Steamshots USA..Lets See Some Steam Shots..
- Thread starter BobCass
- Start date
I suspect that Heinrich505 was going up the eastern grade westbound where there are a few 2% sections, the first one at Helmstetters farm. The western grade rarely tops 1.8%.
Eastbound at Helmstette farm
The screenies above were my first pass at going over Deal and I honestly was not sure about anything. I started with an eastbound coal train although I have no idea which way coal was taken over the section. I was so excited to finally have some WM heavy metal (thank you K&L and GreenCoast) that I just slapped together a consist. I stuck the second caboose on because I saw the wye at the summit and figured that it had to be for something. I've thought about that after running the consist down to Cumberland and came to the conclusion that the wye was likely for westbound helpers not eastbound, I think. After a bit of testing I've been running consists of 70 coal cars since the passing sidings are just big enough for them with three large locomotives, at least close to Deal. I have not checked all the sidings from Connellsville to Cumberland.
Any information you'd like share about WM operations over Deal would be welcome Bob.
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trainman7616
Western Maryland Addict
Primarily, fast freight bridge traffic flowed between the N&W connection at Connellsville, Pennsylvania and the Reading junction at Lurgan, Pennsylvania near Shippensburg. The other major flow was coal from the branches radiating from Elkins, West Virginia being moved east to the Port of Baltimore, or via Lurgan to the steel mills of eastern Pennsylvania. There was a variety of other traffic that moved across the WM. Most of the coal on the WM was hauled via Blackfork Grade in West Virginia by WM H8 2-8-0s and later the larger WM H9a 2-8-0s near the end of steam service.
Heres a neat lil vid that kinda gives an incite into the WM.
Here are 2 shots I took for Greencoasts promo images. These are currently on my route stretching from Hagerstown to Connellsville via WM. (TRS19s lighting massively screws with the speedtrees and the way the light hits em)
First shot is coming down Helmsetters Curve
The next is on the slow approach out of the narrows and into the city of Cumberland Maryland. (Not yet modeled)
Heres a neat lil vid that kinda gives an incite into the WM.
Here are 2 shots I took for Greencoasts promo images. These are currently on my route stretching from Hagerstown to Connellsville via WM. (TRS19s lighting massively screws with the speedtrees and the way the light hits em)
First shot is coming down Helmsetters Curve
The next is on the slow approach out of the narrows and into the city of Cumberland Maryland. (Not yet modeled)
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One of new modern Besler steam commuter trains the L&A is using is passing an early morning coal drag.
The L&A has found that the acceleration, braking, and fuel consumption these Besler steam trains to make for a fair profit and the passengers seem happy with them.
Dave
The L&A has found that the acceleration, braking, and fuel consumption these Besler steam trains to make for a fair profit and the passengers seem happy with them.
Dave
Waiting Don. 
Nice screenies Dave!
A busy morning at Maryland Junction, Ridgeley, WV. A WM fast through freight passes her soon to be helper for their haul over Deal. In the background another helper waits for an empty hopper consist from the Knob Mount hump yard and bound for the western Pennsylvania coal mines to pass her.
Nice screenies Dave!
A busy morning at Maryland Junction, Ridgeley, WV. A WM fast through freight passes her soon to be helper for their haul over Deal. In the background another helper waits for an empty hopper consist from the Knob Mount hump yard and bound for the western Pennsylvania coal mines to pass her.
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Only what I read Norm. I have a few books I've accumulated over time on steam in the Alleghenies - mostly on coal haulers.
In the same one I found the discussion of helpers on the push up to Deal I found a few pics of a freight on Helmsetters Curve. It shows the WM using a 4-6-6-4 on the lead another 4-6-6-4 mid train and an I2 2-10-0 on the rear. I can't say for sure but mid train helpers are not all that common in the US in the steam era. I can't recall any pics of them on the Pennsy where 1 I1 2-10-0 on the lead and another 2 on the rear was not uncommon - that's about 270,000 lbf rated TE on a train.
WM was apparently not adverse to using mid train helpers. Blackwater Canyon (Blackfork Grade) on the Thomas Subdivision mentioned by trainman7616,
This was 10 miles of 3.05%. WM used 6 or 7 H8 or H9 2-8-0's on these trains. 1 or 2 on the lead 3 mid train and 2 on the rear. That would be a real challenge in Trainz to drive one of them thru the canyon in CAB mode.
Bob Pearson
PS. [edit] 7 WM H9's on a 70 hopper coal train on Blackfork Grade. That's over a half million lbf rated TE pushing it up grade. That's pretty impressive.
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Images I've seen seem to show three leading locomotives, two mid train and two at the end. I've done a session that starts in Webster and ends in Elkins stopping at each siding dropping off empties and picking up loaded cars, mostly coal but also flats of lumber. The consist starts with with two leading H9 locos and one at the rear and picks up additional locos at Bergoo (one at each end) and Laural Bank (two in the middle). Takes about 10 hours to get to Elkins (not in CAB mode).
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Heinrich505
Active member
Trainman7616,
The video on the WM you posted was really great. Thanks for posting.
In the video, the narrator said that WM would use motive power as one engine for every 10 loaded coal cars, which matches perfectly to what RPearson noted in his edit on his post #5629 above, where he notes 7 H9s for a 70 hopper coal train.
This is all very interesting information to go with Jrfolco's route.
Heinrich505
The video on the WM you posted was really great. Thanks for posting.
In the video, the narrator said that WM would use motive power as one engine for every 10 loaded coal cars, which matches perfectly to what RPearson noted in his edit on his post #5629 above, where he notes 7 H9s for a 70 hopper coal train.
This is all very interesting information to go with Jrfolco's route.
Heinrich505
Heinrich505
Active member
Just tried to run a 15 coal car load from Elkins to Parsons in cab mode with a single consolidation. The grades are a beast! I had to call for a helper out of Elkins to help me over the top, and then cut off the helper in Parsons at the wye.
Thanks Norm for clueing me in on this part of Jrfolco's route. It is so big that I've never really explored it, or the history of the WM that relates to his route.
Heinrich505
Thanks Norm for clueing me in on this part of Jrfolco's route.
It is so big that I've never really explored it, or the history of the WM that relates to his route. Heinrich505
Just tried to run a 15 coal car load from Elkins to Parsons in cab mode with a single consolidation. The grades are a beast! I had to call for a helper out of Elkins to help me over the top, and then cut off the helper in Parsons at the wye.
Thanks Norm for clueing me in on this part of Jrfolco's route.
Heinrich505
There are a lot of interesting things here and there on the route. Like the entire Cass Scenic Railway. :hehe:
I rebuilt the Ridgley roundhouse using Don49plm's stuff.
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BigBoyBen54
New member
Dry Brook & Esopus Valley #13 'Lucky'
RoysTrainz
Rembrandt van Trainz
Found some time to download and renovate Gary Parkins old "California Dreamin'" layout. The end result is pretty satisfying, If I say so myself...
The Morning Daylight partakes on her daily morning traditions as she makes a beeline out of the city's main terminus.
The same goes for the "California Zephyr" on the opposite track. Coincidence?
The Daylight slips right by a passing WP freight, headed by GS-64 #485...
Which, in turn, bedazzles the city-folk with her run-by as well.
The Zephyr, meanwhile, flies through some of Gary's familiar old sights, what was once considered to be lost forever...
Another one of Gary's favorite aspects of his old route, the "Breakfast Train" is being taken care of by one of my personal road's, the Carson City Southwestern Lines, under the guidance of G-1 class Northern #7000.
And speaking of which, a commuter run, led by pacific #6577, is seen making a quick trip to Vacation-ville.
Another commuter, this time a SP consist with P-10 class Pacific #2479, merrily chugs by the old GP imports factory.
Oh good, the new shipment of farm equipment just started taking off!
The Morning Daylight partakes on her daily morning traditions as she makes a beeline out of the city's main terminus.
The same goes for the "California Zephyr" on the opposite track. Coincidence?
The Daylight slips right by a passing WP freight, headed by GS-64 #485...
Which, in turn, bedazzles the city-folk with her run-by as well.
The Zephyr, meanwhile, flies through some of Gary's familiar old sights, what was once considered to be lost forever...
Another one of Gary's favorite aspects of his old route, the "Breakfast Train" is being taken care of by one of my personal road's, the Carson City Southwestern Lines, under the guidance of G-1 class Northern #7000.
And speaking of which, a commuter run, led by pacific #6577, is seen making a quick trip to Vacation-ville.
Another commuter, this time a SP consist with P-10 class Pacific #2479, merrily chugs by the old GP imports factory.
Oh good, the new shipment of farm equipment just started taking off!