I had the privilege of climbing into the cab during a fuel/water break in Fond du Lac, WI in the mid 90s when I was 5 years old. A family friend and engineer for the Wiscosin Central had connections and was able to get me aboard. I remember how tall the ladder into the cab seemed to a little boy like me. Also remember the inferno in the firebox. To a five year old it looked like the pits of hell itself. Memory for a lifetime. Hope to see the brute in person again
Hello Charles. Many thanks for your kind comments. Yes there is a lot more on the 'cutting room floor', but I do have a full feature DVD - details at svsfilm.com/261dvd.htm
0:50 they're shooting grease into the cranks because they don't use roller bearings to connect the connecting rods to the wheels. I presume that roller bearings get hammered to death by those connecting rods at speed, so they ditched them.
Hello Adam. The left hand gauge is marked 'White - equalizing reservoir, red - main reservoir'. The right hand gauge is marked 'White - brake pipe, red - brake cylinder'. Many thanks for your interest.
@@KB-7623 Yeah.. to Stay To-Date with FRA Laws, they replaced the Brakes and gave it new Gauges, it's the same with pretty much every other Mainline Steamer.
Yes 261 does have a mechanical stoker as I mentioned in the video commentary. Hand firing helped to top up back corners of the fire not reached well by the stoker. Thanks for your interest.
Steve Sandberg said it 'tongue in cheek' for my benefit as a bit of fun. He is the driving force behind the preservation of that locomotive and the beautiful passenger cars based in the Twin Cities. Glad you enjoyed the short film despite that. Thanks for your interest. John McIvor, svsfilm.com
2:45 “Watch for Steve gradually notching up the regulator”
Steve: *proceeds to yank the throttle to the ceiling*
I had the privilege of climbing into the cab during a fuel/water break in Fond du Lac, WI in the mid 90s when I was 5 years old. A family friend and engineer for the Wiscosin Central had connections and was able to get me aboard. I remember how tall the ladder into the cab seemed to a little boy like me. Also remember the inferno in the firebox. To a five year old it looked like the pits of hell itself. Memory for a lifetime. Hope to see the brute in person again
Hello. I agree it is a wonderful machine and it is amazing that it has been preserved in full working order thanks to the Friends of 261.
Jerry, I swear i see you everywhere I go on the internet haha, 261 is definitely quite a performer
You have to have more raw uncut footage somewhere! This is fantastic.
Hello Charles. Many thanks for your kind comments. Yes there is a lot more on the 'cutting room floor', but I do have a full feature DVD - details at svsfilm.com/261dvd.htm
Funny seeing you here!
man im dead
261 is my favorite locomotive
I hope you enjoyed my short film. Thanks for your interest. John McIvor svsfilm.com
0:50 they're shooting grease into the cranks because they don't use roller bearings to connect the connecting rods to the wheels. I presume that roller bearings get hammered to death by those connecting rods at speed, so they ditched them.
No, it was a design preference, NF&W 611 uses roller-bearings in its side-rods, some railroads made choices whether to used rollers or not.
Sweet!
Thanks for watching. Glad you enjoyed it.
My brother, Jim French used to work on this engine.
At 0:32 what exactly do the 2 black gauges say under them? It’s just a bit blurry
Hello Adam. The left hand gauge is marked 'White - equalizing reservoir, red - main reservoir'. The right hand gauge is marked 'White - brake pipe, red - brake cylinder'. Many thanks for your interest.
Brake pressure gauges, they look like they were added way later in its life
@@KB-7623 Yeah.. to Stay To-Date with FRA Laws, they replaced the Brakes and gave it new Gauges, it's the same with pretty much every other Mainline Steamer.
@@maxwellsteam5810 Those gauges are just modern type air brake gauges. They didn't have to "replace the brakes" or FRA laws.
I thought 261 had a mechanical stoker🤔
Yes 261 does have a mechanical stoker as I mentioned in the video commentary. Hand firing helped to top up back corners of the fire not reached well by the stoker. Thanks for your interest.
@@svsfilm I must have missed that part in the video 😅
Yep. Took 2 years but figure out but I did indeed miss that part 😆.
Could have done without the arrogant nationalism comment, but otherwise great video! Thanks for posting this, it’s history in the present!
Steve Sandberg said it 'tongue in cheek' for my benefit as a bit of fun. He is the driving force behind the preservation of that locomotive and the beautiful passenger cars based in the Twin Cities. Glad you enjoyed the short film despite that. Thanks for your interest. John McIvor, svsfilm.com