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Hello,

 

I was born right in the middle of PRR territory, and my Dad was a fireman on Pennsy Steamers until we moved to California in 1944.

 

I grew up as an intimate witness to the final flowering of Steam, during all of the 1940's to the mid 1950's.

 

During my time in Wheeling, W. Va. it was mostly all PRR, with some B&O in action on the Pittsburg-Wheeling complex.

 

In California it was UP, ESPEE, and SANTA FE. (Or AT&SF as it was known then).

 

Had I been born in the Old Dominion, I would have been loyal to Norfolk & Western, of course.

 

They were all great Roads, and as long as the Locomotives were built by the American shops of Baldwin, Alco, and Lima, there were none better in the world!

 

I literally grew up with Steam, and not from Fan Trips, Photo Run-Bys, Rail Festivals or Restoration Projects, but from everyday up-close experiences of the trains, from their hauling of long consists of Steel and Coal to War Plants to passenger specials bringing our fighting men home on well-deserved furloughs.

 

I recall the drivers slipping on the notorious Streets Grade in Wheeling, to that big yellow headlight coming down the tracks as we waited at the crossings at night.

 

Yes, they were all great Locomotives, be it N&W, Pennsy, NYC, AT&SF, UP ESPEE, and all the other important Railroads of our land.

 

Good luck with your 611 project...yes, it's a Beautiful Loco! 

 

So I wish you all a Chug-Chug and a Woo-Woo!

 

BAD ORDER HAL

 

 

Last edited by Former Member
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My personal steam loyalty goes to the good old Chicago, Burlington & Quincy. Saw, and heard from my bed just before falling off, Burlington steam in regular service, in the mid-50's. Mostly 4-8-4's, presumably, but did not learn the White system until a little later, so there may have been a 2-10-4 or 4-6-4 slipped into the group. Also saw an O1a 2-8-2 taking on coal at the Clyde (Cicero, IL) coaling tower along Ogden Avenue, mid-50's. After obtaining my first copy of Railroad Magazine, which provided some reconnaisance on steam's wherabouts, bleated to my poor, long suffering parents to take me to such steam outposts as Canada (CPR and CNR), Carbondale, IL (IC), Durand, MI (GTW), Leadville, CO (C&S), Durango, CO (DRGW) and Mexico City (NdeM). In early days, ages 5-6, saw much Milwaukee and C&NW commuter steam plus a C&NW R1 4-6-0 shuffling through Devils Lake State Park (WI) and a NKP 4-6-4, enroute to Canada. Also B&OCT 0-8-0's.

       Continued on in the early '70's due to the good fortune of having a wife who worked for United Airlines, to see active steam in Italy and Germany. Crossed the border from Luxembourg into Germany and was promptly greeted with doubleheaded 2-10-0's running light. Then discovered the Trier-Saarbrucken terminal, with a complete open-air fantrack fed by a turntable, filled with 2-10-0's, a 4-6-2, some 2-6-2's, all under steam. A 2-6-2 was working the hump. And another enclosed roundhouse, equally stuffed full of hot engines! A kindly employee pointed out a steam rotary snowplow and I observed a large dining hall filled with men eating lunch. It was Roanoke on the N&W in 1952. Spectacular! My wife noted the "poor housewives" and their air-dried sheets hanging in yards.......being doused with coal smoke!

          The following year, did a Scandanavian tour and ended up in Oulu, Finland, Got there real late at night and fortuitously ended up in a hotel right across the street from the town railway station. At the crack of dawn, was awakened by a working steam locomotive! Bolted from bed, went trackside and was invited to ride the 2-8-0 all morning as the engine switched around town. What a blast! Then took a gas electric train up to Rovaniemi, capital of Lapland. Found a wood burning 2-8-0 in the house, alas, dead.

        Did a fair amount of steam-era fantrip activity with CB&Q 4-8-4's, a 4-6-4, a 2-8-2 and a 2-104, GTW 4-8-4's, 4-6-2, 2-8-2, DM&IR 2-8-8-4's and 2-10-2, and D&NE 2-8-0's.

        Was most fortunate in my life experiences and will be a steam fan until my dying breath!

       

Last edited by mark s
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