At a time when so many steamboats are going silent, one has gotten a new voice (well, temporary... for now). Yesterday, Mat Stage, Dave Morecraft, Mat's dad Paul, and I hauled the calliope from Dave's wagon #44 to the roof of the C. BELLE, and at 7:03 PM (after getting it situated on top of the pilothouse staircase railing and hooking up a steam line), Dave fired it up and played "The Washington Lee Swing", the first calliope song played on that boat in years. Mat and Paul then decided that the C. BELLE needed to be seen with her new instrument. We got underway (Paul at the wheel, Mat in the engine room, and Dave and I on the keyboard) and played for about 2 hours straight to hundreds of interested people on shore wondering where the enticing sounds were coming from. Sadly, my camera died just as we were backing out, but I had it working this morning. Dave and Mat have cut a deal to have the calliope on the boat for just about 2 weeks, so anyone who wants to see a REAL STEAMBOAT with a REAL CALLIOPE, Mayville, NY is the place to go!
1. The CHAUTAUQUA BELLE from the boat dock next to the landing. Note the calliope right behind the pilothouse
2. The steam line coming off the whistle line and running to the calliope.
3. A steam calliope in action on a steamboat (goes together like salt and pepper if you ask me!)
1. The CHAUTAUQUA BELLE from the boat dock next to the landing. Note the calliope right behind the pilothouse
2. The steam line coming off the whistle line and running to the calliope.
3. A steam calliope in action on a steamboat (goes together like salt and pepper if you ask me!)
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