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

charlie hill charliehill at embarqmail.com
Mon Nov 14 05:02:35 PST 2011


That's a great story Don.  Don't worry about the tears, some tears are well 
worth the effort!  grins.

Charlie

-----Original Message----- 
From: Don Bowen
Sent: Monday, November 14, 2011 6:44 AM
To: Antique tractor email discussion group
Subject: Re: [AT] Steam trains and tractors (kinda OT?)

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

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