Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Remote supervisory control

Signallig by Remote Control
The postcard reproduced herewith has been sent to us by a correspondent. It was brought during a visit to South Africa, and according to the shop where it was sold the scene was a small wayside station just outside Port Elizabeth. The railwayman in the picture had both legs badly crushed in an accident. Being unable to operate the platform lever frame himself, he caught a baboon on a nearby mountain and trained it to pull the levers for him under his supervision - an unusual example of remote supervisory control.
Railway World Vol 37 No 431 (March 1976)
 My wife thinks the photo's fake (the baboon, not the crushed legs). You can see a bit of chain at the baboon's feet, suggesting... something.

Friday, March 02, 2012

Auxiliary Locos of the Pacific Northwest

RRV No. 1
RRV No. 1, the Doodle Bug, in front of the station at Jacksonville. The city has today rebuilt and preserved this historic structure as a remembrance of the railroad station so important to thier liitle town in the early part of the century. 
Culp, Edwin. Stations West, the Story of the Oregon Railways (1972). p.  169.
 I think I read that the Doodle Bug cost 25 cents to ride to either way.

-dd

Thursday, March 01, 2012

Auxiliary Locomotives of the Pacific Northwest

RRV No. 2

Rogue River Valley Raiload railcar no. 2 at Medford, 1915 or earlier.
 This car performed service between Medford and Jacksonville.
Culp, Edwin. Stations West, the Story of the Oregon Railways (1972). p. 170.

Another great looking railbus. The RRV had a lot of character. Entire thing was electrified in 1916.