bucket list - Be the engineer, operate a steam locomotive

Yeah, that "technical term" is a bit vulgar, but it aptly describes the shortcoming.

I would recommend the Nevada Northern engineer for a day to anyone.  They actually do allow the engineer for a day to run a train and not just move the engine around slowly.

No, but I did this one. Well worth it.

http://essexsteamtrain.com/spe...and-on-the-throttle/

Garrett76 posted:

"...You will also learn the "technical" term for using up all of your braking capacity by applying and releasing your train brakes too often coming down the mountain grade..."

ROTFL!

I hope he doesn't find out from first-hand experience what happens when you **** away your air! That could ruin your whole day. 

Isn't there a museum or some location in Ft. Wayne, Ind., that allows you to operate a 44 tonner diesel, and is slightly closer to the population concentration?

I ran a steam locomotive. Piece of cake . . . until I put it on the ground. 

Back in the 90s, a friend of a friend had bought through a tax auction a commercial warehouse that was off a railroad (now abandoned and ripped up, but intact at the time) and had a few spur tracks. The property included a 20-tonner or that size of locomotive and some hoppers and gons that were RIP-track worthy but would roll. He got that loco running and ran it back and forth on his own private "module" on the property. Hardly anyone knew it was even there due to how remote it was. So, he'd invite a few people over every 3rd or 4th weekend and we'd run trains until we got sick of it. He had just enough track to get the loco running at full throttle until you had to slow down.

I had my fill of running that over those great weekends. Most people liked riding in the hack he'd bought and had moved to the property instead of being in that tiny little cab. Not me, I loved the throttle, so it worked out well.

I passed through the area in October and saw the place had been torn down. I wonder whatever happened with that...

As for steam, I won't name when/where, but I was at a RR museum once and was apparently mistaken for some longtime employee who I guess had moved a way some time previously? Anyway, I was invited up to the cab to run a large steam locomotive in some short switching moves. Thankfully, I've had plenty of cab rides over the years and read through a lot of manuals so I had a general idea how not to wreck a train. The reverser had just been set and the engine had just moved seconds before, so I didn't have to ask about that or venting the cylinders. I moved the entire train back a few car lengths, stopped as directed, then said I needed to go (which was correct as I had a long drive ahead of me).

If the movie "Ghostbusters" taught me anything, it's that if someone asks you if you're a God, you say YES. In other words, if they think you're a big cheese, don't disagree with them.

I didn't question how this had happened until I was stepping down and they used the wrong name for me. That's when I put 2 and 2 together that they'd thought I was someone else. Beats me what happened when whoever they thought I was finally came back there. Imagine the confusion trying to figure that out among them!

Number 90 posted:

Yeah, that "technical term" is a bit vulgar, but it aptly describes the shortcoming.

I would recommend the Nevada Northern engineer for a day to anyone.  They actually do allow the engineer for a day to run a train and not just move the engine around slowly.

Evidently, the NNRY has changed quite a bit since I did their Engineer for a day program, in 2007. Back then, light engine was the ONLY option, and it sounds like more track is now in service than then. In 2007, it was forward one direction with a reverse move to return to the starting point. IIRC, the Steam portion of my double option went South( I ran the 4-6-0 #40) and the Diesel(I ran the SD-9 #204) went North out of East Ely.

 In 2008, I went to the Sumpter Valley RY, and ran their 3 foot Narrow Gauge 2-8-2 #19. The SVRY was another forward out reverse move back, but you did have a full/ short train, which did add to the experience, I am Glad to hear that the NNRY has added the option of a full train, as well as light engine.

 I have to give the SVRY, a BIG Thank You, as the day that I was able to reserve there was by chance, one of my Nephew's  4th Birthday, he is still a big train nut, the SVRY let my Sister, Brother in Law, Nephews, my Mom and Step-Dad ride in the caboose, at no extra charge even.

 I had planned on going back to the SVRY in 2009, to run their Heisler, but I went and did a Silly thing and got Married in May of '09, and other priorities have kept pushing that trip back.

 It may not be cheap, but an engineer for a day program is something that you will never forget, I am glad that I have gotten to do it, and Hope to again in the future. If you have the chance, DO IT!!

Doug

Yes, they have improved the train trip.  It's quite a bit more expensive than some of the fund raiser seat box experiences that the operating museums put on to fund the operation of their locomotives, but it does include actually handling a train. Both are worthy of our patronage.  Life is short.  And we can't take our money with us when we die.