Mitch,
I rode the ferry move from Winslow to Williamstown Jct as well as the trip from Camden to Cape May and return. I don't know who the engineman was on the northbound ferry move, but as you indicated he didn't spare the horses at all. After a fun time trying to back the train up the south leg of Mary's wye with quite a bit of wheel slipping and such, we stopped until we got the signal off #2 connection, then once we cleared the interlocking it was throttle to the roof and we were making track speed (wink,wink) by time we hit Spring Garden Rd grade crossing. Just north of Braddock before the curve there must have been a bit of "misaligned' railroad. I was riding in the open car right behind the tender and had a good view of the tender swaying and bobbing around and was watching the draft gear bouncing up and down when we hit the bad joint or whatever it was. The entire tender, then quickly thereafter the car I was in jumped up and bounced around madly. It startled me a bit, but we never missed a lick and the engine's exhaust was just a steady roar by now. The trip to Cape May and return was just a much fun and I can still remember the dust and debris flying as we slid down the hill northbound from Albion into Clementon . We had to be making 70 per as we cut the crossing at Berlin Rd with the whistle screaming "get out of the way!!" Sorry if I got rambling on.
W.L Avis
Steam professional since 1974
Former Block Operator- PRSL