That time of the year has returned!!! Weather starting to cool off, air quality good again...and "visions of JTS trains dance in our heads"!! Makes me long for the return to the "hills and the desert".
Must say it has indeed been a while; esp for me...and not just cause of the summer heat. The home remodeling/building business in non-existent and time are to say the least "tough". Makes for doing extra and special things difficult.
That having been said, I'm still trying. And with that in mind, coupled w/the "lure of the high country and trains" want to get back and see how ole 529 is persisting. Had hoped to finish residing the one side last year ;almost but not quite. So; goal for this year is to complete that segment and then start on the other side.
Initially gave consideration to just re-conditioning the second side, but now with the new siding on; the remaing side looks bad...on with it....Hey; after all: it's just time and money!!!!
I have some photos of the interior of the 529 in its original configuration that I obtained from Espee Historical. Soon as I can get rd to it, will post in the 529 along with the already posted original newspaper article and the model. Would try to post here on the blog, but that's above my pay grade (ability!!)
Ole 529 has quite a history from its long haul days to its final time as a transfer unit. (Just makes it all the more amazing that JTS acquired it and why it needs to be preserved) It has been rebuilt three times by Espee. If I can survive and persevere, I'd like to put her back in the original configuration. ....And for those of you who have asked, YES, it did have a "crapper" and an enclosure. A good ole "straight thru the floor type". Imagine what that must have been like rolloin down the rails in the winter time!!!! Oh well, when ya gotta go...ya gotta go!!!! Right. Had drop-down sleeping bunks as well.
Thanks to TA for getting the log-in info to me so I can get the blog going again. My computer completely was eaten up and I lost my address and everything.
Also: any one able to make a monetary contribution to the continued efforts; such would be much appreciated. This process is expensive. Make the contribution to JTS/Caboose fund....and thxz from me and 529.
HAPPY TRAININ!!!!
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Sunday, January 17, 2010
evolution, con'd
CABOOSES ROCK!!!!
There are those of us RR "purests" who still feel a train just isn't a train w/o a cabbose...well, ok, then, us old guys...but such is still the case!!!
Cabooses DO ROCK..no, not talking about that moving motion. Yes, they did do that, severly in the beginning. But the change from freight trucks to pass. ones made a huge difference. I'm talking about "cool!!", or as todays kids would call it..."awesome!!" They were (are) something special...and the likes of our 529 are something special again. And that's why we need to preserve it...but more on that later...for now, back to "the evelotion"!!!
The continued "development" of the caboose is generally creditied to a chap named Nat Williams, a passenger conductor for the Auburn & Syracuse RR (NYC system) somewhere rd 1840. He was fed up w/the cramped and uncomfortable "quarters" he had on the pass. trains in which to transact his duties. Usually consisted of finding an open seat or being relagated to any availalbe space in the baggage car where he could do his paper work. Had to be a better way.
He had heard of the conversions that some RR construction crews out west were using, but being out in the weahter w/the wind blowing his papers rd and the heat/cold was not an exciting thought.
Then one day he had one of those "AH-HA" moments. Why not use one of those short boxcars (then called bobbers...hench the name bobber caboose), cut in a doorway, and Wall-Ah ...They already had roof/sides and weather protection!!! His next "AH-HA" moment was, hey; got all kinds of room in here...I can store tools, flags, lanterns, spare part, etc. other things the train might need. (thus arrising the common practice of all cabooses)
His brain-storm was soon picked up by others, even back to the constr. crews where the "concept" origninated!!! Railroads soon also pick up on the idea/value of these...made 'em longer, added windoows, stoves, bunks. etc. and the evelouton of the caboose was on!!!!! To bad for Williamas that trademarks/copyrights weren't rd yet....he could have gotten rich!!!!!
Next: the "rise" of the cupola. And ever wonder why cabooses came to be painted red???? At least for a long time
There are those of us RR "purests" who still feel a train just isn't a train w/o a cabbose...well, ok, then, us old guys...but such is still the case!!!
Cabooses DO ROCK..no, not talking about that moving motion. Yes, they did do that, severly in the beginning. But the change from freight trucks to pass. ones made a huge difference. I'm talking about "cool!!", or as todays kids would call it..."awesome!!" They were (are) something special...and the likes of our 529 are something special again. And that's why we need to preserve it...but more on that later...for now, back to "the evelotion"!!!
The continued "development" of the caboose is generally creditied to a chap named Nat Williams, a passenger conductor for the Auburn & Syracuse RR (NYC system) somewhere rd 1840. He was fed up w/the cramped and uncomfortable "quarters" he had on the pass. trains in which to transact his duties. Usually consisted of finding an open seat or being relagated to any availalbe space in the baggage car where he could do his paper work. Had to be a better way.
He had heard of the conversions that some RR construction crews out west were using, but being out in the weahter w/the wind blowing his papers rd and the heat/cold was not an exciting thought.
Then one day he had one of those "AH-HA" moments. Why not use one of those short boxcars (then called bobbers...hench the name bobber caboose), cut in a doorway, and Wall-Ah ...They already had roof/sides and weather protection!!! His next "AH-HA" moment was, hey; got all kinds of room in here...I can store tools, flags, lanterns, spare part, etc. other things the train might need. (thus arrising the common practice of all cabooses)
His brain-storm was soon picked up by others, even back to the constr. crews where the "concept" origninated!!! Railroads soon also pick up on the idea/value of these...made 'em longer, added windoows, stoves, bunks. etc. and the evelouton of the caboose was on!!!!! To bad for Williamas that trademarks/copyrights weren't rd yet....he could have gotten rich!!!!!
Next: the "rise" of the cupola. And ever wonder why cabooses came to be painted red???? At least for a long time
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