Jerry Joe Jacobson
Photo courtesy of Evan Cihlar, Railroading in Amerca Magazine.
Edition 4 of Railroading in America Magazine is dedicated in memory to Jerry joe Jacobson, a lifelong railroad enthusiast. Mr. Jacobson owned and operated the age of steam roundhouse in Sugarcreek, Ohio for many years and has restored steam engines all over the United States. Sadly, he is no longer with us. Mr. Jacobson was a ďŹ ne man and was a friend to many. He will never be forgotten and will always be in our hearts and souls as railroad enthusiasts. Rest in peace Jerry Joe Jacobson, you will be missed.
Table of Contents
Page 1..............................................The History of the San Diego Three-Railers Page 6....................................................Steam in the Valley 2017: A Memoir Page 10...............................................................EMD's E-Units Page 12................................................................Steam of the Keystone State: Reading and Blue Mountain 425 Page 14.....................................Building Your First Model railroad: Track-work and Wiring Page 17............................................Amtrak: A Necessity to American Transportation Page 19.........................................................Product Review: Menard's 1:48 Scale Panel Trucks Page 20.............................................Lionel Lionmaster vs. MTH Railking: What is Good? What is Bad? Page 24.........................................................Advertisements
Edition 4, Volume 1: November 2017
Steam in the Valley 2017: A Memoir Garrett Monnin Editor in Cheif
Deep in the heart of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park on a cool, crisp, morning, one could experience a special kind of peacefulness. The birds were chirping, the Cuyahoga River flowed calmly, and the condensation from the chilly night had turned into a slight overhanging fog, that hung onto the rails of the nearby railroad tracks. All of a sudden, a plume of steam that was as white as snow came into view on the horizon as it rose into the bright blue sky. A faint sound of chuffing could be made out amidst the stillness. As the sights and sounds of a steam locomotive drew closer, the sounds of nature had seemed to have quieted almost as in respect for the machine that was present. The cluster of trees soon gave way to the awesome sight of the 1944-built 2-8-4 Berkshire number 765, who is a veteran of the Nickel Plate Road, and who also happens to be a beloved excursion star. With her Nathan 6 chime whistle reverberating through valley, and her oscillating MARS light piercing the fog, 765 put on quite a show for the large congregation of locals, nature enthusiasts, and railfans of all ages that awaited her. Once the diesel locomotive on the rear of the consist is out of sight, the stillness returns, and the only evidence of nature being disturbed remnants are the remnants of the steam and ever-shrinking congregation of people. Scenes like this, and much more, are all a part of the 2017 rendition of Steam in the Valley. During two weekends in the month of September, the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society (FWRHS) partners with the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad (CVSR) to run a special series of steam powered trips up and down the railroad, since the CVSR does not currently operate or own their own steam locomotive. For 2017, the weekends of these trips were on the weekend of September 16/17 and September 23/24. On Railroading in America Magazine
Saturdays, the train originated at the Rockside Station in Independence, Ohio. On Sundays, Akron Northside Station was the place of Origin of the passenger train. Each trip was a two hour round trip, which included a photo runby. Since there was no turning facilities at either end of the line, one of CVSR’s own diesel locomotives joined 765 on the other end of the train, and the two sources of motive power worked in a “push-pull” fashion. I made my visit to the Cuyahoga Valley on the first weekend of trips, and my friend, Evan, and I purchased ticket to ride in the diner, due to the more preferable open window cars being sold out. We arrived at Rockside Station early in order to get a good shot of the 765 making her grand entrance and delighting the her soon - to - be passengers. Lots of others had the same 5
idea as us, as apparent by the large throng of fellow photographers that soon surrounded us. We had a chance to get a practice run before the real deal, thanks to the passing of the regular scenic train that also occupied the railroad. After much anticipation, white plumes of steam were visible and a loud hiss could be heard as the cylinder cocks opened and released the condensated water that had formed in the cylinders. The smokebox was the only part of the locomotive that could be seen, as the majority of the engine enshrouded herself in steam, that looked pure and crisp in the cool, clear sky. Upon the conclusion of the engine’s slow speed spectacle, the train squealed to a stop at the station platform. Boarding soon commenced, and before we knew it, we were setting our stuff down on our table and going through the shots we had just taken. Once everyone had found their seat, the sold out train highballed out of the station and we headed south. Evan and I’s experience was relatively uneventful until the photo runby at Boston Mills. We simply sat back and took in the visual vistas that greeted us along the way, especially at Brecksville, with the iconic arched bridge made of concrete that crosses over the Cuyahoga river and valley. This particular location is perhaps the most popular place along the railroad, as far as pictures are concerned. The train slowed just before appearing under the bridge and strutting her stuff in front of the large - very, very large group of observers awaiting. We now find ourselves at Boston Mills as we setup our equipment while we chat with a very friendly and knowledgeable CVSR staff member. Everyone has just disembarked from the train and scrambling to find a suitable vantage point to observe or film the runby from. If one was to look up and down the line of cameras, the scene closely resembled something that came out of the paparazzi who are along the red carpet in Hollywood or New York. The engineer backs his train up and awaits for authority to proceed. He soon gets permission and wastes little time in getting up to speed and based 6
off of the sound of the stack, he is really going after the throttle. Cameras instantly start clicking and videos are rolling as 765 pounds past the long line of passengers. The whistle is being kept busy due to the crossing which is adjacent to the station. The ground shook as nearly 400 tons of American made steel made its presence known, up until the diesel on the end is whisked away from view. The consist is again backed up for another runby, except this one is performed at a slightly higher speed. A thick grey smoke is sent shooting up into the sky, but the exhaust soon becomes clear as the expert fireman adjusts his fire. Our cameras clicked away and Evan’s video camera caught all of the action from both runbys. We soon embark on the train and continue our southward trek. A glimpse of the heart of the CVSR is able to be caught as we slow down for the yard limits of the Fitzwater yard, which is home to the maintenance shop and coach yard for the railroad. We will soon see more of Fitzwater yard. Upon arrival in a town called Indigo lake, we stopped our journey and the diesel took over. The entirety of the northbound trip was spent looking over our large number of good shots, deleting bad ones, discussing plans for the rest of the day, and eating cheese balls and fruit snacks. When the train arrived back at the Independence station, we hustled to the trestle just north of Indigo Lake that crossed over the Cuyahoga river. The bank of the river served as an exceptional photo location. Another fellow railfan soon joined us and struck up conversation with us. He is very passionate about railroads, both real and their smaller- scale counterparts. He enjoys modelling the Pennsylvania railroad, (or “Pennsy” for short) and Baltimore and Ohio railroad in eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania. Very prototypical and realistic operating sessions are among his favorite pastimes. Us three were also fortunate enough to get a practice run as the regular scenic train again greeted us and rolled past our equipment. Just as before, the steam special was heard and last minute adjustments were made as we Edition 4, Volume 1: November 2017
got behind the cameras. The trestle and river in conjunction with 765 gracefully crossing above made for quite the aesthetic scene. I surely took advantage of my camera’s 6 frames per second as I kept the shutter button pressed down until the FWRHS tool car passed over us. The hike through the shrubbery was made and we found ourselves just crossing the tracks when we heard two blasts from the diesel on the read end of the train. A safe spot was soon found as the cameras were frantically readied and waited for 765 to be visible as she was being towed. As she crossed the same trestle which has a slight curve to it, I managed to get a perfect head on shot of the berkshire. The extra photo opportunity was a great plus and it was a great way to close out the afternoon. A lunch and rest break was taken and our cameras were recharged. However, our time with 765 was not over just yet. Later that night, I was to partake in my first engine watch. Nearly every night that there is steam in the boiler and fire on the grates, there needs to be Railroading in America Magazine
some degree of supervision. This is to make sure that any problem that may arise will get immediate attention, and also serves as a security purpose so that nobody can sneak into the engine. Evan is on the engine crew of the 765, so this is not his first rodeo. Once we arrived and were in the cab, I was introduced to the crew on duty. All of the crew was very friendly and hospitable as I was shown some of the ropes. I was happy to tell everyone about myself and it was very interesting to learn a bit about everyone else as well. I was taught how to use the injector, shovel coal, and blow down the boiler. The hands on learning greatly enhanced my understanding of various controls throughout the cab, and it truly is something that cannot be truly comprehended from just reading a book. I also brought my camera and snapped some shots. As a photographer, having the whole engine to myself was great, and I got creative. After getting lots of photos and saying our goodbyes to the crew, I was looking forward to a good night's rest. I am very fortunate to have the chance to have the experience that I did, and I hope to do lots of more work with the FWRHS and crew in the near future. A morning encounter was planned with 765, but due to various reasons, this was not to be. That meant that the one final turn of my head as I walked away was to be the last time I would lay my eyes upon her, for now. I highly recommend to anyone who has not had the chance the see this time machine thunder through the Cuyahoga valley to do so. Come feel the ground shake, hear the whistle echo, and see the drivers roll. You won’t regret it.
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Edition 4, Volume 1: November 2017