I Love Trains

Steam locomotives are at the top of the list.

Yesterday was opening day for the 2013 season of the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad.  We spent the morning at the Antonito train yard. While the train prepared for its first run of the season, I took some pictures and video to share here.

While the train made its preparations for the day's run to Chama, NM, we stopped in at the nearby cafe for my obligatory Saturday Morning breakfast.  Since retiring, having this once-a-week treat is about the only way I can keep track of what day it is.



This worked out well.  Just as we were leaving the cafe, the train was making its departure.  I think these videos do a good job of capturing the sights and sounds of the steam locomotive. To me it borders on a living, breathing creature. (the "static" is the wind blowing, which seems constant here).

 

What the videos fail to capture is the the smell of the coal fire burning in the engine.  To most folks, I suspect, this is not a particularly pleasant aroma.  And regardless of the industry's PR, there is no such thing as clean coal. The smoke from the stack of the train in full of soot and ash which should not be inhaled.  However, remember...I grew up in Southern Illinois.  This is coal country.  Not only is it mined there, we heated our home with coal.  Our home in Du Quoin, Illinois was within a quarter of a mile of the tracks of the Illinois Central Railroad.  Don and I spent many summer days under the trestles looking for crawdads in the creek and waiting for the trains to pass by overhead.  It wasn't until the late 1950's  that the Illinois Central converted to diesel locomotives.  Many of my earliest recollections are triggered by the smell of coal smoke and the wail of a whistle of a steam locomotive.  Good Stuff!!!