Sandstorm and Railway Museum

12-8-08

I headed out for the park but when I got to the top of a hill out about 25k I could see that there was a major sand storm brewing. I went on out there and found it wasn’t blowing sand that bad where the road went through but didn’t like the prospect of not being able to get back. When I turned around I could see a little storm brewing and headed for my path. I cranked up the little Ozdog and beat it to get on back to town.

Keith has been riding along with me as well as looking at google earth. He said he could see the church and other buildings that I saw when I went out to Silverton. Hell, what did I spend all that money to get down here, buy a motorcycle for, when I could have just stayed home and done it all on google? Oh, yeah, Montana winter, I almost forgot. He did say that it looked rather red on google, well yes, I can see why.

I bought a writst rocker that I put on the throttle grip which helped a lot for long stretches so I didn’t have to grip it so hard. When I let my hand off, it would imeadeatly go to idle which is not what I am used to with my BMW’s and even my old Harley. I finally fixed that problem by wrapping a little length of stretchy cord between the grip and the body. It works great!!! I have been using it this way for several days now and like it a lot.

Some of the newer mine buildings. They have the operating mines so you cant visit them anymore. I really don’t want to go underground anymore, been  there done that. I am not comfortable underground. The woman at the mine museum said it got really hot down there and they had to force airconditoned air down but still it was 54C degrees down there. I guess that is why they pay so much for miners.

here is a little truck that has one of those spot lights on top of his rig. It is about half the size of the one I was telling about before. Aluminum specialty bed on this one.

I wonder what he hunts?

I went over to the Railroad museum just a block over from the hostel I am staying at. If you are not a railroad buff you might just want to flip this off but I have a few buddies that are either former rail workers or just plain interested in them and volunteer at centers.

this ambulance was used up to the 40’s

Very cool rail rider eh? Spoke wheels and nice suspension on the seat.

This is sort of a side car rig.

No steering wheel.

 that is the hole you shovel the coat into. Hey Keith, you ever want to be a fireman? It only holds five tons.....

gotta watch where you step when you are cross tie walking after this train goes by.

This is a common urinal setup down here. Even the newer places have them like this but the pan is usually nice shinny stainless steel.  

how about this camel house moving project. I think they used these camels to move houses from Silverton to Broken Hill.

A twenty camel team hitch?

A wooden iron lung. Lots of old medical stuff in this building.

Mine rescue trolley.

Economy section had these wide seats.

The seats in this little car were a little more rugged.

Some of the detail of the train station.