WILLIAMS, ARIZONA AND THE ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC, ATCHISON AND TOPEKA AND SANTA FE RAILROADS; STEAM ENGINES ALONG THE LINES

 WILLIAMS, ARIZONA; STEAM ENGINES ON THE RAILS

All images courtesy Arizona Memory project; Williams, Arizona Collection. Original scans available at the Williams Historic Photo Project, Williams, AZ. (AZMEMORY.AZLIBRARY.GOV

(Information regarding the steam engines was provided from ATSFRailfan.Net/ATSFSteam.HTML.)

Images from the past don't just capture an item of interest, but tell a story. Sometimes speculating as to the circumstances in the photograph can prove to be more entertaining and informative than the centerpiece of importance.

 

This engine appears to have been involved in some near-catastrophic event. The front pilot has been sheared-off, and the number plate has suffered from the fracas. The number of men milling about with earnest expressions indicates that a wreck has occurred, and that the powers-that-be want the line cleared as soon as possible. The woman in the image is probably the wife of one of the officials' overseeing repairs. 

 

ATSF #1239 was built by Baldwin in 1905. The image was taken just after Grand Canyon line's completion, given the basic ballasting and condition of the ties. 

 A number of tracks are seen to the left, as well as several substantially built structures. There are a number of large boxes lining the tracks, indicating they were purpose-built. This appears to be an early image of the station area at the Grand Canyon, as the tracks were used to store and service passenger cars. 

The persons in the photograph are in their finest travel-attire, indicating that the engine was pulling a passenger train. 

 

ATSF #1251 (classification 1226) was a Baldwin built (1905-06), four-cylinder balanced compound design. Survivors of the class were modified to two-cylinders sometime between 1918-32. This unusual design had its origins in the theory that more cylinders would result in additional power and greater efficiency. This may have been true initially, but in practice it left something to be desired. The problem was, the inside cylinders required valve gears and timing adjustments, just the same as the outside cylinders. Maintenance and service were a headache at best. Given that most steam engines were available 30% of the time due to maintenance requirements, this complicated design only added to the downtime. It can be compared to trying to do your own maintenance on a modern, computer-driven and high-tech automobile of today. Sometimes it's best just to trade it in...   

The caption for the picture denotes this is on the Grand Canyon Line. This would have been in the early years, since only the most basic ballasting of the track has occurred. The rails also appear to be relatively light weight (50 pound), not adequate for the heavy Mountains and other steam designs that would come later. The people in the image appear to have been motoring about, in the new technology of the automobile. The women are wearing outer travel clothes, protecting their dresses. Given that they are standing next to the engine, and no crew is seen, this locomotive appears to be dead on a siding, which might be owed to its' aforementioned complex design.