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In 2012 Union Pacific is celebrating 150 Years of Steam! Well, maybe that’s not what Union Pacific is calling the year-long 150th anniversary of the company’s charter, but with 844 leading a nationwide tour covering much of its vast network, please forgive me if I call it - 150 Years of Steam! Union Pacific 844 is the only steam locomotive that was never retired from the railroad, so we really do have 150 years of steam!

In 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Pacific Railway Act which directed the Union Pacific and Central Pacific to build the first transcontinental railroad. The building of the line linking Omaha and Sacramento was completed in 1869 at Promontory Summit, UT, but it was not until 1872 that the bridge spanning the Missouri River between Omaha, NE and Council Bluffs, IA actually linked the western and eastern rail lines, making it truly transcontinental.

150 Years of Steam

I don’t want to give a complete history of the Union Pacific here, because to do it justice would require at minimum a very lengthy book. I'll just say Union Pacific’s 150 year history includes, triumphs, tragedies, scandals, innovations, disasters, failures, but most of all.... success! It’s history spans wars, depressions, recessions, boom times, and labor unrest. The railroad grew over the past 150 years not only by its own expansion, but mainly by acquiring/merging with other railroads. 

UP has been a leader in the tremendous changes in the technology of railroading, as the industry has reformed itself from a dangerous, dirty, and labor intensive enterprise to one that embraces small and large changes to provide return on investment by creating efficiencies in everything they do.

For generations, Union Pacific has been mindful of its long history. They are partners in the public-private consortium that operates the splendid Union Pacific Railroad Museum in Council Bluffs, IA. Union Pacific also has long participated in Worlds Fairs, Railroad Fairs and hundreds of local events.

The Union Pacific Steam Program

But probably the most visible and widely appreciated public relations endeavors is the Union Pacific Steam Program.

The Steam Program unofficially began in 1959 when the last steam engine in regular service completed its run from North Platte, NE to Cheyenne, WY. The date was July 23 and the locomotive was Challenger 3713, according to Union Pacific’s website. The railroad disposed of its steam locomotives by scrapping the vast majority, but many were delivered to cities for public display. Some were transferred to museums, and a small number were kept on the property for a time. Again, mindful of history, in 1960 Union Pacific chose to keep 844, which was the last steam locomotive constructed for the railroad in 1944. It began life as a high speed locomotive in passenger service. As diesels took over passenger runs, 844 moved to freight service in Nebraska until 1959. The decision to save Union Pacific 844 for special service has resulted in decades of public exposure as this magnificent machine pulled specials across America, visiting small towns and big cities. You can view a short video of UP 844 here. 

Union Pacific 844 is one of two steam locomotives the railroad maintains in its livery. UP 844 has a 4-8-4 wheel arrangement and was built by the American Locomotive Company. It originally burned coal but was converted to oil early in its career. 

The other is Union Pacific 3985, a much larger steam locomotive. It was also built by the American Locomotive Company in 1943, one year earlier than 844. It is a member of the 4-6-6-4 Challenger class. Union Pacific 3985 has two sets of drive wheels, each with its own steam cylinder, like two engines powered by one boiler. Because of its massive size, the frame of 3985 is articulated, or hinged to allow it to bend as it goes around curves. The Challengers were designed for fast freight service but sometimes pulled passenger trains.

See Union Pacific 844 & 3985 in action!

As I write this, Union Pacific 3985 is on an extended hiatus to perform service that may take a year or more to complete. It’s last major trip was with the Missouri River Eagle/Sedalia Sesquicentennial Special in the summer of  2010, which I covered in a 50 minute chapter on the DVD Steam Specials in the Heartland. You can see some video here and you can read about this extended multi-state tour here. 

My last trip with Union Pacific 844 was an Omaha to Cheyenne trip in November, 2010. This trip is chronicled in the Two Trains West chapter of my DVD A Boatload of Steam!

Together, these two magnificent examples of modern steam locomotives have thrilled millions as they criss-cross America, delivering smiles and lasting memories, as well as an appreciation for the folks at Union Pacific for making this happen.

To celebrate Union Pacific’s 150 Years of Steam, the railroad has a heavy schedule for UP 844. You can keep up with UP 844 here.  I hope to capture some of 844’s journeys and bring them to you on future DVDs. Keep up to date by signing up for our email list on the lower right of the Yard Goat Images Home Page.

To commemorate their 150th Anniversary/150 Years of Steam UP has also created some nifty special pages on its website complete with historic photos and video, timelines, and more. 

Thanks Union Pacific!

Steve Mitchell, Yard Goat Images, www.yardgoatimages.com

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I had the opportunity in June, 2011 to travel to the Pacific Northwest to get video footage of places and events surrounding the National Railway Historical Society (NRHS) annual convention. The convention was convened in Tacoma, WA with events planned at several railroad operations, including the Chehalis-Centralia Railroad & Museum.   

History of the Chehalis-Centralia Railroad

The Chehalis-Centralia is a not for profit organization headquartered in Chehalis, Washington. The all-volunteer group restores historic railroad equipment and operates over 10 miles of former Milwaukee Road tracks, now owned by the Port of Chehalis. 

Formed in 1986, the first task of the group was to restore the steam locomotive which had been on display since 1956 in a local park. After two years of restoration and acquiring passenger cars, regular passenger operation began. The 2-8-2 Mikado was built in 1916 by Baldwin Locomotive Works. It began its career as number 200 with the Puget Sound & Cascade Railway. Around ten years later it was renumbered 15 and sold to Cowlitz, Chehalis & Cascade Railway. 

Trips on the Chehalis-Centralia start at the small depot in Chehalis. The building began its life as a structure on the Milwaukee Road.  It was moved to its present location in the 1990’s.

The railroad line was built by an earlier railroad and absorbed by the Milwaukee Road as a branch line. The route eventually was taken over by the Weyerhaueser Company to support their timber industry in the 1930’s. Ownership of the line transferred to the Port of Chehalis in the 1990’s.

Visiting the Chehalis-Centralia Railroad

The Chehalis-Centralia passes through rolling farmland and woodlands. Most of the Chehalis-Centralia trains go about six miles to Milburn, where a siding is used to run the engine around the train. Milburn is also the former junction of the Milwaukee Road and Northern Pacific.

Longer trips go past Milburn and on to the Newaukum River Bridge near Ruth. The long trestle was built by Weyerhaueser and is one of the last laminated wood-beam bridges still in use in the United States. The train lingers on the bridge to allow passengers to take in the view before backing to Ruth, where the engine runs around the train. When we we there we noticed an eagle nest near the top of a very tall tree near the bridge.

We visited twice, first to see regular operations and the second with the NRHS 2011 national convention excursion. Our first visit on a normal operating day was on a wet afternoon and evening. The Mikado was fun to watch as it moved around the small yard putting its train at the station. After the first trip, two more cars were added to accommodate more passengers for the longer trip to Ruth.

Shortly after leaving the Chehalis station, the train crosses a trestle that is accessible from the back yard of a nice couple who invited us in to set up our cameras. Thanks!

Further down the line we found some wonderful vistas among the farms to watch the train pass. 

The day of the NRHS excursion was much nicer, and I was joined by my wife Jan. There were two wonderful runbys at Milburn. Jan took one of the video cameras along the track toward Ruth and well past the crowd to capture both runbys from that point. I was behind the photo line for the first runby and knelt down on the ground in the photo line for the second. 

Once the passengers were re-boarded, the train continued on to the bridge. The late day sun illuminated the whole scene and is one of the prettiest images in our video documentary.

The Chehalis-Centralia volunteers have done a fantastic job in restoring, maintaining, and operating number 15 and other historic equipment. From the looks of it, they were all having a great time on our two visits. 

See the Chehalis-Centralia Railroad

To find out more about visiting, volunteering, or contributing, please visit the Chehalis-Centralia Railroad website. 

Our 23 minute video program about the Chehalis-Centralia Railroad is wonderful, and available on the Steamin’ Through The Seasons DVD. 

Thanks, Steve Mitchell, Yard Goat Images

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The history of Milwaukee Road 261

Milwaukee Road 261 is a 4-8-4 steam locomotive built by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) in 1944.  The engine was built near the end of steam in North America and worked for only 10 years before the railroad donated to the newly formed National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, WI. 

In 1991, North Star Rail selected Milwaukee Road 261 for restoration for powering mainline excursions. This locomotive was chosen because of its size, being capable of handling long trains at track speed. Milwaukee Road 261 was also a modern steam locomotive equipped with efficient roller bearings. With only 10 years in service it was in better shape than other possible preserved locomotives. Additionally, the asbestos lagging had been previously removed, which would save a major expense in restoring the engine to operation.

North Star Rail leased Milwaukee Road 261 from National Railroad Museum for ten years (and renewed ten years later). Restoration work began at the GE shops at Soo Line’s Humboldt Yard in Minneapolis. After just two years of work, Milwaukee Road 261 returned to service in September 1993.

For 15 years, Milwaukee Road 261 performed as far east as Scranton, PA, where it spent a year associated with the opening of Steamtown National Historic Site. While there it pulled many trips in the area before returning to Minneapolis and it’s present home at Minneapolis Junction surrounded by BNSF tracks. 

Milwaukee Road 261's historic Fall Color Trips

Back in Minnesota, Milwaukee Road 261 has pulled a wide variety of trips around the Midwest. An annual tradition were the fall color excursions, usually taking place on a weekend during October, with identical trips between the Twin Cities and LaCrescent, Minnesota on both Saturday and Sunday. Departure was from 261’s home base at Minneapolis Junction on the east side of the Mississippi River. The train made its way through Minneapolis and St. Paul on BNSF rails and transferred to Canadian Pacific trackage just east of St. Paul, crossing to the west side of the river at Hastings, Minnesota on the Milwaukee Road lift bridge.

A brief stop was sometimes made at Red Wing, then the train continued along the river to Winona. At Winona, some passengers got off for a leisurely lunch at one of the many restaurants, while Winona to LaCrescent passengers took their place. 

The engine was serviced at LaCrescent, which is located across the river from LaCrosse, Wisconsin. Then the entire train was turned on the wye for the trip west. Once again passengers were exchanged at Winona, then the special hurries back to Minneapolis, usually before dark.

I went through my large collection of footage from these wonderful fall color trips and created a program showing a typical weekend with two round-trip journeys. While Milwaukee Road 261 had very few noticeable changes, the program shows the evolution of Amtrak engines and passenger cars used from year to year, as well as differing weather conditions. 

See Milwaukee Road 261 in action

You will enjoy this story, which is a chapter on my DVD Steamin’ Through The Seasons. You can find more information, previews and order here. 

As I write this in April, 2012, Milwaukee Road 261 is being rebuilt for another 15 years of service. This beautiful machine and the folks who keep it running for our benefit can use your help. I encourage you to become a member of the Friends of the 261. Membership means you will get updates on upcoming excursions and events, news about 261, and many other perks. Please visit 261.com to find out more!

Thanks, Steve Mitchell, Yard Goat Images

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SP 4449 was most likely seen as the premier highlight of the NRHS 2011 Convention by many of the delegates. The 2011 convention was headquartered in Tacoma, WA, and had many options for NRHS members to experience steam railroading. Besides the three unique trips with SP 4449, attendees could also choose to ride behind Cowlitz, Chehalis & Cascade #15 at the Chehalis-Centralia Railroad and Rayonier #2, a geared Willamette locomotive at Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad.

The history of SP 4449

SP 4449 is a beautiful 4-8-4  “Northern” type locomotive built in 1941 by Lima Locomotive Works. The engine is equipped with 80” diameter drivers and capable of 100 mile per hour operation.

During its glory days, SP 4449 was one of the steam locomotives assigned to pull the Southern Pacific “Daylight” passenger trains linking Los Angeles and San Francisco along the scenic coast route and then on to Portland. SP 4449 operated until 1955, when it was retired and  put on display at a Portland city park. Its second life began in 1974 when it was chosen and restored to pull the American Freedom Train throughout the United States. 

Today, SP 4449 is the last operating “streamlined” locomotive in North America. The locomotive is owned by the city of Portland and operated by the all-volunteer Friends of SP 4449.  

SP 4449 hosts three convention trips

NRHS convention goers had three opportunities to ride behind SP 4449. The first trip began in Portland and brought delegates on a speedy ride to the host city of Tacoma. Riders had the option to ride one way from Tacoma to Portland on one of Amtrak’s frequent Cascades trains, and return with SP 4449‘s train. This rail route is owned by BNSF. 

The next trip, in the final days of the convention, was a rare mileage event on freight trackage owned by BNSF. This excursion began near sea level at the Tacoma Amtrak station and headed east over Stampede Pass  at 3672 feet above sea level. After passing through 9844 foot long Cascade Tunnel, the trip ended at Easton, Washington, where the engines were wyed for the return trip. 

The next day, SP 4449 led the train and its passengers on its third trip, returning to Portland along the same BNSF/Amtrak route.

Our adventures capturing SP 4449

My wife Jan accompanied me on the Washington portion of my June and July journey, which also took me to three steam sites in British Columbia. The day before the SP 4449 trip from Portland to Tacoma, we explored the route to find possible locations for video coverage. Knowing this was certainly going to be very fast trip we were conservative in picking locations. We decided to start our coverage in Vancouver, Washington because we would be able to capture SP 4449 coming across the Columbia River from two different locations, and it would be quicker to get on I-5 than from Portland. 

We arose early the next morning and drove to Vancouver from our Tacoma hotel. Jan’s location was along the Columbia between the I-5 and the BNSF bridge, while I staked out the sweeping curved platform at the Vancouver Amtrak station. All went according to plan. Jan drove the car and picked me up at the station after the train had cleared the bridge. Rather than wait for it to leave, we headed to our next location which was at Castle Rock. We arrived to capture the Coast Starlight heading south, then SP 4449 roared through in the other direction.

Back on the highway, we made it to Centralia as the train was bearing down on the town. Jan stopped the car and I grabbed my camera and ran to the spot I had chosen the day before. Unfortunately there was a disorganized crowd there now and I barely had time to get the camera going when SP 4449 raced into view. I got a good shot as it was coming toward me but could not get it as it passed my position because too many people were in the way. Fortunately, Jan had gotten out of the car and was able to shoot several still photos as it passed. This was a challenging segment to edit!

Our next goal was to reach the Tacoma Amtrak station before SP 4449 did, which nearly worked out. As we drove up the special was gliding to a stop and there was so much traffic we couldn’t get close. So we found parking a couple of blocks away and tried to get some station platform shots, but security officers were directing everyone out of the area.

Later that week we scouted locations for the Stampede Pass trip. Again, we were conservative, knowing there are few close highways parallel to this mountainous rail line. We found two locations west of Auburn where we could each get separate decent shots close enough to drop one of us off and pick up after the special passed. We also tried to find back roads along the line but much of this area is off limits due to restrictions around a large municipal water reservoir. We might have been pushing the envelope on our rental car agreement too, as some of the roads we discovered were pretty rugged. We did find the road to the tunnel but determined we would spend too much time getting there and back again for the shot. If I had it to do over again, we would have rented a second vehicle for the day to give us more opportunities. 

We met SP 4449 and the train at Easton, where it spent a lot of time discharging passengers, turning the engines on the wye, doing one spectacular runby facing east, loading the passengers and servicing the locomotive. We split up on foot to get different angles of the action, which worked great at this large open location. While the passengers got back on the train, Jan drove me to the spot west of Easton on Cabin Creek Road we had scoped out on our surveillance trip. Then she drove back to the yard to shoot the train departure before retrieving me. See a short video of the train departing Easton here.

We raced back to Kanaskat where Jan got the train going over the Green River Bridge and I went to the same crossing as my morning shot. Then we drove to the Tacoma station just in case the train was delayed. It wasn’t. Sure would have been nice to get one of the Tacoma arrivals.

The following morning was the third trip, Tacoma to Portland. Jan took her position on the pedestrian bridge at the wonderful Museum of Glass, which delivered a great view of SP 4449 leading its train around a broad bend right after departing the Amtrak station. I set up about a half mile further down the line to catch the train going under Jan’s bridge toward me. The light that morning was bright as we caught the train going through an urban landscape of railroad tracks, freeways and buildings.

The next stop was Centralia, where we found the train stopped but ready to go....now! This was good catch for both video and audio as SP 4449 started out.

Back on the road, we headed straight to historic Portland Union Station to the two spots we had decided on earlier that week. Jan was on the pedestrian bridge over the station tracks while I set up at ground level with a view of the arrival location. There was an Amtrak train but it seemed to be back far enough that I could get a good view of SP 4449 as she pulled in. Jan would have a clear shot as well. 

Soon we heard a slow chuffing sound as the train approached.....very....slowly. Then it stopped....behind the Amtrak train. There went my shot. Jan’s was not much better, as SP 4449 came to rest in the dark shade of the train shed. Oh shucks!

In spite of a somewhat subdued finale, SP 4449 put on a great show for all three trips. This locomotive has become an American railroading icon, and deservedly so. The unique styling and colors given to SP 4449 and her sisters set them apart from other streamlined steam locomotives. SP 4449 became the only one of 26 Southern Pacific GS-4 class to survive the scrapper’s torch. After being stuffed, mounted, and neglected in a city park, it got its second chance to run; a chance few other locomotives get. And not just run anywhere! It was restored to pull the prestigeous American Freedom Train to celebrate the county’s Bicentennial. After being seen and photographed by millions, there is probably no way this locomotive will ever end up in a park again.

Your opportunities with SP 4449

Thankfully we can enjoy witnessing the beauty of SP 4449 in operation today and probably for decades to come, thanks to the partnership of the City of Portland and the Friends of SP 4449. If you enjoy seeing this locomotive in person or on DVD, consider joining the Friends of SP 4449. If you live near Portland, maybe you could even volunteer your time and talent with this wonderful organization.

You can see the video story of the three NRHS convention trips we took with SP 4449 on our DVD, Steamin’ Through The Seasons. I know you will enjoy buying this DVD for yourself or as a gift for someone special!

Thanks, Steve Mitchell, Yard Goat Images 

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The Black Hills Central Railroad is a for profit company which operates The 1880 Train over a 10 mile long route located between Hill City and Keystone South Dakota. Although it depends on the thriving family tourist industry in the region, the Black Hills Central is a must-see for any serious railfan. The original standard gauge line dates to the 1890’s mining boom and constructed by the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad. Due to its location close to Mount Rushmore, the line was used to haul equipment and supplies used in the carving of the iconic monument.

With declines in mining and rail traffic, the Black Hills Central Railroad’s tourist trains began running here in 1957, with the goal to preserve steam railroading. In 1972 a massive and deadly flood destroyed the last mile between Keystone and Keystone Junction. This portion was not restored until 2001.

Currently Black Hills Central Railroad  has four steam locomotives and two diesels. GP9 number 63 usually handles the first round trip of the day with one of several steam engines handling the rest of the schedule.

On the day we visited, Baldwin 2-6-6-2T #110 pulled three trips. This unusual engine is articulated to handle tight curves found on logging railroads. It was built in 1928 and, according to the Black Hills Central website, is the last operating locomotive of its type. Its original owner was the Weyerhaeuser Timber Company and later went to Rayonier Lumber. It was sold to the Black Hills Central in 1999 by the Nevada State Railway Museum. Since it is the most powerful steam locomotive on the railroad, it's often used during the heavy summer tourist months.

Shortly after leaving the station in Hill City, the train begins to climb the 4-6% grade on Tin Mill Hill. If you are fortunate enough to be there when #110 is in charge, you will witness one of the LOUDEST steam locomotives I’ve ever heard as it works its way up the grade!

Once at the top, the line passes through beautiful forest and meadow areas, along with some family farms. Some of the land is administered by the National Forest Service. Much of the Black Hills Central follows Battle Creek, once the home of gold prospectors in the earlier days of the railroad. At Keystone Junction the engine runs around the train and operates tender first for the return trip. The entire round trip is about two hours and fifteen minutes.

Hill City is also the home of the South Dakota State Railroad Museum (SDSRM), a not for profit operation located right next door to the Black Hills Central depot.

SDDRM has collections which include memorabilia, rolling stock, and other items relating to various railroads that served South Dakota both in the past and today. There’s also an HO railroad layout depicting South Dakota scenes.

You definitely should plan to make a trip to the Black Hills Central and the South Dakota State Railroad Museum. 

You can see a short video of 2-6-6-2T #110 here. If you enjoy that, then you might be interested in my 27 minute video documentary of 110 and the Black Hills Central, one of four chapters found on the Steam in the Mountains Volume 1 DVD from Yard Goat Images.

Thanks,

Steve Mitchell, Yard Goat Images

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I wish that I had more than a few hours to visit Conway Scenic Railroad in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. It was in the middle of a three day photo charter but due to the distance from the first location (Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington in Maine), and some major traffic delays, I showed up late in the afternoon on an October Saturday. I caught only part of the last regular trip of the day behind steam locomotive 7470 pulling the Conway Valley Train between North Conway and Conway.

Visiting the Conway Scenic Railroad

7470 is a smaller 0-6-0 coal-fired locomotive built in 1921 by the Grand Trunk Railroad’s shops. It was originally numbered 1795 when the Grand Trunk was absorbed by Canadian National Railways two years later and renumbered 7470. This locomotive has been at Conway Scenic Railroad since the operation began in 1974. Today it has a limited operating schedule from about mid-September to mid-October during the autumn color season, a special snow excursion in winter, plus occasional charters.

Conway Scenic Railroad offers a variety of trips to different locations with varying lengths to allow visitors a choice of just how much “train time” to enjoy. All of the trips travel through beautiful scenery in this spectacular region of New Hampshire. If you can, take all of them to get the full experience. 

My time at Conway Scenic Railroad

Getting back to my short visit to the Conway Scenic Railroad, the highlight of the day for me was, after 7470 completed its run with the Conway Valley passenger train, the locomotive moved down into the yard to get the freight cars. There was a wonderful collection of graffiti-free cars from fallen flag railroads, which looked like they could have been attached to 7470 or her sisters back in the 1950’s. I set up my video camera and watched as she first backed the train, and then switched to a track that would lead the consist past me and to the station. There was nothing modern in my field of vision, so the scene could have been from the 1950’s. It is a great piece of footage.

Later I hiked back to the depot and recorded the last of the day’s visitors taking pictures of each other in front of the locomotive. I focused on some of the people and had fun with two men engaged in an animated conversation in front of the North Conway sign. 

The day culminated in a night photo session with 7470 attached to a short freight train spotted in front of the beautiful and unique 1874 North Conway station. I must admit I am no expert at night photography, but I love seeing the work of other people, who seem to have more skill at this than I do.In spite of my short visit, Conway Scenic Railroad made a powerful impression on me, and I will absolutely go back and spend a much longer time there.

Ride the Conway Scenic Railroad

If I would have had I had more time, like a few days, there was much more to see and do. The Conway Scenic Railroad has a hefty schedule of diesel train rides as well as trips in a self propelled “Budd Car” built by the Budd Company in 1952. When I visited in late 2008 they still had two FP9 diesels operating, but they have since been sold to Pan Am railways. For more about Conway Scenic Railroad, visit their website. 

More information and previews of my video story about Conway Scenic Railroad is on the Steam in the Mountains Volume 1 DVD. 

Thanks, Steve Mitchell, Yard Goat Images

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The Mount Washington Cog Railway is located in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. It was completed in 1869 and became the the first mountain climbing cog railway in the world.

The Mount Washington Cog Railway starts from the Marshfield Base Station and carries passengers three and a quarter miles up the mountain with an average grade of 25%, with the maximum of 37.41%!

My visit to Mount Washington Cog Railway

I was lucky to visit in October, 2008 to to take part in some of the last days of steam on the Mount Washington Cog Railway. As part of a photography group, we were given permission to hike up the mountain, starting from Marshfield Station. We climbed nearly halfway up,  allowing us to capture dramatic images of trains coming up the mountain. From our vantage point we could see Jacob’s Ladder and trains disappearing out of sight over the top of the mountain.

This was not the original plan for the day’s activities, but looking back, I’m happy it turned out that way. There are actually two ways to be carried up the mountain. Besides the Mount Washington Cog Railway, there is also a toll road. The road, completed eight years before the Mount Washington Cog Railway, goes up by a different route.  Because riding on the Mount Washington Cog Railway only allows a minimum amount of time at the summit, our choice was to drive so we could remain at the summit longer. We planned to carpool up the mountain and set up our cameras near the end of the line.

The road is only open when it is deemed safe by the operators. Heavy snow in the higher elevations over the preceding several days forced a closure, so we went to Plan B, which was to hike up.

Climbing along the Mount Washington Cog Railway

After gaining permission, we set out. It should be pointed out that there is no actual “trail” along the Mount Washington Cog Railway. There are several marked trails going to the summit, but none of these are near the cog line. DO NOT try hiking alongside the track without getting permission from Mount Washington Cog Railway. You will be trespassing and asked to leave.

Although the terrain was steep, our footing was fairly easy since there had been some recent excavation that had not grown over in most areas. 

Mount Washington Cog Railway trains usually go up and down in pairs to save time at the passing track switches. The first locomotive pushes its single wooden car, followed a few minutes later by another. As we climbed, there were always trains in view, either below or above our position, so we stopped frequently to get shots of the smoky action.

We climbed nearly to the snow line, which was just above Waumbek Tank. The steam locomotives stop here for water on the way up. The lower switch to the passing track is just below Waumbek tank. The switch was rebuilt in 2003 and operates by solar power.

It was here that we caught our first glimpse of the first diesel employed on the Mount Washington Cog Railway. It had been built earlier in the season by the railway’s own shops. The noisy diesel painted in “John Deere green” resembled something out of a farm field. The other photographers made some rather unflattering comments about this machine each time it passed us that day. We speculated about how the arrival of diesels would forever change the Mount Washington Cog Railway experience.

Since that day in October 2008, the railway has largely replaced all of its steam locomotives with diesels. As of this writing, Mount Washington Cog Railway was advertising one steam trip per day at 8:30 AM.

Change is never easy, but converting to diesel makes practical sense, just as it did for commercial railroads. The owners of Mount Washington Cog Railway point out their customers are there to ride to the top of Mount Washington, and the majority don’t give much thought about the locomotive.

I’m thankful that I had the opportunity to see the sight of many steam locomotives going up and down the Mount Washington Cog Railway at the same time - something that is no longer possible. More importantly, I’m happy to share these images with you on our DVD Steam in the Mountains Volume1. I’m sure you’ll agree that steam power on Mount Washington is a beautiful sight. 

Thanks, Steve Mitchell, Yard Goat Images

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Writing an article about the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad is hard because it requires using all of the overused descriptive words such as excellent, magnificent, wonderful, marvelous, supreme, outstanding, remarkable, first-rate, premier, unsurpassed, unequaled, unparalleled, unrivaled, and preeminent. Now that I’ve used all these words in the very first sentence, writing about the Durango & Silverton will be even more difficult.

History of the Durango & Silverton

The Durango & Silverton is one remnant of the one time network of narrow gauge railroad lines running throughout Colorado. The town of Durango was actually founded by the Denver & Rio Grande Railway in 1880. The rail line to Silverton was finished in the summer of 1882 for the principle purpose of hauling gold and silver ore from the many mines in the San Juan Mountains. The mining boom boosted the population of Silverton to a peak of over 1100 before silver prices collapsed and the mines played out.

In the early 20th Century the towns of Durango & Silverton climbed and fell in economic and wartime cycles, while even then tourists flocked there to ride the scenic railroad line between the two cities. World War II brought uranium mining to the region but by the late 1940’s the line faced abandonment by the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railway, in spite of the popularity of its scenic passenger trains and the recent discovery by Hollywood as the backdrop for many major movies.

In the late 1960’s the Durango & Silverton line was designated as both a National Historic Landmark and a  National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. In 1969 the D&RGW Railroad was allowed to abandon tracks south of Durango, which isolated the line to Silverton. Fortunately, Charles E. Bradshaw, Jr came along and purchased the line from the railroad and set the stage for establishing a successful tourist operation over the scenic route. Steam locomotives mothballed decades earlier were restored to operating condition and wooden coaches were reconditioned for year-round use.

Durango & Silverton today

Today the Durango & Silverton is operated by American Heritage Railways, a company that operates other tourist lines in the United States. Trains operate over the 45.4 track miles between the two towns during the summer months, with a 26 mile schedule between Durango and Cascade Canyon Wye during the winter season.

Trains depart from downtown Durango and the first few miles are in an urban setting. The tracks follow the free-flowing Animas River, and the line cross it five times. Between Durango & Silverton, the train is largely separated from visible civilization as it passes through forested river canyons,and the spectacular “Highline” where it passes over a rocky narrow ledge above the river far below.

At Silverton, trains come right down East 12th Street into the heart of town to discharge the passengers. The riders take in the sights of the town and have some lunch while the train backs up to the wye on Mineral Street to turn around. The train then backs into East 12th Street once again so passengers can re-board for the trip back to Durango.

While these regularly scheduled trains are great, there are other options for those who want to see and photograph narrow gauge steam locomotives operating over the scenic rail line. The Durango & Silverton offers these special photography trains occasionally throughout the year, as do private operators who charter a train for one or two days.

My most recent experience was with a two-day photo tour in the fall of 2005. A group of photographers chartered a steam locomotive, freight cars, and some passenger cars to haul us and our equipment.

We began our journey before sunrise in Durango. Our train departed before the regularly scheduled passenger trains. Not long after we left Durango, a steady rain began to fall. Our first stop was near the Highline, where we got off. Meanwhile, our train backed up to a siding, so that the two regular trains on the schedule could pass. We set up in the rain and recorded both of the morning trains with their gold-colored coaches passing our location. Finally, our freight train appeared and passed the photo line.

Back on board, we proceeded to several more locations along the line where we recorded one or more “runbys” with our freight train. In the afternoon, we pulled into a siding at Elk Park to wait for the two trains returning from Silverton. By then the rain had turned to wet snow. One of the trains stopped briefly to pick up a group of hikers, who had flagged it. (The railroad has a special program for hikers to get off or board the trains at designated locations). After both trains had cleared, our photo freight passed through the beautiful falling snow.

We loaded up and finally made it to Silverton, where we did some additional runbys before retiring to our lodgings for the night.

The next morning we were greeted by bright sunlight and mountain peaks covered in the white snow that fell the day before. It would turn into a wonderfully bright autumn day with glorious fall colors. We did some runbys by the old Silverton depot before loading our gear onto the train. Throughout the day we we were blessed with great light all the way back to Durango.

The video story of our photo experience on the Durango & Silverton can be found on DVD Steam in the Mountains 1.

Thanks, Steve Mitchell, Yard Goat Images

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About the Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad

The Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad runs on former Milwaukee Road tracks in the shadow of the volcanic mountain. Visitors board trains at the depot in the small town of Elbe, Washington for the seven mile trip to Mineral, where the railroad has a large yard and shop.

Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad is a not-for-profit operation run largely by volunteers. Its collection of geared logging type locomotives from each of the major builders: Climax, Heisler, Shay, and Willamette is well known and respected. In fact, the railroad’s Willamette is the only operational example in the world. These locomotives were built for steep  grades and tight curves typically found in the forest industries.

In addition, Mount Rainier Scenic has several conventional rod-style steam  locomotives and a couple of diesels in operation. There are an even greater number of heritage steam and diesel locomotives in the collection but not currently operational. 

The normal operation is over a curvy line between the small mountain hamlet of Elbe and the even smaller town of Mineral, however occasionally special trains run all the way to Tacoma. The line used by Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad are actually part of the extensive rail network owned by the City of Tacoma. The city operates commuter services as well as freight traffic serving the region’s port and manufacturing industries. The museum has long-term arrangements with Tacoma Rail for using their portion of the line. 

Our Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad experience

We visited this working railroad museum twice in June, 2011, just days apart. Our first visit came on a sunny day which happened to coincide with a charter for some German railfans who had arranged for two steam locomotives and a string of empty log cars to operate with several photo runbys. A few days later we were there for the 2011 National Railway Historical Society convention, which included rare mileage on a portion of the Tacoma Hill line and some changeable Washington State summer weather. On both days we were welcomed to safely look around the yard and shop facilities at Mineral.

The log car train was interesting in many ways. West Fork Logging Heisler #91 brought the empty cars and a caboose to Elbe, and then switched the train so the caboose would be on the rear as it returned to Elbe. Meanwhile, Hillcrest Lumber Climax #10 traveled light from Mineral. At Elbe, #10 took charge and headed to Mineral. Right after leaving, an unknown problem developed with one of the log cars, so #91 hooked on to the rear and pulled  the train back to Elbe, followed by #10. The issue was quickly resolved and the train was on its way again.

Six days later, the Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad hosted the NRHS convention trip. My wife, Jan, was now with me to cover this event. As the train arrived from Eatonville rained poured down on us and it rained periodically the rest of the day. 

The star attraction for the NHRS trip was newly restored Rainier #2, built by Willamette. While not much for speed, the engine put on a fine performance. There was ample time to look around the shops and yard at Mineral. The Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad volunteers also moved some of the other equipment around, which was a nice bonus.

Visit Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad

If you visit Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad, the line between Elbe and Mineral has limited accessibility. At Elbe, a small yard near the depot competes with the nearby highway and logging trucks. It has a large parking area shared by the railroad, the historic Little White Church, and nearby businesses. After leaving Elbe there are spots along a short stretch of State Route 706/National Park Highway to pull off to watch the trains. Further along, the tracks go away from all road access until veering south to cross the highway near park Junction Road. After this point the line is largely going through private land until it reaches Mineral.

There is plenty here to see and do. The Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad is professionally run and offers a variety of experiences for rail enthusiasts and the general public. It's easily accessible from the Seattle-Tacoma area. The Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad website has a great deal of information about the equipment, area attractions, and even current weather conditions and forecasts.

Go! You will love this place!

Our visit to Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad is now a 45 minute chapter on Steam in the Mountains - Volume 1 DVD from Yard Goat Images. Previews and additional information about Steam in the Mountains Volume 1 & 2 can be found here. 

Thanks, Steve Mitchell, Yard Goat Images

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The day after the Rock Island Train Festival I traveled with NKP 765 as she headed east from East Peoria, IL to Logansport, IN on the Toledo, Peoria & Western (TPW), a short line operated by RailAmerica. Just after the festival closed, NKP 765 headed out of town to East Peoria where it would spend the night.

Instead of following NKP 765, I chose to spend the evening at the Rock Island rail yard as the Iowa Interstate QJs were preparing their train for what would be a high speed run across Iowa to their home in Newton. (Videographer Mark Paulson followed the QJs for a program which is also featured on the Steamin’ Summer Volume 3 DVD).

Following NKP 765

On Monday morning I got up early, gobbled the “free” breakfast at the motel and checked out. Not knowing exactly what time NKP 765 would be leaving East Peoria, I stopped at the yard first to confirm she had indeed left. Turned out she had moved out really early, and it was not until about 100 miles later that I caught up with the train near Watseka, Illinois.

It was another hot day but less so than the westbound trip the previous week, so the railroad did not have any heat-related speed restrictions. Due to the general condition of the track, there were a few spots where the speed was slow, but overall the train was able to move along at a reasonable clip, which made for a more interesting chase. There were a few chasers, but it was a weekday, and possibly the previous four days of high speed chases to Bureau, Illinois and Iowa City, Iowa was enough to satisfy many potential participants today.

The day was excellent in terms of good light, and despite the heat, it didn’t seem nearly as awful as some of the previous days. Maybe I was getting tough.

Most of this line was new territory to me, and we traveled through some beautiful areas, especially as we we were getting closer to Logansport.

NKP 765 Arrives at Logansport

Arriving in Logansport brought out crowds of local folks, many of whom had the chance to see NKP 765 the previous week when it traveled west. As the engine was serviced on the TPW, a large group gathered in the late afternoon sun to see and be seen. As I finished up with video and photos, I realized my 11 day steam quest (Little River Railroad, Silver Creek & Stephenson Railroad, and the Rock Island Train Festival) had just come to end.

After both celebrating and feeling some sadness at this milestone, I ate a meal at Mr. Happy Burger and departed Logansport for 10 more hours behind the wheel.

As I headed northwest, I thought about my great day traveling with NKP 765. I also thought about the crew members who had ferried the engine to and from Rock Island, and all those who helped service the engine at the Rock Island Train Festival. My mind wandered on that long trip, thinking about all the volunteers who had helped restore NKP 765, and the people who contributed financially for that effort. Plus all the continuing work and expenses required to keep NKP 765 active.

For those of us who enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of steam locomotives, we owe these individuals a great deal of thanks. I hope you will consider donating or becoming a member of the Fort  Wayne Railroad Historical Society. You will help keep NKP 765 running now and in the years ahead.

You can learn more about the Steamin’ Summer DVDs and see a preview of this historic trip by visiting the Yard Goat Images website. 

Thanks, Steve, Yard Goat Images

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