Back in 1997 Bill Stokoe had given me some parts to restore a few of my signal heads I had. A couple of glass mechanism bowls for a couple of older Type H signals, and a mirror/lamp assembly for an older Adlake semaphore lamp I was converting to a "distant approach" light. I still have them. He was a great guy. An encyclopedia of signal knowledge, and general stuff too. Thank you Mark for helping keep his memory and service to railroading alive.
If you haven't seen my video on what I thought of all my bosses, you should check it out. It's in the "My Thoughts on Railroading" playlist. I speak very highly of Bill.
Yes, Mark. Another good one. Thanks for the video. I live in Palmdale and always enjoy a stop at the Museum when visiting The Loop. Very nice people, docents, communicating the very rich history of the railroad in Tehachapi to us, the public.
Working?? Man you are supposed to be retired! That was one exceptional video you put together. Remember dad talking about the torpedos they put on the track. I have his big ring of brass switch keys he used to align the tracks. A "unique" item that I got is the old spit tomb with "C&O" that's engraved in it. That thing is heavy!The yard crew worked out of the, what was,the ticket office/ waiting room at the station. They used it as a door stop to keep the door open. Truthfully, believe I have enough stuff to start my own museum.
I’m familiar with Museums and can Honestly say a Very Strong Effort and a Large Financial Investment was made with Everything both inside and outside of this Museum. NO Shortage of Artifacts. I know you’re ALL Very Proud of the Museum and should be. Great job, Mark and Volunteers. 👍👍👍
Thank you mark for letting me visit the museum with you I am really jealous that you work in such a great place I will put the museum on my bucket list for places to visit
Great video Mark! Thanks for the tour thats a really fine museum, your work experience combined with your knowledge of local history will make you a great docent.
Cool your old office is now a museum. Lucky catches on the crossover at Tehachapi, There is a lot of cool things in that museum. I will have to make a point to come see for myself. You are a docent and its shows on this video. Very informative. Impressive signal collection.
I lived by the tracks of the Virginian Railroad when i was young. I remember the old steam trains coming by with a load of coal or freight. Remember standing near the tracks many times and hearing one of them hitting a torpedo.
Hi Mark, nice Location. The Location we meet in August 2019, during the Summer Holidays of my family. 😀 Unfortunately the museum was closed when we were there.
@@MarkClayMcGowan the museum area seems to be much bigger now the in August 2019, much more signals and also i don‘t remember the caboose of southern pacific. Can it be that behind the caboose to the east there‘s the german bakery?
We are discussing some sort of regular schedule, like two weekends a month, of operating them, one possibly during First Friday if the city starts doing that again.
In your years of working for the railroad how many times did you see a broken flange on a freight car wheel? As a railfan I’ve seen it 3 times. Last one I could hear before I saw it and I immediately called the UP emergency number.
I got in a conversation with an employee of the DM&E in Rochester Minnesota who quickly figured out I was a foamer and asked me to call them if I see a broken flange or wheel because they can cause a derailment.
On the Santa Fe, that "P" was pointed downwards, and indicated that (usually on an intermediate signal) that the signal was "permissive" meaning when Red, the signal could be passed by at restricted speed, usually 10 mph, until whatever else on that block could be put into a siding or that train could be put into a siding. Santa Fe did away with those P plates in 1980 when they went to all CTC (they called it TCS) and only signals with a white number plate were "permissive" . Now having said that, Santa Fe still had a similar system on Grades, with the round yellow "G" plate.
SP got rid of the G plates before they did the P plates. All of the SP intermediates were red restrictive. It's odd how so many different roads use the same signals and/or signs for different reasons. Thanks for checking it out!
@@MarkClayMcGowan I remember seeing a pile of those old ceramic yellow G plates behind the depot building in the fenced in area there in Tehachapi. That was about 1996. . But I never saw anyone I could ask about them. I would have loved to have had a couple of the old round yellow ones.
I am using voice operated, so I hope that this all is readable. I have taken many trips along all route 66 from Barstow to Kingman and also along interstate 15 up to Las Vegas. I lived in Las Vegas for a while, Henderson actually. In towards Lake Mead there is an area called Railroad pass. The tracks and in Boulder city at a railroad museum. The freight to Las Vegas seems to go along route 66 to needles, actually to a small town called Goss Jeep OFSS. And I think it goes to Laughlin and then north to Las Vegas, more or less along interstate 15. If you could do some history and where all that Trac was laid and why that spurred going down toBoulder city is the way that it stands now. Did that railroad pass track go down to Kingman or Laughlin at one time? Has the train been rerouted?. It is union pacific engines on the way up to Las Vegas
The line that follows I-40 (or 66) is the BNSF and goes to Needles and across Az and eventually to Missouri. UP splits off the BNSF at Daggett and goes north through Vegas to Salt Lake City. The line to Boulder City was a branch and was built specifically for the construction of the dam. It never went any further.
The levers aren't connected to anything. They're just to show folks how the train order boards were operated by the agent. There are also no lights in the order board semaphores as it is too close to the tracks.
There are, however, three functioning semaphores in the "signal garden". There's a video showing them working in my "depots, stations and museums" playlist.
I have a 1940's conductors lantern I restored to it's original condition. I found online a company that sells kerosene tanks with a wick assembly and bought a replacement for my lantern. My lantern has a red cylindrical lens.
Excellent video,Mark. You have captured the "people*side of those who visit museums. I appreciate the story about the difficulty you all encountered trying to get a power switch machine synchronized. I remember having to attend to correctly order the ties for a right hand turnout with the machine, operating rods and other paraphernalia attached on the right or left side of the track. If something did not come out correct, it would not have worked The coding was LTML, LTMR, or RTML, RTMR. All this is just stuff in the *weeds," but important to the gangs that built turnouts and made them operate so the trains could go faster.
Back in 1997 Bill Stokoe had given me some parts to restore a few of my signal heads I had. A couple of glass mechanism bowls for a couple of older Type H signals, and a mirror/lamp assembly for an older Adlake semaphore lamp I was converting to a "distant approach" light. I still have them. He was a great guy. An encyclopedia of signal knowledge, and general stuff too. Thank you Mark for helping keep his memory and service to railroading alive.
If you haven't seen my video on what I thought of all my bosses, you should check it out. It's in the "My Thoughts on Railroading" playlist. I speak very highly of Bill.
Yes, Mark. Another good one. Thanks for the video. I live in Palmdale and always enjoy a stop at the Museum when visiting The Loop. Very nice people, docents, communicating the very rich history of the railroad in Tehachapi to us, the public.
Working?? Man you are supposed to be retired! That was one exceptional video you put together. Remember dad talking about the torpedos they put on the track. I have his big ring of brass switch keys he used to align the tracks. A "unique" item that I got is the old spit tomb with "C&O" that's engraved in it. That thing is heavy!The yard crew worked out of the, what was,the ticket office/ waiting room at the station. They used it as a door stop to keep the door open. Truthfully, believe I have enough stuff to start my own museum.
I can't really even call it working because I'm not getting paid!
I’m familiar with Museums and can Honestly say a Very Strong Effort and a Large Financial Investment was made with Everything both inside and outside of this Museum. NO Shortage of Artifacts. I know you’re ALL Very Proud of the Museum and should be. Great job, Mark and Volunteers. 👍👍👍
Thank you mark for letting me visit the museum with you I am really jealous that you work in such a great place I will put the museum on my bucket list for places to visit
Thank you! We hope to see you there!
Very nice informative video. Just love the caboose stoves and lanterns. Thanks Mark.
That museum has a lot more to it than I expected! Thanks for taking us along.
And it's going to get better!
Great video Mark! Thanks for the tour thats a really fine museum, your work experience combined with your knowledge of local history will make you a great docent.
Cool your old office is now a museum. Lucky catches on the crossover at Tehachapi, There is a lot of cool things in that museum. I will have to make a point to come see for myself. You are a docent and its shows on this video. Very informative. Impressive signal collection.
Thanks! We would love to see you there soon!
Great Video!!!!
Gift Shop Area looks Very Cool. Really Neat that you had an Office by the Window in that Room.👍
Excellent informative video I enjoyed watching it.👍😀😀😀😀😀🚂🇬🇧
Great tour Mark! As many times that I’ve been in Tehachapi, I’ve never gone through it. I’ll have to put it on my list for the next trip.
Please do! We hope to see you there soon!
Thanks Mark, In your email you told me about this video. The signals and Museum is cool! One of these days I hope to ride my Harley out there!
Nice inside view, shared.
Great video Mark !
Great tour Mark! Very informative. Definitely a must see next time I'm in the area.
We look forward to seeing you!
Great show!
nice vidjayo thanks Mark!
We get one of those cylinder along the railroad here in Oregon south of Creswell
I have visited the Depot Museum several times great time.
Great video .
Thanks for this video of the museum I will have to make a point to stop there one day soon.
Thanks! We hope to see you there in the future!
I lived by the tracks of the Virginian Railroad when i was young. I remember the old steam trains coming by with a load of coal or freight. Remember standing near the tracks many times and hearing one of them hitting a torpedo.
Hi Mark, nice Location. The Location we meet in August 2019, during the Summer Holidays of my family. 😀 Unfortunately the museum was closed when we were there.
Well, Werner, now you know what you missed! I'm happy to have given you the tour and sincerely hope I can do it in person one day!
@@MarkClayMcGowan the museum area seems to be much bigger now the in August 2019, much more signals and also i don‘t remember the caboose of southern pacific. Can it be that behind the caboose to the east there‘s the german bakery?
Great video - although I've visited the Museum several times, I learned quite a bit from this talk.
Would you please come back on a day your co-worker is Volunteering to see Signals Operating ?👍
We are discussing some sort of regular schedule, like two weekends a month, of operating them, one possibly during First Friday if the city starts doing that again.
In your years of working for the railroad how many times did you see a broken flange on a freight car wheel? As a railfan I’ve seen it 3 times. Last one I could hear before I saw it and I immediately called the UP emergency number.
Actually, I never encountered one but did see the carnage they could create.
I got in a conversation with an employee of the DM&E in Rochester Minnesota who quickly figured out I was a foamer and asked me to call them if I see a broken flange or wheel because they can cause a derailment.
@@MustangsTrainsMowers that's what caused the worst derailment on the Tehachapi in years.
Your Cameraman must have been using a New Camera while filming 1st UP train outside. 😬👍
No, it was the same one. I don't know what it's issue was!
On the Santa Fe, that "P" was pointed downwards, and indicated that (usually on an intermediate signal) that the signal was "permissive" meaning when Red, the signal could be passed by at restricted speed, usually 10 mph, until whatever else on that block could be put into a siding or that train could be put into a siding. Santa Fe did away with those P plates in 1980 when they went to all CTC (they called it TCS) and only signals with a white number plate were "permissive" . Now having said that, Santa Fe still had a similar system on Grades, with the round yellow "G" plate.
SP got rid of the G plates before they did the P plates. All of the SP intermediates were red restrictive. It's odd how so many different roads use the same signals and/or signs for different reasons.
Thanks for checking it out!
@@MarkClayMcGowan I remember seeing a pile of those old ceramic yellow G plates behind the depot building in the fenced in area there in Tehachapi. That was about 1996. . But I never saw anyone I could ask about them. I would have loved to have had a couple of the old round yellow ones.
I gave a few of those to collectors I knew along with P plates, number plates of signals that were moved and motor car indicators.
I am using voice operated, so I hope that this all is readable. I have taken many trips along all route 66 from Barstow to Kingman and also along interstate 15 up to Las Vegas. I lived in Las Vegas for a while, Henderson actually. In towards Lake Mead there is an area called Railroad pass. The tracks and in Boulder city at a railroad museum. The freight to Las Vegas seems to go along route 66 to needles, actually to a small town called Goss Jeep OFSS. And I think it goes to Laughlin and then north to Las Vegas, more or less along interstate 15. If you could do some history and where all that Trac was laid and why that spurred going down toBoulder city is the way that it stands now. Did that railroad pass track go down to Kingman or Laughlin at one time? Has the train been rerouted?. It is union pacific engines on the way up to Las Vegas
The line that follows I-40 (or 66) is the BNSF and goes to Needles and across Az and eventually to Missouri.
UP splits off the BNSF at Daggett and goes north through Vegas to Salt Lake City.
The line to Boulder City was a branch and was built specifically for the construction of the dam. It never went any further.
The Las Vegas line also used to serve various Air Force bases for the atomic bomb tests in Tonopah and Yucca Flats
There are two levers marked East and West. Are there functional semaphores on the station?
The levers aren't connected to anything. They're just to show folks how the train order boards were operated by the agent. There are also no lights in the order board semaphores as it is too close to the tracks.
There are, however, three functioning semaphores in the "signal garden". There's a video showing them working in my "depots, stations and museums" playlist.
Why didn't the rare old replace or at least put a good code of galvanized on on that box after the fire
Cheapskates! Did you notice the burned up pole still standing next to it?
I have a 1940's conductors lantern I restored to it's original condition. I found online a company that sells kerosene tanks with a wick assembly and bought a replacement for my lantern. My lantern has a red cylindrical lens.
Excellent video,Mark. You have captured the "people*side of those who visit museums.
I appreciate the story about the difficulty you all encountered trying to get a power switch machine synchronized. I remember having to attend to correctly order the ties for a right hand turnout with the machine, operating rods and other paraphernalia attached on the right or left side of the track. If something did not come out correct, it would not have worked
The coding was LTML, LTMR, or RTML, RTMR. All this is just stuff in the *weeds," but important to the gangs that built turnouts and made them operate so the trains could go faster.
I thought you retired? 2nd job???
Yeah, except this one doesn't pay! I volunteer a few days a month.
My real 2nd job is this channel!
Thanks for checking it out!