Train Mountain Triennial, June 2003
Bruno Platzer's Challenger
Karl Hovanitz's SP Northern 4409
Shane Carr's CP Hudson 2816
Mark Flitton's CP Royal Hudson 2860
Paul Hunter's UP Big Boy 4026
Steve Vadeboncoeur's CP Mikado passes Mark Flitton's CP Royal Hudson on the last part of the climb to the long tunnel.
These two guy's ran Fred Lisonbee's Pacific all week
Dean Willoughby with his UP Northern 828 and Bruno Platzer with his UP Challenger 3977, after taking on water, they rolled across the Dam, gathered speed then swung south onto the 2.2% climb towards the road tunnel at South Portal with a loaded 57 car consist at maximum throttle. I am actually sitting on the tender of the Northern behind Dean leaning over filming the motion in action for a documentary video of the meeting being produced by TM and 7+ Railroader magazine. The sound of these two loco working that hard on this and other long trains during the meeting....you just had to have been there, it was incredible. My location, just in front of the Challenger's 4 cylinder exhaust and behind Dean was even more incredible. Dean went on to win the award for the best "Stack Talk" of the meeting later in the week. Stating never before had he worked the loco so hard for so long a period.... Bruno went on to win the award for "Best Steam Loco". Both stated they had never even dreamed such an experience running long trains and working their loco's to the maximum that was possible. Later in the week we ran a successful 67 car loaded consist with Dean, Bruno and Bruce Haugh (D&RG Northern, 1803). These trains paved the way for the 91 car consist on Saturday night when Randy Chase (driving Dean's Northern) Greg Casford (driving Ken Casford's Santa Fe Northern #2926) and Brendon Hilton (driving Paul Hunter's Big Boy) did an outstanding job of operating the train and controlling the consist on both the down and up grades. As stated above, their re-start of the train after a minor derailment on the uphill 2.6% grade at the Cement works was well... again, you just had to be there. Unfortunately, most of the uphill portion of this run was under darkness so there are few photo's. If you have one, I'd be happy to post it.
Jeff Flitton photo
This was the view of one of the long trains returning to the carriage storage building in the main yard. Here the loco's ran right through the building, cut off the train and returned to the steaming bays. The consist was then cut into sections for storage.
Line up of early Diesels outside the TM back shop
Two photo's of Bill Hay's Michigan Central, Radio Controlled Trainmaster Diesel. The technology in this loco may well transform the "Diesel "side of the hobby. When asked to join the line up shown above, Bill simply stood by the side of the track in the main yard and drove his loco to it's slot in the line up. Later he was seen driving from several cars back in his consist. I'd guess the technology is there to drive from the caboose using a camera mounted on the front of the loco to check the road!
Bill Hay's photo
Larry Anderson's Erie Triplex running east off the Caboose Ridge overpass and heading for the main yard.
This loco won for most technically interesting loco of the meet.
China Rail Pacific 681 pounding up the grade from the tunnel on the "Over the Hill" track-age with a train of tank cars in the early morning with the temperature hovering around freezing.
UP Challenger, 3977 emerging from the same tunnel with a string of reefers. Click here to see a video clip of this loco in action.
Chris Stieh took this photo. A timeless shot of two kids totally enthralled with the experience that was Triennial 2003.
Braden Palanuk was seen driving Claude Jolivet's tank loco on several occasions during the week.
Four example's of the amazing leap in the quality of rolling stock in use and for sale.
Marie Weavers R.G.S. "Galloping Goose #2" leaving Youngstown and passing the Lumber Mill before heading up the Serpentine.
Logs being loaded at the camp on Elizabeth loop
Chris Stieh photo's
The Idaho Mafia were on the receiving end of some serious business during the meet and awoke Saturday morning to find that their SW1500 had been shot up.
No arrests had been made at the time of writing.
Earlier in the week, Barbie met her end under the wheels of Cinthia Biros Metro Link F59
The AD60 Beyer-Garratt 4-8-4 + 4-8-4 had its first run round the top loop to check for clearances, tracking etc.
5 Northern's were posed in front of the back shops with snowcapped mountains in the background
The main yard at sunset before the crowds arrived.
The Train Mountain Triennial 2003 VHS tapes and DVDs available for purchase. The VHS tapes sell for $19.95 and the DVDs are $29.95, plus $4.50 shipping and handling. Payment may be made by check, Visa, MasterCard, or PayPal, and orders can be placed by email (info@TrainMountain.org), telephone (541-783-3030) or mail (Train Mountain Railroad Museum, 36941 South Chiloquin Road, Chiloquin, OR 97624).