Quite a story! In many ways; First of all an anachonism in modern times. A Brand New Steam locomotive operating in an environment of modern technological fauilures and do so in a class manner. A well honed machine preforming exactly as it was forseen to do by its designer and those who had admiration and faith in that design.
One is somewhat reminded of a similar story in this country; from some years back, when the Union Pacific’s 844 was out on a test run from Cheyenne, and was used to recover a failure in the power of a very important (to the UP at the time) express freight train.
We are pretty much familiar now with the operations of a really successful Steam Operations Group by the Union Pacific. Its two locomotives,3985 and 844 which have continuously toured the country spreading good will for the UP and showing the people these two grand assets.
While I don’t think this will portend a wholesale rush to build new steam locomotives, it is a cool story.
I’m wondering how they got all those passengers on the engine, though…
[:)]
My parents and I took a number of steam excursions in the 1960’s pulled by CB&Q #4960. There was a picture of that engine pulling a train through a flooded area, because she could get through when the diesels could not. She rode higher and was not stopped by the high water.
In 2005, I rode the Grand Canyon Railway and our engine was #4960, which brought tears to my eyes. It was like seeing an old friend after many years. I remembered all the happy times we used to spend being pulled behind her to a variety of places in MO and IL.
AMEN TO THE STEAM LOCOMOTIVE! Nothing like an old steamer to save that day! It indeed is a precision machine doing exactly what it was built to do!