Steam Locomotive Experience

[Rick Rowlands]

With our J&L Narrow Gauge steam railroad now back in operation this year, we have been offering train rides to the public on every second and fourth weekend of the month through the summer. In addition to that I always wanted to offer some sort of an "engineer for an hour" program so that people with more than a passing interest in steam locomotives can have the opportunity to spend more time interacting with our locomotive. So I came up with the "Steam Locomotive Experience" as a way to do just that. Instead of spending an hour or so on an already hot steamer, we start out at 8 am with breakfast, then head over to the railroad to pull the locomotive out of the enginehouse and go through all the procedures to bring her up to operating pressure and then do some running around on our trackage.

We did our first session a few weeks ago and our second one is this weekend. One of our first participants posted a review on another forum, which is linked here: J&L 58 Review . I have two more sessions scheduled in August and September, and willing to add more if there is interest up until we put the locomotive away for the winter (and that depends on when the threat of freezing returns).

What started out as a simple locomotive restoration project has morphed into building the railroad to run it on, and now to running a full time seasonal business! But I can now spend every day at the museum site and that has been the goal all along.

Youngstown Steel Heritage Website

 

[Marty Feldman]

Rick -
[1] You have been an active figure in preservation/restoration for a long time, and I really applaud that.
[2] I think that Porter #58 looks very good, with the exception noted below, and that your program to introduce people to operating practices is great.
[3] On those two prominent "Safety First" stencils - speaking strictly personally, they seem to me to detract from the appearance of the engine, and to be nothing more than an attempt to appear correct with certain members of the public. I doubt whether there exists any real evidence that "Safety First" sloganeering, as opposed to honest safety training, has ever prevented a single accident. I also doubt that the words have ever informed anyone of what actions to take or avoid. As to the argument that they serve to raise the general level of consciousness about safe railroading, I don't buy it, not knowing much about what general level of consiousness means.

-Marty-

 

[lucky7]

About point #3, I’ve seen several preserved locos that just copied photos from 1950’s or earlier showing that stylized stencil. Agree, common sense isn’t that common.

If OP has a pic from straight side elevation I’d love to see it.

 

[L Vanice]

Some years back, I sent Rick some money for a couple 58 loco tee-shirts to help fund the project. I am very happy to see it is rolling.

Larry

 

[Rick Rowlands]

Our rebuild of 58 isn't an exact restoration, many liberties were taken to create a locomotive that is evocative of those found in steel mills while making improvements necessary to operate in passenger service. Different couplers, large tender, lights, bell, air brakes were all added to make operating this locomotive safer and practical.
Many steel mill locomotives have been emblazoned with safety slogans and so it is not inappropriate to do so here. The stencil used is an actual Grand Trunk Railroad steel stencil used on freight cars and adds a bit of interest to the front end. Personally I would like it to say "Safety Third" but to those who have not embraced Mike Rowe's explanation of that phrase, it would come off as callous.

I have attached three side views. Builders photo, what 58 looked like when we bought it and what she looks like now.

We also have a J&L Narrow Gauge Youtube Channel with lots of videos of the restoration and operation of the locomotive and the construction of the railroad.

 

[DDoug]

You need this for winter time use.....Sitting at meadville, pa

 

[Rick Rowlands]

I'm the person that they hired to load it onto a flatcar when it was shipped from Wellsboro Jct. to Meadville!

 

[reggie_obe]

Good for you Rick. The #58 looks great and you're doing a thousand times more than the .....some day.... tribe.

 

[Rick Rowlands]

Good for you Rick. The #58 looks great and you're doing a thousand times more than the .....some day.... tribe.

Good to hear from you again! I still remember and appreciate your help when we were erecting the Tod Engine Building. Really helped me get through a tough spot.

 

[reggie_obe]

Happy to have helped Rick. Learned a thing or two as well.