Re: Seal Beach Open House
Author: Steven D. Johnson
Date: 07-24-2009 - 20:37
That should kick ass if it's set up right! I was one of Uncle Sam's squids from 1989 to 1996 and stationed at Long Beach. We always tied up at NAVWEPSTA Seal Beach for conventional (shells and rockets) arms onload and even then I thought I'd see one of those switchmen get crushed. It was always a fine display of 'dash mode' when they switched out the 40 and 50 foot 1940's friction bearing AAR boxcars filled with bombs.
And the track layout was beautifully designed and tastefully obsolete, respendant with cast iron hardware and really light (like 75-40 rail???) track. Here was a step back in time- save for the 60 ton switcher, a guy with a 4x5 camera and an 0-6-0 oil-fired switcher could easily onload a "tin can" and not bat an eye towards reality. Even the shanty on the pier held screw-in heating elements in porceline bases for lighting cigarettes- actuated with a Bakelite pushbutton save an open flame!
I wish I could be there,but we're all still trying to figure out the RSIA for our collective benefit, so laying off this month is a very carefully planned event.