Author Topic: Happy Easter 2010!  (Read 32912 times)

Mike Fox

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Re: Happy Easter 2010!
« Reply #30 on: April 14, 2010, 08:14:46 PM »
Well looking at the photo, I find it hard to tell if that is a rifle or a flag (It's a flag). Back in the day it was not uncommon for train crew members of other two footers to carry firearms. I don't remember reading any tales from the WW&F but it is very likely they did the same.
Mike
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Tom Casper

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Re: Happy Easter 2010!
« Reply #31 on: April 15, 2010, 11:57:57 AM »
Mike,  I think he is carrying a brake club to tie the hand brake down.  A tool all good brakeman use when riding the "roofwalk".

Tom C.
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John McNamara

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Re: Happy Easter 2010!
« Reply #32 on: April 15, 2010, 12:22:38 PM »
Mike,  I think he is carrying a brake club to tie the hand brake down.  A tool all good brakeman use when riding the "roofwalk".

Tom C.

I thought that, too, until I saw a picture from the front of the train in Matthew's excellent slideshow (http://mfmalk.zenfolio.com/p47324941) that shows the item in Steve's hand much more clearly. It is indeed a rolled-up green flag.


Jason M Lamontagne

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Re: Happy Easter 2010!
« Reply #33 on: April 15, 2010, 06:26:15 PM »
We actually don't permit the use of brake clubs as it's too easy to lock the wheels up.  We use rolled up green flags as "arm extensions" to better enable the engine crew to see and interpret brakemans' signals.

Jason

Mike Fox

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Re: Happy Easter 2010!
« Reply #34 on: April 15, 2010, 07:13:56 PM »
Some of us armstrongs can do enough damage without the club.
Mike
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Kevin Madore

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Re: Happy Easter 2010!
« Reply #35 on: April 15, 2010, 08:39:36 PM »
I had some reservations about posting that shot because I wasn't sure what the RP viewership's reaction would be to a Brakeman riding the catwalk in 2010.   Sometimes photos of railroaders or other folks doing things that look a little risky provokes (negative) discussion or comments about the merits of same.    What is the WW&F's policy about maneuvering around up there?   Would FRA regulation change all of that (he asked, suspecting the answer is yes)??  :)

A while back, I thought long and hard about posting this one:  http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=303624&nseq=70

It's a picture of a Videographer from CBS News preparing for a "cab ride" on the WM 734.   He was there with Reporter Jim Axelrod filming the story about Carl Franz and his efforts to help John Helmstetter rebuild his famous barn that burned down.    The camera guy apparently wanted a new angle and decided to ride the 734 like a bucking bronco....and for those of you who've seen her run by close-up, she really is.   Like a trooper, he rode up there with that stoker blasting coal slurry into the firebox.   I hope he had some serious eye protection.  BTW, the guy standing behind him on the coal pile is the Railroad Superintendent.    Later, the camera guy even placed that mega-expensive video camera in the gauge and let the train run over it!   Fortunately, it survived.    The shots were indeed shown on the evening news around Christmas time.
« Last Edit: April 15, 2010, 08:41:32 PM by Kevin Madore »

John McNamara

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Re: Happy Easter 2010!
« Reply #36 on: April 15, 2010, 10:09:09 PM »
Kevin,

As WW&F Newsletter editor I have been gun-shy about showing people in possibly dangerous situations ever since I published the following photo on the front page of the September/October 2003 WW&F Newsletter. I'm told that the people at Owl's Head Transportation Museum, who lent us the railcar, were so upset that they never lent us the car again!

-John


Photo by Bob Cavanagh

Kevin Madore

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Re: Happy Easter 2010!
« Reply #37 on: April 16, 2010, 06:58:43 AM »
Hi John,

It is sometimes a very tough call to make.  You've got a dramatic picture, but at the same time, you don't want anyone to get in trouble because of it.   In the case of my WM picture, I actually e-mailed a couple of videographer friends, including Stephen.   Interestingly, BOTH indicated that the CBS guy was just doing his job.  I had no idea that line of work was so exciting!   I also reasoned that the RR Superintendent standing right behind him clearly approved of it and must have thought through the ramifications of having the operation appear on the national news.

I still draw the line at derailments, equipment failures and operational errors.   While I have photos of such things, none will ever see the light of day.   Despite their popularity on RP (they get a ton of views), I picture such shots as just taking advantage of someone else's misfortune.   I'm constantly amazed at how many alleged "railfans" totally disagree with me!

Cliff Olson

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Re: Happy Easter 2010!
« Reply #38 on: April 16, 2010, 08:08:35 AM »
This discussion reminded me of the spectacular c. 1970 series of night-time photos entitled "Armageddon and Creation", taken from the low hood of an SD 40-2 trailing a Little Joe on St. Paul Pass with electricity arcing overhead, that appears in Dick Steinheimer's "The Electric Way Across the Mountains".

Stephen Hussar

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Re: Happy Easter 2010!
« Reply #39 on: April 16, 2010, 11:01:44 AM »
Color version, Jason and Joe steaming past Head Tide tank...
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=321036&nseq=1
« Last Edit: April 16, 2010, 12:40:59 PM by Stephen Hussar »

Duncan Mackiewicz

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Re: Happy Easter 2010!
« Reply #40 on: April 16, 2010, 01:21:38 PM »
Stephen,
The picture looked very "period" in black and white.It looks extremely nice also in color.  Great shot.
Duncan

Joe Fox

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Re: Happy Easter 2010!
« Reply #41 on: April 18, 2010, 08:52:23 AM »
Amazing photos done by everyone. I get a real good feeling when I volunteer at the railroad, but when you see awsome pictures like Stephens, and Kevin's, you got to think to your self, wow, I was there, I was part of that. We are not only making history yesterday, but are remaking history of 1900. It is amazing the photos that come out of events like Easter.

Joe

Stephen Hussar

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Re: Happy Easter 2010!
« Reply #42 on: April 19, 2010, 09:11:31 AM »
« Last Edit: April 20, 2010, 03:19:05 PM by Stephen Hussar »

Stephen Hussar

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Re: Happy Easter 2010!
« Reply #43 on: April 20, 2010, 03:19:26 PM »
Here's a different version of the same shot. Since the red rag was nearly the only splash of color I decided to accentuate that.


Stewart "Start" Rhine

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Re: Happy Easter 2010!
« Reply #44 on: April 11, 2011, 06:32:13 PM »
All,
     I've been looking through this thread to see some of the things we did for last years Easter event.  Lots of beautiful photos and interesting posts.   I hope the weather is as good for this years trains.   Maybe we can run another mixed train.  Whether the visitors notice or not I think it would look great.

Stewart

p.s.  Stephen, in the wonderful photo above - how did you manage to catch Joe without soot on his face!!?!
« Last Edit: April 11, 2011, 09:04:20 PM by Stewart Rhine »