Lynn Nystrom, steam crew fireman and engineer, died last night, apparently from a massive heart attack. I'm pretty sure he was running 844 on her last outing, just recently completed. :tb-sad:
Jim, that's so sad. Of course I never had met Lynn, but to lose one of the few who have the skills to operate a steam locomotive, especially one as modern and complex as 844, is tragic. My deepest sympathy to his family, the members of his steam fraternity, and to all who enjoyed his skills first hand. This link contains a slide show of 844 during it most recent tour, with 2-3 photos of Lynn doing what he loved best. http://www.kansascity.com/2010/04/26/1904086/union-pacific-no-844-stops-at.html
Lynn is far right in this photo, taken in Fife Yard in 2007 when 844 and 4449 ran the doubleheaders in Washington state. He has the "uniform" on and the 844 cap. Everyone else in hard hats. :tb-sad:
Very sad indeed. I was able to talk with him a little when the 844 was in Houston on April 12. My condolences go out to his family and the UP Steam Crew.
This is very sad news, and a big loss to the modern steam community. My prayers go out to his family, and his many friends. He will be missed.
Incredibly sad news... Lynn was like a grandfather to me, and he love my son Glen. Isaac never got to meet him. He was a great friend, a prolific railfan, model railroader, and an original steam crew member. He was always willing to show us around the engines, and the shops. His wife Mary worked for the crew in the sales car (used to be Sherman Hill ) for souvenirs. You can't just find a man with skills like his just anywhere. A tragic loss to the UP Steam Crew, and to steam railroading as a whole. It's all high greens for Lynn now. I'll miss you my friend. *sniff*
Though I never met Mr. Nystrom personally, it's dedicated folks like him that do so much for the continuation of steam programs. Lynn has caught the westbound. Farewell to a friend I never met.
During my time as a traveling contract tech, I worked in Cheyenne in 2005, and was privileged to meet Lyn Nystrom (and Jeremy and his family). He gave us cook's tours of the steam shops, looks inside the cabs of 844 and 3985, and hung out with us dorung meetings of the Sherman Hill Model RR Club (which met in the roundhouse). I also bough a UP steam shirt and ball cap from him in the Sherman Hill (now Reed Jackson). The last time I saw him, he was standing in the door of one of the baggage cars on the Valley Eagle train as it approached Wagoner. Here's a pic of Lyn in the cab of 844, during its stop in Muskogee: Union Pacific has lost one heckuva railroader, one I have deep respect for. Somewhere on the Gloryland & Halleluiah, Lyn Nystrom is in the engineer's seat of a Big Boy, looking down the long locomotive at the track ahead, throttle in the company notch, with high greens as far as he can see set up by the Master Dispatcher.
Sorry, partner.......but that's how I feel about the guy. My idea of what the railroaders of old were. I'm happy you had the relationship with Lyn you had, and Glenn (even though he was a baby) was also blessed.:tb-sad:
I know Bob, I was jet yankin' yer chain... It is tough to lose him. Poor Mary and Fran. Bob Krieger, a member of the Steam Crew sent this:
Hemi told me this morning about this. My heart, prayers, and tears go out to Mary, Fran, and the family. My heart is breaking over this and how going to Cheyenne will never be the same. Lynn, I miss you so already.
Yeah, it's all good...........:tb-wink:.......we both feel the same about this whole thing. Deepest condolences to Lynn's family, and also to his friends and coworkers.
Lynn T. Nystrom, 1941-2010 From the online edition of the Wyoming Eagle Tribune (Cheyenne, WY), here is Lynn's obituary: Lynn T. Nystrom 1941-2010 Lynn T. Nystrom, 69, of Cheyenne passed away May 5 at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center. Lynn was born Feb. 13, 1941, in Rock Rapids, Iowa, to his parents, Merle and Viola Nystrom (Nordmann). On Dec. 12, 1969, he married his wife Mary F. Nystrom (Brandolino). During Lynn's life he was a U.S. Navy veteran (radar tech) during the Vietnam War, policeman in San Diego, policeman in Albert Lea, Minn., special agent for the Rock Island Railroad in Chicago from 1968-1977, a switchman/brakeman, fireman and engineer for Union Pacific Railroad and during the years of 1989-2010, he was a fireman/engineer on the Union Pacific's prestigious Steam Locomotive Crew. Lynn is survived by two children from a previous marriage, Todd Nystrom and his wife Joann of Glenwood Springs, Colo.; and Scott Nystrom and his wife Lise of La Mesa, Calif.; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Lynn is also survived by his wife, Mary; mother-in-law, Frances Brandolino; his sons and their families; aunts, Harriet Stansberry and Margaret Nordmann; numerous cousins; and in-laws by marriage. He was preceded in death by his parents; his father-in-law, Joseph Brandolino; and his uncles, Harold and Edward Nordmann. Visitation will be at 8:30 a.m. Monday at Schrader Funeral Home with a funeral service to follow at 10 a.m. with Father Thomas Cronkleton Jr. officiating. Expressions of sympathy in Lynn's memory are welcomed with the organizations in which Lynn was an integral member: The Union Pacific Historical Society, P.O. Box 4006, Cheyenne, WY 82003-4006, The Laramie County Historical Society, P.O. Box 1043, Cheyenne, WY 82003-1043, The Sherman Hill Model Railroad Club, 836 Custer, Cheyenne, WY 82009, The Cheyenne Christmas Parade Committee, P.O. Box 1462, Cheyenne WY 82003-1462, The Scottish Society of Southeast Wyoming. For all who knew Lynn, he was beloved by all as a friend to the railroad and railfan community. Condolences may be offered to the family on-line by going to www.schraderfuneral.com. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Schrader Funeral Home.
This sad news has pushed me to dig out some old 844 footage and finally get it put on YouTube. This one's dedicated to Lynn. We'll miss you. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP122N3lG68
