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>>> WE'RE NEAR SUGAR CREEK, UP
IN NORTHEASTERN OHIO.
UP IN AMISH COUNTRY.
WE'RE VISITING THE AGE OF STEAM
ROUNDHOUSE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT
THIS, BUT'S A BRAND NEW COMPLEX
BUILT TO PRESERVE, WORK ON, TO
OPERATE STEAM ENGINES.
BUILT BY A FORMER RAILROADER
WHOSE SINCE PASSED AWAY.
BUT, HE'S LEFT IT IN VERY GOOD
HANDS.
THERE HASN'T BEEN A FACILITY IN
OPERATION LIKE THIS FOR
50 YEARS, TAKING CARE OF STEAM
ENGINES.
AND I AM REALLY LOOKING FORWARD
TO SEEING THIS.
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MAN, WHAT A DAY.
THAT'S BETTER.
TIM, HELLO.
>> HEY, JEFF.
HOW YOU DOING?
>> GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> GOOD SEEING YOU TOO.
YES.
>> THANKS SO MUCH FOR HAVING US
UP TODAY.
WHAT A GREAT EXPERIENCE THIS IS
GOING TO BE.
>> OH, YEAH.
WELL, I'M GLAD YOU MADE IT UP.
>> WELL, IT'S A NEW HISTORIC
ROUNDHOUSE, RIGHT?
>> YES SIR, IT IS.
YES.
>> AND THIS IS THE OFFICE WHERE
THEY KIND OF RUN THINGS?
>> CORRECT.
YEAH, THE MECHANICAL
HEADQUARTERS IS RIGHT HERE.
>> KIND OF BUILT IN THE OLD
MANNER WITH THE BEADBOARD
CEILING, BEADBOARD WALL.
>> YES, WE TRIED TO MAKE IT LOOK
LIKE WE STEPPED BACK IN TIME.
>> UM-HMM.
YEAH.
>> NOTICE THE BEADBOARD, THE
WINDOWS, THE LIGHT FIXTURES.
>> ANYWHERE FROM 1910 TO 1950.
>> YEAH, THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD --
>> PRETTY MUCH WHAT THEY WERE?
>> YEAH.
THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD --
>> PUSH BUTTON LIGHT SWITCHES.
RIGHT DOWN TO THE LAST DETAIL.
>> THAT'S CORRECT, YEAH.
>> WELL, I KNOW THERE'S A LOT TO
SEE, ROUNDHOUSE AND SHOPS.
I'M READY FOR A TOUR.
YOU READY TO SHOW ME?
>> I'M READY IF YOU'RE READY.
>> LET'S DO IT.
>> HEAD THIS WAY, PLEASE.
>> OKAY.
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>> QUITE A BUILDING.
>> OH, IT IS.
THANK YOU.
>> HELLO.
>> HI.
HOW WE DOING?
>> JEFF, I'D LIKE YOU MEET
JOHN CORNS.
>> HI, JOHN.
JEFF DARBEE.
>> HI.
>> GLAD THAT YOU COULD JOIN US
HERE AT THE AGE OF STEAM
ROUNDHOUSE.
>> WELL, IT'S SUCH A TREAT TO
SEE THIS.
I'VE KNOWN ABOUT, I'VE HEARD
ABOUT IT.
IT'S JUST GREAT.
>> WELL, IT IS ONE OF A KIND.
>> SO, TELL ME ABOUT THIS NOW.
NOW, THIS IS A NEWLY BUILT
ROUNDHOUSE AND STEAM
MAINTAINENCE FACILITY.
>> YES IT IS.
>> DONE IN THE OLD MANNER, IS
THAT RIGHT?
>> THAT IS CORRECT.
>> AND TELL ME ABOUT THE
FOUNDER, HOW IT ALL CAME ABOUT?
>> JERRY JACOBSON LOVED STEAM
LOCOMOTIVES AND HE SAID I ALWAYS
WANTED TO HAVE MY OWN
LOCOMOTIVE.
BUT, I KNEW TO OWN MY OWN
LOCOMOTIVE, I HAD TO OWN MY OWN
RAILROAD.
EVENTUALLY HAD TEN RAILROADS PUT
TOGETHER.
WHEN HE SOLD THOSE RAILROADS IN
2008, HE USED THOSE PROCEEDS
FROM THAT TO BUILD THIS
ROUNDHOUSE.
>> WELL, AND THE ROUNDHOUSE
BEING THE PLACE WHERE --
IT'S ROUND, IT'S CIRCULAR.
>> YES.
>> THAT'S WHERE YOU STORE THE
ENGINES WHEN THEY'RE NOT BEING
USED.
YOU DO LIGHT REPAIRS, IS THAT
CORRECT?
>> UM-HMM.
>> HOW OLD WAS HE WHEN HE WAS
DOING ALL OF THIS?
>> WELL, HE STARTED LOVING
TRAINS OF COURSE WHEN HE ABOUT
10 YEARS OLD.
>> WELL, DON'T WE ALL?
>> AND THEN BOUGHT HIS FIRST
LOCOMOTIVE IN THE 1980s AND THEN
JUST KEPT ON BUYING THEM AND
KEPT ON BUYING THEM.
>> JERRY PASSED AWAY, WHAT A
YEAR AGO YOU SAID?
>> YES SIR.
>> BUT, LEFT EVERYTHING IN PLACE
THAT THIS WOULD CONTINUE AS A
GOING VENTURE.
>> THAT WAS HIS GOAL.
AND WHAT WE DO HERE IS HAVE A
LITTLE SLICE OF LIFE FROM THE
1920s, 1930s OF WHAT THE
RAILROAD WOULD HAVE DONE BACK
THEN.
>> SO, THE ENGINES, THE
LOCOMOTIVES YOU'LL KEEP IN
OPERATING CONDITION?
>> SOME OF THEM, NOT ALL OF
THEM.
>> YOU CAN EXERCISE THEM A
LITTLE BIT ON THE TRACK THAT YOU
HAVE.
THEY WON'T NECESSARILY LEAVE THE
PROPERTY, BUT POSSIBLE.
>> OH, WE'RE ALLOWED TO GO OUT
AND RUN ON THE OTHER RAILROAD
THAT JERRY SOLD.
>> OKAY.
>> AND WE'VE DONE THAT SEVERAL
TIMES.
>> OKAY.
AND SO, YOU CAN DO EXCURSIONS OR
AT LEAST EXERCISE THE ENGINES,
KEEP THEM LUBRICATED.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> BECAUSE THEY CAN'T JUST SIT.
THEY NEED TO RUN.
>> THEY NEED TO STRETCH THEIR
WHEELS.
>> YOU CAN'T JUST LET THEM SIT.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> WELL, I'D LOVE TO SEE THE
BACKSHOP WHERE ALL THE HEAVY
WORK GETS DONE.
THAT'S JUST AROUND THE CORNER?
>> YES.
THAT'S TIM'S AREA.
>> ALL RIGHT.
>> HE AND HIS CREW DO ALL THE
WORK IN THERE.
AND LET'S GO TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
>> ALL RIGHT, LET'S HAVE A LOOK.
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I THINK I KNOW THIS ENGINE.
FROM THE HOCKING VALLEY SCENIC
RAILWAY, WASN'T IT?
>> YEP, CORRECT.
>> YEARS AND YEARS AGO?
>> YEAH, CAME FROM THE LAKES
HERE IN ISHPEMING, BUT IT SPENT
QUITE A FEW YEARS DOWN THERE ON
THE TOURIST LINE, THE HOCKING
VALLEY.
>> MICHIGAN, UPPER PENINSULA,
RIGHT?
>> UPPER PENINSULA, CORRECT.
>> SO, YOU PULL ENGINES APART
HERE AND YOU PUT THEM BACK
TOGETHER?
>> YES.
>> THIS IS OUR MAIN HEAVY BAY
AREA.
YOU KNOW, WITH THIS ENGINE WE'VE
KIND OF GOT MOST OF THE HEAVY
DONE ON IT.
WE'RE JUST TIGHTENING AND PUT
HER BACK TOGETHER.
WE'LL DO A TEST FIRE ON IT
HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT MONTH OR
SO.
>> OH, GREAT.
I KNOW IT WAS OUT OF SERVICE FOR
A LONG TIME.
BUT, IT STAYED IN GOOD SHAPE.
IT WAS UNDER COVER, WASN'T IT?
>> YEAH, CORRECT.
WE HAD IT INSIDE THE ROUNDHOUSE
THE WHOLE TIME.
AND THEN WERE 2A2 SITTING OVER
THERE.
WE'RE DOING A LOT OF BOILER WORK
IN THAT ONE.
>> 2A2 MEANING TWO LEADING
WHEELS, EIGHT DRIVING WHEELS --
>> EIGHT DRIVERS.
>> TWO TRAILING WHEELS.
FOR PEOPLE UNFAMILIAR WITH HOW
THESE THINGS WORK, RIGHT?
>> YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.
AND THEIR NAME IS --
RAILROADERS KNOW THEM AS
MACCADOS.
>> RIGHT.
OKAY.
THEY ALL HAD NAMES, DIDN'T THEY?
YEAH.
OKAY, AND YOU GOT TO EXPLAIN WHY
THERE'S A DIESEL HERE.
>> AH.
WELL, DIESELS ARE HISTORIC AS WELL.
>> OH, THEY ARE.
IT'S TRUE.
>> AND WE SELECTED A FEW THAT
ARE GONNA BE A PART OF THE
COLLECTION BECAUSE REPRESENTING
THE TRANSITION FROM STEAM TO
DIESEL.
SO, WE'RE ACTUALLY GETTING THIS
ONE SANDBLASTED AND DO SOME BODY
WORK.
AND WE'LL GET IT REPAINTED TO
PER ITS 1953 LOOK.
>> SO, IT'LL BE IN THE ORIGINAL
RAILROAD THAT IT SERVED?
IT'LL BE IN THAT COLOR SCHEME?
>> THAT'S CORRECT, YEAH.
YEAH, WE'RE GONNA DO IT THAT WAY.
>> WELL, IT'S BEEN GREAT SEEING
THIS ROUNDHOUSE AND BACKSHOP.
JOHN, I WANTED TO ASK THOUGH.
ARE YOU OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AT
ALL?
>> YES, WE ARE.
WE SCHEDULE TOURS FOR PEOPLE ON
THURSDAYS, FRIDAYS, AND
SATURDAYS.
>> AND THOSE ARE ALL GUIDED TOURS?
>> THOSE ARE ALL GUIDED TOURS.
>> CAN'T GO OFF BY THEIR OWN.
AND THEY GET ONLINE TO YOUR
WEBSITE, IS THAT CORRECT?
>> YES.
>> AGE OF STEAM ROUNDHOUSE?
>> AGEOFSTEAMROUNDHOUSE.COM.
>> .COM.
OKAY, WELL THANKS SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
>> GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> WONDERFUL TO SEE YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR COMING TO VISIT.
AND TIM, THESE ARE WONDERFUL ENGINES.
THEY'RE NOT REALLY MOVING.
THEY AREN'T MAKING ANY NOISE.
BUT, I THOUGHT I SAW SOMETHING
WITH STEAM COMING OUT OF IT.
>> OKAY, YOU DID.
>> IS IT POSSIBLE TO HAVE A LOOK
AND MAYBE EVEN GET A RIDE?
>> YEAH, I THINK WE CAN ARRANGE THAT.
>> SOUNDS GOOD TO ME.
LET'S GIVE IT A TRY.
>> ALL RIGHT, LET'S HEAD OUT.
>> HAVE FUN AND BE SAFE.
>> BYE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU GENTLEMEN.
MUSIC
>> JUST WATCH.
IT'S SLIPPY GETTING UP.
>> YEAH.
AND YOU ALWAYS STEP OVER THE RAIL.
>> OH YEAH, STEP OVER THE RAIL.
BUT, YEAH.
YEAH, GO AHEAD.
LET YOU GO FIRST.
>> ALL RIGHT.
OKAY.
>> I'LL FOLLOW YOU UP.
>> OH BOY.
YOU CAN FEEL --
YOU CAN FEEL THAT COAL FIRE,
CAN'T YOU?
>> YEAH.
MAINLY ON IT --
THIS BE THE ENGINEER'S SIDE HERE.
YOU'VE GOT THE BRAKE VALVE FOR
THE TRAIN.
>> RIGHT.
>> THIS IS FOR THE LOCOMOTIVE.
THEN BACK HERE, THE POWER
REVERSE QUADRANT.
>> YEAH.
>> YOU GRAB THAT.
WE'RE KIND OF NEUTRAL POSITION
IF YOU WANT TO THINK OF IT THAT WAY.
FULL FORWARD TO GO FORWARD.
>> UH-HUH.
>> AND THEN AS YOU PICK UP
SPEED, BE LIKE THE GEAR SHIFT IN
A CAR.
>> OKAY.
>> YOU HOOK IT UP.
THAT'S THE TERM HOOKING UP.
>> YEAH.
>> AND THAT'LL ALLOW DIFFERENT
STEAM ADMISSION IN THE
CYLINDERS --
>> THAT'S THE CUTOFF.
>> TO KEEP THE MOMENTUM GOING.
CORRECT.
AND THEN ONCE AGAIN, ALL THE WAY
TO THE REVERSE.
WE HAVE THE SAME FUNCTIONS IN
REVERSE, YOU KNOW?
>> AND WHERE DID THIS COME FROM?
>> THIS STARTED ITS LIFE ON THE
SOUTHERN RAILWAY.
WE UNDERSTAND IT RAN IN INDIANA
MOST OF ITS LIFE.
>> OH, DID IT REALLY?
OKAY.
>> AND THEN IN 1952, AROUND THAT
ERA, THE SOUTHERN RAILWAY SOLD
IT TO A BROKER.
THE BROKER IMMEDIATELY SOLD IT
TO A LITTLE SHORTLINE IN
KENTUCKY CALLED THE MOREHEAD AND
NORTH FORK.
>> WAS THAT LIKE A COAL HAULING ROAD?
>> BOTH COAL AND LUMBER.
>> OH, OKAY.
>> AND THERE WAS A STONE
INVOLVED TOO.
>> OKAY.
>> BUT, BY THE EARLY '60s IT
SHRUNK DOWN TO ONLY ABOUT THREE
MILES OF RAILROAD, MAINLY
HAULING LUMBER IN AND OUT.
THE COAL WAS GONE.
THE STONE PRETTY WELL PETERED OUT.
>> WERE THEY STILL USING THE
STEAM ENGINE AT THAT TIME?
>> UP UNTIL ABOUT '62 OR '63 WAS
THE LAST TIME THEY USED IT.
BUT, THEY HAD ALSO PICKED UP
DIESELS.
SO, THE DIESELS RAN THROUGH THE
'60s INTO THE MAYBE EARLY '70s.
THEIR ONLY CONNECTION WAS WITH
THE CSX RAILROAD UP IN THE
LITTLE TOWN OR MOREHEAD.
AND WHEN THE CSX ABANDONED THE
LINE AND TORE IT OUT, THEY LOST
ALL RAIL CONNECTIONS, SO THEY
SHUT DOWN.
>> OKAY.
>> AND THEIR DIESELS GOT
SCRAPPED.
BUT, THE FAMILY, IT WAS A FAMILY
OPERATION, LIKED THE ENGINE
BECAUSE IT BELONGED IN THE
FAMILY ALL THESE YEARS SO THEY
HUNG ONTO IT.
AND FINALLY THEY DECIDED IT WAS
TIME FOR IT TO MOVE TO A BETTER
PLACE BECAUSE THE LITTLE ENGINE
HOUSE WAS STARTING TO FALL INTO
DISREPAIR AND THEY DIDN'T WANT
TO PUT MONEY INTO THE ENGINE
HOUSE.
>> EVEN AS A RAIL FAN, I KNOW
SOMETHING ABOUT TRAINS.
BUT, YOU TAUGHT ME A LOT ABOUT
STEAM ENGINES TODAY.
SO, I THINK I UNDERSTAND HOW IT
WORKS.
BUT, WE CAN TAKE A RIDE, RIGHT?
>> OH, I THINK WE CAN ARRANGE
SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
>> ALL RIGHT.
THAT SOUNDS GOOD TO ME.
SO, WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
>> WELL, WE'LL MAKE SURE THE
FIREMAN'S READY TO GO.
NICK, ARE YOU A --
GOT ENOUGH COAL AND STUFF?
ALL RIGHT.
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