TRAINING FOR THE TRAIN

So, to get in shape for this train trip, I decided to also fulfil a life long desire to drive a train.  You can rent a locomotive at our local Railroad Museum so I called them up and booked me a GM GP-7.  A 1,500 hp, 16 cylinder, diesel electric motor of pure power.  Oil changes can be a little expensive with 200 gallons of oil and 230 gallons coolant.

The train instructor was an old hand named Woody.  After 20 some years on the regular railroad he signed on with the Ringling Circus and was train master for 5 years, living all year round on the the train.  He and his wife had 1/3 of a train car to live in and traveled all over the U.S.  He said it was a great adventure but after 5 years moved to the train overhaul shop and spent another 10 years there. Now he just plays with and repairs trains.

We went 6.5 miles down the track and the backed up for 6.5 miles. It was a hoot.  I was driving, blowing horns, whistles and bells. Unfortunately, the video did not come out, so you just have to imagine that wonderful WHOO, WHOO and DING, DING, DING sounds.



me and the conductor

 getting great instruction from on of the best

trains are diesel motors driving a large generator to drive electric motors at the wheels. so the 2 important things are how many amps you are using, that is the big square box at the top, and your air pressure to run the brakes, which is the three round guages.

 the tracks are not the greatests in the world. 15 mph is the max speed. the interesting thing is Woody could tell to the exact mph the speed we were traveling at.

 i guess i did good enough that woody was comfortable enough to set down with vicki and had lunch while i played away

Now I am ready for the Poor Mans Orient Express.

train muesum