Just a hint of fall color remaining. Although most of the autumn leaves had been ripped from the trees by a wind-storm just 24 hrs earlier, a few sheltered trees still retained a bit of fall color, the effect of which was magnified by the cloudy, misty morning. Here, the newly restored Climax #9 runs light in the yard, in the process of making up her train for the day.
In the beautiful morning sunlight, Moore-Keppel Climax #6, now Cass Scenic Railroad #9, runs light in the Cass Yard prior to departing on a Trains Magazine Photo Charter. The Climax is one of three primary types of geared locomotives, and the only one that has side-rods of sorts, like the rod engines that most folks are used to. But in the case of the Climax, those side rods are only connected to a flywheel, which turns a shaft running under the boiler. That shaft is connected to a gearbox under the locomotive, which in turn, drives a central drive-shaft that runs the entire length of the locomotive. That drive-shaft is geared to every one of the 6 wheel-sets, which are housed in 3 trucks under the water tank, coal bunker and pilot. It's a bit like a 4-wheel drive truck on rails. Depending on how each locomotive was ordered, the gearing might be designed for low-speed and high power, or vice versa. This particular engine appears to be of the former variety, producing a lot of power (and noise), but making perhaps 6 mph tops.
For aficianados of geared steam engines, it's "almost heaven." Here are some scenes from the park's annual Railfan Weekends, as well as some private charters.
