Wednesday, July 6, 2016

Visit to Spencer

Over the July 4th weekend, our "staff photographer" Chuck Amstein had a very rewarding trip to the Spencer Shops in North Carolina.  He reports:
Southern Ry. depot, Salisbury, NC, restored and now used as an event center for dinners, weddings, etc.





North Carolina Transportation Museum, Spencer, NC.  Former Southern Ry. Shops and Roundhouse.
N&W 611 was a guest this weekend --



The one surviving Piedmont & Northern electric locomotive--


These two trolleys were supposed to be run on weekends in Charlotte after they finished their streetcar system, but that didn't happen.  I rode #85 (the last streetcar to operate in Charlotte) around 1997, powered by a trailing generator.






Turntable rides for the kiddies, including me--


I was invited on a backshop tour to see the Texas being restored.  I thought, gee, I didn't know they had a 2-10-4.  Actually, it turned out to be the real Texas of Great Locomotive Chase fame.




Now, the real reason for my trip:  Throttle time in the 611.  You don't get this opportunity every day.
Photos only before or after, no photos allowed while the train is moving.





Each participant ran back & forth on 1/4 mile of track about 10 mph, very carefully supervised, for 30 minutes.

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5 comments:

  1. AnonymousJuly 7, 2016 at 6:11 PM

    Careful Randy, you might catch the disease and become a steam man after all!
    C Kronenwetter
    IRM Member

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousJuly 9, 2016 at 8:45 PM

    Randall,
    I may get this deleted for this comment; but the North Carolina Transportation Museum, a fine museum though it is, sure is a long way from the Illinois Railway Museum. I would rather see and read more about IRM; than see pictures of something that is so distant!

    Ted Miles

    ReplyDelete
  3. Randall HicksJuly 9, 2016 at 8:59 PM

    Hey, you're treading on thin ice, buddy. (I suppose a Californian wouldn't understand what that means, but remind me next time somebody sends us pictures from Rio Vista!) Seriously, though, I think it's always interesting to see views of other museums, especially if it's from somebody we know, such as Chuck. He always takes great pictures. And of course we'll continue to post as many pictures from IRM as we can. Or your money back.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousJuly 10, 2016 at 8:03 PM

    Randy,
    I lived in New York for 35 years and went to college in Connecticut. So I do know about thin ice! On second thought museums are always a good thing!

    Ted Miles

    ReplyDelete
  5. Tony GuraJuly 10, 2016 at 9:33 PM

    Randall,

    Unlike the other Californian, I greatly appreciate the pictures you include of other museums in addition to IRM. I also know what ice is having grown up in the Chicago Area but I prefer our winters out here in the San Francisco Bay Area, even though housing is absurdly expensive. One nice part about living out here is that PCCs and Peter Witts from Milan, Italy pass by my office all day long on the F-Line.

    I will be visiting family soon so hopefully I will be able to visit IRM.

    Tony Gura

    ReplyDelete

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