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 Posted - October 09 2023 : 11:19:53 AM
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What: The Southwest Chapter of the Locomotive Historical Society, El Paso, Texas presentation:
"Consuming Its Own Smoke:" Early Steam Locomotion, Trevithick 1803 and the Stephensons
1830.
Where: Timo's Mexican Seafood Restaurant 2000 Montana Avenue, El Paso Texas
When: Dinner at 5:30 PM followed by Presentation using illuminated graphics and operating scale
models at 6:00 PM. Wednesday October 11th, 2023.
(Presented by yours truly).
Edited by - Chops124 on October 09 2023 11:21:36 AM
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Posted - October 09 2023 : 10:01:52 PM
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Hey, I can jump in the car and be there in like, 24 hours!
Glenn
I was thinking of the immortal words of Socrates, who said, "... I drank what?"
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Posted - October 09 2023 : 10:14:02 PM
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I feel the same way about the First Frost Train Meet. We're a little off the beaten path and
take our amusements as we can find them.
OPPs--Moderator budding in{{{{{
I'll be there at the Allentown fair grounds Agraculteral building train show after pankcakes at the food mart accross the way!!!!
frank
Edited by - toptrain on October 14 2023 10:10:10 AM
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Posted - October 09 2023 : 10:26:04 PM
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I trust you took my comment in the lighthearted manner it was intended! It sounds like it will be an interesting topic and presentation, and combined with dinner it sounds like it will be an enjoyable evening all around.
Glenn
I was thinking of the immortal words of Socrates, who said, "... I drank what?"
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Posted - October 11 2023 : 01:49:07 AM
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But of course, old friend!! BTW, I still have, and cherish, that lovely Model Power ConRail GP 38 you
sold me a few years ago. I think of it as Tyco 2.0- it has that chunky, rugged Tyco styling, but
the guts of a workhorse built to endure. Unlike the PT motors.
Truthfully, I was pondering about how mankind got from the stone hand axe to the Rocket.
The old indices of art, burial customs, control of fire and tool use have been gradually dismantled, most notably
by excavations in the Rising Star Cave in South Africa, that dates to 2.5 million years ago, and
predates the earliest human fossils by close to 2.4 million years. In other words, art, fire, burial, and
tools do not define mankind as the sole possessor of those abilities.
There are two distinguishing characteristics of humanity, however, that to date no other human
antecedent (Homo Nadeli, Cro Magnon, Neanderthal, et al). One is weaving and the other is
the lever. While even chimpanzees use rocks and sticks as rudimentary tools to grub for
insects or bash coconuts, only the Homo Sapien (humans) have mastered and owned the capacity
to weave fibers together and the use of the level.
Perhaps the earliest form of lever is the atlatl, or spear thrower. It, as any lever, is a force
multiplier. Thus the pistons of the atmospheric steam engines of the early 18th century and
no less of the Rocket, are levers.
I am history buff, and not terribly good at it as my memory for dates and such is somewhat
fluid, but the relationship of man and technology has always been a fascination for me.
Edited by - Chops124 on October 11 2023 02:03:21 AM
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Posted - October 11 2023 : 02:10:01 AM
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BTW, the phrase, "Consuming Its Own Smoke" was one of the requirements for entries to the Rain Hill Trials
of 1829. This has sometimes been misunderstood as the locomotive should re-burn its exhaust, which
was a technological development not until, what, maybe the 1880's. The phrase means "to be self
propelled." As there was no concept of self propulsion, this quaint phrase means the locomotive
should be able to carry its own fuel supply as it traveled.
The alternative, which was strongly promoted by other contemporary civil engineers, were wagons
hauled by stationary steam engines turning a capstan. Obviously, this cumbersome arrangement
had many shortcomings, and was used for short hauls up a steep gradient, too steep for horses.
Not unlike a San Franciscan cable car.
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Posted - October 13 2023 : 10:40:44 PM
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I hope the Early Steam Locomotion presentation was a success. Being a history buff and humorous videographer, I imagine it was both entertaining and informative.
Frank here again{{{{{{{{{{
I think old Albert { Enstine }}}{{{{{ } Would like to read some of this stuff!
A Buttt I think it would most likely be Graocho Marx.
frank
Glenn
I was thinking of the immortal words of Socrates, who said, "... I drank what?"
Edited by - toptrain on October 14 2023 10:18:02 AM
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