Season's Greetings

[jwmathews]

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to all fellow O DScalers.

I've been absent from this forum for awhile, but want you all to know that you & this forum are not forgotten--I just haven't had much to say lately. A few months ago I dug out my K-Line B&M 2-6-6T and operated it at Robert Stivers' layout, as Robert had inquired about it & wanted to see it run. It pulled six brass Harriman commuter coaches around his pike just fine running forward, but we found that the front pilot coupler height was too high & that dummy coupler didn't connect freely to a Kadee. I was able to shim the coupler mount slightly & also shim the coupler pocket a bit to lower the coupler, but I cannot find my small files to open the area behind the coupler knuckle. So that project has stalled for the moment. The goal is to have the loco operate in reverse pulling coaches as reliably as it operates going forward (as per prototype).

Speaking of prototype, I rode Amtrak roundtrip to Denver last month to spend some time over Thanksgiving with relatives & celebrate my sister's birthday (had not seen those folks since 2012). It's a long trip as there is no direct service from the northwest to Denver as there once was via UP from Portland. Amtrak involves taking the Coast Starlight to Sacramento & transferring to the Cal Zephyr. Eastbound the connection is not too bad, but westbound the layover can be 11 hours or so--not a comfortable wait on the old-fashioned wood benches in the former SP station, now owned by the city. A far cry from the Denver station which has been heavily remodeled with shops & restaurants & many comfortable seats & sofas in the old waiting room (along with a few traditional wood benches near the platform side).

But the Superliner coaches are comfortable to ride in & I enjoyed the ride over Donner and through the Rockies & the 6.2-mile Moffatt Tunnel. The conductor announces that passengers should not walk through the cars (or open the end doors) while the train is in the tunnel, so as not to allow intrusion of coal dust & diesel fumes. For those who may not know, the peak of the climb is inside the tunnel (closer to west portal) at 9235 feet elevation Very interesting rock formations close to the train on both sides of the climb. It would be a nice ride to take during mid-June when much more daylight is available to view the scenery!

[bob turner]

Hi Woody! Welcome back!

In the summer the train is probably late. We went through that part eastbound in June in the dark.

[Erik C Lindgren]

Happy Holidays to you too sir

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