The second weekend of September was a busy one at the Ranch. On Friday the 8th, Sean Bautista and the gang from Hillcrest Shops dropped by to quote re-roofing the Disney cars. As some switching was in order to prepare for the following day's runs, it was decided to fire up the Vulcan and offer each of our affable guests some throttle time. General Manager Brad LaRose was conductor while Jeff Badger and I fired for the guest engineers. By day's end, we made seven trips.
On Saturday, Phil, Jeff, Brad, and Jarret put in some 12+ hours running for a hospital fundraiser. This was the second night run on the PCRR (the first being a political fundraiser in April, with "Thumper," that yours truly fired for - hey it was an experience!), but it was the first with fully functioning lights. Brad wired up the No. 2's "new" headlight and Jeff mounted the SP gauge lights brought down in May by Art Laidlaw. No dynamo (yet) so everything was wired into a (very quiet) gen. set on the tender. Per Jeff and Phil, Saturday's crew didn't tie down until 11:30PM, 13+ hours after they arrived! I am informed that, overall, the runs went great.
Ed Kelley
Last run of the day along the airstrip.
Passing the Harpur at Horsehead Siding
Saturday evening - Let there be light!
Jeff's video from the 10th
