The long wait is over !! The local newspaper (all of 4 pages in size) ran a front page Ad ! There was something BIG coming to town and everyone was talking about it ! On the day of the big event there where vehicles lined up and parked just about everywhere you could find a spot to park. Everyone from the old...who could barely remember the last time they saw something this special...to the very young who have never witnessed anything like it ! First thing that greeted the spectators was the distant sound of a train whistle. Before long you could here...and feel...the thundering of a train locomotive few have ever heard or felt before ! Suddenly under the Route 68 bridge came the headlight and the gigantic plume of smoke from the front of the locomotive ! Then the shrill whistle as the train came into view on the interchange track ! Some people waved like crazy. Some stood with their mouths open and just gasped !! The kids...with clinched fists... pumped their arms hoping the engineer would sound the whistle again !!!! The big locomotive and it's 6 cars slowly lumbered into town and into Lucky Penny Yard ! After a cursory inspection from the mechanics of THE Engine Shop the train continued on into 'Jeans Valley Passenger Station' where it sat for a whole day with the old and young railfans and foamers alike admiring this thing of beauty !!! **Unfortunately The long passenger cars did NOT want to play nice on my 13 and 15 inch radius curves ! We hooked the steam engine to 'Jeans Excursion Train' and it negotiated the layout just fine ! The next day the steam engine and its passenger cars pulled back onto the interchange track and disappearing into the distance and back to Montana ! Enjoy this video of THE FIRST STEAM LOCOMOTIVE to make an appearance on THERR !!! My wife Jean and I would like to extend a sincere thank you to "badlandnp" (Alan) from Montana and his 'Northern Pacific and Black Hills Ry' for sending one of his Steam consists to spend some time on THERR !! .
Now that looked great hauling around them shiny steel cars!! I assume The WIFE enjoyed the excursion? Fun, Fun, Fun!!!
I do believe it will be a few more days before I can get out to THERR RV to do anything...BBBBbbbbbrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr !!
Well it finally got up to 34 degrees outside. That would make the inside of THE RV about 25!!!! So...nooooo...I ain't been inside of the RV today...
Hoo boy howdy!! That there would just about push me over the edge! Not being able to go run trains! Must be time to go find a little Ben Franklin style coal or kerosene stove to put in there and keep things toasty!
It's not all bad... I do have my 'PR4/program track' board in here at my desk...along with a few locomotives. Now that I finally have JMRI working I am 'relearning' JMRI and CV settings. Today is 'shopping day' so there is that. I have a new...faster laptop coming in by Saturday and I get to learn 'Windoze 10 Pro' and find out what 'Thunderbolt' is and what it does. Did dig my car out of the snow...even if it did take 2 days !!! The coffee is good ! The indoor scenery is looking mighty fine...if you know what i mean. It's breakfast time and I am hungry. Sausage...hashbrowns...toast and scrambled eggs...and of course a fresh pot of Life is good !
Y'know, a coffee pot brewing some good java is a great thing in this weather. I have a sofa by the woodstove out in the Trainshed, and it is a mighty comfy spot to set, sip java, and contemplate the next project! Even when it is blowin and snowin!