The good news about living in Ely, Nevada is having a real, live steam locomotive in my backyard. The bad news is I'm living 432 miles from my family while doing so. Well, last weekend the wife & kids came out to Ely to visit me. On Saturday morning I took the boys down to ride the Ghost Train (NN number 93, an Alco 2-8-0) up Robinson Canyon to Keystone, a siding and wye about a mile out of Ruth. They had both seen live steam before (UP 3985), but this was different- they were gonna RIDE behind a real STEAM LOCOMOTIVE! We bought our tickets, and boarded the lead coach at the station in East Ely. At 10:00 AM, the conductor gave the All Aboard call, and with three short toots the train backed up away from the depot out to the main line. The head end brakie threw the switch, and with two short toots we started up the grade around the yard and the town of Ely, up through the tunnels (both the real one and the manmade one under US50) and upgrade through Robinson Canyon to Keystone. The old girl was talkin' as we went up the grade (I say old girl- 93 was shinier than a new penny, and every once in a while lifted the safety pops as we walked around Ely, going uphill. When we arrived at Keystone, the train and locomotive went around the wye, and the caboose was put on the other end. The trip back into Ely wasn't as much fun, as we were headed downhill, but we did no more than about 15 to 20 MPH in a couple of spots. When we got back, the wife was waiting for us, and the boys' ears were ringing with the sounds of steam, whistles, bells, and the sound of wheels on jointed rails. All they talked about for the next hour was the train ride. This oughta make a good story for "What I Did on my Summer Vacation" when they go back to school. And viola, perhaps two more railfans were born! (I know of at least one that got re-infused with enthusiasm).
Way to go, Bob. We need to instill an interest in steam in our kids and grandkids. Who's gonna take it over when we're gone?
Next time take the boys up to the engine and see if the engineer has time to let them see inside the cab. I was in one first when I was 4, but really remember more of the ones from age 6 on up. They will never ever forget that! I hope you took photos of them beside the drivers to see the size compared to their height at this time. You are a GOOD Dad! Bless you!
I DID get shots of them not only standing next to the drivers, but the pilot, of 3985 in McAlester, OK. I walked 'em by the cab of 93, and they couldn't see too well up- unfortunately, the foreman was busy and couldn't talk to us at the time. From a distance, my youngest saw the flash of the inferno inside the firebox and thought the train was gonna blow up! I explained to him that what he saw was the forebox, where the fireman shovels coal in the 93 to keep the steam going (yes, 93's a hand-bomber). We also walked around all the old rolling stock (wooden boxcars with metah fishbelly frames and archbar trucks, the old Ingoldsby ore hoppers), and I showed him some of the rest of the collection (two 85-tom centercab electrisc used at the quarry above the McGill smelter, the little 25-ton "critter" with standard & narrow-gauge couplers, the steam-powered wrecking crane, and more old archbar-equipped cars. Somewhere back home I have a shot of all FOUR of my children on the steps of a Katy caboose at the Ft. Smith Trolley Museum, as well as in the trolley in use at the time- it was a near riot to see which one got to ring the trolley bell (by stomping on the button on the floor). And they let us come back, too! I'm only 45 years of age, and have not much exposure to steam (except for a cab ride on the ES&NA), but I know enough that this legacy of American railroading "the way it used to be" is important enough to pass along to my children. Wherever you are in this world, if you are near a railway museum, or if you have a favorite you'e visited, please consider joining. Most of the work involved in keeping the trolleys, trains, or whatever running come from cash donations, as well as grants. It takes people and money to keep these museums running. If you can volunteer your time, bless you. If not, for whatever reason, open your wallets & give. Consider joining that museum or historical society (if you have already, please ignore my rambling ). Live displays project a much better picture of what the past of American railroading was than cold, dead, rusting hulks. Notice I'm not plugging any particular museum, and also keep in mind that even well-preserved static displays (rolling stock, depots, some locomotives beyond decent return to service) are better than junk and memories,
Hi Guys, The thing about steam is ,you usually only have to let kids see it and the locos sell themselves after that. My pal's wee boy is 2 and is already a total steam nut,that's just from watching Thomas the Tank videos and playing with my G scale "electric" steam locos. The next move is to take him to see the real thing at the Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway near Edinburgh where steam runs every weekend. Davy
And Davy, alll of you, your pal and his wee boy will be all the better for it. I can see your smiles from here, across the Atlantic. Long live steam.
Heres the little fellow Davy was talking about. Davy had e-mailed me these pictures to put in my web space to post on the board here.... This is the lil enginner he spoke of!!! Doesn't look like a minuture enginner guys?????
Hi guys, thanks for posting the pics of Chrisytopher John. These photos aren't "staged" by the way ,this boy is a real steam-aholic he'll be handy to have around as I get older.he can work the trains I'll sit back and watch! DAVY
Davy, Your welcome! Anytime.. Just send what you want posted an where to post it and all and I'll do the rest! As long as I have web space.
