Recently, I went on a solo vacation, which is something I do once or twice a year. Gives my wife and I a little break and allows me to go and do things she wouldn’t find interesting. And one of those things is to go to Train Mountain. Located in southern Oreg0n, this attraction boasts of having the largest caboose collection in the free world, long with the longest miniature railroad! Now, I like trains, and think they are cool, so I made plans to go there as soon as possible. Well, that was six years ago, and the stars finally aligned well enough for me to make the trip.
So, why would I want to go to Train Mountain? Well, from their website:
<blockquote>Train Mountain Railroad is the world’s largest miniature hobbyist railroad located in Oregon, near Chiloquin. It features over 37 miles of track on a 2,200-acre property. Train Mountain was founded by Quentin Breen and is managed by the Train Mountain Institute. The site also includes the Train Mountain Railroad Museum, which showcases antique full-size railroad rolling stock and artifacts.</blockquote>
And how cool is that. Only problem was, when the stars aligned for me to go, it had just snowed. So, the miniature railroad wasn’t ready for passengers. Which kinda sucked, but as it is free to go in (I made a nice donation) and look around, I had more that a good time – It Was Awesome!
Even the benches have wheels!
Here you can see the miniature rolling stock (train cars, for you non-rail fans) next to a propane tank. No word on propane accessories.
SAND WORM! No, wait, that is a snow blower car.
Cool to be able to go inside the exhibits.
Watch your step, as it is all exposed (again, how cool is this!)
Drivers seat of snow blower, no steering wheel though…
A put-put, what was used to inspect rails before the Hy-Rails used today.
Inside the put-put.
Homemade put-put (I may need to build one for myself)
From the website…
Aside from the snow, this is a great way to spend the day, if you love trains. If you don’t, I am not sure why you are still reading this post.
Train Mountain is located a few miles north of Klamath Falls, Oregon, which is NOT on I5, but it is south (by a few hours) of Bend and Crater Lake, which are places in Oregon, that people like visiting while in Oregon. There is camping and RV spaces on site, so go check it out if you want something off the beaten path, and it is a great way to spend the day. I know I will go back when the timing works out better.
https://trainmtn.org/
So you’re saying you didn’t get to pull a train?
Sadly, no.
Choo-choo!
Thanks for the write up, Zwak
Cool! 😲
Sign me up.
Probably should go alone as well. Mrs TOK would start hitting me about the third time a woman walked by and I said “nice caboose”.
Ho-ho-ho, you think there are women there?
(actually, the only other person wondering around looking at stuff was a woman, with her two daughters)
I don’t believe this shit. We get out of a maximum security prison, wind up on an unmanned train with this bitch and bad news.
But Manny! You was my friend!
Such a sad but great movie.
I guess the guys who wrote Snowpiercer never bothered to research how real trains get through snowdrifts.
The Toy Train Museum near Harpers Ferry, WV has mini ridable trains and also those hand-powered rail carts. I went there when I was a wee lad many moons ago. Good times.
https://www.facebook.com/people/Harpers-Ferry-Toy-Train-Museum-Joy-Line-Railroad/100057148912740/
A playlist for this post: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxCKiHvcfJc&list=PLB3C71AA3E868E29D
Cool write up and photos. My next door neighbor has an old train car, possibly a caboose, on his property that is just rotting. Not sure why it’s there. We haven’t lived here very long and I’ve only met him once so haven’t asked. I think an old interurban railway used to cut through here back in the early 1900s.
This makes me think I should take a short solo trip. I have not used any vacation time yet and I would really like to check out the Corvette museum in Bowling Green someday.
Many years ago local railroads were selling? giving? rail cars to folks on the reservations. Many, many were turned into living quarters. Still see an occasional one near a newer house. I thought I would like a caboose, maybe for a kids’ playhouse. It wasn’t meant to be.
Enjoyed the article, Zwak, if you’re gonna do another article include lots of pictures. I think about the history of the US and the building of the railroads across the country. Inventing railroad bridges across rivers, that sort of thing. Hauling ties and rails across the treeless landscape. Our forefathers were really giants among men.
A bridge falls down in Baltimore and the President has to get involved.
Awwww! The put-put is equally cute and useful! (No sarc) I also enjoy the cutesey, tuk tuk nature of its name AND use. I don’t think this is a coincidence. Little diminutives make the world go ’round! (While I’m thinkin’ ‘ bout it, a toddler behind us was calling it “Apple-berries” rather than the still-extant (and surprisingly good) Applebee’s during our din-din. I figured it legit note-worthy.)
I really like old trains, the older the better, though I certainly never made it a hobby. Peru, Indiana is ‘famous’ for its American circus history, back through the rail days. That was especially fun. I imagine I’d be a workingman’s hobo, back in the day. Oooh, Ev the Hobo Journo would be a damn-fine moniker to earn.
The homemade put-put is just too much fun. If one had access to rails, I can’t imagine NOT having much, purposeful fun in it. It’s just too-damn perfect.
There are several modern day hoboes on youtoob:
Here’s one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFFnlf1ZGqo&ab_channel=JumpingOffTheCliff
pistofffnick jr. loved trains.
We spent many hours at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum https://lsrm.org/ in downtown Duloot.
Any Joe Biden sightings?
Sweet!!
I 💕choo-choos.
There’s a privately owned one on privately owned track in NW Wisconsin.
https://spoonertrainride.com/
The train is made up of several different decades of train, so it’s like a time capsule. There’s a mahogany dining car from around 1900. Then there’s a 1920s car, a 30s, cute little 50s car that looks like a soda joint, sleeper cars from the 60s.
I had a blast. Do recommend!
I had a VERY memorable evening with ex-pistoffnick on a sleeper car from Paris to Rome -IFKWIMAITYD
Oh I do KWYM.
The ex Mr splosives has fond memories of our California Zephyr trip on our 10 yr anniversary.
Something about that train rhythm…
Preach on sister! Preach on.
Pictured.
Gay dude is obviously uncomfortable and clumsy holding a woman. Huh.
In the dedthred, The Hyperbole asked:
“Do you know the name of the organizations behind this?”
They were named, some of them at least, in the article that we were responding to.
“if I complain that “you people” are being unnecessarily vague, suddenly I’m the asshole”
No comment.
I love trains almost as much as socialists love trains. We actually recently went to the Corvette museum in Bowling Green and there was also a train museum there, so we hit that afterwards. I want to start traveling the country by train. The wife is on board with this as well.
The museum in Golden is interesting because it has examples of mining equipment. Mountain track often runs on a narrower gage than standard service to help the car turn in that coming-round-the-mountain way.
The museum in Corpus Christi ain’t worth the candle: just a small yard full of mostly Pullman cars, none particularly fancy or even in great shape.
So says I who had not darkened the door of either place in two decades.
Nice pics and summary Zwak. I’ve been out of it for a while – reading posts, but haven’t gotten around to posting anything lately. A hassle trying to post articles/quotes without monocle working on my new machine.
I am getting pretty close to locking in a 3 year tour on active duty overseas (Europe) before I retire. Once I get the paperwork prepped, I’ll probably put together an article asking for some tips/suggestions – it’s been a long time since I lived/worked overseas. Before that though, I’ve got a week in San Diego and a month in Newport, RI for required class. My first time up there since 2012 and the first time ever when it’s not winter – should be a lot more comfortable this time.
Ten years ago today I was in Brittany: on the road to Rouen
**slaps knee**
https://www.scribd.com/document/507322523/Steam-Table-English
Fun thing about steam: saturated liquid at 250°F/29.844PSIA gives up 945.41BTU/lbm when it condenses. In common English, basically, just remember that a pound of steam delivers basically 900BTU. PSIA is absolute pressure, the way scientists and and even normal people all around the world (you know, those countries that have never landed a man on the moon) document pressure.
But Americans use/speak/record/report gage pressure. One atmosphere is 14.7PSI, so think of the 29.8PSIA cited above as (29.8 – 14.7) ~15PSI gage….viz., 15PSI above atmosphere. So when you read your tire gage and it says 40PSI, that means that the actual pressure inside the tire is 55PSIA.
In most states you can’t operate a stationary boiler above 15PSIG without a stationary engineer attending, so that’s four guys on staff (one per shift and a spare), quite the expense.
But check this out: if you don’t know anything about steam, notice that Hfg actually goes down with temperature in the table: there’s no need in most industrial settings to run a higher pressure than 15PSIG, and anyone could guess that there are problems associated with more pressure…..so why bother.
Last boring steam tidbit: when the condensate off of an exchanger or boiler leaves its trip, it’s still near the temperature from when it was saturated vapor (that 250°F reported above): when it hits the condensate pump’s reservoir in the morning, which is full of ambient water, all that energy actually flashes some of the water back into steam, and it’s gotta go somewhere. It’s kinda like a spent fuel rod: you can’t do anything useful with it except burn the fuck out of yourself or blow up a transfer pump.
leaves its
triptrapHigher than 15 PSIG and you need a special license for High Pressure Operator, in CA at least. I studied to become a stationary, but was sidetracked into commercial AC sales.
Now I am tooling up to make steam engines.
Large caboose collection? /Waggles eyebrows.
Thicc?
Yeah, I thought the largest collection was on the TX gulf coast during spring break.
Large caboose collection
::Tres Cool has entered the chat::
snow blower car
Rotary snowplow or just rotary. Sadly only in California of the Midwest these days.
Nice write up! I’ve passed the signs numerous times but never stopped. Maybe I should rectify that one of these days.
Ugh.
Augmentin antibiotics have side effects that are kicking me ass.
Lying very still seems to be the only way. Not even sure if I can go to work tomorrow.
Work has been hectic so I’ve missed alot over the last day or two. How is the hand doing? Prognosis?
Hand should make a full recovery. Infection is the main risk, hence the high dose antibiotics.
Hand is still hot and painful so I’m using ice and painkillers.
Just wish I could sleep better!
Glad the forecast is good, hopefully it will also be quick!
There were (are) lots of libertarians who are rail enthusiasts. The Reason Foundation’s Bob Poole comes to mind. Last train ride I had I got to ride on the front steps of the diesel for 7 miles along Chester Creek.
You know who else liked trains?
Ayn Rand?
Rebecca De Mornay?
Hubba hubba
Poet Edna St. Vincent Millay. “There’s not a train I wouldn’t take no matter where it’s going.”
Slumbrew I’m surprised to see you here tonight. Are you finished eating your MIL’s brisket? Not a euphemism!
Chag Sameach!
Yes, brisket consumed! (Turkey last night)
While I like her, my MIL makes me happy my wife apparently got her dad’s genes.
I hope you did something nice with family / slew some Egyptian overlords (or their firstborn sons).
Thanks for your good wishes. Had the parents over for night 1. Tonight it was just daughter 2 and me.
Apropos of your hopes for me: https://youtu.be/Ii1A76xFj4Q?si=t-nTkUiNp8Vtjbul. You can call me Ju Jitsu Lipschitz.
Train Mountain has been on my vaca list for a long time. After your article I need to reinvigorate some mainland vacation plans.
I have travelled most of Amtrak’s routes and plenty of time on the rails in multiple Euro countries. But Europe, and the rest of the world needs to stand in awe of the US’s freight network. Nobody does it any scale even close to us.
Example is the BNSF mainline in Flagstaff, AZ. Two Amtrak daily, but freights day in and night out 24/7. Not those wimpy short EU freights but trains 1-2 miles long, frequently double stacked.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzl6rDHTaF4
Why do we First, Mr. Brochettaward?
To pick ourselves back up.
I apologize in advance to those of you who lean left.
I am linking a Mark Steyn piece.
https://www.steynonline.com/14221/strolling-while-jewish
I was on an Ivy League campus this afternoon, walking around a scenic area and bussing through the center of campus. No signs of any of this stuff, thank goodness.
I didn’t realize how close you are to the University of Minnesota.
https://x.com/sfmcguire79/status/1782764811954065911
One small First for man, one giant First for mankind.
I enjoy scenic train rides. The museums don’t do much for me though.
Wakey, wakey y’all.
😎🌄☕
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=URdlxFRIVe4
Solid tune. 🎶🎶
Morning.
Good morning!
When I go to Quebec City, I like taking the Train from Montreal. It adds to the “this is not a real place” vibe that QC has going on.
The ride is not scenic though.
*waves*
Now the older trains are great but what’s really great is light rail, we really need to build that all over the country even between areas to and from which no one travels.
Your newsletter! How do I sign up for it??
Light rail is a free mobile motel.
I have had an idea which unfairly validates my tendency to not throw things away.
I realized that I have not one but two broken chairs – but each is broken differently so by combining parts from the two, I should be able to make one non-broken chair.
If you haven’t used something in a year toss it-that used to be my policy and I badly need to get back to it, excepting certain big ticket items of course. Accumulating stuff can get out of control quick.
Way too short.
I’ve had the parts chair for a decade or more.
Exactly!
I built an ion chromatograph that way.
I don’t think I have the parts for one of those laying around.
I got zero bonus for building them a $100k tool out of scrap. Their reasoning was that they didn’t have a need for it.
If they did have a recorded need they would have dropped $100k on a new one?
Yup. Oddly enough, that unneeded tool gets an awful lot of use.
…and one completely broken chair…
That is the price I have to pay. But it’s better than the alternative.
“Three types of misinformation are being used against transgender people: oversimplifying scientific knowledge, fabricating and misinterpreting research and promoting false equivalences”
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/anti-trans-efforts-use-misinformation-epistemological-violence-and-gender/?utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter
Scientific American ladies and gentlemen…reserved for only the most sciency of Americans.
Including parentheses in your name makes you more sciencey.
Postdoc Fellow
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=i914XScAAAAJ
A walking talking guarantee you’ll be standing in front of an HR board.
Wait! “Fellow” hasn’t been banned as sexist??
Have you tried making people give up their titles? They EARNED those titles!
Especially Academians.
It’s the only achievement many of them have.
Here, “Fellow” is a ridiculously high title. I’d need to be promoted up at least three levels for that one.
Why is it even a corporate title?
It doesn’t belong there.
Good call.
Also good morning!
Good morning, R.J.!
Using Animal Models for Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy
My God.
Good grief.
Run away!
You would expect to find such in a govt lab, if not necessarily as staff.
Simon? Does he make drawrings?
Simón(e) Sun: It’s easy to assume, broadly, that academics tend to lean left, or lean progressive, but it’s much more nuanced in terms of what specific issues you’re talking about.
Lol
“the actual science around trans rights”
WTF is that even supposed to mean?
Follow the SCIENCE!, Bigot. No, not real science The SCIENCE!, it’s totally real and not just our derangement made manifest.
Are the trans people in bed with the pro-Palestinian folks?
/Country Boy trying to keep up with the times
Only if the bed is in America. Other places stake their victims a little differently.
On an ant hill?
Some of them are.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/california-unemployment-fund-insolvent-due-to-55b-fraud-businesses-to-pay/ar-AA1nvOe8
Just a little fraud.
Well, no conflict of interest there!
When doubling down just won’t cut the mustard!
Is there anything that CA can do right? Need to raise the minimum wage law again so workers will have more money to be able to pay their taxes.