Sierra Railroad Doubleheader 1 of 3

The Pacific Locomotive Association (operators of the Niles Canyon Railway) sponsored an event on the Sierra Railroad out of Oakdale, which involved ex-McCloud Railroad #18, and Sierra Railroad #28 from Railtown 1897. All equipment, besides #18, is from Railtown 1897.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Sierra
• Railroad
• Railtown
• 1897
• Steam
• Locomotive
• Double
• Header

[Steam2k]

momentarily is all.

[UnknownIdaho]

I have a record from 1977 'Journey to Yesterday' that has a Sierra double header and it is amazing how similar it sounds to this one. But I find the Sierra's whistles much more 'pleasing' than the squawky sound of the McCloud Loco! Of course I've heard the record a thousand times. Literally. We made a tape of it for our model railroad display at the Fair and heard it over and over and over and somehow never got tired of it! I ought to take this video and overlay the sound from the record!

[pogularocky]

A fully loaded steam-engine-driven train is almost 50 times more efficient than a passenger car, per person, transported over similar distance.

[WhyAyeMann]

The exhaust is like a doghnut metaphoricly speaking. The white steam is in the inside, but the black soot covers it over making it look like there is 3 times as much smoke as there really is. Not to mention that the steam is cooling rapidly so it is going to look darker than sheet white. Also, the soot and as goes back to the ground and as SR722 said, it will blend back into the earth. Diesels emit fumes and burnt gasses which go directly into the atmosphere whereas smoke goes back to the ground

[SR722]

Yup, steam should be brought back to the high iron. Steam locomotives can do the work of any diesel and almost always do a better job at it. (On the Pennsy it took FOUR F-units to replace ONE K-4 on passenger runs).

[DanielVolker]

Amen to that!

[SR722]

Well, diesels use an internal combustion engine, and though they are more efficient than steam locomotives, more of the exhaust, like a car, goes to the atmosphere. However, trains are still far more efficient than any car or airplane.

[SR722]

Most of what you're seeing is steam, mixed with light exhaust from the firebox. Once again, the majority of that "smoke" is really just steam. Besides, most of the exhaust will drift back down, and harmlessly blend in with the earth. Steam locomotives, compared to an automobile, are pretty "green".