And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Wednesday, August 14, 2024
December 1942. "Chicago, Illinois. Switching and classification freight yards. Engineer and fireman thawing out air compressors on a cold morning at a Chicago and North Western railyard."
Engines were pulled off the dead lines and scrap tracks and put back into service. By wars end the majority were plain wore out due to age and deferred maintenance. Many had been built just after the turn of the century. That's another reason diesels didn't have much competition.
Ive ridden in a steam locomotive cab, in fact it was I think the last steam locomotive built in the US , for the military, in mid to late 45 or early 46, and was used as a trainer, to teach the men going to europe for the Marshall Plan, how to operate steam locomotives.
the labor required to operate a steam loco is hard to imagine.
Its a full time job for three men, requiring a lot of concentration and attention. and everything wore out very fast and required alot of frequent maintenance
switching to diesel electric locomotives , using the technology developed from the WW-2 submarines was a huge mobey and labor savings.
that said, a steam engine is like a living creature, I got to help shovel coal in the firebox and the labor and coal and water required to move a small 7 car train on flat ground was unreal.
And we are at war.
ReplyDeleteEngines were pulled off the dead lines and scrap tracks and put back into service. By wars end the majority were plain wore out due to age and deferred maintenance. Many had been built just after the turn of the century. That's another reason diesels didn't have much competition.
ReplyDeleteIve ridden in a steam locomotive cab, in fact it was I think the last steam locomotive built in the US , for the military, in mid to late 45 or early 46, and was used as a trainer, to teach the men going to europe for the Marshall Plan, how to operate steam locomotives.
ReplyDeletethe labor required to operate a steam loco is hard to imagine.
Its a full time job for three men, requiring a lot of concentration and attention.
and everything wore out very fast and required alot of frequent maintenance
switching to diesel electric locomotives , using the technology developed from the WW-2 submarines was a huge mobey and labor savings.
that said, a steam engine is like a living creature, I got to help shovel coal in the firebox and the labor and coal and water required to move a small 7 car train on flat ground was unreal.