Rail roads and their tracks.

[ArlyA]

As we came home from northern MN yesterday, we stopped in Proctor MN for lunch and picnicked next to this beast. The Baldon 225 seemed to have the 4 rear divers attached to the frame while the front truck had articulation. It has a 4-4 driver system. In the one detail photo you can see the steam pipe connection to the drive truck allowing movent. That pipe was about 6" in diameter. The tenders front truck also articulated.

 

[the old grind]

Yellowstones (2-8-8-4) are fully articulated, and not being compounded ('double expansion') they're sometimes wrongly referred to as Mallets. ('mallays'). Baldwin's answer to ALCO's Challengers and Big Boys for UP, and to Lima's Alleghenies built for Eastern lines. All were strong pullers and none were duds.

 

[MossRoad]

There was a nice discussion about these back in May in this thread. Glad ArlyA got to stop in and see it in person.

Rail roads and their tracks.

Do all of the wheels on the 4 axle truck have flanges? I recall an HO model ages ago that only had flanges on the front/rear axles to let it deal with the tighter curves. Maybe not a big deal on full scale as the curves aren't as tight as a model railroad. Agree with Moss, love this stuff...

www.tractorbynet.com

 

[bdhsfz6]

I didn't get the story on why this gorgeous NG Mike (Mikado) is being retired. I really hope the carriages stay on the line.

A spark from one of the Durango & Silverton coal fired steam engines started a big fire in 2018. As a result, the line agreed to convert to oil.

Google Search

When I last made the run in 2022, about half their engines had been converted. Luckily for us, the #473 still burned coal:

It won't be the same without that coal smoke.

 

[BravoXray]

I've been by there a couple of times and always stopped and looked it over. Those were amazing pieces of machinery. If I remember correctly, that one had over a million miles on it when it was retired.

 

[ArlyA]

Blades being moved out of Duluth MN.

 

[gstrom99]

Another derailment. Matteson, IL (properly pronounced: Mat-a-son) Burning off LP, to "make removing them safer". A mile from where I used to live. I know that area/curve VERY well... Interchange of ex Illinois Central and EJ&E (now both CN). I used to sled down the raised IC roadway and also set coins on the EJ&E rails there, to be flattened...

I always thought those double ended ALCO's the J had, were strange looking.

Evacuation order lifted after CN train derails at Matteson, Ill. (updated) - Trains

MATTESON, Ill. — Authorities ordered an evacuation, then lited it about two hours later after a Canadian National train derailed at the railroad’s busy junction of former Illinois Central and Elgin & Joliet Eastern lines today (June 27) in Matteson, about 25 miles south of downtown Chicago...

www.trains.com

 

[Runner]

I used to live about 1/2 block from the UP mainline, close enough I could smell the exhaust when they went by. Could see them through the trees when the leaves were off.

Loved it, but then again, I'm weird....

 

[MossRoad]

My wife laughs at me because I'll purposely avoid a local overpass and take the grade crossings in hopes of being stopped by a train.

 

[gstrom99]

My wife laughs at me because I'll purposely avoid a local overpass and take the grade crossings in hopes of being stopped by a train.

I like trains too, but as soon as the engines pass by I get increasingly annoyed by the delay.

If I'm the first or second car waiting on a fast train, I find myself envisioning the destruction if a derailment happens and the rolling stock comes barrelling down toward me.