Hobo Jungle
Any hobos drinkin' tonight? Any songs or poems?
Found this one. Again, it might have been posted before. I should keep a list, but I'm not a list-type guy.
BUT
There is a compulsion to drive north:
The belief that if you could only go far enough,
Past the Maritimes, past the Gaspe Peninsula,
Across the St. Lawrence River, over
The last tenable roads, that there
You would find an outpost tavern
Held over from the days of the lost North,
With spar-varnished snowshoes stacked
And a monstrous fire of arm-spread-wide birch
And iron cauldrons of bubbling stew
And pewter tankards of rare ale,
Laughter and thick wool shirts
In dark and gaudy plaids.
And the jokes would be funny
And the stories long and true,
And the women would embrace you
With firm and bountiful chests,
And the ale would be cheap and fresh,
So when you fell drunk before the hearth
A grinning voyageur would cover you
Gently with a massive wool shirt
While you dreamt dreams as clear
As a vision in the arctic dark.
Found this one. Again, it might have been posted before. I should keep a list, but I'm not a list-type guy.
BUT
There is a compulsion to drive north:
The belief that if you could only go far enough,
Past the Maritimes, past the Gaspe Peninsula,
Across the St. Lawrence River, over
The last tenable roads, that there
You would find an outpost tavern
Held over from the days of the lost North,
With spar-varnished snowshoes stacked
And a monstrous fire of arm-spread-wide birch
And iron cauldrons of bubbling stew
And pewter tankards of rare ale,
Laughter and thick wool shirts
In dark and gaudy plaids.
And the jokes would be funny
And the stories long and true,
And the women would embrace you
With firm and bountiful chests,
And the ale would be cheap and fresh,
So when you fell drunk before the hearth
A grinning voyageur would cover you
Gently with a massive wool shirt
While you dreamt dreams as clear
As a vision in the arctic dark.
Last edited by Tramp on Sat Mar 05, 2005 6:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Did you read the poem? I want one of those tankards of ALE.
My book must be arriving soon.
My book must be arriving soon.
Last edited by Tramp on Sat Mar 05, 2005 8:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.
A little more Niagara info:
NEW YORK CENTRAL NIAGARA 4-8-4, Class S1b
Built by American Locomotive Company, Schenectady, New York
1945-1946
SPECIFICATIONS
Cylinders: 25-1/2 in. X 32 in.
Tractive Force: 61,500 lbs
Boiler Pressure: 275 psi
Driver Diameter: 79 inches
Engine Weight: 471,000 lbs
25 of this class were built
World War II stretched the U. S. railroads to the limit and the New York Central was no exception. Near the end of the war they were given permission by the War Production Board to buy a new 4-8-4 locomotive which met their restriction of "no new passenger power." Number 6000, Class S-1a, was delivered by the American Locomotive Company in Schenectady, NY in March 1945. The locomotive class was named "Niagara." Although 6000 was delivered with 75 in. diameter drivers it was designed to also accept 79 in. drivers, with which it was soon fitted. Twenty-six additional locomotives were ordered with delivery starting in October 1945, after the war was over. The last of these, number 5500, class S-2a, was the same as the others with one major exception, it utilized the Franklin system of steam distribution with poppet valves. This system promised greater efficiency in the admission and exhausting of steam from the cylinders.
Upon delivery the New York Central started using the Niagaras where they really needed them, on main line long-distance passenger runs. With 46 tons of coal in the tender these locomotives could make the run from Harmon, NY (where they took over from electric powered trains from Grand Central Terminal in New York City) to Chicago with only one stop for coal. Water was picked up on the fly from track pans situated at strategic locations along the whole route.
In 1926 the Northern Pacific Railroad had taken delivery from Alco of the first steam locomotive with a 4-8-4 wheel arrangement. The eight drivers transmitted enough power to pull passenger trains without doubleheading (two locomotives pulling the train), while the four trailing wheels supported the large firebox needed to generate the required steam. This wheel arrangement was originally called "Northern Pacific", but was soon shortened to "Northern". Over 1100 locomotives were built with the 4-8-4 wheel arrangement. There were at least eight other names for Northerns that were used by other roads. Only the National Railways of Mexico also used Niagara.
Dieselization of the New York Central soon caught up with Niagaras and pushed them into freight service and eventually retirement. The last Niagara run was made in 1956.
NEW YORK CENTRAL NIAGARA 4-8-4, Class S1b
Built by American Locomotive Company, Schenectady, New York
1945-1946
SPECIFICATIONS
Cylinders: 25-1/2 in. X 32 in.
Tractive Force: 61,500 lbs
Boiler Pressure: 275 psi
Driver Diameter: 79 inches
Engine Weight: 471,000 lbs
25 of this class were built
World War II stretched the U. S. railroads to the limit and the New York Central was no exception. Near the end of the war they were given permission by the War Production Board to buy a new 4-8-4 locomotive which met their restriction of "no new passenger power." Number 6000, Class S-1a, was delivered by the American Locomotive Company in Schenectady, NY in March 1945. The locomotive class was named "Niagara." Although 6000 was delivered with 75 in. diameter drivers it was designed to also accept 79 in. drivers, with which it was soon fitted. Twenty-six additional locomotives were ordered with delivery starting in October 1945, after the war was over. The last of these, number 5500, class S-2a, was the same as the others with one major exception, it utilized the Franklin system of steam distribution with poppet valves. This system promised greater efficiency in the admission and exhausting of steam from the cylinders.
Upon delivery the New York Central started using the Niagaras where they really needed them, on main line long-distance passenger runs. With 46 tons of coal in the tender these locomotives could make the run from Harmon, NY (where they took over from electric powered trains from Grand Central Terminal in New York City) to Chicago with only one stop for coal. Water was picked up on the fly from track pans situated at strategic locations along the whole route.
In 1926 the Northern Pacific Railroad had taken delivery from Alco of the first steam locomotive with a 4-8-4 wheel arrangement. The eight drivers transmitted enough power to pull passenger trains without doubleheading (two locomotives pulling the train), while the four trailing wheels supported the large firebox needed to generate the required steam. This wheel arrangement was originally called "Northern Pacific", but was soon shortened to "Northern". Over 1100 locomotives were built with the 4-8-4 wheel arrangement. There were at least eight other names for Northerns that were used by other roads. Only the National Railways of Mexico also used Niagara.
Dieselization of the New York Central soon caught up with Niagaras and pushed them into freight service and eventually retirement. The last Niagara run was made in 1956.
Tramp, I have ALWAYS had a soft spot for misfits!!! Why, I classify myself as one!!!! Read on, Brother..
The Boston & Maine Railroad bought 25 Berkshires from the Lima Locomotive Works and numbered them from 4000 through 4024. These B&M "Berks" had a very distinctive appearance. The feedwater heaters circled the the crown of the smokebox and lent a cavernous look to the front of the locomotive.
The first batch of twenty locomotives, designated Class T-1a, arrived in 1928 and had: 27.5 x 30 cylinders, 63" drivers. a boiler pressure of 240 psi, a tractive effort of 66,500 lbs and a weight of 390,200 pounds. The last five, designated Class T-1b, were delivered in 1929 and were similar except they had a tractive effort of 68,990 lbs and a weight of 403,000 pounds.
From the beginning, the B&M had problems with their Lima built Berkshires. The problem was with the trailing four wheel truck. Because of the large firebox and large ashpan the locomotive had to have an articulated frame. The back end of the firebox had to rest on a moving base and it was subject to buffeting and twisting, resulting in chronic leakage at the mudring, side sheet staybolts and the throat sheet, as it tried to wiggle from side to side to follow the motion of the trucks. Also, this arrangement would sometimes cause the rear wheels to derail while backing up.
During the closing months of World War II, the western railroads were in dire need of motive power to handle the shift in material and personnel from the European front to the war in the Pacific. The Boston & Maine was never really satisfied with its Lima built Berkshires and jumped at the chance to help the war effort and to unload its "lemons". The B&M sold 10 Berkshires to the Southern Pacific and 7 to the Santa Fe.
Tramp, It's in Jackson!!!!!!!!!!
The Boston & Maine Railroad bought 25 Berkshires from the Lima Locomotive Works and numbered them from 4000 through 4024. These B&M "Berks" had a very distinctive appearance. The feedwater heaters circled the the crown of the smokebox and lent a cavernous look to the front of the locomotive.
The first batch of twenty locomotives, designated Class T-1a, arrived in 1928 and had: 27.5 x 30 cylinders, 63" drivers. a boiler pressure of 240 psi, a tractive effort of 66,500 lbs and a weight of 390,200 pounds. The last five, designated Class T-1b, were delivered in 1929 and were similar except they had a tractive effort of 68,990 lbs and a weight of 403,000 pounds.
From the beginning, the B&M had problems with their Lima built Berkshires. The problem was with the trailing four wheel truck. Because of the large firebox and large ashpan the locomotive had to have an articulated frame. The back end of the firebox had to rest on a moving base and it was subject to buffeting and twisting, resulting in chronic leakage at the mudring, side sheet staybolts and the throat sheet, as it tried to wiggle from side to side to follow the motion of the trucks. Also, this arrangement would sometimes cause the rear wheels to derail while backing up.
During the closing months of World War II, the western railroads were in dire need of motive power to handle the shift in material and personnel from the European front to the war in the Pacific. The Boston & Maine was never really satisfied with its Lima built Berkshires and jumped at the chance to help the war effort and to unload its "lemons". The B&M sold 10 Berkshires to the Southern Pacific and 7 to the Santa Fe.
Tramp, It's in Jackson!!!!!!!!!!
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