Heads up all you steam fans out west. Just a reminder that the 844 will be stretching her legs from Cheyenne to Denver and back for the 100th annual Cheyenne Frontier Days next weekend. Check out UP's website for the full itinerary. It includes a deadhead move on the 17th to Denver, public display at Denver Union Station on Friday the 18th, a roundtrip to Cheyenne on the 19th and a RMRRC trip on the 20th.

Why am I making such a big deal over this? Because I happen to be in Broomfield, CO on vacation through next weekend. This will be my first ever oppurtunity to see some UP steam in action next weekend. We'll be riding the C&TS RR from Chama to Antonito this week on Tuesday and may get to see ATSF steam power in either/both Santa Fe and Albequerque during the week and hope to make my usual pilgramage to Caboose Hobbies.

Colorado's still one of the absolute best states to visit for steam and historic railroad preservation, bar none.

Rob Gardner

Rob,
If you have time ride the Rio Grande Scenic out of Alamosa to La Veta and back. It's a great ride with some nice steam engines.
Bill

Also close to you, the Colorado Railroad Museum will be operating 346 once again on July 19 and 20.

Guys,

SLRG and CRRM are both top shelf and I would have included them on the itinerary but there is one other factor that plays into this scenario......MY WIFE! Ha Ha, Ha Ha!

Yesterday was a beautiful example of compromise. My uncle and I visited Caboose Hobbies on S. Broadway while my wife and aunt visited all the antique stores in the same general area. My only question is, why haven't all you Colorado Know It Alls haven't offered this advise on the board before? Actually, why hasn't my aunt thought of this? All kidding aside, my wife and aunt also discovered the "Frontier Gallery" which has a neat western flair to it. He sells a lot of firearms as well as other general western memoribilia. This includes a couple pieces of western RR artwork as well as some door latches from two different series of D&RGW NG rolling stock. He also a copy of William H. Jackson's book entitled "Steam and Steel Through the Rockies"(?) for a mere $695.00. Keep in mind this is no coffee table book. They are full size prints from the full size negatives he took which are LARGE. These negatives must be 18"x24" or thereabouts.

Oh well, it's off to Cheyenne this AM for a tool collector's meeting with my uncle and a 1-hour tour at the UP. Hope this is the UP Steam Shops!

Rob Gardner

Rob,

I know the problem well.

If your wife is interested in antiques, don't forget to take her to the nearby Molly Brown House Museum and the Byers-Evans House Museum. Both are near the Colorado History Museum and the Art Musuem. You could stop for lunch at the Old Spaghetti Factory downtown -- the building is the old power house/carbarn for one of Denver's two cable railways.

She might like to visit old downtown Golden as well.

And don't forget that both the C&TS and the Silverton feature magnificent scenery as well as great train rides.

Just try to be creative and persistent, but I do share your pain.

Glen

Hi Rob
I will be driving FCMRY 21 from noon to 2:30 PM on Sunday, July 20 in Fort Collins.
Roger Mitchell
Master Mechanic Fort Collins Municipal Railway

Roger -

"Driving"? Sounds like a bus! Operating might be a better word. A bit of semantics I do admit!

Les

Hi Les
There was one time we were sued by a woman who claimed we were negligent in not installing a proper steering wheel in our streetcar which would have allowed us to swerve and avoid hitting her automobile. When her lawyer was informed by ours that it was not one of those rubber tired jobs he dropped the case like a hot rock.
Regards
Roger

Hi Les,

How's this for a summary of the situation:

"When it comes to semantics, more is Les!" <G>

Cheers, Roger

Roger -

We get people at our museum who opt for our GEP (guest engineer program) because they want to "drive" a locomotive. I always cringe when I hear it said, but they're paying customers so I bite my tongue. I just couldn't pass up the chance you gave me to "vent". And yes, I do feel better now!

Les

Les,
Believe it or not...when I'm conductor I usually walk thru the train just prior to departure as a final check. It amazes me that, even though I have a conductor's unform on, how many people ask me when I'm walking towards the front of the train if I'm the train driver! "Excuse me...are you the train driver?"

My respnse is..."No, I'm the conductor. The engineeer operates the engine."

Amazing how little the average puiblic knows about railroading. Alas, we do what we can to educate them.

Bill