Wow... From what I understand the convention was a huge success and the organizers are to be congratulated for their efforts but minus one for the event considering the train was sold out. It's a shame that those with a desire to catch some rare Westbound scenes were denied that unique opportunity, one which even a ticket to ride did not offer. Nice shot, Daryl, a unique catch for your Cresco collection.
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Deter the chasers with a trio of RS3's? Yeah ok that sounds like a great strategy. Great shot!
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The convention planners did do a nice job. Things went well, but whoever's idea it was to do this didn't think too much apparently. And on top of that, it seems to be a waste of a running day on 3254 to run her light down to the Gap (wasting coal and water) to only have her really pull the train from Tobyhanna to Scranton. Why not just park the 3254 at Tobyhanna, and stick her on the point when they came back through. Someone didn't plan that too well....
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Nice composition, Darryl with a unique subject. Looks like the NRHS Convention had some nice weather!
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Actually the caption is totally inaccurate, this wasn't done to deter photographers, it was done because it's been a past practice and for practicality, as it has been learned from experience that the steam engines from Steamtown cannot make the steep grade westbound at Devils Hole. They also found from past trips, that having diesel pushers on the rear and a stem engine at the point, causes a very harsh ride for the passengers. Finally I was told that wanted supposedly for the first time, to have a steam engine lead facing west, back to Scranton, without any assistance from diesels. This was eventually done at the end of the day after the photo run-by's at Tobyhanna.
There's a lot of "thinking" and logistics that go into the planning of these trips, and sometimes they may alter the plans and assumptions of chasers, but there usually is a method to the madness of how they play out. One problem I know they had was that the tender of this loco does not hold a full load of water. This necessitated three fillings by various fire departments throughout the day. Another was the "block" stations that are set up on the railroad in the issuance of form "d's, and places to run around and move the power. Coupled with photo-run bys, and other things that pop up, (like the truck that hit a bridge west of Tobyhanna that day and put the tracks out of gauge)..it's very fortunate that these trips run at all.
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Deter chasers? Sorry, but I have to correct you on this one as I was a co chairman in planning this convention. Steamtown mandated that helpers be added for the return trip. They also specified that they wanted them on the head end. It wasn't our decision.
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My apologies to the two posters above. I was going off what I was told by someone from the train crew during the day. Either way, it was fine with me. I'll shoot RS3s all day since the 3254 runs on a more regular basis. And even with what was said above, then why not just run the steamer all the way down to the Gap? Park it at Tobyhanna and tack it on for a few run-bys. I don't know, just seems a little strage, that's all, but still a nice job by those involved. I would have liked to have ridden the trip, but it was sold out which was a good thing.
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