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I'm a 50+ year old married father of two.
I've worked as an engineer since graduating from Clemson University in
1978. These days I work for the Army Corps of Engineers as a mechanical
engineer.
For two years in 1982 and 1983, I was
employed by the Norfolk & Western Railway (which became the Norfolk
Southern Railway during my employment). I had the good fortune to work
with a lot of old steam-heads, some of whom, believe it or not, had
actually enjoyed working on dirty, nasty, antiquated, aggravating steam
locomotives. I got hands-on steam experience assisting with repairs and
operation of NKP 765 on several occasions, and I was lucky enough to
ride the cab of N & W 611 from Bucyrus, Ohio to Bellevue, Ohio with
Mr. Robert Claytor at the throttle. I'm quite sure he rolled in his
grave when N-S cancelled the steam program. I imagine he's
smiling at the recent news (2010) that N-S may be slowing getting back
into the steam excursion business.
I've spent a lot of time collecting books
and reading about steam locomotives. In the early 1980's, I
corresponded with American Coal Enterprises about employment, and I
feel sure that I would have been right there when they lit the first
fire if the ACE 3000 had ever been built.
This web page is the result of years of
saying "I wonder why nobody writes anything about the ACE 3000, or
what's going on with steam around the world, etc.". Since this page
went on line, I've gotten many e-mails from around the world from
people who share my interests. I was even fortunate enough to
correspond with steam master Ing. L. D. Porta, who passed away in 2003.
I hope you enjoy this page, too.
Hugh Odom
July 21, 1998 (updated 23 January 2011)
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