----- Original Message -----
From: <PSHedgpeth@a...>
To: <BRHSlist@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Monday, May 07, 2001 5:15 PM
Subject: [BRHSlist] Pioneer Zephyr History
[snip]
>
> My question now is??????During the speeches I could hear a continuous
> rumbling noise. At first I attributed said noise to just the reproduction
> quality. However occasionally you could hear a steam locomotive bell
ring.
> It suddenly dawned on me was that the "rumbling" was indeed the Winton
Prime
> Mover idling.
>
> Having ridden the PZ a few times and even worked as brakeman on the
Lincoln
> St. Joe run in 1958 I thought that I was familiar with the sound of the PZ
> engine which was a much more rapid "chant" than what I could make out on
the
> tape.
>
> It seems to me that the original Winton engine was replaced at sometime
> during the PZ's life with a more modern engine, more like the 567 engine,
> which my memory seems to indicate would produce a sound as I remember from
> the 1950's.
>
> I'd like to hear from someone knowledgeable as to the history of the PZ as
to
> how faulty my memory is. There is the possibility that the background
noise
> on the tape is indeed just reproduction noise and not the engine, but I
> really want to think that it is indeed the Winton.
>
Without hearing the recording, I can't say for sure, but it could well be
the idling diesel of 9900 . . .
You are correct that the original 201A was replaced (by another 201A) early
in 9900's career. Many years later, one of the diesel rebuilding companies
identified the original 9900 engine by serial number during a re-engining
project, and it was acquired by the Smithsonian. Another source for the
sound of 9900's original engine installation would be the RKO motion picture
"The Silver Streak", filmed in October 1934. If interior shots of 9900 in
this film are accurate, then there is another possible reason for your
perceived difference in the sound. In the film, there is no bulkhead
between the cab and the engine compartment (which would be consistent with
the way gas-electric cars were constructed at the time). If this is so, the
addition of the bulkhead at a later date could have significantly changed
the acoustics of the engine compartment and the perceived sound.
"The Silver Streak" is not currently available on commercial video tape (to
the best of my knowledge), but is in the film library of American Movie
Classics. A query to AMC might reveal whether they have plans to re-air it
any time soon.
Marshall Thayer
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