[AT] Steam trains and tractors (kinda OT?)

[Don Bowen]

On 11/13/2011 6:58 PM, Rob Wilson wrote:
> My favorite is the Northern GS-4 series like the Southern Pacific ran in
> their Daylight trains. I told my daughter that there was one left in
> Portland and she should check it out and take a ride on it as she was on a
> business trip around December one year. Her fiancé came out and surprised
> her by setting up an engagement on the train. All the crew was in on it and
> truly shocked her. I still haven't gotten to see it myself!

The Daylight is a beautiful locomotive.  Too bad SP makes steam 
excursion trains difficult if not impossible.

In about 1976 or so the CP Royal Hudson made a trip to Southern 
California for the Queen's birthday.  I had stopped in my favorite model 
railroad store, the Whistle Stop in Pasadena and was told it was heading 
north the next day over the SP through the desert.  My mother lived in 
Lancaster at the time so we found a good place to park along the tracks 
and waited.  Nothing happened so we headed south on Sierra Highway.  
Just south of Lancaster we saw the lights of the approaching train and 
the highway was packed with cars headed our way.  Now my mother does not 
like her sons to whip her cars around but that day I spun that car 
around and she never said a word.  We were in front of who knows how 
many cars chasing that train zipping though Lancaster at .  She had her 
window open just enjoying every moment, the sounds of the loco as it 
whistled the crossings, the sight of the drive gear, the cars chasing, 
it was  exciting.

We chased the train to Mojave where they stopped for water before the 
grade and diesel helper was put on the end.  When it left we went a 
little north of town and watched it leave.  I heard later that the loop 
was so crowded that the CHP closed the exit.

Later that summer I saw a flyer for an excursion train behind 4449.  It 
was returning from Freedom Train duty so my mother took the excursion.  
She told me later about watching the chasers through the desert.  On 
that train she meet her long term companion, Bob.  A gentleman in all 
sense of the word and someone who was very good for her.

She passed away this last summer and this story is bringing back some 
memories and is somewhat difficult to write through the tears.

-- 
Don Bowen           KI6DIU
http://www.braingarage.com/Dons/Travels/journal/Journal.html