Chance of a lifetime

If you were given the choice between getting a factory tour to see your favorite manufacturer’s model trains produced, or riding in the cab of a locomotive for a day on a Class I railroad, which would you choose? Vote and then share your comments below.

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Who wouldn’t want to ride in the cab of a mainline loco>

I’d take the tour.

But I’d want a tour of a real steam locomotive plant. Of course there are none left to today so you’de have to get ahold ot Steven Hawkins and discuss time travel, then you’de have to shoe-horn my big wide Irish backside into said time machine and send me back in time ala Ah-noold. Might cause quite a stir, me materializing butt-naked on the floor of the Baldwin factory in 1920. I’d say “I’ve come back in time to see how steam locomotives are made because it’s a lost art in the future” and after seeing the process from start to finish (i’ve always wanted to see how Baldwin was able to knock out an engine is as little as 10 days) they would escort me to a little resort called “Happy Acres Sanitarium” where Elwood P. Dowd would introduce me to his 6 foot rabbit freind “Harvey”…

OK enough joking, But I would love to see the Baldwin plant at its peak.

I’ll ride Donner’s pass on the old sp tracks.FRED

The old CZ, Denver to Oakland

Canadian steam: Edmonton to Vancouver and Calgary to Vancouver Two of the most scenic routes in North America.

As the nearest I get to cab rides is on my simulator, damn right, I’ll take the train.

I would only take the tour, if the manufacturer would give me some products to take home and test. But if TRIX is not going to give me a Free Big Boy, then I rather ride on the train.

Later…

I’m more of a steam fan, so I had to vote for the tour of the model making factory too. I really do appreciate the intricate detials and hard work that goes into a nice steam loco, and I’d like to see how it comes about.

You have to take the cab ride!

Most definitely riding a locomotive would be the ultimate thrill!!! [:)][:D][:D][:D][:D][:)]

I’d rather operate on a notable model railroad than either of the other choices.

Really not enough information to make a good decision. Since most model railroad equipment is now made in China, I would vote for the factory tour if that was the case. Otherwise, the cab ride would be more interesting.

Have seen manufacturing companies and have been involved with some, sooo It would be cab ride all the way - Feather River (Portola, CA to Oroville, CA).

I know a UP engineer who offerd to let me do just that. I just have to get down there and do it…

Now, if I could ride in the cab on the way to the factory tour…PURE HEAVEN!

Cab ride.
Route: Roseville, CA to Sparks, NV over Donner Pass.
Late winter early spring.

My favorite is steam also, but mine is still doable. I’d take a cab ride in a D&RGW narrow guage K-27. Cumbres & Toltec or Durango & Silverton.

NO question in my mind. A trip on the Empire Builder would be great.

A day in the cab, looking at the world as fhe RR sees it, the scenery, the “other side of the tracks”. Yup.