Why that Clinchfield 767 really was stopped

[NW Mailing List]

I appreciate Mike Pierry's comments regarding my UP Challenger/CRR 767 memories of the 1992 Santa Train on the CSX/Clinchfield.


>>> One of the real wonders of
the day was to see that huge 
articulated enter and exit the 
many tunnels on that run. I 
attach a shot made where it 
has paused to allow Santa 
to toss from the rear and the 
cars and folks lining the 
highway are just amazing.    
Mike Pierry, Jr.  <<<<



I totally agree that seeing the Challenger roll thru all those tunnels was a treat ... and a reminder of many of the 1218's (my personal fave excursion loco) exploits in real life and excursions. 


It also reminded me that a Challenger like UP's had scraped the insides of a Clinchfield tunnel on its first run about 70 years ago. The whole time 3985/767 was there, I sure was wondering ... 


The many tunnels on the Clinchfield, as exciting as they are, may be a long term survival problem for practically the entire route. The tunnels mostly (maybe all) are not big enough for what are now the standard, higher, double stack containers and re-working 30+ tunnels strikes me as Bill Gates Expensive. The route is a shortcut for CSX, but stacks are what railroading's all about these days.


Also, regarding Mike's pix of the stopped Santa Train, while yes, the train often stopped for Santa's friends to throw gifts from the train, I believe this scene has a little more interest to it than simple gift tossing. 


I believe the photo shows the Challenger stopped after having crossed a highway and river on a big curve at Clinchco, VA. The grade and tunnel in the photo sure look like where the Challenger stopped in emergency when one of the gift tossers on the rear end caught on to the emergency brake handle and inadvertently stopped the train (not a first for Santa Trains ... easy to snag it ... I did so once, but did not stop the show). 


Challenger chasers like Mike could not see the rear end of the train from this spot and thinking gifts were being tossed from the rear was a perfectly good guess. How would anyone up here have known the train was in an emergency stop?


As you all are aware ... This is the opposite of an airline emergency where doors pop open, slides inflate, and all the passengers take turns jumping out while screaming their prayers. For this Clinchfield emergency, riders stared out windows, sipped on their drinks, and may have quickly walked to the restroom hoping it was not already in use. 


Yep ... pretty exciting times on the Clinchfield. Short of being told EMERGENCY, from where Mike shot his pix, one could not see why the train had stopped.


When the train stopped, I was about 2 cars from the rear of the train. We quickly learned what had happened and I was sitting among a few real railroaders as they expressed worry that Steve Lee would not take it so well that the train had gone into emergency, especially for a "stupid mistake" on the observation deck. At least in these guys' experience, things like that did not go down "gracefully." 


I hoped for the best and kept on working.


A few days later when back in my studio I had my first chance to see shots my gang had taken. I went right for that certain video and was surprised to see that when the train had stopped, my shooter (Bill Gierhart ... now a Hollywood and TV cameraman and director) had climbed up on the top front of the tender. Yikes ... Now I'm thinking about what the railroaders had said ... that Steve might not take the stop so well and, now, here's my "showoff" shooter seconds after the emergency stop climbing up on the tender right behind Steve ... and, then ... well ... Bill took a video shot down at Steve (looking back out his side window). 


In short, the calm, relaxed Lee looked up at Bill and said, "Hi Mom." 


YUP ... Just one more engineer totally out of control. 


The emergency turned out to be "no big deal," and the train was underway forthwith.


I appreciate this list's patience with these non-N&W matters. Thanks a bunch ... Bob


>>> Oh yes ... and thanks to Ed Painter for his video work and comments, too. Good hearing from you, Edward.


Bob Loehne
7028 Tallent Court
Sherrill's Ford, NC 28673
800-611-1218 
oezbob at aol.com 






 
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