A history...

Photos, Altan Ferendeci. Halkali Locomotive Depot. Summer, 1975.

Youngblood, do you have any clue what you've missed?

Railroading with Steam was a different experience. I caught the tail end too, but what I remember is permanently burned in my mind.

I recall...

In the mid-70's my Grandpa (God rest his soul) was going to Ankara one night. We took him to Haydarpasa. His train was pulled by a diesel. In those days, all diesel-pulled trains were called 'motorlu tren' by the general public.

My Dad said; "Derya, check out the next platform." I turned my head and my eyes were opened even wider (my eyes were already wide open, after all, we were at Haydarpasa). An "Adapazari Express", the same one of those "Adapazari Expresses" pulled today by E40's, with a 3700 class tank locomotive up-front.

Is it a Rhinoceros, a Dinosaur, an Angry Bull perhaps? Making every sound imaginable. The brake pump was constantly hissing and chuffing. From time-to-time, steam was being released from safety valves. Her fireman was on the boiler making adjustments to valves, the purpose of which I had no idea.

Then, not five minutes passed, and all hell broke loose; "weeeeeeeee-wee". Adapazari Express was on her way. BOOM-boom- BOOM-boom- BOOM-boom-...

Don't believe anyone who tells you steam engines made cute sounds like "choo-choo".

Ahhh, the good old days....

Selamlar, sevgiler, hürmetler,

Derya Ferendeci

Click here for a history of Turkish Railways