Hurry up and wait...

[doctorwayne]

Grand Valley 2-8-0 25, along with sister 26, simmers in the mid-morning haze on the passing track at Lowbanks.


On the drawbar is interchange tonnage off the TH&B, bound for points east and north. A firedoor opens, then clangs shut as another scoop of coal is added to the fire, the pressure hovering just below the 200 mark that will open the pops. 25's hogger, "Dutch" van der Heuven, pulls a fresh cigar from his grip, strikes a match on the backhead, then pauses momentarily as a whistle sounds in the distance. "Sirty-fife minuten ve are vaiting" he spat out the words around his cigar. "Ve could haf been at Alvreeda (Elfrida) already." The fireboy shrugs as he rolls a smoke - it'd be the last he'd enjoy once they finally get underway - "It don't make no never-mind to me - the trip's still all uphill." The whistle, closer, sounded again, this time for the Lowbanks station. "I don't see why we gotta wait fer no dang detour Extra."

Suddenly, the view south was blocked as a loco silently moved by on the main, followed by another, its rods clanking slightly.




"Well, la-dee-dah, ain't she purty!" sneered the fireman. He was referring to the 4807 on the point, one of the EG&E's fast Mohawks. He knew that her speed would be of little use on the twisting climb to Elfrida and then beyond to South Cayuga. From here to Elfrida, the speed limit was 35mph or less, and while 45mph was allowed between there and South Cayuga, trains were generally required to stop at Elfrida for permission to proceed. Re-starting the train and getting up to 5 or 6 mph in the few hundred feet before the uphill climb continued would be difficult enough, and there was little chance of gaining speed on the 2.5% grade. Compounding that problem was Speed River tunnel, where the rails were wet year round.
"Dutch", meanwhile, was watching the train as it rolled by, silently counting the cars. Obviously an express, mostly head-end stuff, with a mix of roadnames. Much longer than the usual express trains around these parts, too, where 3 or 4 cars were the norm. It was longer even than the frequent excursion trains that burnished these rails during the summer months, those being seldom more than 6 or 7 coaches.

While Dutch counted under his breath (and attempted to calculate just where the Extra would stall), local rail buffs were busy with their cameras. Here's a selection of their work.

Road engine 4807, as she approaches the Lowbanks' Car Shops:






And again at the crossing:


...along with Mikado 632:


...and the train. First up is CNR 8907 (ex-GTR 1207), a horse express car. This time of year it could actually be carrying racehorses, but with 24 collapsible stalls, it could also be carrying regular express shipments. (The model started life as a Rivarossi 73' steel coach, modified with Evergreen styrene car siding.)


...next is New York Central 4748, a 73' wooden baggage car (built from an Athearn all-steel Pullman)


Grand Valley 2035 is an insulated express car, normally used in fish service, but like the horse car, could be carry any type of express cargo - newspapers, storage mail, parcels, etc. (The model started as an Athearn wooden reefer, with the steel ends and roof replaced with "wood". As it's no longer a reefer, there are no ice hatches)


CNR 7776 is an 73' Express/RPO (A slightly modified Rivarossi RPO.)


CNR 11078 is an all-steel express boxcar, probably carrying storage mail. (The model is an Accurail car with upgraded brake gear and Athearn express trucks.)


Pennsylvania 2705 is a steel express reefer. (A re-detailed and re-numbered Walthers r-t-r car)


Pennsy 6866 is a 1924 X-29, rebuilt for express service in 1934. (The model is a heavily re-detailed Red Caboose kit, and its prototype is still in existence.)


Grand Valley 2066 is a mail storage car (built from an MDC Harriman baggage, it got modified doors, a new underbody, and six-wheel trucks.)


EG&E 2034 and 2033 are insulated express cars (no ice bunkers) similar to 2035 shown earlier. (These are MDC bulk milk cars, modified to carry packaged cargo.)



Still the cars kept coming: "Seffen, eight, nine..." said Dutch, by now speaking aloud.



Grand Valley 2036 is an insulated express car, the same as 2035 shown previously.


DL&W 47835 is, as far as I can tell, a regular boxcar, although it must be fitted with with a signal line and, perhaps, steam, too. (It's a modified Train Miniature ARA boxcar, and actually a freight car - I thought that it looked good in this train, and wouldn't be subject to close scrutiny. :oops: )


Nickel Plate 13285 (another modified Train Miniature freight car. :oops:


CNR 10459, a 50' wooden express reefer (A re-detailed Athearn kit)


Grand Valley 2072, a 64' wooden baggage car (re-built from an Athearn 72' all-steel Pullman)


EG&E 2054, another 64' wooden baggage car, similar to 2072, above.


EG&E "Macassa", a 76' coach, with seating for 88. It's used here as a rider coach for the tail-end crew and perhaps a few paying passengers (railfans) accumulating rare mileage. (This is a Branchline kit, slightly modified)



"Vifteen, Zixteen, Sebbenteen!", cursed Dutch, by now fairly hollering.




"Dey vill schtall at Alvreeda" he bellowed, "Und vill hef to duppel da hill. Ve vill be schtuck here until efternoon."

"HEY!"

It was the Lowbanks Operator. "Here's yer orders", he yelled, poking the hoop into the gangway.

"Form 31 Extra 725 East: Follow Extra 4807 East, maintaining minimum distance of 2,500'. Be prepared to stop at any time. Take siding at Elfrida."

As they signed the order, they knew that the preceding train could be, in many spots, out of sight within much less than 2,500'. "Whatta way to run a railroad!" commented the fireman to no one in particular. After an exchange of whistle signals, the two Consolidations dug in and got their train underway. A switch tender had lined them for the main, and they were soon trundling out onto the Maitland River bridge.
"Twenny-fife hunnert foot" bellowed Dutch, the stub of his cigar clinging tenaciously to his lower lip. With the tonnage ratings of their two locos equal to those of the express, and less tonnage trailing, they could overtake the earlier train at any time. The fireman, silent now, went about his work, glancing nervously at the track ahead.

No further photos have been found, but Extra 725 East made it safely to Elfrida, its crew never even glimpsing the rider coach on Extra 4807 East. The crew later learned, as they waited in Elfrida for a parade of westbounds to pass, that the express had rights all the way to South Cayuga, and had stopped in Elfrida for neither water nor orders. By the time they attained South Cayuga, the express was well on its way north to the CNR interchange at Mount forest.

Wayne