The Deep River Southern Dispatcher received a call and said special shipment coming in on the Frisco today...They have special instructions to meet it as soon as it gets to Green Valley and then proceed to Stock spur in Clifton for the night then continue to Pine Flat, where the Pine Flat Logging Company will take it to its final destination. Once the my Friends Miguel, Jeff, Eric and Bill caught wind of this they loaded up their cameras with film and a full tank of gas and grabbed me and off we went...rumor was some east coast baggage car...Right on time the Frisco hit the interchange and there it was right at the front end.
After grabbing a bite to eat in Green valley at Matthew's Diner, we spotted a doodlebug in the background, no it couldn't be, we haven't seen that thing on the rails around here in years.
The Deep River Southern doesn't do anything for free, so the instructions call for the Frisco local to spot it on the scale track...wow, there wasn't a half inch to spare, the wheels of the trucks just barely fit onto the live rails of the scale track.
After the Frisco units cleared, the doodlebug backup and connected to the baggage car, and with a big blast of the horn she started depart Green Valley, back into the car we jumped and floored the old Mercury as we sped down some unimproved roads to catch some shots of the train.
First spot, the bridge over Deep River, the train crosses it several times...this is the first along the line.
My buddy Miguel, being the crazy driver he is, as soon as we snapped the shot the gas pedal was floored as he said if we hurry we can catch it before it makes that turn along the river where we'll lose her for a little bit...jump out just in time catch this shot.
From there we probably shouldn't have let Bill tell us where to go, he's this old codger that is kind of set in his ways...so after a few left turns instead of rights we finally made it back to another crossing of Deep River, hoping we got there before the train did...between Miguel's Driving and Jeff taking over as map reader we felt pretty confident, about that time Eric yelled stop, jumped out of the car and down the hill side he ran...young kids...we got there too, out of breath, just as the it was almost all the way across the bridge.
After Port Allen there isn't a lot of places to catch the train as the terrain changes as we climb in altitude...but Jeff and Eric looking at the map, say we can make it...if we go here, then there, then turn here, we should get to this point and see it go by...back into the car we go, Miguel shifting that 3 on the tree like we were at the drags. We got out, walked around, wondering...were we in time...Bill the old codger walked up to the rails, put his ear to them...got up and walked back...train should be here in about 5 minutes...like clockwork, we could hear the clickity clack of the rails in the distance as the old doodlebug was working hard to pull that Pennsy baggage car up the grade.
Off into the distance she went, back to the car we made our way back to the main road knowing there was no way we were going to make it to Clifton before the train does...so we took our time, and shared stories along the way...when we got to Clifton, just as we had heard, the baggage car and doodlebug were backed on the old stock spur...running around in the pen was a sheep, and cow, with someone looking over the railing. We approached, introduced ourselves, and a polite man he was...a little scruffy looking. then he began with stories, a trip that started 2 years ago. Said he embarked on this trip to explore the country, met wonderful people, and has carried or escorted some pretty unusual loads...but the sheep has been his best friend along the way, but now it's time for it go to its new home way up in the mountains. We called it a night, a few of use took up a room at the local hotel, the old mining town is pretty run down...Bill as expected, said he'd sleep right there in the old Merc.
Next morning after Jeff had about 3 or 4 cups of mud water, think it was coffee, we loaded up and looked back at the spur and the train was gone, Eric was no were around, comes running around the corner, I just talked to the station agent, it left 20 minutes ago, we can catch it at tunnel one he said...the doors weren't even closed all the way, and there goes Miguel, on a mission to catch up to it, we fly around the corner, he slams on the brakes, there she is, we jump out to catch a shot just before entering the tunnel.
The terrain from there to Davis Junction has no roads, we headed to Davis Junction and waited for it to get there. After a little nap in the car we could here a horn and bell off in the distance as she pulled into the siding and stopped at the depot for the latest instructions, from there it was time to depart...and what timing a local Deep River Southern freight was just passing under the bridge on the mainline, as we were on the branchline now.
From there it turned on the balloon loop and back on the Newton Grade as it headed up to Montray Pass on the branchline.
We too had many steep grades to get to, we were all hoping the old Merc had it in her to make it up these grades, but Bill, being the old codger he was, put a gallon jug of water in the trunk, sat back and said we're all good now...he tried to engage is some political conversation, but we all reminded him, this was railfanning, if you have some addition info on this car lets hear it..then radio silence set in. When we crested the top of the grade, we got there just as she was exiting the tunnel.
The branchline servers a large cement plant, this area is know for good quality rock, and off in the distance we can see another cement plant.
We finally made it to Pine Flat, end of the line. When we got there Eric went in to find out what the plan is, as we were sitting there the doodlebug pulled infront of the station, and the crew got out to stretch their legs, the engineer said, there was a reason I bid off the line when the doodlebug ran daily, the wheels I swear are square on that thing, every joint in my body feels like it's been jarred loose.
I see Eric and Jeff come out of the depot, running as fast they can, they are yelling something, but we can't make out what they are saying, about that time We he a loud steam whistle...we turn and look, and the shop salvaged caboose was being put on the back of the baggage car, while being moved by a shay!
About this time I can hear Jeff...A SHAY...A SHAY...Eric found out for the special movement they were going to push the caboose and baggage car into the log pond yard, do a run around, then head out of town headed to camp 19. He also said that Jim was going to get to ride in the caboose on this last leg, the superintendent said you want to see where you are going, you'll be crossing Dinky creek, Million Dollar Pass, and make your way to some virgin old grown forest. Luckily we had Bill with us this time, as the only roads in this area are old logging roads, and only an old codger would know were to go...luckily no need set speed records as the shay was going to go nice and slow, good thing too, these old logging roads weren't made for a 4 door Mercury to be going down, but that wasn't about to stop us at this point.
A few blast of the whistle and we are passing the engine house and right off the bat crossing Dinky Creek.
after that we had to cross Dinky Creek and it took us away from the railroad, but Bill recognized the fork in the road, said turn left here...so we did, and next thing you know we were on on old logging line on the other side of the canyon as we looked back and picked out where we wanted to capture the train, what a site. Now you can see why they call it the million dollar cut, that was a lot of blasting to get the train around that rock face.
several miles down the road we catch back up with the railroad, and at the reload we see another steam locomotive, we here Jeff yell, A MALLET...Look its a MALLET working the reaload. there was all kinds of noises from all the steam donkeys working the reload, the mallet, and then throw in our special shay train passing by..oh what a site!
off in the distance we could Camp 19, the newest logging camp on the Pine Flat Logging company.
The engineer goes past the siding, the conductor throws the switch and the shay pushes its caboose and baggage car up the steep incline to the logging camp itself...there Jim gets out, Smell that fresh air. They helped him unload his cargo, it wasn't an easy task, but eventually we got that sheep off loaded....then Jim said I have another friend on board, he loaded up that old cow back in Clifton too. See, Jim is going into semi retirement, he's going to live in one of those shacks back there, and instead of being on the rails every night, he's going to take saw filing, keeping those blades sharp for all those loggers, a slower life but and he'll be right at home with his sheep and cow. We all went up to Jim, shook his hand, and said thanks...thanks for the stories...Jim said in reply, now don't be strangers, I have more stories to tell
We loaded back up in that old Merc, heading back to Pine Flat and getting some Gas at the local station headed back to Beckton. A few days later Eric called, you up for more railfanning, sure but can we keep it local, and just a couple of hours he chuckled, of course...so we all met down at The Railyard Cafe in Beckton, and low and behold was the old Pennsy baggage car being picked up from the REA building.
A little while later, after Jeff had a few cups of coffee, we loaded up and looked across the yard as the Daylight was departing town, and right there in the consist was the Pennsy Baggage car headed off to its next destination.
Thanks,
Dave
