# how's this for climbing a grade?...



## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

I love steep winding mountain railways, and hope to capture this kind of atmosphere in my layout...









I'm always looking around for old strange train pictures, and this is one of the more odd ones... 










This is the Mauch Chunk Switchback Railway. I'm including one of these really cool double switchbacks in my layout plan. 

More pics for layout ideas...


----------



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Hey Greg,

What's that thing pushing (pulling?) the passenger car on the right side of the first photo? It looks like a green version of Speed Racer's Mach 5 !

Any idea on what that actually might be ???

TJ


----------



## novice (Feb 2, 2011)

The winding "S" in the 2nd photo is very cool 0 a few too many people in that cab though


----------



## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

tjcruiser said:


> Hey Greg,
> 
> What's that thing pushing (pulling?) the passenger car on the right side of the first photo? It looks like a green version of Speed Racer's Mach 5 !
> 
> ...


Near as I can tell from other photos, It's a cart pulled by a cable or a rope that pushes the excursion car up the hill.


----------



## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

novice said:


> The winding "S" in the 2nd photo is very cool 0


Yeah, I love steep winding mountain railways... so my layout is going to look *just like that.* 



> a few too many people in that cab though


More people makes it go faster...


----------



## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

Some more oddities...


----------



## haphall (Feb 1, 2011)

The second pic of Gravity #21 is from the Mt. Tamalpais and Muir Woods Railroad in northern California. It's described in Theodore G. Wurm's book, The Crookedest Railroad in the World. A copy just closed on ebay at $15.99 with no bids. I don't recall what I paid. I'm sure I'm violating copyright laws, but that train was pulled/pushed by this little beauty...


----------



## gc53dfgc (Apr 13, 2010)

haphall said:


> The second pic of Gravity #21 is from the Mt. Tamalpais and Muir Woods Railroad in northern California. It's described in Theodore G. Wurm's book, The Crookedest Railroad in the World. A copy just closed on ebay at $15.99 with no bids. I don't recall what I paid. I'm sure I'm violating copyright laws, but that train was pulled/pushed by this little beauty...


Very beutiful Shay. Not breaking any laws its called free use/fair use which means a picture can be psoted as long as you don't charge for it if its not yours so your good.


----------



## gc53dfgc (Apr 13, 2010)

What is so strange about that last pic greg? It looks like just a normal trolley from a major city area.


----------



## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

Some more miscellaneous oddities...


----------



## qmas (Mar 24, 2010)

I found this yesterday and was hoping for an excuse to post it.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unhXEQQk8G8


----------



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Gmas,

Neat video. First time I've ever seen a human pantograph! Quite the electrifying job!

TJ


----------



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

I had posted these in another thread a while back, but will repeat them here ... the Mt. Washington Cog Railway in New Hampshire ... tons of fun to ride!




























TJ


----------



## Gansett (Apr 8, 2011)

Wonder if he gets time and a half if it's raining?

:laugh:


----------



## qmas (Mar 24, 2010)

tjcruiser said:


> TJ


Check this out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBdCN7Ssuc0&feature=related


----------



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Gmas,

I like it when you're not just lurking!

That's a great video. You know, I've probably witnessed that in real life, but had no idea what I was watching at the time ... all 9 parts of it. Pretty cool / tricky stuff. Thanks VERY much for posting that!

Have you ever ridden on the Mt. Wash Cog???

TJ


----------



## qmas (Mar 24, 2010)

Actually, it's Qmas.....

I've never had the pleasure of riding of riding a cog railway. Would love to see (drool over) one some day though. Pikes Peak is the closest one that I know of.


----------



## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

Hey, take a look at this *excellent* old film...


----------



## qmas (Mar 24, 2010)

That snow ball fight between the women looked viscous! :laugh:

Can a steam loco use compression to slow its decent? Also, does a steam engine gain or loose power at higher elevations?


----------



## qmas (Mar 24, 2010)

Kind of unrelated but since we're talking about pikes peak, check out this old Chevy commercial.....






You would be shot if you tried that today......:laugh:


----------



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

qmas ... sorry about the g / q confusion. My bad. Great to have your onboard!

TJ


----------



## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

qmas said:


> That snow ball fight between the women looked viscous! :laugh:
> 
> (oooh... catfight  )
> 
> ...


----------



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Girl fight! Girl fight! Oohh laa laa !!!

Fun Cog video. I agree that the loco boiler would have to be run more vigorously at higher elevations, but I disagree about the water boiling comment. I've had water boiling at room temerature in a vacuum machine. Less pressure (as with higher altitudes) means water boils more easily (at lower temperatures).

However, that doesn't mean that there's more potential energy in the water ... case in point being the room-temp boiling water (in a vacuum). So, accordingly, it becomes more and more difficult to induce the required energy into a conventional steam loco (moderately low pressure system) at high altitudes.

Regards,

TJ


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

choo choo said:


> qmas said:
> 
> 
> > At elevation, water boils at a higher temprature so they would definitely need more heat.
> ...


----------



## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

Guess that's why I'm not a physicist...


----------



## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

All I know is the longer I stare at it the longer it takes to boil 
Bob


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

You must be gaining altitude while you stare, perhaps if you lay off the sauce while you're boiling the water...


----------



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

raleets said:


> All I know is the longer I stare at it the longer it takes to boil
> Bob


Love it! Words of wisdom ... words of wisdom!


----------

