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My Experience Working With 1:1 Trains - Yreka Western Railroad

2K views 6 replies 7 participants last post by  Chris France 
#1 ·
Hi all,
Well this is definitely not what most are used to working with on this forum. In March I began volunteering for the Yreka Western Railroad in Yreka, California. No not G scale trains. This is a full size 1:1 common carrier shortline that holds excursions in the summer and early fall. Over the past couple of months I have worked my way up and I am now a qualified brakeman. This experience has been a whole lotta fun. So when I am not looking on trains on the internet, or doing my modeling, or working on a miniature 15" gauge railroad, I am working with a full size Baldwin Mikado. So as you can see my train hobby has winded out of control. :D









A little of me in action doing some switching Sunday Morning :D







Putting Water In the 19



Thanks for looking everyone!
 
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#4 ·
Those are excellent photos. Congratulations on making "Brakeman".

I rode on a couple of specials on the YW in the sixties. One of them was a doubleheader with your engine 19 and number 18, both ex-McCloud River. They also had a couple of white painted diesel swithchers, one an Alco and the other EMD.

That metal engine shed looks like the same one that was there then. Is it? Not much difference in forty some odd years.
 
#6 ·
Hey Matt... Thats not going to fit the turntable you had here that fell apart .hahahahaha. I have to rebuild it and now behind the storage shed turning A & B uints........... oh in G. gage.. hahahaha

Looks like a lot of fun playing with the big stuff. Grease, Dirt, Smelly, Smokey, Cinders and hard work trying to walk in the ballast ..Oh and trying to get rusty coupler to open and latch. hahahahaha. And.. Engineer watching you wonder what kind of a hand signal that was.. hahahahaha Are we having fun yet.. Yup...
 
#7 ·
Congrats on your promotion to Brakeman. I've been volunteering at the B&O Museum in Baltimore for almost 10 years now and can't say enough of the experience. I went from the "new kid" at 25 (although I already had some experience as a frieght conductor) to the senior engineer, and the only engineer that operates both steam and diesel.
Anyhow, enjoy every minute, soak up every bit of knowledge and experience you can from those who are willing to share it, and show that even though you are a volunteer that you are just as reliable as any employee would be expected to be and I have no doubt you will go far.
 
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