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
Navy as a project 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'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 20 March 2009)
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