Edaville Discussion

You're right Steamer 69. It's a good sign and not a bad looking engine.

I have been told that they are running quality ads on some of the Boston TV stations as well.

However, I still can't imagine someone with so little foresight and intelligence that they would make the decision to tear up the track on the west side and thus destroy the 5.42 mile loop.

Many tourist lines would kill to have a 5 and a half mile loop on private property to run their trains on and these jokers destroy that.

Until the full loop is restored, the sidings put back down, a water tower installed, the Cranberry Jct station rebuilt, the bypass track put back in, these people are nothing but vandals. Destructive vandals. They're a step below regular vandals who at least have the sense to destroy someone elses property. These vandals are so confused and incompetent that they destroy their own property.

So, while it is good to see steam down there, the place is still trashed, those running it are vandals and should be seen as such, until they prove otherwise.

In fact, those railfans who do visit should convey something like the following to any employees that you talk to.

"I remember this place as a kid, it was great, it's really sad what has happened to it"

Just watching a great youtube video of Fred Richardson's 80th birthday with # 7.

Question: Can anybody tell me why #7 and I think #8 as well had two whistles?

Also I wonder what whistle #21 has? It sounds a little bit like the #7 but kind of sick.

Thanks

I will be at edaville on the 13th. Will report back, hopefully with pictures, and video.

I would at least like to compliment Edaville for doing such a great job making #21 look more like the original engines as well as converting her back to coal! Bravo!

Compare these images...

Fiji Islands Sugar #21 in 2001


Fiji Islands Sugar # 21 in 2011


Original B&NR #7 in Old Style Edaville Trim


Steamer

Great Great pictures! Thank you!

Yes they have done a great job in getting her back running again, and also making her look more the part!

Side note. Does anybody have a detailed map of the old 5 1/2 mile track plan? I'm talking right down to the last spur. I have searched high and low, with little to nothing.

Here is a 1949 topographical map with almost all the track.

http://historical.mytopo.com/getImage.a ... g&state=MA

Steamer

The clowns down at S. Carver connected 10 passenger cars, a caboose, and the silly looking generator up to number 21 as steamer has shown in his pictures.

Unfortunately, the dopes didn't realize that #21 was not up to the task of pulling the train when it was loaded and had to resort to a double header in order to pull the train.

The fools also had the long train connected to number 21 which couldn't pull it, and the short train behind the diesel. Competent management would have split the difference and used two trains of about equal size.

Of course #7 or #8 would have pulled that train over Mt. Urann, while steam heating the coaches, without any problems.

Does anyone know the tonnage of number 21?

21 looks pretty light... I can't imagine she's much heavier than MNGRR's #3, which weighs 15 tons. (For comparison, #4 is 18 tons, #7 is 33 tons, and #8 is 38 tones.)

Having operated #3 several years ago, I have to say she's a lot more powerful than she looks!

Sorry to say, oldrr is correct. When the 11+ car train got loaded up they added the diesel helper as seen in this night shot that I got.


Double Header (Diesel Helper + Steam)


Steamer

Yes but was it the operators error or the equipment not up to the task?? Give these guys a break! Who cares, I for one wouldn't of minded to see THAT double header.

It's operators error. First thing ANY engineer should do when they get a consist list is to take a look at the total tonnage of the train both empty AND loaded. From this figure, you take the tonnage rating of the locomotive and compare it to the figure you just got with your train weight calculations and WALA! you know if your engine can pull the train or not. Now, that being said....I'm going to have to agree with Oldrr on this one. That engine just came out of retirement....and a MAJOR rebuild. Just look at the pictures. Who in their right mind is going to take that engine, tack it on to pretty much everything they have that rolls, and try to beat the crap out of it. Sounds to me like they got their new steam operations and maintenance book right from their old buddy at Conway Scenic.

Beautiful restoration.....good looking engine now.....management of the whole thing leaves something to be desired. You all should know the tonnage rating of that engine. Might help in the not making yourselves look stupid category.

Hmmm?

Strange that I watched a video (facebook check it out for yourself) of #21 pulling out of the station with 10 passenger cars, a caboose, and that silly looking generator car. FULLY LOADED...

She seemed to be doing just fine?

Now the previous picture shows her pulling back into the station. I am wondering if there was some kind of trouble, or if the engineer wasn't keeping his eye on boiler pressure, or fire box heat.

I also don't see a problem in seeing how much of a task she is up too. I do however see a problem doing it with paying customers..

Hmmm would this be a case where Edaville could actually call on us railfans to volunteer? I wouldn't mind seeing an email that reads: "calling all railfans calling all railfans Edaville needs your help getting #21 the Anne Elizabeth up to steam. Watch as we load her with water and coal, and put her to the test, all while enjoying a free ride. Later take a tour of our engine facility, then get a chance to take a walk down the old atwood spur.

Has anyone who volunteered down there heard anything back from them? Has anyone followed up?

My information from a reliable source is that they are saying that their insurance does not permit them to use volunteers. This may be true, or maybe they simply don't want to bother with volunteers.

The volunteer portion of the website dates back to when the site went up, I think around 2005 or so, I have a feeling they simply haven't changed their website. May very well not know how.

A double header of that diesel pulling the engine from Fiji around a pathetically short loop at about 7 mph is not very exciting. Seeing 7 and 8 double headed or 3 and 4 was a different story. Especially when they opened it up at Mt. Urann.

What was also neat at Xmas time was seeing the other trains at different points around the reservoir. You could frequently look across the reservoir and see one of the other trains.

Of course, that was back when sensible people ran the railroad, they had some track to run on, and as an added bonus, they had plenty of equipment to run.

The people that are running the RR now had track to run on, but as the destructive vandals that they are, they weren't happy until they tore most of it up.

I can see them now saying to each other..."now we have a railroad that we might be able to handle."

NErailfan wrote:...I also don't see a problem in seeing how much of a task she is up too. I do however see a problem doing it with paying customers...

There in lies the rub. It should have been done durring the shakedown....oh wait a tick, what shakedown....

NErailfan wrote:Hmmm would this be a case where Edaville could actually call on us railfans to volunteer? I wouldn't mind seeing an email that reads: "calling all railfans calling all railfans Edaville needs your help getting #21 the Anne Elizabeth up to steam. Watch as we load her with water and coal, and put her to the test, all while enjoying a free ride. Later take a tour of our engine facility, then get a chance to take a walk down the old atwood spur.

That would involve outreach to the railfan comunity, and you mentioned that nasty nasty phrase "a free ride". That would have made for some good shakedown time for both engine and crew, while getting so much free PR it isn't funny. Maybe not even just railfans....how about Edaville Salutes the troops, where you make it known that the train is being test run with #21 but you let military families and the families of deployed soldiers in for free. There you get the PR from the railfans, the PR from the military familys, the knowledge that you made what can be a very hard time of year a little bit better for them.....and oh yea....you just got a REAL shakedown that doesn't make you look stupid.

Just sayin......

Here we go steamer and oldrr going back and forth with how they could do it better. At least the place is still there and they are running steam again give them some credit. How do you know they didn't shake it down? I would love for you to go to edaville and tell them how unskilled they are or just stay hidden behind your computer. what steam locomotives/ RXRs did you work at to gain your vast amount of knowledge?

steamer69 wrote:It's operators error. First thing ANY engineer should do when they get a consist list is to take a look at the total tonnage of the train both empty AND loaded. From this figure, you take the tonnage rating of the locomotive and compare it to the figure you just got with your train weight calculations and WALA! you know if your engine can pull the train or not. Now, that being said....I'm going to have to agree with Oldrr on this one. That engine just came out of retirement....and a MAJOR rebuild. Just look at the pictures. Who in their right mind is going to take that engine, tack it on to pretty much everything they have that rolls, and try to beat the crap out of it. Sounds to me like they got their new steam operations and maintenance book right from their old buddy at Conway Scenic.

Beautiful restoration.....good looking engine now.....management of the whole thing leaves something to be desired. You all should know the tonnage rating of that engine. Might help in the not making yourselves look stupid category.

Where did you come up with this idea? so how is it 10 or 11 coaches can be pulled by #97 weighing around 75 tons?