2-4-2 Fire Train Mountain Drive Through Part 2

[@DavidsFineWatches]

happy to hear no one was hurt and damage to the track is minimal. land will look beautiful again when it recovers. Thanks for the video and one day ill make it to TM 👍🏼

[@duanewhite3184]

Is it a total loss or what I would hate to see it all gone that's a beautiful place you got up there love the train layout

[@twatson703]

No, it's not a total loss. TM has 2200 acres of land and about 600 acres burned. Most of the burned area does not have track, so there is minimal damage to the railroad. There is also some damage caused by the firefighting efforts. It is all repairable, and hopefully most of the track will be open by the end of Summer. The reforestation of the burned areas will take a few years due to an overwhelming demand for resources due to the large number of fires in the west.

[@EdWhizAviationTrains]

So sad that you are going through this in your area, thank you for your footage - I Liked & Subscribed 👍😎Be Safe

[@twatson703]

Thank you for the comment. We will get through this.

[@MrBillCNW]

Hello Tom, Looks like you guys sustained a lot of fire damage. Hopefully everything can get fixed Everybody be safe out there. Take care everybody

[@twatson703]

It can all be repaired, and no got hurt.

[@awildjared1396]

why did they call it the "2-4-2" fire? that just sounds like a locomotive caught the property on fire

[@twatson703]

The US HWY 97 milepost number 242 was the closest point to where the fire started. The fire started over 8 miles North East of Train Mountain.

[@awildjared1396]

ok, thanks

[@nashguy207]

Thanks for sharing. Will all the trees have to be replaced or will the survive? Hate to see the damage to the tracks. You think the building and the main infrastructure for the railroad.is ok?

[@twatson703]

The damage is mainly to the land and trees. None of the buildings were damaged. The damaged track will be repaired. Most of the track is untouched. Many trees will not survive, but it may be months before we know which make it and which don't. TM has 37 miles of track. There is maybe 3 or 4 miles of track in the burn area, so that leaves most of the railroad is just fine. If nothing is done, lush meadows will appear in the burn areas. Trees should slowly reappear. If planting is done the trees will be reintroduced sooner.

[@jacobmutti1528]

How in Brunell's name did most of the permanent way (track work and such) survive that?! you guy are lucky that only a few sections of track work has been warped by the heat and only a relatively small amount of track ties (sleepers in the UK) burnt away.

[@twatson703]

Thanks for the comment. Fortunately this is a small number of panels and switches. The interesting knowledge gained form this inspection is that pine needles were the culprit. Where there were no pine needles on or near the track, there was no damage. Where the pine needles had not been raked, the panels were damaged or destroyed.

[@jacobmutti1528]

@@twatson703 hmm that is interesting. hope the repair work wont be too much for anyone to handle. The scenes from the footage looked like they were from a horror film/game with the leftover smock still hanging in the air like that, very eerie indeed.

[@twatson703]

@@jacobmutti1528 The damage is very spotty. Did you notice the Porta Potty at Hope where the paper towels are flapping in the breeze undamaged, and the Potty is melted on the other side?

[@jacobmutti1528]

@@twatson703 yep and still surprised that of all things is still standing.

[@ll-yo5um]

It was a fast moving fire. All of the most combustible things burn such as dried grass, and pine needles. A fire this large creates its own weather which blows the flames spreading the fire. At one point in the (first or second) video, they mentioned some manzanita. It looks like a bush. It is a very hard wood that burns very hot. The fire moved so fast, it was barely scorched. When a structure is on fire, the fire burns everything until there’s nothing more to burn, or it’s extinguished. In a forest fire such as this one, the fire may be moving at 80 kilometers per hour or more. You get out of the way or die.

[@williambryant5946]

Did anyones house's burn or cabooses? How many acres is the entire train mountain and how many miles of track is there? I like what the driver of the truck said. "Log what you can to make money out of it." Definitely would do that instead of letting all the timber just rot. It will be bare for a long time but you could take profit from the logs and replant trees. 👍

[@twatson703]

The two Cabooses on Hwy 62 had fire go through them. They are still standing, but probably quite sanitary inside with all the rodent poop cremated. You can see one of them in the this Video near the end where we drive south on Hwy 62. I heard there were 30 some houses damaged or destroyed by this fire.

[@williambryant5946]

@@twatson703 How many acres is the entire area of train mountain? How many miles of track are there in total? Both question including surrounding private property that the owners have built track and tied into train mountain. If you don't have any specific numbers just give a guess estimate of what you think. I'm 37 and I've been involved with trains since I was 15 when I got my first job at the North Carolina Transportation Museum working as assistant to the master mechanic. Worked there through high school. When I graduated I went to work with a man that traveled around the country rebuilding steam locomotives. I worked with him for a year and helped rebuild the 4-4-0 at the Wilmington Western Railroad in Delaware. This was 2002 and 2003. Learned a lot. I run heavy equipment now moving dirt around. I meet a man that was a volunteer while I worked at the museum that I helped build a 7½ gauge steam engine of the number 12 at Tweetsie RR in Boone NC. I did more learning than helping really. I've always wanted and will have a 7½ gauge live steam engine one day. I have 10 acres of land here in central NC and plan to put track around it. Dreams for the future. Glad everyone is ok and the fire stayed away from the main facilities there. Stay well. -Wil 👍

[@williambryant5946]

After I wrote this I read another comment where you said there are 37 miles of track. Still curious on how much acreage that is on.

[@twatson703]

@@williambryant5946 It looks like you are definitely hooked. You will need to visit here. TM has 2200 acres and a little over 37 miles of track. That includes Mainline, Sidings, and Yards. Have you watched the TM Safety video? kzbin.info/www/bejne/jJeYcoybo65gopY The Safety Video gives a good look at TM where most of the infrastructure lies.