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Author Topic: All Female Steam Loco Crew  (Read 6495 times)

Dana Deering

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All Female Steam Loco Crew
« on: October 25, 2016, 07:57:37 AM »
I watched a YouTube video of Little River Railroad's neat little Baldwin #110 hauling the LRRR Quincy Flyer out of Coldwater, MI and was surprised to see an all female engine crew.  I thought it was pretty cool.  Anyone know of any other railroads that have women on their steam crews?  Seems rare. 

#110 is the smallest (58 tons) 4-6-2 that Baldwin ever built for standard gauge, so I've read.  It has an interesting history.
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Mike Fox

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Re: All Female Steam Loco Crew
« Reply #1 on: October 25, 2016, 10:53:24 AM »
There was a video done a few years ago of a young lady in the right hand seat of one of those broad gauge locomotives.
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Roger Cole

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Re: All Female Steam Loco Crew
« Reply #2 on: October 25, 2016, 08:03:45 PM »
Strasburg Railroad has a female employee who is a machinist as well as qualified as a fireman (firewoman) and an engineer. 
http://www.fox29.com/news/50059423-story
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Mike Fox

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Re: All Female Steam Loco Crew
« Reply #3 on: October 25, 2016, 08:29:44 PM »
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Bill Sample

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Re: All Female Steam Loco Crew
« Reply #4 on: October 26, 2016, 10:31:20 AM »
Once at the Naugatuck Railroad several years ago during a visit of a Gramling saddle tank engine (Flagg Coal #75) my wife Sue ran and her sister Sally fired for a couple of runs with 3 heavyweight coaches.  Sally was a qualified fireman on the steamship "Sabino" at Mystic and found the bouncing of an industrial loco a far cry from the smoothness of a ship! 
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Kevin Madore

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Re: All Female Steam Loco Crew
« Reply #5 on: October 29, 2016, 10:19:26 PM »
Quote from: Roger Cole on October 25, 2016, 08:03:45 PM
Strasburg Railroad has a female employee who is a machinist as well as qualified as a fireman (firewoman) and an engineer. 
http://www.fox29.com/news/50059423-story


Strasburg actually has a couple of ladies who are cab-qualified.  Both participated in Pete Lerro's "Rosie the Riveter" shoot in August of 2015 and will likely do that again when we go back there for another Rosie shoot next weekend. 

Here are Shelley and Andrea (aka "Sparkee") putting on a welding demo in the Strasburg Shops

https://www.flickr.com/photos/112261457@N06/20672449339/in/album-72157657652893176/

There are actually a number of tourist railroads and museums with female cab crew members.   For years, Amy Beck fired for long-time Cass Engineer Dirk Caloccia.   Out at Railtown 1897, Stephanie Tadlock is a fully qualified Engineer on Sierra #3 as is her husband Dave.

I think that being a Steam Locomotive Engineer is a bit like being a Fighter Pilot.   For whatever reason, not many women are attracted to either job, but those that are seem to be very capable people.

/Kevin Madore   
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Philip Marshall

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Re: All Female Steam Loco Crew
« Reply #6 on: October 29, 2016, 11:56:29 PM »
Quote from: Kevin Madore on October 29, 2016, 10:19:26 PM
Here are Shelley and Andrea (aka "Sparkee") putting on a welding demo in the Strasburg Shops

I had a chance to meet Andrea and talk with her a little bit when I visited Strasburg two summers ago and I was really impressed. She's passionate about steam railroading and steam power in all its forms, and it really shows. (Rumor has it she even owns a steam traction engine!)
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