Seeing Time Pass in Dearborn MI
Dec 4, 2014 00:13:57 #
In 1975, during my years as a grad student, my brother and I spent a wonderful weekend at the Henry Ford museum and adjacent Greenfield village in Dearborn MI. During that time, we saw a sad-looking vehicle on a railroad siding at the edge of the village. Some years later I took my family to the museum and village. My younger daughter loved the place so much that we made several more trips there, but I couldn't find that vehicle again, and I began to fear that it had ended up on a junk pile. Then, on our most recent visit, I noticed a dark vehicle in a dark corner of the museum, and on a hunch took a picture of it. When I returned home, I compared the two pictures, and discovered that they were indeed the same vehicle., but now it had been restored to its as-built "youthful" appearance.
According to the sign in the museum, it is one of the first diesel locomotives ever built, one of a series of switching locomotives built by Ingersoll-Rand. The others had been sold to various customers, but they had retained this one for their own use.
According to the sign in the museum, it is one of the first diesel locomotives ever built, one of a series of switching locomotives built by Ingersoll-Rand. The others had been sold to various customers, but they had retained this one for their own use.
Ingersoll-Rand #90 as retired (photographed 1975 in village)
Ingersoll-Rand #90 as built (photographed 2013 in museum)
Dec 4, 2014 00:28:29 #
On our visit in 2007, I spent time inside their newly-built roundhouse in the village, because they had a torn-apart steam locomotive, #7, on display there; They even had it arranged so that we could walk under it and see it from that angle.
I didn't notice #7 on our 2011 visit, but in 2013 in was parked, now fully rebuilt, in the main part of the roundhouse. The docent on duty explained that it takes two locomotives to maintain the level of service needed in the village (the railroad there is one of several ways of getting around the village). Previously they had only two steam locomotives, so when one of them needed maintenance, they had to use a small diesel. With the addition of #7, they hope to be all-steam all the time.
BTW - #7 was built by Baldwin in 1897.
I didn't notice #7 on our 2011 visit, but in 2013 in was parked, now fully rebuilt, in the main part of the roundhouse. The docent on duty explained that it takes two locomotives to maintain the level of service needed in the village (the railroad there is one of several ways of getting around the village). Previously they had only two steam locomotives, so when one of them needed maintenance, they had to use a small diesel. With the addition of #7, they hope to be all-steam all the time.
BTW - #7 was built by Baldwin in 1897.
#7 on display in 2007
underside of #7
#7 ready for service in 2013
Dec 4, 2014 00:47:55 #
My favorite locomotive at the Dearborn facilities has always been the 4-4-0 locomotive built by Rogers in 1858, and last used to bring the train of dignitaries, including then-president Hoover to the museum for the formal opening of the museum. Visit after visit I attempted to take a good picture of that locomotive, but I just couldn't get it done. Locomotives are too big and the museum aisles are just too narrow. Of course, I made things even worse when I got a crop-sensor Canon Rebel when I switched from film to digital. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't back up enough.
Since our younger daughter, the one who pushed for many of these visits, was graduating from college in 2013, I figured that we would be making another trip to Dearborn to celebrate her finishing undergraduate school and becoming a grad student (like I had been when this whole saga began), so I decided that it was time for me to become serious about this and get some real wide-angle capability. I've never been willing to spend lots of money on my hobby, and I wasn't sure how many times I would actually need serious wide-angle capability, so I started looking through eBay for a gently-used wide-angle lens. The day I saw a new one listed as "when you can't back up enough" I knew I had found the one that exactly matched my need. So my bag on the 2013 trip included a Sigma 10-20mm lens ... which finally enabled me to get the picture that I had been after all those years.
BTW - my decision to post these was prompted by a collection of pictures from the museum posted by Jay Pat; I would encourage you to jump on over there to see them also:
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-264519-1.html
Since our younger daughter, the one who pushed for many of these visits, was graduating from college in 2013, I figured that we would be making another trip to Dearborn to celebrate her finishing undergraduate school and becoming a grad student (like I had been when this whole saga began), so I decided that it was time for me to become serious about this and get some real wide-angle capability. I've never been willing to spend lots of money on my hobby, and I wasn't sure how many times I would actually need serious wide-angle capability, so I started looking through eBay for a gently-used wide-angle lens. The day I saw a new one listed as "when you can't back up enough" I knew I had found the one that exactly matched my need. So my bag on the 2013 trip included a Sigma 10-20mm lens ... which finally enabled me to get the picture that I had been after all those years.
BTW - my decision to post these was prompted by a collection of pictures from the museum posted by Jay Pat; I would encourage you to jump on over there to see them also:
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-264519-1.html
Atlantic & Gulf 4-4-0 locomotive built in 1858 by Rogers
Dec 4, 2014 04:56:51 #
Looks like a very interesting museum. Thank you for posting.
Would like to go, but just a bit too far!
Would like to go, but just a bit too far!
Dec 4, 2014 10:05:08 #
Very nice series!!!!!
I enjoyed the round house when I was there!
Pat
I enjoyed the round house when I was there!
Pat
Dec 4, 2014 10:09:42 #
Leicaflex wrote:
Looks like a very interesting museum. Thank you for posting.
Would like to go, but just a bit too far!
Would like to go, but just a bit too far!
Thank you for looking.
Maybe you could put a note in the back of your mind in case you ever are in the Detroit area!
Dec 4, 2014 10:10:05 #
Jay Pat wrote:
Very nice series!!!!!
I enjoyed the round house when I was there!
Pat
I enjoyed the round house when I was there!
Pat
Thank you.
Dec 5, 2014 06:08:27 #
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