Mike McGrattan Memorial Train - Photo Thread

[Lemosteam]

First, I cannot express how humbled I am to have had the pleasure to hold something as important and real as this train.  To have it grace my layout due to the efforts of a few men, is most excellent.

Second, thank you Tim Horton, @BCR 570 , for making this happen, and I can only hope my layouts and photos do this train some level of justice.

Mike's memorial train arrived on the 26th of September, 2016 and due to some family issues I had only been able to take a few pictures on the LIRR IS in the basement.  I was not at all happy with these, even the MS Paint version that I posted earlier (still thanks for the compliments, but I knew I could do better, right @chicken45 ?).  A welcome delay came by not having to ship sooner to @jereising . This allowed me to take the LIRR IS extension outdoors for the first time.  None of the outdoor photos are retouched except for cropping:

The inaugural run of the newly restored LIRR #39 has the honors of carrying the Mike McGratttan Memorial Train across Long island on the PRR/LIRR main.


Here the train passes by on the elevated PRR main on an eastbound trip to the end of Long Island, where it will return westbound through New York and on to the Lavis Junction.


Meanwhile, a railfan captures the other side of the MICHAEL MCGRATTAN in an ethereal view into the clouds.


And yet another from the opposite side with the Canadian Flag in full glory:


A short delay at IS tower of the westbound return trip into New York allows another railfan to capture the entire train and train's consist.  A PRR Horse car is at the head end for the private (no pictures allowed) wagon procession when the train arrives at the Lavis Junction in the near future.


Many fans of Mike McGrattan were quick to send in their pictures from various vantage points of the train on the elevated main.  This provided some spectacular views for this poster to share.










After a three hour westbound ride to the Lavis Junction Railroad the train stops on a passing siding near Lavis Station for a commemorative moment of silence.  A PRR K4s 1361 stops in respect of the memorial train above.


Each car was photographed for posterity while it was stopped on the passing siding for the townsfolk to pay respect (please imagine the many folk who turned out for the private procession unloading on the other side of the train).

The Baggage car number 2016:


Coach Number 1964 (my same year of birth)


The Sleeping car GLACE BAY:


And the Official Car MICHAEL MCGRATTAN:


After the horse drawn procession at Lavis Junction a Huey came to videotape the train's roundy-round trip on the Lavis Junction Railroad (please forgive the lousy background, this was the only good video after many tries).

For additional photos see this link:
https://goo.gl/photos/m4kd54tac6NFgpgK8

[jereising]

The McGratten Memorial Train has reached Oakville and is waiting for the power to back down.  More to come...

[jereising]

Wow!  Management has gone all out for this train:



Here we go exiting Oakville Yard:



And just north of the yard:



Across a large fill:



The reason for the train:



More to come!

[jereising]

The train passes the signals at CP Cliff, approaching Wedding Cake Curve:





And rounds the curve:





Apparently folks have gotten the word as a small group was waiting for the train as it passed the ranch at Bealville:



The train approaches CP Bridge:



Just past CP Bridge:



More to come!

[jereising]

The train approaches Caliente and it's horseshoe:





Wow!  Look at the crowd gathered to pay homage:







Somewhat later, the train continues it's journey as it approaches CP Canyon:



And proceeds through the canyon on it's way to Mechanicsburg, PA, the next stop on this epic journey:



My thanks to the gang at TRW for this honor.  It has been a wonderful opportunity to add my voice to many as we give accolades to one of us who was taken 'way too soon.  But I somehow think he's looking down and smiling.

RIP, Michael.

[R L Smith]

October 29, 2016, Mechanicsburg, PA:

The Michael McGrattan Memorial Train has arrived on the East Coast, and today we are transported back in time to 1964 – the year Mike was born – along the Erie-Lackawanna in western New York.

Although the E-L rosters a few dozen passenger engines, management has chosen to use its newest power on this special train to honor our friend. Thus C424 #2406 was sent through the wash rack and placed on the point to lead the train east towards Corning NY on former Erie iron. Near Hornell NY, the M³T meets XC-1 with three former Erie Geeps for power.  The super-elevation on curves allowed passenger trains to maintain 70 mph on the Erie.



Approaching Cameron Mills, the M³T eases to a stop for a photo shoot along the Canisteo River, where company photographer Ruth Smith is waiting.





Also by pre-arrangement, Train No. 1, the Erie-Lackawanna Limited, rolls to a stop to pay tribute to our friend.  Note the baggage clerk has opened a door for a better view.







Meanwhile, Ruth’s crazy intrepid husband has climbed a nearby hill to capture a panoramic view:



With a long blast of the air horns, both trains resume their journeys. Shortly our train will arrive in Gang Mills yard, where the train will tie up for the day while the passengers enjoy a tour of the nearby Corning Glass Works facility and museum. 



Here, Ruth captures her last shot of the day – the M³T is reflected in the Canisteo:



The next days' journey will be posted shortly...   Ron

[glakedylan]

all of these are excellent
such a fantastic thing to share in here through the photos
thanks all
Gary

[R L Smith]

October 30, 2016, Mechanicsburg, PA:

Early the next morning, the M³T heads westbound on the former DL&W Buffalo mainline to Bath NY. There the train will be handed off to the Bath & Hammondsport Railroad for a 9-mile ride down the hill to Keuka Lake. The passengers and guests will enjoy a day of sailing and visiting nearby wineries.



Photo 22, 26: But wait, what’s this?  Unbeknownst to many, the Canadian Pacific, to pay homage to Mike, had offered the use of one of its engines for ferry moves or for any host railroads that did not have suitable power.  The B&H jumped at the chance as they were concerned their 44-tonners might not have the oomph to pull the train back up the hill.  But the CP didn’t provide just any regular engine – they re-painted their first RS-2 # 8400 into its ‘as-delivered’ 1949 scheme for this occasion! 





Here we see the RS-2 tied on to the rear of the special, leading it through Rheims and the packing plants there.



After a stop at the Great Western facility in Rheims for a tour of its 100-year old winery, the train continued on to Hammondsport.  #8400 ran around her train and pushed it to the depot, where the passengers departed for a sail on the lake.





Later that afternoon the passengers re-boarded the M³T for the ride back up the hill to Bath.  Here we see it starting up the 2% grade from Rheims and threading a curve behind a vineyard:








Back in Bath, the RS-2 uncoupled and the C424 again took the lead.



Just north of Bath the train passes through a two-span truss bridge, one of several on the old DL&W line:





Rounding the curve into Cohocton:



Our final views as the sun declines to the west finds the M³T meeting freight BS-2 in Cohocton, while a local works the industries.







And with that we bid a fond farewell to our friend, as the train heads off to Gettysburg PA for its next stop.





It has been an honor and a privilege to host the Michael McGrattan Memorial Train. I greatly appreciate the oppotrunity to particpate in this tribute to our friend.

Ron Smith

[BCR 570]

ALCO and MLW power - Mike would have loved that.  Well done.

Tim

[mu26aeh]

A couple of comments before we proceed with the journey.  First off, I would like to commend everyone who collaborated on getting this tribute together in such short time.  This is one of the greatest things I've been apart of in my life, simply because of our shared admiration of model trains.  I am greatly honored and at the same time humbled to be part of this final memorial journey.  I only wish I could be a better photographer.  So off we go....

November 2, 2016  CSX Hanover Subdivision Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Early in the morning of November 2, the trainmaster of the CSX Hagerstown Yard in Hagerstown, MD got a call from Pete, one of the yard foremen from the graveyard shift.  He could barely understand what was being said, all he could get out of him was " You have to get here right away"  So he went into work a little early to find what he already knew would be there.  Pete looked like he had seen a ghost.  " I was over there pushing a cut of cars onto track two when I heard an eerie horn blow and whoosh of wind go by.  It was dark but I swore I saw a C424 from the Erie Lackawanna go by with a passenger train."  "Pete, I told you guys last night there would be a special coming in overnight, NS would be coming up from Vardo with it.  You've got to stay off YouTube watching those only railfanning videos.  They brought it up here with the Erie and Lackawanna heritage units.  Go home and get some sleep."  The trainmaster knew about the memorial train, and knew exactly what for power to put on the train.

20161101_205142 by Adam Henry, on Flickr

He called a crew in and told them they would be on an extra, passenger special.  They had a Canadian Pacific Gevo sitting in the yard and it was a perfect opportunity to burn off some power pool hours. 

20161101_210635 by Adam Henry, on Flickr

So they crew got CP #8749 fueled and ready for the trip eastbound.  Here we see them backing on and hooking up to the train, and setting off.

20161101_210657 by Adam Henry, on Flickr

20161101_211037 by Adam Henry, on Flickr

I got ahead of the train passing Security, at the Holcium Cement facility.  And got another quick shot as it rounded the bend into the trees.

20161101_211301_001 by Adam Henry, on Flickr

20161101_211814 by Adam Henry, on Flickr

Unfortunately due to a few accident and construction detours and road closures, I couldn't keep up with the train over Blue Ridge Summit, so the next chance I got to catch them was east of Gettysburg at Granite.  Police had stopped traffic to allow the special go thru crossing without incident.  That Roaring Spring driver must definitely be a railfan, as they had the crossing blocked for about 15 minutes prior to the train arriving.

20161101_211740 by Adam Henry, on Flickr

20161101_211846 by Adam Henry, on Flickr

20161101_211914 by Adam Henry, on Flickr

Next up, I caught the train at Hanover just pass the diamond with the Ex-Maryland and Pennsylvania RR.  This is now YorkRail, part of the Genessee & Wyoming company.  The train will later be handed off to them at Porters Sideling.

20161101_212257_001 by Adam Henry, on Flickr

With the crews hours of service running low, and no one available from YorkRail, the crew tied the train down at the wye in Porters.  Here we see the train before accepting visitors to view the exhibitions and displays in the baggage car in honor of Mike McGrattan.

20161101_212629 by Adam Henry, on Flickr

20161101_212647_001 by Adam Henry, on Flickr

With the last of the visitors getting in their cars and going home, the train is tied down for the night and guests onboard prepare themselves for tomorrows journey to Spring Grove, then to the next hand over to the Maryland Midland at Emory Grove, MD.

[mu26aeh]

November 3, 2016 Gettysburg, PA CSX Hanover Subdivision

The following morning, a crew from YorkRail taxied into Porters to take over the train for a short side trip into Spring Grove, PA.  This is home to PH Gladfelter, a large paper mill complex.  A handful of employees had worked with or collaborated with Mike during his previous ties to the pulp and paper industry, so it was fitting to run into town for a visit.  Just as they got their train together, a call came across the radio to hold on the siding as the Norfolk Southern coal train had finished it's shifting and was heading out in their direction.  They would have to wait for the train to clear before proceeding.

20161101_213746 by Adam Henry, on Flickr

20161101_213934 by Adam Henry, on Flickr

Here the train is spotted just outside of town.

20161101_214715 by Adam Henry, on Flickr

20161101_214833 by Adam Henry, on Flickr

As the train came into the plant grounds, employees came out to pay their respects.

20161101_215201_001 by Adam Henry, on Flickr

And get some shots of the train before it left town.

20161101_215216_002 by Adam Henry, on Flickr

20161101_215116 by Adam Henry, on Flickr


Soon after the engine ran around the train, and headed back to Porters long hood forward.  Once at Porters, they used the wye to turn the engine, yet keeping the consist as is to set it up for pick up by the Maryland Midland.  Again, they would have to wait for a train to pass by, now for CSX D795 heading west towards Hanover.

20161104_190406 by Adam Henry, on Flickr

20161104_191617 by Adam Henry, on Flickr

Next we catch the train passing Hampstead, MD where volunteers of the Western Maryland Historical Society are seen at the site of a station rebuild moving supplies to begin construction.

20161104_195248 by Adam Henry, on Flickr

We finally reach Emory Grove and the interchange with Maryland Midland. 

20161104_195632 by Adam Henry, on Flickr

20161104_195830_001 by Adam Henry, on Flickr

20161104_200129 by Adam Henry, on Flickr

We finally catch it somewhere near Westminster, MD heading for its next stop on the journey.

20161104_204130 by Adam Henry, on Flickr

[Ed Kapuscinski]

The memorial train just wrapped up its trip over Conrail's NCR line.

A Maryland Midland crew ran it into Windsor St Yard.











There it was united with an extra baggage, in from the west coast, carrying the neccessary supplies for a true Railwire event. I'm sure you can figure out what those are...



A pair of Conrail's GP40-2s were assigned for the first leg of the journey. Here they are coupled up and doing their air test.



The train's routing was to be from York up to Harrisburg, which meant wyeing it and bringing it back north. Here the train, now heading north, passes a coal train waiting for a crew to split it up and run it down to the paper mill in Spring Grove PA.



Heading North







Passing back from whence it came: Hanover Junction.





From there, it did the full circle route through Harrisburg, riding through Enola and over the Rockville Bridge.

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And then back south, but with an SD40-2 this time.

[wm3798]

Beautiful work, Ed.

[eric220]

There it was united with an extra baggage, in from the west coast, carrying the neccessary supplies for a true Railwire event. I'm sure you can figure out what those are...

Well, since @Ed Kapuscinski put the spotlight on it, for those wondering what this is:



It's a project that I've been working on with @peteski's help that's on a test run at the moment.  In deference to @BCR 570 and the M³T, I agreed to postpone the official launch until after the memorial train has run its course.  I'll hold off on any further discussion until that time so as not to distract any more from the M³T, but the basic idea should be pretty obvious.   

I'm glad the two projects will get the chance to run together a few times.

[tom mann]

I'm glad to have had the opportunity to photograph the McGrattan car this past week. 



Thanks to @BCR 570 for making this come together.