Wow! Well, I just got back yesterday from my honeymoon and had a wondeful time. As alot of you know I took off last weekend for my wedding, then left for my honeymoon in Las Vegas. Everything went great. She showed up, said yes, I was sober and said yes. My in-laws love me and we didnt lose the rings[:D] it was truly beautiful and a alot of lifelong memories.
Bur fear not this isnt too far off-topic, the honey moon had some great train related surprises in store for me…And i though Id share some with you…
I was looking for a train store in Vegas. Not a whole lot up there I found but, there is a new store that opened up on the west sdie of town called the Train Egineer. ( I found his add in the MR LHS directory in the back of the mag.) He was mostly Lionel, and had a very small, but modest HO selection. N scale was small too as well. But he was adding and planned on expanding quite a bit form what he was telling me into HO and N. Super nice guy and his prices were very fair. Certinaly better than the full MRSP prices we have to pay here in Phoenix. If you are in town, worth a stop.
Then, on a whim, I stopped in the local Hobby Town USA there. More train stuff then normal for a Hobby Town, but not great. Prices were all over the place. But my fiancee pointed one engine in the case and asked me aboutr thatone… Something like “Oh, honey, how abut the blue and yellow one, that looks nice”… Turns out it was a Atlas Gold Series with DCC and QSI. it was a GE B-23-7 for a 165 bucks. I was stunned. once I explained to my new bride how cheap it was, buit still more than my budget would allow for she told me to just buy it and stop being silly. Any doubt of why I married her, went out the window rigth there.[;)]
Also on the way back to Phoenix from Las Vegas, we stopped in Kingman, Arizona to grab some lunch and watch a few trains on the BNSF Trans-con. Plenty of trains and a great lunch was found. But the real surprise wa
canazar
Congrats again bud, i am happy to hear that everything went off without a hitch …when you got hitched[:D] !! I’m glad for Ya welcome back!!
Chris
I know #3759 fairly well, Jojn. In was in that very cab about eight weeks ago.
I don’t suppose you followed Rte 66 south and west to Oatman, did you. That donkey-trail turned back-hills lane is quite a treat.
That loco is wonderful, and my dad, who drove us there, and who was a mining engineer all his professional life (and who saw some mighty big equipment) was amazed at its size.
I am happy to read that you two had a super time. I don’t suppose she asked how much the 4-8-4 was…did she?
Been to Kingman many times, be there in November again, the old 4-8-4 is nice. I usually follow rt.66 from seiligman all the way to kingman, Lots of BNSF to see on that line. Busy ! Glad you caught a good one, I’ll also check out the Train Enginner in November. I’ll be in Las Vegas for aweek then.
Well, finally got the pics off the camera. New digital cam, new issues… Ugh.
Anyways, here is my new bride poseing in front 3759. It was, for the both of us, the first time we have ever been next a steam engine like this. Stood next to little 0-6-0’s and such… small mining, or logging engines, but never a mainline engine. We were both impressed. For me, it was even more fo shock I guess since for the last couple of years I have been stareing at a steam engines, it was only a foot and half long.
Here is me. Granted, the engine is sitting on ties and rails, right on the concrete and so am I. So it has maybe an extra 10-13 inches on me. But you would be hard pressed to look at this picture and beilve that I stand 6’7". It dwarfs me. As hard try, I can not imagine those wheels and arms moveing at 70 MPH down the tracks.
GAPP, Crandell
Ha ha! Small world you two. No she didnt ask, but I know I stand a nuch better chance getting a new 4-8-4 some day soon since she saw that one. What was pretty cool about the whoel deal is I have a brass engine from my late uncle’s collection of the same type of locomotive. I cant get over the “awe”, of seeing it in person.
The placard at the side of the loco says that it is of the mountain type. Maybe the AT&SF ran Mountains, but this wasn’t one of them… I hope. Surely they called it a Northern.
They talked about that engine running the “Chief” and going through Kingman 12 times a month. I admit, I am pretty wet behind the ears on the whole steam classification thing. When you refer to Mountain, does that mean it was ment more climbing long grades versus running high end speeds flat out? if so, I I would have to think that exactly what that engine was. The run from one side of Arizona to the other across Kingman, Flagstaff to down to Winslow is a brutal. Alot of curves, and hill climbs up the wazoo. I believe Winslow (East Arizona) is around 4500 and Kingman (west AZ) is around 3500. But Flagstaff is at 7000 and at one point, west of Flag about 20 miles, you go over the Arizona Divide at 7350(ish). Alot of altitude and some wicked cuvres. i think that would be prime “mountain running”
Big John, a Mountain type is a 4-8-2 steamer. What you saw was Santa Fe’s first class of 4-8-4s (4-8-4s are Northerns), the 3751 class! It’s a shame that one isn’t running , it double-heading with restored #3751 would be quite a site!
You mention being in awe by the steamer. I know what you mean. Even if they’re just on display in a park, big steamer’s are just plain awesome. I still get goose bumps standing next to Pere Marquette 2-8-4 Berkshire #1223, on display in Grand Haven, MI, imagining what it was like to see it high balling at 70mph. Luckily, it’s sister #1225 is in operating condition on the other side of the state (you may have seen a 3D render of this engine in the “Polar Express” movie). Anyways, glad to hear you and the Mrs. had a great time!
