Train, Talent, Tangent, and Tribute

THE TASK AT HANDI just took a trip.  It wasn’t a trip I intended to take but sometimes you just go there.

It started with an innocent email from a fellow train enthusiast named Linda Leinen.  I frequently get emails from visitors to ChasingSteel.com, which I love by the way, commenting on the site or seeking train or railfanning information.  I had read Linda’s email and it seem typical in all respects.  It should have had the words “TICKET” printed across the top.

Linda had expressed her desire to go and see UP’s No. 844 as it ran through south Texas this weekend. She stated that she had made “a zillion inquiries” to ascertain the Valley Eagle Heritage Tour’s arrival time and departure route as No. 844 moved south.  I didn’t particularly know the details she sought but I love to help, if I can.

At this point I was, and continue to be, engrossed in my new iPad.  I thought that I would use it to research the details that Linda asked about and test my iPad at the same time.  So I went to the UP Steam’s GPS tracking site which shows the route in detail on the map when you have fully zoomed in.  I discovered the track routing out of Houston and then proceed to make a map for her showing the general route to Bay City that No. 844 would take.  I did this on my iPad in a cool drawing program I purchased for it.  So far so good.

I sent a reply to Linda’s email, which I used Pages to pen, and attached the map I created.  I gave her some advice on the chasing aspect and asked her to thank any crew members she encountered for their dedication and service to railfans everywhere.  

In her reply, she said she would.

She also graciously thanked me for helping her and detailed her plans for the chase.  She also took the liberty of including a URL to a recent blog post she has written about her childhood and her attraction to trains.

I  began to read her blog entry and was quickly taken by the fluid imagery and precise prose that held me captive.  Wow, “she can write,” I thought. Her blog, entitled “A Task at Hand,” is subtitled: A Writer’s On-going Search for Just the Right Word. I’d say she has found many of them. It is a very compelling post and a great blog that is certainly worth a read.

In her post she describes some of the railroad-themed music that she enjoys.  One notation, in particular, took me back to my time in the Army.  

I was stationed at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii in 1984 and thought of little else than being a good soldier and all of the women vacationing down at Waikiki.  Having been bitten already by the “train bug,” I did experience a departure from my idealistic pursuits briefly when I attended a Boxcar Willie concert on base.

For the uninitiated, Boxcar Willie was a persona created by Lecil Travis Martin and a legendary “hobo music” artist and a member of the Grand Ole Opry.  A truly talented singer and songwriter, he is best known for his uncanny ability to imitate a steam whistle sound with just his voice and a microphone.

As I read Linda’s post I clicked on the various links and took the “journey” she laid out for us. When I clicked on the Boxcar Willie link I smiled and got lost.  I clicked on link after link after link highlighting the various songs that Boxcar has performed. I had forgotten about his stirring talent and soothing sounds. Thanks for the memories Linda.  I learned more and more about Boxcar and discovered that he had succumbed to Leukemia in 1999. I feel fortunate that I got a chance to see him perform live and meet him.

The Perils of Railfanning and Home Decor

Being a fan of railroads these days has many challenges, to say the least.  First there are the elements to contend with while on location at your favorite train viewing location.  And then there are the snakes and critters (mis-informed or ill-intended railroad cops and foremen) and animals to deal with.  

Trust me, the last thing we need are challenges on the home front.  Well, sometimes it can be difficult to be dedicated to the cause, so to speak.

I suspect that I am not the only one who has a difficult time of getting railroad-themed “art” or items to meet with the approval of the significant other “home decor committee.”  The experience is often not unlike the infamous wagon-wheel coffee table scene from “When Harry Met Sally.” I have several cool pieces of railroadiana that I have collected over the years, to include a seat from a caboose, a scissors-gate dispatcher’s phone, and the obligatory railroad switch lantern, all of which are proudly displayed — in the garage!  (At least for now!  When I become a super successful and world-renown railroad blogger then I am going to run away with Salma Hayek and we will have railroadiana everywhere…)(Hey, a guy can dream!)

Tim LeefeldtWell it might be a little easier now to express your wonderful sense of style and love of all things railroad thanks to a talent architect and artist, Tim Leefeldt. Tim is an architect by trade but finds great passion in creating useful home decor items with re-purposed industrial materials, including railroad items.  He has several web sites where he presents and sells his items. His rail-related site is RailroadWare.

Tim has built quite a catalog of useful items that transcend the gap between railroad garbage and useful and expressive elements of fine living.  There are many items that all good railfans should have in their homes that should meet with the approval of the spouse.  Take a look at the simple elegance of this sconce.  It should complement any den or family room nicely:

There are plenty of items that any decent train room would be lucky to have as well.  Everything from hooks and knockers to pulls and racks.  One item I like a lot is the toilet paper holder:

Apparently there is no limit to the imagination and ingenuity of the human spirit.  So go check out Tim’s work and talent at his site, RailroadWare.com and tell them ChasingSteel sent you. 

P.S. “Come on sweetheart, it was a joke. You know I love you and only you. Please unlock the door!”

Union Pacific's No. 844 Suffers a Seized Bearing

One of the main reasons that the railroads switched from steam-powered locomotives to diesel-electric locomotives was the high level of maintenance that the steam giants require.  With thousands of moving parts, most under tremendous strain and pressure, parts are due to wear rather rapidly.  In fact, steam locomotives typically require a good oiling and greasing of all critical components every several hundred miles or so.

An example of the issues associated with moving such a mass of steel using a mechanical drive train occurred to Union Pacific’s famed steam locomotive No. 844, while en route to Kansas City, Missouri with the UP’s special run, the Valley Eagle Heritage Tour.  The No. 844 apparently had a connecting rod bearing seize on one of her massive 80” drive wheels.

While browsing the web for posts regarding the progress of the Eagle’s 28-day tour, I happened upon a great post by a serious Olathe, Kansas railfan on one of the railroad discussion boards. Here is his post that describes the issue in detail:

I stopped by Union Station in Kansas City, Mo., late this afternoon to see U.P. 844 which was on public display from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. today. What I found, however, was that 844 evidently was ailing when it reached KC yesterday. Repairs were taking place right before my eyes. 

The mechanical crew that accompanies 844 on its far-ranging tours was furiously attempting to replace a bushing-style bearing on the right side of the third drive-wheel axle. Word at the scene was that the bearing had caused lots of concern most of the trip from Cheyenne to KC. It kept overheating and finally “seized”, according to one reliable source. 

I stuck around for awhile to watch the initial try at installing a new bearing. It was found that the new part needed some more attention in the tool car. The bearing reportedly had been custom manufactured at a machine shop in KC today to specifications supplied by U.P. Can you imagine the pressure on all of the mechanical people involved? 

I imagine this type of emergency has occurred on previous U.P.-sponsored steam trips and there is great relief once the problem is solved. In this case, there may be a few U.P. employees who will lose some sleep in getting the repair work finalized. 

Guess we’ll just have to wait until 8 a.m. tomorrow to see if the train leaves KC Union Station on time. Its next destination is an overnight stop in Parsons, KS, tomorrow (Tuesday) night. 

Attached are some “up close and personal” photos of the repairs being made to 844 this evening, between 6 and 7 p.m. I felt a bit privileged to get such close-up photos of the mechanical workers. Having an audience of several persons “from the general public” probably didn’t make them comfortable but no one ordered anyone to leave. Everyone was behaving themselves and talking in hushed tones. With no one being run off from the scene, the U.P. steam program gained another measure of goodwill. It is my opinon that the U.P. steam program is a class act, even when in emergency mode. 

Skilled craftsmen and machinists assess the situation and form a plan.

Judging by the presence of the sledge hammer and the size of the replacement bearing (on the towel) this is going to be no easy task.

The connecting rods, which link the driving wheels together, are braced to remove the tension on the bearing.

The replacement bearing, made of brass, is inspected and prepared for insertion.

The replacement bearing is carefully inserted.

An appropriate amount of grease is pneumatically forced around the new bearing by the crews using an “alemite” gun.

Fortunately, but unlike the steam engines of days gone by, UP’s No. 844 travels with a complete entourage of dedicated and talented men and women, all of whom are extremely skilled craftsmen and are complemented by the requisite tools, materials, and knowledge to keep No. 844 running. Also playing a critical role in the maintenance and repair of No. 844 are the myriad of Union Pacific’s employees in the facilities along the way.  For this particular trip, here are the crew members:

• Penny Braunschweig - Concessions
• Rick Braunschweig – Fireman
• Jim Coker - Conductor
• Ed Dickens - Manager Heritage Equipment & Facilities – Steam/Fireman
• Jack Holland - Machinist
• Henry Krening - Mechanical Foreman
• Steve Lee - Superintendent Heritage Operations/Engineer
• Lynn Nystrom - Engineer
• Mary Nystrom - Concessions Coordinator
• Ed Smith - Boilermaker/Welder
• Scott Turley - Boilermaker/Welder

Believe it or not, this is a rather common occurrence for steam excursion trains these days.  To wit, here is the “roster” of support cars that travel with a train like this:

• Howard Fogg – Boiler Car  The Howard Fogg still has a steam generator on board to provide steam if maintenance is required while locomotives No. 844 and No. 3985 are on the road.
• Art Lockman – Maintenance Tool Car  The Art Lockman is a rolling “machine shop”. It carries tools, parts, machines, lubricants and numerous other items to maintain and repair the steam locomotives while on trips.
• UPP 9336 – Boxcar  The boxcar carries steam locomotive spare parts, oversize supplies and steps used to allow visitors to see inside the cabs of No. 844 and No. 3985.
• UPP 814 and UPP 809 – Water Tenders  Water tenders enable excursions using steam locomotives to travel farther between water stops.
• Golden State Limited – Baggage Car  The Golden State Limited is used to transport supplies during excursions.
• Reed Jackson – Concession Car

I echo the railfan’s sentiments regarding the talent and skill of the mechanical workers to effect such a repair and do it with without ushering fans away.  This gave us all a glimpse into the effort and talent required to keep a steam program alive.  Thanks to the men and women of the Union Pacific Railroad and particularly the folks of UP’s Steam Program.  Job well done.