The morning started like any other, except these would be my last moments with the old girl. Many thoughts going through mind, wondering if this is what the original steam guys felt on their last days of steam.
I entered the roundhouse at 630 a.m. on a cold 40* fall morning. Opened up the doors to the table to cool off the shop and climbed inside the engine. Looking at the water level in the boiler, I opened the fire box doors and checked on the banked fire. With boiler pressure still in the 150 psi range I decided to let her sleep a little longer. Jumping onto the tank, I checked on the water level in the tender, filled the oil cups on the air compressor, and greased the rods and bearings.
Climbing up into the cab once more, it was now time to dump the dead ash into the ash pan and break up the bank. Spreading the hot coals over the fire, the coals cool quickly leaving little time to add fresh coal. Grabbing the scoop, I throw several scoops of coal into the firebox to cover the hot coals. Once I shut the firebox doors I crank up the blower to ignite the coal as quick as possible before losing all of the fire. Outside a light black smoke is filling the air, and soon the town can smell the coal smoke as it fades off into town.
Climbing down out of the cab once more I grab the specially made ash rake to push the dead ash off the front corners of the ash pan and into the large hopper. Climbing back inside the cab, I open the fire doors to check the fire. With the fire doing well, I turn down the blower, throw more coal on the fire, and shake the rear grates to dump most of the dead ash from the previous day.
With the engine slowly awakening from her nap, it is time to awaken the "heart" aka air compressor. With steam drains open, and a few turns of the steam valve the air compressor slowly comes to life. As the cylinders warm up, I climb up using a wooden ladder to close off the steam drains. Now I climb inside once more and open the steam valve all the way to the air pump and listen to the compressor work hard to pump up the engine reservoirs. As the air pressure climbs, the turntable is hooked up to the brake pipe to pump up the air powered turntable at the same time. Pausing for a moment I take in all that is going on, knowing these are my final moments with the old girl.
As the air compressor slows, and a quick engine brake test is done, it is time for her to step outside the shop. The chain chock is removed, a loud hiss of exhaust from the power reverse, turn the bell on, and an easy hand on the throttle we slowly emerge from the roundhouse. This moment in full glory that was a normal job until now, suddenly sticks out like a sore thumb. Man and machine come to life. With the engine balanced on the table, the engine is turned for the days run. A small crowd of gatherers have come to watch the activities as the engine spins around.
Taking the throttle once more, I eased the engine off the table and empty the ash hopper. With servicing complete, the engine simmered in the mid morning light. Climbing inside the tender it was not time to "cut the coal". The term "cut the coal" is an old term used when the fireman or hostler would have to shovel coal to the front of the tender. With enough coal for at least one trip moved closer to the front, I walk around the engine once more with the ever growing appreciation for the night hostlers that would get the engine ready for the engine crew.
