Today's Power
Valley Railroad no 40 sits in the railroad's Locomotive Servicing Facility in Essex, Connecticut at the start of the day
Getting the Scoop
A peek into No. 40s cab shows a coal scoop at the ready, with a can of oil alongside.
Quickie Lube
Valley Railroad fireman Bill Frederickson lubricates some of No. 40s running gear.
Coffee and Oil
Engineer Fred Jordan chats with fireman Bill Frederickson as they get the power ready for the day's work
Logo
Detail look at 40's logo on her tender
Lube the Journal
Fireman Bill Frederickson is adding oil to the journal box on the trailing truck of No. 40
Running Gear Lube
Bill F. adding oil to No. 40s running gear
Clearing the Cylinders
Bill watches the cylinder cock as Fred purges the cylinders of any water
Heading Out
Engineer Fred Jordan eases No. 40 out of the Locomotive Servicing Facility
Adjusting the Radio
Fred adjusts the volume on his handheld radio as he watches for the fireman's signal from the ground
Heading to the Ramp
Fred eases No. 40 towards the coal ramp
Fill 'er up
Wayne Hebert operates the backhoe, and tops off No. 40s coal bunker
Checking the Fire
Bill checks the fire in 40 as Fred watches
Raking the Ashes
Fred rakes the ashes from No. 40
Raking the Ashes 2
Under Pressure
The boiler steam gauge is showing about 150 pounds per square inch of pressure - well under the Maxium Allowed Working Pressure of 175 PSI
Safety Lock
A padlock serves as a safety latch in No. 40s throttle
Running around the train
No 40 heads north around her train at the start of the day
Watering the Coal
Fireman Bill Frederickson wetting down the freshly loaded coal in the tender
Builders Plate
Deatil of 40s builders plate
Some more lube
Engineer Fred Jordan tops off the oil on part of 40s running gear
Never too much lubrication
Engineer Fred Jordan tops off the oil on part of 40s running gear - with century-old equipment, lubrication is an ongoing task to keep them running
Public Affairs
The job of fireman and engineer do not only mean you get to operate the train - you also interface with the tourists who are riding the train. Here Fred and Bill give a brief tour, and demonstration of firing - to some folks visiting from Austria.
Ready to Roll
Fred eases the train out of Essex station with a load of passengers
