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jm1941
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Jan 16, 2003
Last Visited: Nov 30, 2008
Location: Mount Gambier
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Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2003 10:58 am
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| K163 wrote: | | Now that i have been working on the loco for about 18 months now, i don't know why kids always stare at the loco all the time, must be the smoke or something. |
Think about that Craig. Just stand back yourself, sqat down to a youngsters size and really look at your steamer. Most these days see only cold diesels, (sorry diesel lovers) but to look at a fired up steamer, the steamer even a small one is a "HUGE ALIVE STEAMING BREATHING FIRE EATING BEASTY, with its heartbeat pounding away, even stationary" and to the kids and to bigger kids as well, their fantasy imaginations are working overtime. They do just stand and stare and take it all in and will never forget it either. See your the star (lucky crew) in the picture.  Wonderful Hey!
Regards,
John.
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Maikha
Not a gunzel
Joined: Sep 06, 2003
Last Visited: Nov 25, 2008
Location: Wagga Wagga, NSW
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Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2003 3:01 pm
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| jm1941 wrote: | | K163 wrote: | | Now that i have been working on the loco for about 18 months now, i don't know why kids always stare at the loco all the time, must be the smoke or something. |
Think about that Craig. Just stand back yourself, sqat down to a youngsters size and really look at your steamer. Most these days see only cold diesels, (sorry diesel lovers) but to look at a fired up steamer, the steamer even a small one is a "HUGE ALIVE STEAMING BREATHING FIRE EATING BEASTY, with its heartbeat pounding away, even stationary" and to the kids and to bigger kids as well, their fantasy imaginations are working overtime. They do just stand and stare and take it all in and will never forget it either. See your the star (lucky crew) in the picture. Wonderful Hey!
Regards,
John. |
Alot of us who have had associations, experiences or work with steam trains have a unique emotional response to being near a steam engine compared to a diesel or an electric train.
For me, it was the concept of the steam engine (3801 specifically) being a massive "fire eating beast", and the feeling of being on the footplate of a steam locomotive knowing, feeling, hearing and smelling the power that is being generated infront of you.
You can't ever get a similar experience in an electric or a diesel, which is simple as pushing buttons and pulling levers, and off you go. Sure there may be a vibration on the throttle and the loud rumble of the engine at work, but the magic is just not there.
Not only amongst us railway crew who work with steam, but I agree with everything John said previously. Amongst the general public, a steam train isn't just a train like they'd normally take to work/school/leisure etc. It has a life and mind of its own.
My 2.2c
Maikha "V" Ly
Cheers
Maikha Ly
The Intercity Platform & Valve Gear Media!
http://www.theintercityplatform.com/
Comments made are that of my own, and do not reflect those of organisations mentioned. |
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VRfan
Moderator
Joined: Jan 13, 2003
Last Visited: Dec 4, 2008
Location: In front of my computer :-p
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Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2003 4:32 pm
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It's all Puffing Billy's fault!  My parents took me on it when I was 3, and I've been hooked ever since... 
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Maikha
Not a gunzel
Joined: Sep 06, 2003
Last Visited: Nov 25, 2008
Location: Wagga Wagga, NSW
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Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2003 5:02 pm
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| VRfan wrote: | | It's all Puffing Billy's fault! My parents took me on it when I was 3, and I've been hooked ever since... |
The list of things which got me to where I am today, I blame in order:
1) Thomas the Tank Engine
2) My Parents
3) 3801
4) The ZZR driver who let me cabride his loco
cheers
Maikha "V" Ly
Cheers
Maikha Ly
The Intercity Platform & Valve Gear Media!
http://www.theintercityplatform.com/
Comments made are that of my own, and do not reflect those of organisations mentioned. |
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Riccardo
Minister for Railways
Joined: Aug 20, 2003
Last Visited: Dec 4, 2008
Location: Elsewhere
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K163
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Jan 15, 2003
Last Visited: Nov 29, 2008
Location: Well you see that house over there? Well it's not that one.
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Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2003 6:20 pm
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one thing that has made me very keen to work on the MR on the loco is how easy it is to fire a K class, and also 3 of the drivers are mate of mine, and all have given me at least 2 cabrides (excluding rostered days).
Regards,
Craig Walton
What I say here is my thoughts, and doesn't represent the MRPS or Woolworths ltd... smeg imagine it did!
If you want to loose weight, don't eat anything that comes in a BUCKET!
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K160
Minister for Railways
Joined: Jan 14, 2003
Last Visited: Dec 2, 2008
Location: Bendigo
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Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2003 8:37 pm
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My family has had a long association with the VGR since the CMRPS was formed in 1976 so I guess that was part of my reason for becoming interested in trains 
Regards
Matthew Davis
Last updated December 2nd 2008. |
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ParkesHub
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Jul 29, 2003
Last Visited: Dec 4, 2008
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Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2003 10:01 pm
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I can remember taking my son (now 21) into the cab of R761, can't remember where it was, when he was about 2 y.o. and he absolutely screamed his lungs out in shear terror with the heat, smoke, steam and the rythmic 'breathing'!!! Now, he loves trains!!!!!
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jm1941
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Jan 16, 2003
Last Visited: Nov 30, 2008
Location: Mount Gambier
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Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2003 9:44 am
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| ParkesHub wrote: | | I can remember taking my son (now 21) into the cab of R761, can't remember where it was, when he was about 2 y.o. and he absolutely screamed his lungs out in shear terror with the heat, smoke, steam and the rythmic 'breathing'!!! Now, he loves trains!!!!! |
, This reminded me when I was about 9 years old and my father was a Station Master at Mannahill on the Cockburn line in 1949. I wandered up to steam engine that was standing at the stock yards while loading cattle and the driver asked me if I would like to come up onto the engine cab. Well I did not have to be asked twice. Anyway after a while the crew was joking around with me for they knew who I was, then they opened the fire box to show me the fire. Well to me at that age it looks like the fires of hellfire, rather scary stuff. THEN, the fireman jokingly grabbed me and said to his cobber, "I think we put him into the fire" Well scream, your 2 year old would seem a rank amateur. They put me down and I was out of there like a shot, with the crew absolutely laughing their tits off. But all was okay as I was in the cab a few days later with same crew, but never did deter me, but hell I would keep one eye on the crew after that.
I look back on that as a fantastic memory, but imagine if that happened today, with the weak c**p of today.
Regards,
John.
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jm1941
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Jan 16, 2003
Last Visited: Nov 30, 2008
Location: Mount Gambier
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Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2003 10:24 am
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| Maikha wrote: | | 4) The ZZR driver who let me cabride his loco |
AND look what that lead to.
Maikha, seeing your a ZZRailwayman, next time your at ZZR go up to Bayer Garratt 402 for me, and touch her and say to her "Johnny said, to say hello" I loved these engines and shunted at Jamestown with this engine a lot in the 1960's (Jamestown was a reducing station for the notorious Belalie bank) and I cab rode and actually had a drive of this engine a couple of times. (under engineman's supervision of course). If you were in railway working in those days and interested in these engines, to get into the hot seat and have hands on the throttle for a section or two was easy. Ah those good old S.A.R. railway family days, now long gone.  I was instigator for first double heading these engines out of Jamestown, back over Belalie North to Peterborough, and it was a fantastic sight and sound to behold.
I have picture of 402 at ZZR sent to me, but has the 402 number plate missing off the front of the engine. Has the number plate been put back on since. No number plate is almost like standing there naked.
Nothing like standing in a stationary Bayer Garratt (see my avatar) on a cold frosty morning at 3am waiting for the cross with cab doors closed and the warmth and the pounding of the air pump sounding like your actually inside a resting moster listening to it's heartbeat pounding. These engines were also the most noisiest (fantasic) when under full power. One has to see and hear to truly believe.
Regards,
John.
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K163
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Jan 15, 2003
Last Visited: Nov 29, 2008
Location: Well you see that house over there? Well it's not that one.
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Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2003 3:51 pm
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| jm1941 wrote: | | ParkesHub wrote: | | I can remember taking my son (now 21) into the cab of R761, can't remember where it was, when he was about 2 y.o. and he absolutely screamed his lungs out in shear terror with the heat, smoke, steam and the rythmic 'breathing'!!! Now, he loves trains!!!!! |
, This reminded me when I was about 9 years old and my father was a Station Master at Mannahill on the Cockburn line in 1949. I wandered up to steam engine that was standing at the stock yards while loading cattle and the driver asked me if I would like to come up onto the engine cab. Well I did not have to be asked twice. Anyway after a while the crew was joking around with me for they knew who I was, then they opened the fire box to show me the fire. Well to me at that age it looks like the fires of hellfire, rather scary stuff. THEN, the fireman jokingly grabbed me and said to his cobber, "I think we put him into the fire" Well scream, your 2 year old would seem a rank amateur. They put me down and I was out of there like a shot, with the crew absolutely laughing their tits off. But all was okay as I was in the cab a few days later with same crew, but never did deter me, but hell I would keep one eye on the crew after that.
I look back on that as a fantastic memory, but imagine if that happened today, with the weak c**p of today.
Regards,
John. |
kids get even more scared of the fire when the doors are opened with the pedal instead of the handles. although they aren't as scared if you open the doors by hand, then press the pedal.
Regards,
Craig Walton
What I say here is my thoughts, and doesn't represent the MRPS or Woolworths ltd... smeg imagine it did!
If you want to loose weight, don't eat anything that comes in a BUCKET!
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michaelgreenhill
Patron Saint of Alcohol
Joined: Jan 17, 1985
Last Visited: Dec 4, 2008
Location: Lost Somewhere In Time
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Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2003 4:11 pm
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I'm placing the blame on ::
- My dad
- The driver who let me drive his two 48's onto the table at Junee (?)
- The cabride in dual BL's when I was 6
- Getting my photo published in Newsrail when I was 5
- Cabriding quad NR's on the Melb-Albury line
That's about it I think...
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Maikha
Not a gunzel
Joined: Sep 06, 2003
Last Visited: Nov 25, 2008
Location: Wagga Wagga, NSW
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Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2003 9:10 pm
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John
| jm1941 wrote: | | Maikha wrote: | | 4) The ZZR driver who let me cabride his loco |
AND look what that lead to.
Maikha, seeing your a ZZRailwayman, next time your at ZZR go up to Bayer Garratt 402 for me, and touch her and say to her "Johnny said, to say hello" I loved these engines and shunted at Jamestown with this engine a lot in the 1960's (Jamestown was a reducing station for the notorious Belalie bank) and I cab rode and actually had a drive of this engine a couple of times. (under engineman's supervision of course). If you were in railway working in those days and interested in these engines, to get into the hot seat and have hands on the throttle for a section or two was easy. Ah those good old S.A.R. railway family days, now long gone. I was instigator for first double heading these engines out of Jamestown, back over Belalie North to Peterborough, and it was a fantastic sight and sound to behold.
I have picture of 402 at ZZR sent to me, but has the 402 number plate missing off the front of the engine. Has the number plate been put back on since. No number plate is almost like standing there naked.
Nothing like standing in a stationary Bayer Garratt (see my avatar) on a cold frosty morning at 3am waiting for the cross with cab doors closed and the warmth and the pounding of the air pump sounding like your actually inside a resting moster listening to it's heartbeat pounding. These engines were also the most noisiest (fantasic) when under full power. One has to see and hear to truly believe.
Regards,
John. |
Tomorrow, I'm up there undertaking my FINAL assessment as a guard. I'll let the Garratt know you said hello
Cheers
Maikha "V" Ly
Cheers
Maikha Ly
The Intercity Platform & Valve Gear Media!
http://www.theintercityplatform.com/
Comments made are that of my own, and do not reflect those of organisations mentioned. |
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K160
Minister for Railways
Joined: Jan 14, 2003
Last Visited: Dec 2, 2008
Location: Bendigo
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Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2003 9:46 pm
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| K163 wrote: | | kids get even more scared of the fire when the doors are opened with the pedal instead of the handles. although they aren't as scared if you open the doors by hand, then press the pedal. |
Do they think that a ghost opens the doors 
Regards
Matthew Davis
Last updated December 2nd 2008. |
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albert3801
Chief Commissioner
Joined: May 05, 2003
Last Visited: Dec 3, 2008
Location: Werrington, NSW
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Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2003 1:00 am
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This has made me stop and think for a while... okay here goes my life story!
My family never owned a car - so the only way to ever get around was public transport - and I think that's what started my interest in it generally and trains specifically.
Up until around age 7 I grew up in Surry Hills, Sydney. Most Sundays my parents and I would go into the City. For some weird reason we'd get a bus into the City and then get the train home from Circular Quay to Museum, and when dad got more adventurous we actually took the train all the way to Central. For many years this was the extent of my rail experiences. One day my dad allowed us to stay at Central Platforms 22/23 for an hour after getting there to watch the train. I think that was the moment I was hooked... I was just fascinated watching the Mortdale trains and Cronulla and East Hills trains... and wondered why you had to change at Sutherland for Waterfall. Waterfall was this really mystical place for me which I could never imagine travelling to see!
At age 9 my family moved to Erskineville and our house was very close to the railway line! Also at that house we found an old Street Directory (I'd never seen one before) and my first job was to set out and trace where all the railway lines went!! After a week or so I'd compiled a list of stations on all lines to the boundaries of that street directory!! There were sooo many stations and lines crisscrossing and joining everywhere!!! This was just so fascinating.
At this house also I could step out into our back yard and get a very good view of all the trains going past... mostly red-rattlers; the Budd and Tulloch Rail Cars on the South Coast Daylight Express; 620 class rail cars and 48 class locos hauling low profile cars to Wollongong. Plus freight... and the very last few steamers hauling freight (only saw one or two) into the Alexandria goods yards.
I also got a good view of the pneumatic upper quadrant signals over the Illawarra line. I soon worked out what the signal indications meant and had modelled the area in lego, made lego trains and drove them around obeying and activating and tripping at Upper Quadrant Signals. I obtained timetables and just about learnt them all by heart. I made my own indicator boards and set them up in the back yard... and spent many a long summer day and evening changing the indicator boards to show where the next trains would be going too.
My parents thought I was absolutely mad... but they tolerated the practice as I couldn't get into too much trouble.
By age 12 I started High School in Lewisham - and had the chance to ride on the trains every day - two trains each direction from Erskineville to Lewisham.
Then by year 8 every Saturday would be spent riding trains and exploring more and more of the Sydney suburban network.
My family never travelled anywhere or went on holidays so my opportunities for train travel were rather limited... the highlight trip would have been in Year 11 going with the school on the North Coast Mail to Eungai.
And the rest as they say is history 
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