Soak it in before every boiler in the land will be cold. We are fortunate to be given a second chance with some reconditioned steam passenger tourist lines.
Heber City, Utah February 7, 2006
.
Nevada Northern, Ely, Nevada. February 2004
.
New Hope & Ivyland at New Hope, PA 12-21-08.
.
Above & below: At King Road in Owosso, Michigan, Pere Marquette 1225, a 2-8-4 Berkshire, pours it on with a freight from history next to a Ford Model A pickup on September 27, 2008, recreating a scene from the good old days.
.
Steaming down memory lane is Pere Marquette 1225 Owosso, Michigan September 27, 2008
.
Southern 2-8-0 610 at Rock Spring, Georgia 10-8-2004
.
Heber City, Utah. Union Pacific 2-8-0 #618 and a 1953 Buick Super. This has to be the classic of classic photos! It defies time itself. When I saw this photo, I was transported back to those wonderful days when life was full of simple pleasures, back when we were satisfied with less and happy to walk instead of ride. This is February 6, 2007 when time and eternity intersect at this crossing. And to think that we once had a stage like this every day for the greatest performance ever. Oh what the generation of today has missed. But the curtain has come down.
.
Wild Thing’s comment………
When I was a little girl we used to take the train from Peoria,Ill. to Tucson, AZ. we did that during January and stayed in AZ till the end of February. My mom had bad asthma and so once the holidays were over we went to a warmer, dryer climate to help her not be around the cold winters in Illinois.
We had a sleeper car and I always remember the porter coming to our room and opening the beds from the ceiling and wall before bedtime. Then how the train would rock me to sleep so gently.
When it was time to eat, each time one of the porters would come down the hallway of the train through each car and he would use chimes he would play to make music as he said……..1st call for dinner or last call for dinner.
Tables covered in white linen table cloths with fresh flowers on them and heavy silverware and finger bowls when we were done eating.
Going to the car that had the bar where I would play Old Maid with my mom while my Dad visited with the men having a cigar and a brandy.
Just sitting and looking out the window as we went across the States and seeing all these vast lands and the sights as we went along. The sounds and feel of being on a train I will always remember fondly.
….Thank you Tom for sending this to me.
Tom
US Army Aviation
Vietnam 1966-68
US Army Special Forces
1970-72
I sure miss those old steam trains, thanks WT and Tom. I also have memories of visits to the less desirable ‘train stations’, BTW riding inside that train sure beats riding outside, however you do meet some interesting people that way:)
Thanks WT for posting this. I thought these beautiful pictures would take folks minds off of politics for a few moments.
I also rode trains a lot as a kid, never the steam driven but the diesel locomotives. Freight trains were still pulled by some steam engines. There were the pullman sleepers and the great food in the dining cars. The smoky club cars and the domed observation coaches. There was so much luxury and fascination. The clip-clop sound and swaying of the train. The roar of the space between rail cars.
And the trains names; The Hiawatha, The Santa Fe Super Chief, The Texas Special, The Orange Blossom Special, The Denver and Rio Grande, The Great Northern. There were songs made about many of these trains.
I also remember the train stations. Some were vaulted monsters like Grand Central Station in New York or the Chicago Station. Others were quaint little whistle stop stations.
Most of that is gone now. We are in too much of a hurry and flying is the norm. Passengers are now moved like cattle. Amtrac is less than a shadow of the old systems. I have heard it is frequently late and anything but luxurious. I have seen that it does have scenic routes and is trying to upgrade some of it’s service. I hope, but I don’t think we will ever go back to the pace of the 50’s/60’s.
Jack, smiling yes that is true.
Tom, I loved all of this, thank you so
much. I agree too about the 50’s and 60’s.
They do have special trips advertised and
they go all out and make it like it is back
in another era. A couple we know took one
and said it was awesome. Everyone even
dressed like the 40’s on it and it was
some kind of mystery weekend thing.
Boy those were the days. I remember as a Kid driving with the family down River Road past Buffalo toward Bethlehem Steel there was a yard on the left hand side of the road, that was full of these old steam engines. They were bought by Bethlehem to melt down and make new steel from them. But this yard was full of them. Diesels were new and still in their infancy, these were engines that were scrapped.
But that is a great by-gone era too bad too, it was a time when things were alot simpler and much more pleasant than the crap we have today.