Tuesday Torque: Ingersoll Rand Air Compressor

 This post is a bit different because it features an electric motor. It is a GE 700 horsepower, operating on 2300 volts. We don't know the age, but it was installed used, in 1964. Pretty neat, Merle, Thank You!

Gone!

 There is a house we go by occasionally that has an interesting "garden." Old iron, cement frogs, auction plunder and etc. It was always fun to look. Now it's gone. All the interesting old things, and the house. I should have knocked on the door and tried to buy the grinder when it was available, but I respect these roadside collections and don't want to break them up. Oh Well. Back To The Old Grind!

Model Railroading Fun

 No engine like this exists today. The W1 was an experimental locomotive with a water tube boiler instead of a fire tube boiler, and it operated at 450 Pounds Per Square Inch, and was a compound engine with four cylinders. I would love to see photos of the chassis without the boiler and see how that was set up. According to the writeup on YouTube, there is no audio recording of the W1, so the sound effects don't necessarily sound right. Compound engines have the same exhaust as simple engines, because the high pressure cylinders exhaust into the low pressure cylinders, and the low pressure cylinders exhaust into the stack. Pretty neat, Merle, I had not heard of this machine. Thank You for spotting!

Rotary Snowplow On The Cumbres and Toltec

 The Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad demonstrates how the Rio Grande Narrow Gauge cleared snow from their tracks during the winter months. In early 2020 BC (Before COVID) the Cumbres and Toltec ran Rotary OY on a photographer's special from Chama, New Mexico, to the 10,000 foot summit of Cumbres Pass in Colorado. Two K-36 Mikado steam locomotives powered the rotary up the 4% grade in an all-steam extravaganza!

These scenes were taken from our program "Steam and Snow: Rotary OY on Cumbres Pass." It is available on DVD, Hi-Definition Blu-ray, and 4K Digital Download by logging onto 7ideaproductions.com. https://www.7ideaproductions.com/prod...

Weekend Steam: Visit The Wales Countryside...

 ...and ride the Talyllyn Railway  Nice ride, Merle! Thank You!

Country Joe McDonald, War War War

 Joe McDonald recorded War War War in the studio in 1971, and you will have to pay an impressive price if you can find an original vinyl disc. He re-recorded it live in 2007, and he tells a bit of the history of this fine collection in his introduction. The songs are all poems written by Robert W. Service, and set to music by Joe. You can purchase this collection on CD, plus many others by Joe McDonald at his online store. CLICK HERE

Introduction:

Foreward:

The Call:

Young Fellow, My Lad:

The Man From Athabasca:

The Munition Maker:

The Twins:

Jean Desprez:

War Widow:

The March Of The Dead:

Owl On Ice

Our barred owls must have gone hungry last night, what with the freezing precip. They were out all day today, hanging around the edge of our yard, hoping for a mouse. We love 'em, but they make us just a bit nervous.

Getting Old

I ventured out in the weather today to check out the north end of the woods and paused to look at an old field where Susan and I planted trees in the late 80's. We have several planting projects, and I am always a bit amazed when I look at trees we planted that are now sawlogs. We don't feel that old.

 

Winter's Not Quite Over

 We are getting sleet and freezing rain tonight. Tomorrow will be a good day to stay in. This video shows train snow plow action in Minnesota, in 2019. Entertaining if you are sitting by the fireside. Thank You, Merle!

What's Ben Been Up To Lately? Baltimo' Hot Foot Cakewalk!

Ben, aka Brass Man Bart is retired now and he is playing with his tubas a bit more. His latest is the Baltimo' Hot Foot Cakewalk, from the early 20th Century. The instrument you see is a 1912 York euphonium, and you will also hear a 1924 Climax Brand tuba, plus tambourine and cowbell, all played by the Brass Man.