Twilight of Steam

 ..the thrilling audio companion to the exciting and controversial

deluxe hard cover edition entitled /he [wilight of Steam Locomotives

by Ron Ziel

Published by GROSSET & DUNLAP, INC.

Recording Engineers: Brad Miller and Leo Kulka

Art Director / Photography: Ron Ziel

Designer: Marshall Gatewood Moseley

Side Number One

TRACK ONE As we begin our adventure in “The Twilight of steam

Locomotives” the inside front cover beholds the World famous Reader

R.R. in southwest Arkansas. This is the last 100% steam powered com-

mon-carrier mixed train to operate in the United States and according to

Mr. T. W. M. Long, President of the charming shortline, “We're in the

passenger business and having a grand time. You’all come down to see

us.” We hear No. 11, a well polished 2-6-2 making up her tri-weekly

train in the Reader yard. How about that perfectly tuned Nathan Chime

whistle, a sound to stir most anyone.

TRACK TWO On pages 11-13, you will find a recent victim of diesel-

ization, the Virginia Blue Ridge during the last days of steam. This record-

ing has 0-6-0 No. 9, shown in both photos, topping a grade near Piney

River, Virginia. Even the song birds seem to sense that the passing of an

era is very near indeed.

TRACK THREE Apparently silenced forever, the last of Southern Pacific's

esthetically pleasing G S series 4-8-4’s is shown on page 65 in retire-

ment. We hear her now during a portion of her “last run” to Reno,

Nevada in 1960. This sound was typical Espee with big and beautiful

Northern's that could start an 18 car train and roar by you at 60 mph

in nothing flat. Witness same.

TRACK FOUR Until early 1903, the Bevier & Southern in central Missouri

had a leased Burlington Mike, No. 4963. On page 96 the 2-8-2 is shown

at Bevier. Listen to her walk a string of hoppers “over the top,” past our

trackside location.

TRACK FIVE Opposite the 4903, a handsome 2-6-0 No. 9/ of the Mobile

& Gulf is portrayed quite intentionally, on page 97. Her whistle is pos-

sessed of a deep melodic charm as the Mogul awakens the Alabama

countryside during an early morning dew near Brownville.

TRACK SIX Many fascinations of the steam locomotive are evident when

viewed emerging from under a bridge. The Kentucky & Tennessee's No.

10, a husky 2-8-2 is doing just that, partially camouflaged behind her

own steam, on page 103. From the same location, we capture the Mike

with a capacity load from Mine 16 and unless some miracle happens, the

K & T will be dieselized by the time you read this for lack of spare parts

and qualified machinists for maintenance.

TRACK SEVEN Upon turning the page, a color portrait of Magma Ari-

zona’s trim No. 7, star of Cinerama’s “How The West Was Won,” presents

itself. With the temperature hovering near 105 degrees, the 2-8-2 moves

right along near Queens, on the return trip to Superior, Arizona.

TRACK EIGHT One of the very last all steam shortiines east of the

Mississippi is none other than the Mississippian, appropriately displayed

on — 106-107. No. 77 leaves the house to pick up the caboose in

the yard.

TRACK NINE A “Carolina Shortline” devotes the entire chapter to the

Graham County Railroad, which operates two Shays in the southwestern

portion of North Carolina. The indescribable beauty of No. 1926 with

engineer Ed Collins working the whistle cord over, illustrates in sound,

that which cannot be done with words or photography. The next time you

are in Bear Creek Valley, ask Ed to put on a show for you, just like

this one.

Side Number Two

TRACK ONE 0-6-0T No. 13 of the Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal is

the star of Chapter 12, pages 116-121. Here she makes her recording

debut in the very last days of BEDT steam. Listen to the flange squeel as

the side-tanker tows a box car within the shadow of Manhattan sky-

‘scrapers!

TRACK TWO “‘Last of the Narrow Gauges’—is the story of the Denver

and Rio Grande in southwestern Colorado, chapter 14. The photo opposite

the color plate shows Mikados No. 484 and 487 at the same time this

recording was made on the eastbound assault of Cumbres Pass, from the

locomotive tender.

TRACK THREE However, within this chapter, ‘‘Last of the Narrow Gauges”

there lies the resurrected ghost of Pennsylvania. Crickets with intermit-

tant gusts of wind rattling the corn stalks herald the approach of 2-8-2

No. 15 of the East Broad Top as her whistle echoes across the Aughwick

Valley. Author Ron Ziel exclaims, “This is simply a great sound track!”

TRACK FOUR Sharing fame and fortune with other “Excursion Engines

of the '60's” chapter 17, were Reading's T—1's. From the very first,

No. 2124 to the very last, No. 2102, these beautiful Northern's thrilled

“STEREOMONIC 18 THE REGISTERED TRADE MARK OF INTERNATIONAL SOUND CORP.

hundreds of thousands of people in the population density of east-central

Pennsylvania. October, 1963 saw these 4-8-4’s under steam for the last

time. We join Trains Magazine in saying “Thank you” to the Reading for

a delight that will be unsurpassed for years to come. On an earlier “Iron

Horse Ramble” in 1961, No. 2124 has just been cut off and is standing

on a siding, saluting No. 2100 as she heads the special towards Valley

Forge.

TRACK FIVE Canada's last excursion engine is the 616/, featured in a

two page spread of sub-zero weather. Yes, those pages look mighty cold

as the mighty Northern makes mock work of her train in tow as she

effortlessly gains speed leaving the yard board at Toronto, Ontario.

TRACK SIX Just turn the page and you'll find the “Cozy and Friendly,

The Strasburg” puffing through the cemetery. And that’s exactly the

sound you are hearing as well. Let us know if any other “ghosts” bother

you, that is other than 0-6-0 No. 31.

TRACK SEVEN And turn the page once again to face “The Great Teacher,

No. 4960.” My, what an aggressive management that makes available an

authentic steam locomotive such as this 2-8-2 for school children excur-

sions and at the bottom of their inter-department transportation notices

state “make every effort to handle with fact in mind these children will

be future shippers and passengers of the Burlington.” Leave it to the Q,

a railroad that is currently making passenger traffic history, to go one

step further. Let’s listen as the spunky Mikado walks up the grade from

Ottawa, Illinois, enroute to Streator with several hundred happy young:

sters. By the way, that bird was a little upset being covered with cinders

and such. Shouldn't happen to a bird.

TRACK EIGHT lo close Volume One of “Iwilight of Steam” we have

selected an unusual track in that this sound story is all but forgotten in

the annals of history. Fifty carlengths ahead and around a curve, Buffalo

Creek & Gauley 2-8-0 No. 14 puts air into the train and whistles off.

Then the slack comes roaring down the river canyon at Dundon and the

train leaves for Widen. This is the sound that is so familiar to those

crewmen whose home away from home was a caboose. To be continued.

i you are unable to purchase either this record or the hard cover book

edition, through your dealer, write directly to: Mobile Fidelity, Burbank,

California 91503. Brochure will be sent upon request.

SONIC-SEVEN is the name given to the combination of technical ad-

vances and achievements contained in this recording. Under the supervision

and development of Leo ‘Kulka, chief engineer for International Sound

Studios and pioneered in its use by Brad Miller, engineer/producer for

Mobile Fidelity Records, SONIC-SEVEN approaches a new spectrum of

dynamic sound reproduction

Special microphone techniques were designed to re-create the peculiarities

and acoustical conditions of the terrain. Depending on weather conditions

and air temperatures, the following microphones were used, independently:

Neumann, SM-2 Stereo Condenser; AKG ribbon dynamic D24b; Electro Voice

dynamic 666. The Neumann SM-2 used in the Sun and Difference method

of stereo recording was matrixed to left-right stereo. Original master record

ing was accomplished on Ampex 350-2 equipment, and the signal then fed

to the fully automatic Neumann Master Disc Lathe through a fully transis-

torized control board without the use of a single transformer or vacuum

tube. Frequency response of this board is + 1 db from 5 to 100,000 cps.

Intermodulation and harmonic distortion is virtually non-existent.

With the fully automatic Neumann Lathe, and the Teldec Cutting System

with automatic variable pitch and depth control, the complete dynamic range

is preserved at all times. Within the Teldec System is incorporated a process

known as STEREOMONIC, which makes this disc compatible for FM stereo

Multiplex broadcasting as well as stereo-monaural playback system com-

patibility for the home. Yes, you may use this disc on ANY Phonograph

Player, Stereo or Monaural, without damage to record or needle.

Then, to an absolutely clean SONIC-SEVEN master, add the POLYMAX

disc material, which unlike Vinyl, retains all transient response to a fine

degree for unequaled brilliance in sound reproduction and is 100% static

free.

There you have it. The dynamic big picture of SONIC-SEVEN.

' Listen, and compare!”