Just found the new site and joined the Forum. Many years since I was in Arcade but have many fond memories which I will share if anyone is interested.
Hard to pick my best memory. My first was a Niagara Frontier Region, Natl Model RR Assn meeting and trip behind 18 in the mid-60s. This may have been my first steam excursion. 14 had just arrived and was parked at the enginehouse, still with the cover over the coal bunker and lettered for E&LS. Ahead of her sat the Warwick, still in the gray diesel scheme she wore when she left the O&W.
I never thought that another decade later, I would be firing 14. I fired nearly every weekend of the 1975 and 1976 seasons, and most weekends of 1977 until after Labor Day. Working 5 days a week in Rochester, then driving to Arcade early Saturday mornings, staying at Johnny"s Motel and cooking on the Coleman stove for meals made for no social life at all.
I'll relate my first official A&A memory here and if anyone really wants to hear more, I'll be happy to oblige.
I moved to Rochester in 1974 and contacted Ruth Tanner, the GM, about possible work the next year. She contacted me early in 1975 and suggested I come down for a Wednesday school trip to check it out. I had some experience running the engine at Rail City near Sandy Creek, so showed up to take a "student trip" on 14 one Wednesday in May, 1975.
Upon arriving at the enginehouse, 14 was simmering outside, so I climbed up to take a look. No sooner had I opened the firedoor than a voice yelled "What the hell are you doing up there?" I quickly explained my student status and received a diatribe from the wiry old man about his experience and what young kids knew about steam. I sheepishly climbed down and headed inside to meet with the Super and crew. I should mention that when I opened the firebox, there must have been 50 tons of coal in there. The heel of the fire was up to the door and all along the back and down the sides.
When I explained what happened, they all laughed out loud. They explained that "Windy" was an old PRR hostler who thought he knew everything about steam locomotives and was helping them out. I got the impression they were not impressed with him or his firing techniques. Apparently he thought he was firing a I-1 on a long coal drag up the Elmira Branch.
We climbed aboard--I don't remember if Manley was the engineer that day or not, and the Super, I forget his name, was firing. He explained where he fired going around the factory curve, uphill to Genesee Rd, and preparing the fire in the swamp before the pull for the hill below Curriers. We made one school trip that day, probably every car that would run was full.
When we got back, he asked what I thought and I said I thought I could handle it. I was hired, issued a switchkey and told to be there for Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend prepared to fire. I was a paid railroader! And------I never laid a hand on the scoop or pulled the injector that day. That was a hell of a lot of confidence in someone who just rode the seatbox, observing for one trip.
Interested more?
Ken