Well, all this got me thinking. I remember having that stove on a helper years ago.

It was August 21, 1978. Was called to help the Circus Train, 12:45 PM on duty in SLO with Fireman Burris. They had sent a bunch of SD9s to SLO for helper power in mid-June that year. Some were in poor shape. I had the 4343 headed west and the 4451 headed east. We went behind the caboose and got right out of town about 1:15 PM. Around Serrano, BI called us and said to stay with the Circus Train until we met the East Peddler and to help him back to SLO.

Bouncing along like a box car, going thru Paso, the peddler called us and said they were in the hole at Wellsona and wanted us on the point. They only had 20 cars. We were going about 50 mph about a 1/2 mile east of the east switch when I sent the fireman out on the front to get our angle cock. The rear man on the caboose leaned over and got their angle cock and pulled the pin. I called the hoghead of the Circus Train and told him to hi-ball, the helper was cut off. I popped it DB and we came to a quick stop almost at the east switch. They put us on the point and we were out of there in no time with the 4451 in the lead. I had the fireman run going back and being bored thought I would see if the steam generator worked. Filled it, touched it off and we had 200 lbs in no time. Going thru Paso, I blew down the seperator and the operator starting cracking up. Went right up and over the hill. Coming down out of Goldtree, I fired the steam gen up again and gave Foothill Blvd a good cleaning. They must have really wondered what was going on. We stopped and cut off at the west switch at SLO and took our 2 units to the house and the train went into the yard. I popped the blow down again down the platform. Steam was alive that day, sort of.

We hit the switch at 5:20 and tied up at 6:30 PM. Not a bad turn on a helper. About 84 miles in about 4'05.


Nudge