12/14/14

Today is our 5th dreary day in a row.  Have not hardly seen the sun in these days.  Not getting any rain out of it either.  Our best chance is for this evening.  Hope we get it.  This image was taken on a dreary morning in Rollag, MN at the Western Minnesota Steam Thresher's Reunion.  Locomotive 353 is about to head up the hill, the steepest grade on the track, to the station where passengers load and crews change.  The hill and improper operating on the fireman's part has caused many a repair to flues.  If the fireman opens the firebox door to add coal as it is going up the hill and working hard it draws in too much cold air and causes expansion and contraction in the flues that carry water through the boiler.  This then causes them to leak on the area where coal is and then you have big problems.