A day of mixed emotions from the start, but oh my, did it end positive! 
An engine arrived early this week that I've been searching forever to find. Unfortunately, I was gone all week, so I had to wait 5 agonizing days to see it! Today when I got home, I couldn't get it out of the box fast enough. And, it is heavily damaged. So, I got a project to deal with because returning it isn't an option. That was my first disappointment.
I've bought a lot of Union Pacific steam engines this year. I've never saw any of them run. Most of them have never been ran.
I decided I was going to run one of my UP steamers. So I quickly set up a 9 foot long straight test track (conv control-waiting on Legacy). Pulled my Lionel #3985 JLC Challenger out of the box. Added smoke fluid. Nothing. Checked switch was on. Quick 'puff' of air and I had smoke! Pressed the direction button. Nothing. Won't move. Made sure Run/PGM switch was in run. Moved switch around. Nothing. Man, was I disappointed. I can't get it to move. Second major disappointment of the day.
Put the Challenger in the box.
Out came Legacy Big Boy #4012, purchased from a forum member. Added smoke fluid, turned up the power...and nothing. Another quick 'puff' of air and I had smoke-LOTS of smoke! Enough smoke it was quickly hanging in the air of my 35x35 shop! Pressed the direction button and guess what? Nothing. As some colorful language starts from my mouth, the Big Boy slowly starts moving. And I start smiling. And I smile some more. Soon, I see the 'chuffing effect' and it starts to run smooth. Can't help it at this point, the 8 yr old in me let out a yell of excitement. My wife quickly came into the shop worried something had happened. She found me, smiling from ear to ear. Upon smelling smoke, she exclaimed, "I thought you quit smoking cigars?' I started laughing, the smell was from my Big Boy. Honestly!
For the next hour and a half, I stood beside the Big Boy as it slowly moved each direction on my small test track. All of 9 feet. It's a 1/3 of the length of the track! Man, is it awesome! Keep in mind, I've never heard rail sounds in person. The whistle cuts through my soul.
I'll get my other steamers working, just need time to sort things out. All of them need cleaned and fresh lube applied.
But, I can't put into words how excited, happy, and relaxed it made me to watch that massive Legacy Big Boy slowly move on the track (I even put one of my PFE reefers behind it!). This is what I've been missing all these years!
Now, I am really excited to start my layout and this hobby. I can't even imagine how awesome it'll be to have Legacy Control of these engines. Watching the BB pull 50 reefers while an FEF with 10 passenger cars glides along on another track is my goal by the end of the year.
After the money I've spent, I can say it was worth every penny to see one of my Union Pacific steamers run. At times, I thought I needed my head examined for paying a lot of money for some of these engines. Guess I'll need some more 'therapy' in the future because I am waiting on a VL Big Boy...
