Rail roads and their tracks.

[BravoXray]

Why is the 6900 retired? Still looks like it’s ready to pull/push.

Yes, they retired a the 6900 series DDA40X locomotives back in 1984. The Centennials as they were called were introduced in 1969 for the 100 year celebration of the driving of the golden spike on the transcontinental railroad. There are still several on display, and the only operating example was donated to a railroad museum recently.
They were initially put in service to pull intermodal consists from the west coast over and through the mountains. Two Centennials and a GP40 would give them the 15,000HP required for the trips. Later models of the SD series, like the SD90MAC could nearly match the Centennials 6600HP with 6,000HP in one unit with only one prime mover. Also, with the newer electronic traction control systems, an SD40-2 unit could match a Centennial's starting tractive effort, though developing ~20,000lbs less continuous tractive effort.
At over 98 feet long and weighing in at ~550,00lbs, they were impressive units. I saw the one on display in Omaha on a trip west several years ago.

 

[dodge man]

We took a scenic trade ride today In Arizona called the Verde Canyon. Nice 4 hour ride, a little food and scenery. The two engines were early 1950’s, I think EMD FP7. They were originally sent to Alaska and they had extra water for making steam and could go further. These were diesel electric so I didn’t understand the steam side of it. What I read on line was the steam was for heating the cars. Sound right?

 

[cqaigy2]

Sounds good to me.

 

[bcp]

Passenger trains in the days of steam were heated with steam from the locomotive. The cars were still steam heated in the early diesel days. Diesel locomotives intended for passenger service had steam generators to heat the cars. Gradually the passenger cars were converted to electric heat.

Some of the different arrangements for steam heating are mentioned here

EMD FP7 - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

passenger train steam generator cars at DuckDuckGo

DuckDuckGo. Privacy, Simplified.

duckduckgo.com

Bruce

 

[ArlyA]

Narrow gauge Steam locomotives in Ohio.

 

[bdhsfz6]

Every couple of years, the Reading & Northern RR rolls out their beautifully restored Baldwin pacific class #425 steam locomotive. It's used for excursion service on Readings main line out of Jim Thorpe, PA through the Lehigh Gorge State Park.

Reading Blue Mountain and Northern 425 - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Last fall, I was lucky enough to catch a glimpse of it as I rode my bicycle on a trail paralleling the tracks. I heard that whistle echo down the gorge 2 miles away. It sent chills down my spine!

I caught up with her at the station later that afternoon:

 

[Hay Dude]

I need to take a drive up there and try it.

 

[MossRoad]

Narrow gauge Steam locomotives in Ohio.

Wow. That's neat.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Narrow gauge Steam locomotives in Ohio.

This is my neck of the woods. Grew up there and still visit. Have several pictures of them. They were never used on the OR&W RR as the speaker said. They were bought by a former sheriff, who was going to fix them up and never did, to use for the local OR&W festival that used to be held in Woodsfield. My mom rode on the last train in 1931 when they shut the RR down. I have posted several pics in this thread, I think, from the RR.

This was the Woodsfield station.

This is tunnel next to our farm, now caved in. 1986 is last time I was inside.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Inside the old tunnel

Entrance the last time I was in the tunnel