The Franklin & South Manchester Traveling Hopper Car

[GPdemayo]

Tom.....you should have let the StL&D superintendent know about the Diet Pepsi shortage.....we keep plenty on hand for emergencies and would have be happy to send a fast freight down to resupply the A&S. 

Butty Greg,

Very much appreciate the help. I'm sure the union members on the St. Louis & Denver Railroad have less stringent rules.

Go ahead and issue the orders for the fast freight extra with a load of Diet Pepsi blister packs of 8 - 12 oz. bottles.

I'll teletype the A&S RR superintendent to watch for the load.

Tom

What unions.....we run an open shop, besides the guys and girls would have to take a pay cut if they were stupid enough to vote in a union. 

[S&S RR]

The list: (Names in Red are the Railroads that the car has already visited).


1. George Sellios on the Franklin & South Manchester
2. Jimmy Deignan's Pennsy
3. Dick Elwell's Hoosac Valley
4. John Siekirk's Superior & Seattle
5. Tom Langford's Atlantic & Southern
6. Frank Baker's Morristown & Erie Railroad - Western Division
7. Karl Scholz
8. Bob Parish - Boise Nampa & Owyhee
9. Jim Mueller - New Haven




I will keep up the list of stops for the F&SM Hopper Car on this thread.  If you would like to host the car on your layout - post your request on this thread and send me a PM Message with your mailing address.

June 8th update - added color code and changed some spelling errors.

[ACL1504]

Although the Diet Pepsi caper is still on going, the St.L&D RR has offered to help. Butty Jim Miller, jimillho, offered to help as well, but all he offered was tea. While the carload of the Diet Pepsi is still in route, one salty engineer had his fill of all the nonsense.

With his 55+ years of being a steam locomotive engineer, he looked left to his fireman and said, "Lum, we're going in". Lum replied, "Okay, Abner, let's move the hopper"!

Abner said he had to make several switching moves to move the F&SM hopper but he was going to do it. After all, being on the job for 55+ years made him feel like he owned the railroad.

Abner's loco is an old Mikado type steam loco. For those not living around the A&S RR, it's also referred to a 2-8-2.



Old # 835 backed onto the main headed for the wye. Once the loco was turned, old Abner, in old Mike #835, backed into the West Tahope Yard.

[ACL1504]

Old #835 coupled to the hopper and a yard hand set the air hoses. Abner then had to turn the loco on the wye to get the caboose.



The caboose was coupled and then promptly set off on the siding.



Lum and Abner set the F&SM hopper on the inside passing siding for pickup by the loco Tahope Coal train #1.

[ACL1504]

Lum and Abner got their caboose and brakeman and went back to doing their own switching. Lum mumbled, "Damn union guys. They don't know what real railroading is all about".




In the distance the sound of three Pennsy Baldwin sharks were heard coming up the main. It's probably the Tahope Coal train #1.

In the mean time, this photographer saw these same two people waving. I thought these people have no clue as to what they are doing. However; I only said, "Hey, ya'll. George isn't in the hopper. What are ya'll thinking? Now get off the main, the coal train is coming and won't stop for you"!

[ACL1504]

Now what! "Hey, Jose, you can't nap there. MOVE!"




Jose, never raising his head said, "Maing, don't bother me, I'm resting."

"MOVE, the train is coming."





"JOSE, MOOVE!"

[ACL1504]

"Ok, don't move, see if I care.", said I.



Jose must have felt the heavy vibrations of the three Baldwin Pennsy sharks. When I looked back he was gone.

No matter, the coal train was backing to pick up the F&SM hopper.

[ACL1504]

Coupling completed and air hoses set.

Well, what do you know? There's that other famous hopper.

[ACL1504]

F&SM hopper #838075 has finally left the yard. It was last seen crossing the double bridge span.



"Oh, you have got to be kidding me, those wavers are back. George isn't in the cab either folks.I'm telling ya, some people just don't have a clue.



I believe the F&SM is going to the Pennsy. That will be fun as we can see it on Horse Shoe Curve, Tunnel Hill and other points of interest.

I guess I can safely say this is the end. I'm still waiting on the load of Diet Pepsi.

[jimmillho]

Everyone will be happy to note that that string of Hoppers were not involved in the Train derailment in Orlando today.

Jim

[S&S RR]

Everyone will be happy to note that that string of Hoppers were not involved in the Train derailment in Orlando today.

Jim

That's a relief - George is real careful with his rolling stock and we don't want anything to happen to that Hopper.


Ask Tommy!

[S&S RR]

Coupling completed and air hoses set.

Well, what do you know? There's that other famous hopper.

Great to see Tom's AS on it's home line with some very special company.  Tom great pictures and story - I'm  looking forward to seeing the Hopper on some other Florida layouts before it makes it's way to the really hot area of the country. I'm sure you have Frank's address.

[tct855]

Tom,
         I copy cat John S... what he said, great pictures and great funny story!  I for one, had fun taking the journey so far!!!   Thanx Thom...

[postalkarl]

Hi  Tom:

That hopper looks great on your RR.

Karl

[GPdemayo]

Although the Diet Pepsi caper is still on going, the St.L&D RR has offered to help. Butty Jim Miller, jimillho, offered to help as well, but all he offered was tea. While the carload of the Diet Pepsi is still in route, one salty engineer had his fill of all the nonsense.

Help is on the way.....a boxcar loaded with Diet Pepsi is on the way. The photo shows it leaving the StL&D Columbia yard behind old No. 2. They will be highballing it as fast as they can.
 
[/font]