The rails of the CP were 60 lbs per yard and of the UP were 56 lbs per yard and 30 feet long. Dirt or gravel was the ballast. Crossties were pealed poles with hewn ties under the joints and 8 feet long. Treatment wasn't used until years later so ties lasted about 4 to 10 years in track.
Reportedly original-UP ties were hand-hewn, many by Scandinavian immigrants in WY, but CP's were largely cut by sawmills from High-Sierra timber. Striking dichotomy there.
The fact that the park service commisioned two faithful replicas of the Jupiter and 119 is nothing short of amazing. I know they're serving the task they were built for and I'm not sure if they could be used for anything else, but if they could potentially pull short trains it's a bit of a shame they're confined to such a short stretch of track. But regardless they're serving their purpose and representing history.
A long time resident of Costa Mesa, I recall going by on the street where O'Conner's workshops were located seeing steam rising from behind and hearing the sounds I used to hear when I lived much closer to Disneyland.
The Disney Company actually never built "full size" replicas. They built up-scaled variations of Walt Disney's "Lilly Belle", a 1.5" scale live steam model of Central Pacific 173. Great video, Mike. Always enjoy material made on this topic.
I would absolutely DIE to see these engines up close. Such beauties! But why is the spike at some place in California and not on display at the museum RIGHT NEXT TO IT?
Thank you and you are correct. I didn't want to go into the intricacies of that since I wanted to focus on the historic site, but that will be clarified in a future episode.
My understanding is that the CP bought the SP (of CA), merged it, an took on the SP name for the resultant company. Before the Transcon was completed, the CP bought a bunch of local CA roads.
Bachmann made these locomotives in HO and N scale. However Jupiter #60s boiler is silver. Not sure if that's correct of color. As for the painting of the locomotives (the real ones) since no one knew what colors they were Disney animator Ward Kimball painted them both Red. As years passed eventually it was said Jupiter #60 had Blue. So that's why it has a little Blue on her cab, domes, and cow catcher.
That's right. Although, now they're saying that they think the Jupiter actually was painted some shade of red, so we'll see what it looks like after the next visit to the paint shop.
Well, for one, the last time I was at the historic site (October 2016), that is what one of the Park rangers said on one of the guided tours. I have also heard that from other sources, including a video that was done about two years ago from a channel called ToyMan Television. There is apparently only one account that says the locomotive "shone brilliant blue in the sun".
I know the guy behind Toy Man, most of what he says he makes up - his videos are really cool but his narration is generally loose and infactual. The ranger was talking about Russia Iron, because that phrase is part of the training that interpretive volunteers receive about the history of the locomotives. Actual historical primary source documentation both from Schenectady and from Sacramento when the locomotive came off the ship describe it as being painted a deep blue with crimson trim, there is no documentation that says that red was its dominant color. In fact a recent unpublished study by the California State Railroad Museum confirmed the blue. I'm a volunteer at the site and a trained historian.
Ah, well that's why I didn't mention it in the actual video! I've seen conflicting reports over the years and thought it would only be a distraction to the video. I will say that the park ranger was indeed talking about the blue paint and not the boiler jacketing, but seeing as you have first hand knowledge, I believe you.
Could you do a train talk on catenary wires and electric trains? My hometown of SJ just got a lot of money for Caltrain electric, so I would like to know how trains like that operate
Yes, I plan to do an episode on "types of locomotives" that will briefly touch on that in the coming months. Further down the line, I will probably do a dedicated video specifically on electric trains.
Thanks and subscribed...We will be taking a road trip this Fall, to drive some of the historic right of way'. Does anyone know if the 87 miles between Lucin and Promontory, can be driven west to east, as well as E. to west? I have not received an answer to that question, from State and Fed. offices.
One thing I learned in school, westward expansion, one of the things I learned about was the transcontinental railroad. However I did not get told about a gold spike.
The F40PH: F - Design Covers *F* ull body 40 - Model Series P - *P* assenger Locomotive H - *H* Ead-End Power generator ES44AC - *E* volution *S* eries 44 - 4400 HP AC - *AC* traction
Yes, new train talks each month, plus I am working on a couple of different longer narrated videos, but it may be a little while before those come out.
