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Here is Owen at work.. This Photo was taken by Ben Cannell.. he also
has his Photo's at
http://fr-pix.fotopic.net
Now feel free to visit The Festiniog Railway at:
www.festrail.co.uk and the
North London Society of Model Engineer's at:
www.nlsme.co.uk for more info
and Photograph's. |
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Here is my Buddy Owen Chapman, He is Firing in this Picture and has,
like me documented alot of the Steam Action on the Festiniog
Railway... You can visit his site.. at:
http://chappers.fotopic.net
....This Photo was Taken by John Cordry, he has his photo's for
display at http://jjc.fotopic.net |
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You are looking at the Connecting Rods of 488. |
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The Connecting Rods form a set of 3 Rods that connect all Drive
Wheels together, the open loop at the end of the top rod allows it
to be connected to another Rod by Means of a Bolt. The Joints allow
the Drivers to Work together but allow for Flexibility as the wheels
go up and down over the rails. |
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Here is a Expansion Link and a few Brasses.. the Expansion Link,
driven by the motion from the Eccentric Crank and Eccentric Rod..
drive's the Radius Rod and then drive's the Valve's that allows
Steam into and out of the Cylinders. |
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Here are the Radius Rods, they split at the End there.. and that
section at the end sits into and connects the Radius Rod to the
Expansion Link. |
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Train 215 comes into Osier Westbound on the Siding, Motor-Car 104
waits on the Main for us... Thats Pretty neat Huh, Train 215 on the
Siding and a Motor-Car on the Main. |
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Coming up along the Motor Car.. |
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Motor-Car 104 and a MOW Trailer Flat.. onboard is a type of
Generator... it is used to run some Hand operated Tamper Device's. |
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The East Switch at Osier required some new Ties, so the Guys went at
it and changed them out.. |
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Max Pacheco... max is working on some Tamping.. when ties are
removed and replaced, a hollow can form under the New Tie resulting
in a weak spot or Low spot. What Max is doing here is using this
device to Vibrate and Compact Soil as he force's it under the Tie,
this will result in a solid surface for the tie sit on. |
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Both Ruben and Max are Working the Tamper Device's, Orlando is
shoveling Dirt unto the work area.. as the soil compacts, more is
added until the right surface is made. |
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You can see the Flat area of the Tamper... this cuts into the soil
and vibrate's it under the ties... Look at the Position Max is
in.. the Guys are careful and work safe, but you can see from Max's
Position, this can be a Back-Breaking Job.. |
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Here are both Tampers and you can see from experience how the Guys
work both Tampers together and opposite of each other to correctly
finish the Job. |
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Its amazing, but the Tampers actually work on Electricity instead of
Air, Here Orlando is unplugging the Tampers from the Generator. |
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I had to walk out a way to get to the Guys at the East Side of
Osier, then to get this Shot.. I rode the MOW Flatcar behind
Motor-Car 104 to get a Picture of the Guys. |
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A small, but Productive Bunch of the MOW Guys.. Here's from Left..
Ruben, Road Foreman Max and Orlando. |
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Whoa, this picture is a little Big, but I think you will be able to
see all the detail... this is My Buddy Dean's, Best Buddy Paul
MacFarland's Model 486, ain't it a Beauty.. |
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Another Evening Falls upon Antonito... and another day will come
when the Steam Locomotive's continue to ride the Rails... |
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Look, here is freshly painted MWO2, it has been painted in the
Orange of all the other MOW Equipment and it has been trimmed in a
Turquoise or Mint Green or Something.. Not Sure... But it's look
Great... |
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Here is the Bumble Bee Motor-Car, it no longer has the Black
Stripe's that made it the Bumble Bee... But it is Freshly Painted
and Numbered. |
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A quick look at the Chama Yard. the Blue Skies and Clouds were
Beautiful this day. |
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A look at the 488's Air Reservoir's and Air Cooling Pipe's. The
Painter Andy Graham has been sand-blasting and Painting all the Air
System for Locomotive 488...he has also sand-blasted the running
boards and steps for 488... and a few other things. |
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A look at that Cool Turquoise Color on the MW02... |
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One of the Flatcars being Worked on by The "Friends"... now I
took this Picture because the wood is Beautiful on this Car... But
anyway.. if you look closely, this is one of the Flatcars that was
strengthened by the Rio Grande.. in order to support heavier loads,
rail was added to the Car and you can see the U-Bolts that were used
to hold the rail to the Car. The Rail prevented the car from bowing
and shattering under the heavier loads it carried. . |
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These Cars ride quite low. |
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Here's Ed and Steve, they are installing a Cross-head on 488, Ed is
holding the Brass in place and Steve is hammering the Piece into
place with a rubber Mallet. |
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Another view of the Process. |
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Here is "Ducky" drilling the Staybolt Holes into the New 488 Firebox
Sheets, the sheet he is working on appears to be the Strip Piece
under the Firebox Door... |
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I thought this was a Classic Photograph of Steam Railroading... a
stacked pile of used Firebrick from one of the Steam Locomotive's
sits Outside the Shop in Chama. |
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Well I am sure you have Heard of "Charlie's Angel's" well these are
Carlos's Angels.. This is Joanne, Elizabeth and Lisa.....These young
ladies are the Big ol' Ray of Sunshine at the "The Village Bean". |
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Here is MW02 catching a little Chama Sun... it has been freshly
Painted and looks like a Million Bucks... The Painter behind all
this work is Andy Graham, Thanks Andy.. everything is looking
Great.. |
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Stop in at the Village Bean, I recommend the French Dip and a
Frappucino.. See Ya Ladies and Thanks for all the Food you
feed me after the Helper Runs. |
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Another Beautiful Day in Chama... Now here's a Question.. Is this
the Tallest structure in Chama??? |
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Ain't that a Beautiful Picture.. there's enough Smile's there to
light up the whole World.. |
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Here's the Fire Patrol, it sits ready to Depart Chama.. |
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Another View of the Chama Tank, This is Scene right out of the
History Books... Thanks to the volunteers.. Past and Present.. and
my fellow Employee's who Work Their .... Knee's off everyday.. this
Image is not a Memory of the Past, but a Vision of the Future. |
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Now speaking of Preservation, I would like to show you a Picture of
The Water Tank at Tres Piedras on the Chili Line to Santa Fe... I
really wish we could do more to save everything from the past, but
some things may slip away... so enjoy them now before they are gone.
This Tank is about 29 miles South of Antonito on Highway 285. |
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Now I apologize for such a Short Update, my Internet service is a
little shaky.. The Genius behind the scene's "Roger Hogan" is
working hard to keep me working.. so I apologize for the lateness of
the Update.. But, lets give Roger a Hand, he has done such a amazing
job on this web-site...He is the Foundation that keeps this web-site
running! Now, I will have picture's of 488 new Firebox sheets for
next week and some views of the Tie Trains... I also will began
displaying picture's of the "Friends" Building being constructed in
Antonito and will follow that thru to the end.
And, Guess what, I visited the Santa Fe Southern once again and
was treated Like Royalty, that is a Amazing Railroad and I must
admit I am in Love with SFS, I really felt like a Honored Guest..
The Employee's and Staff treated me so Wonderfully.. I rode a Train
out to Galisteo Basin, What a Amazing View, Talked with Onboard Crew
and rode my First Passenger Dome Car... and on the way Back into
Town, I was Honored to Ride the Caboose with "Brakeman In Training-Estevan
Montoya and Brakeman-Janice Convery" Janice was so Nice!!!!!... as
was Estevan... I was Honored to ride with these Great Railroaders.
I have shots from the Train and Caboose... keep your eye's Open..
Look up WWW.SFSR.COM for more
information, the Ride is Beautiful!!!
Engineer Carlos J. Llamas give's the "Sante Fe Southern" his Five
Star Award for Service and Enjoyment, I highly Recommend if you come
to the C&T, take the Time to Visit Historic Sante Fe and ride the
Sante Fe Southern. |
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Now that we have gone thru the Business of Railroading.. I would
like to just speak a little about things!!! The Railroad is a Great
Career, it is truly a Labor of Love and I enjoy every second of
everyday... but to truly be alive and feel like you mean something
in this World... You need a Partner in Life. I was truly lucky one
day to have a Chance meeting with a Young Lady From Albuquerque..
She had been working in Chama for the Summer and had decided to ride
the Train... Just before I left on the Bus for home ... She came
into the Cab and gave me a reason to be alive... It was a Chance
encounter, but one that would make me believe in the Heavens above
that a Angel could just walk into my life. this young Lady named
Erika in a instant sparked a Fire in me that made my knee's shake..
then on the day of the First Double-header, she once again visited
me in Cumbres and as the Helper I was on waited in Cumbres I was
able to show her the interior of the Cumbres Station.. It was a good
excuse, the interior of the building was dark and I offered to hold
her hand, and the moment I held her Hand.. I knew I would never let
it go again, ever!!! She is everything and more that I could ever
ask for in a Best Friend and Partner in Life.. I want her to know
how Grateful I am to her for becoming a part of my Life, If I am
happier now or seem a little Giddy, its because of her... she makes
my knee's shake when she smile's, she makes my Favorite Cookies..
she makes my life worth living again.. I have found my Better Half,
to the World she may be only one Person, but to me she is the
World.. I want her to know How Lucky I feel I am to have found her..
how lucky I am to just hold her Hand... to see her Smile...
Everybody Meet Erika, I am honored to be a part of her life and
have every intention to grow old with her... she is the Greatest
Thing to ever Happen to me... Erika, I want the World to know, You
are everything to me and I love you..... I am The Luckiest guy in
the World.... Carlos... |
