But so as not to forget the host city: Mark
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Post by markm on May 10, 2019 23:58:35 GMT -5
Well I'm back from Promontory. Fortunately, weather-wise it turned out to be the best day of the past week. As one might surmise, a big media event with fireworks, jet flyover, an excessive number of overtly political speeches and of course a lot of people: The crowds didn't seem like they made the forecasted 50,000 or even the 28,000 forecast of earlier, but there were enough. They had a brass band playing marches of the "era." Someone needed to tell them the theme from "Hogan's Heroes" was not a 19th century march. Also performed was an "Up With People" style docu-musical. The highlight of the afternoon (beyond the locomotives of course) was a keynote speech by Jon Meacham. Thoughtful and thought provoking and pleasantly nonpolitical for the day. If anyone runs across the text online, please post the link. It's worth reading. Of course the real star of the event was the railroads and the locomotives. While there were too many people with guns for me to sneak into the press area, I was able to get a couple of decent images of the stars: There is also an interesting self guided tour around the site which includes the area were the two railroads built past each other to maximize their mileage (which I saw) and the 10 miles of track laid in one day (which I didn't see). The newly declared national park is worth a look it one is in the area (perhaps during NTS 2019). Enjoy, Mark
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Post by markm on May 11, 2019 16:37:24 GMT -5
Last post from Ogden. Tried to get a look at he rolling sock at Utah Railroad Museum at the Union Station. They have what's left of the UP centennial car: and four locomotives packed under cover that really don't photograph very well: One set is the gas turbines #26 & #26B. While I remember them (quite loudly) from my youth, they are impressive up close and would make for an interesting future brass product for AZL. Mark
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Post by mgatdog on May 11, 2019 18:40:33 GMT -5
that 10 miles in one day track laying modern times or back when r r was first built?
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Post by markm on May 11, 2019 19:01:53 GMT -5
that 10 miles in one day track laying modern times or back when r r was first built? That was 10 miles laid by hand! A UP employee here has said that is a record that modern equipment can't beat. Amazing what 1000 Chinese could do when they put their mind (and backs) to it. Of course the "standards" back in 1869 were a bit more casual than they are today. Mark
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Post by mgatdog on May 11, 2019 19:21:13 GMT -5
Wonder how many graves are in that 10 miles?š³
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Post by markm on May 11, 2019 23:01:00 GMT -5
Wonder how many graves are in that 10 miles?š³ I don't know, but the vast majority of deaths were in crossing the Sierra Nevada.
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Post by mgatdog on May 16, 2019 21:12:26 GMT -5
that 10 miles in one day track laying modern times or back when r r was first built? That was 10 miles laid by hand! A UP employee here has said that is a record that modern equipment can't beat. Amazing what 1000 Chinese could do when they put their mind (and backs) to it. Of course the "standards" back in 1869 were a bit more casual than they are today. Mark I was reading over this again and had to chuckle . What UP employee said . āThat is a record that modern equipment canāt beat.ā What rock did he live under.
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Post by markm on May 17, 2019 10:08:26 GMT -5
I'd have to check my notes for a name, but he was a recently retired UP VP. Of course what railroad (besides UP) has laid track on a virgin ROW in the past 20 years?
A final postscript to my adventure. I noted that UP is running some CN SD70s on the Overland route. At first I thought thy were old SP units, but then remembered that UP had repainted the last of the SP late last year. As I got closer, I could see that they were clearly CN. It was a bit of a surprise as my understanding is that UP has idled 100s of excess locomotives. Anyone know something about this?
Mark
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Post by mgatdog on May 17, 2019 13:19:54 GMT -5
Since the over the road trucking pretty well wiped out r r freight hauling. So itās a rarity to hear about any new track.to be laid . If anything itās being tore up and turned into rail trails in the eastern parts of the US. But to answer man vs machine. Here is a example. In 1982 there were 3 different gangs working on different divisions of CSX .Each gang had 6 machine operators and 6 labors. They averaged 2 miles of gauging on good day maybe more. Now that meant pulling spikes , plugging,edging ties and respiking ties. So if you had 5 of these gangs at 2+ miles in day . Thatās an average of 10 to 12.5 miles with 60 guys. I donāt think 60 Chinese could touch that.I would personal tell the UP guy he is full of $&?! .
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