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Weekly News January 11, 2016Description
The Great New Jersey Steam and Air Race, circa 1975: In our files we have a color-and-sound movie, supposed to be humorous but not very good, on the great New Jersey steam and air race between a giro-copter and our Model H-5 from the northern tip of New Jersey to Cape May. During the Magic Age of Steam years at Auburn Heights, Weldin Stumpf and I were coaxed by an amateur film company in Princeton to allow our Gentleman’s Speedy Roadster (Model H-5) to be used for this fantasy.
The actual filming was to take three or four days, from early morning to late evening during the longest days of the year. Stumpf agreed to take the car, using a borrowed open trailer, and his brother Charles, then retired, went along to drive the rig when Weldin was running the steamer. A giro-copter is a hybrid between an auto-giro and a helicopter, and the plan was to photograph this nip-and-tuck race at several points, starting at the monument near Port Jervis that is both the northernmost and the highest point in New Jersey. I can remember the following filming locations: 1) a covered bridge near Belvidere, 2) the steam tourist railroad at Whippany, 3) Princeton, 4) Batsto in the Pine Barrens, and 5) the climax at Cape May, but there were several more.
Both Stumpf and the giro-copter pilot were dressed to look ridiculous. The pilot looked like a lunatic, and Stumpf wore a beard that didn’t stay in place. The photographer would set up at his desired location, and he would photograph both racing machines in all kinds of humorous conditions there. Then the Stanley would go on the trailer, and all would move to a new place probably 30 miles away, and new escapades would take place. About three such “shoots” occurred each day, and both Stumpf and the Stanley were getting very tired.
About 7 o’clock one evening, the photographer wanted the Stanley fired up one more time for an evening photo session. Trying to oblige, Stumpf got the car on fire, and he seriously burned his hands and arms. He also scorched the boiler, so both he and the Stanley were out of business. Charles brought them home and took his brother to the Emergency Room at the hospital. Before they left the film crew, however, Stumpf told them they would be back to finish in a day or so!
Twenty-four hours later, Bob Parke (Weldin Stumpf’s son-in-law) and I were changing the boiler in the Model H-5, and we worked most of the night. Bob did some patch-painting on the hood. The next morning, he and Charles were on their way back to the South Jersey beaches where the last filming was done before arrival at Cape May. According to the slap-stick script, the race ended in a tie, with both the giro-copter and the Stanley flying over the ocean as if they were Mary Poppins. At a future date, we may “release” the film to FAHP members.
Work Report: On Tuesday, January 5, the following 10 volunteers were on hand: Mark Russell (in charge), Mark Bodenstab, Steve Bryce, Ted Kamen, Bob Jordan, Jerry Lucas, John Bacino, Dave Leon, Dennis Dragon, and Brent McDougall.
On the tender for Locomotive 401, the bottom of the tank was removed, and inspection made it evident that we need a new tank. The inside, including the many baffles, was badly scaled, and many holes have already appeared. The hand kerosene pump was repaired with the installation of a new leather gasket and new rod packing, and its operation appears to be excellent.
New plates for the Model 735 were fabricated to fill the oval hole in the dash where the kidney gauge was lowered by 3”. On the rebuilding of the H-5 engine, calculations were made to determine the thickness of shims needed on each wrist pin. The sealing of the vinyl flooring and fastening of the trim strips were finished in the small toilet room in the shop. Using our “Drill Doctor,” several dull drill bits were sharpened. A new wiring harness has been received for our ’37 Packard.
On Thursday, January 7, 14 devotees were in attendance, as follows: Tom Marshall (in charge), Bill Schwoebel, Jared Schoenly, Dave Leon, Richard Bernard, Jim Personti, Geoff Fallows, Jerry Novak, Steve Bryce, Lou Mandich, Anne Cleary, Ryan Cleary, Bob Jordan, and Ted Kamen.
Work continued on the connecting of pipe and tubing for the new boiler in the Model 735. The newly painted dash plates were installed. The tender trucks from Locomotive 401 were examined and re-worked. Work began toward removing the old wiring on the ‘37 Packard, in preparation for installation of the new wiring harness. The new stepping block was completed with the fastening of non-slip treads on its top.
