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| The Crystal Ball | ||
| by Jim Wrinn 1 January 2001: | ||
| Welcome to the official start of the New Millennium. Let's get right to business. Without a doubt, the excursion of the year will be the Pacific Railroad Preservation Association's "Homecoming Excursion," a four-day trip in April with Spokane Portland & Seattle 4-8-4 700 as she re-visits her original route. | ||
| Remember when N&W 2-6-6-4 1218 and 4-8-4 611 did their side-by-side gig at the NRHS convention in Roanoke? It was on N&W rails, the Class A hauled a hopper train and the J powered a passenger train. We all said it: Here were the right engines, on the right railroad, with the right trains. This 750-mile SP&S trip has the same time-machine potential. The 700, somewhat of a wallflower for the last decade, is ready to come out in style. Departing April 20 from Vancouver, Wash., she'll reprise a May 1956 excursion through the Columbia River Gorge, overnighting in Pasco, Wash, where the SP&S first took delivery of the 700 in 1938. During the next two days, she'll make her way to and from Spokane, returning to Pasco for the night April 22 and returning to Vancouver April 23. Tickets go on sale Jan. 7 and details are at www.sps700.org. Tell 'em SteamCentral sent you. And by all means, if you don't ride, be sure to send a contribution. Here's a big engine that's finally getting her due, so be sure to support it. | ||
| Meanwhile, in Wyoming . . . Expect to see Union Pacific's Challenger 3985 on the road in June to the annual National Railway Historical Society convention. This year the meeting is in St. Louis. In July, the big engine will power the annual Frontier Days train between Denver and Cheyenne. "It's the stuff in between those that's still a work in progress," says UP steam boss Steve Lee. Expect to see 3985 make break-in runs to "limber her up a little and break in the new parts we've been putting in this winter" in April or May, Lee said. "She's getting new valve rings all around, new springs and fully rebuilt spring rigging on the trailer truck and the entire tender, and rebuilt brake rigging on the tender." The crew also is rebuilding steam pipe joints to the rear engine. All of that is great news from the Alamo of Steam for the next Millenium. | ||
| 2001: The Steam Odyssey Some events to save vacation days for this year: * William Mason. The B&O Railroad Museum's annual spring open house in Baltimore is coming up. Dates haven't been set, but expect it to be late April. William Mason, the 1856 B&O 4-4-0 resurrected a few years ago to appear in the movie "Wild Wild West" will make one of its rare outings in steam. * The debut of Ohio Central's ex-Grand Trunk Western 4-8-4 6325. No dates have been announced, but expect them soon. * The debut of Three Rivers Rambler 2-8-0 203 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Info is still sketchy on this one. * Durango & Silverton's third annual Railfest Aug. 23-27. The event includes a moonlight train, Galloping Geese and excursions with Dan Markoff's sweet 1875 Jewel of a 4-4-0, Eureka. If you can't make that D&S annual photographer's special is Sept. 22. The aspens and little narrow gauge Rio Grande Mikes can't be beat. And if you can't wait for spring or summer, here's an idea: Head down now to New Orleans for one of the biggest Moguls you'll ever see. Former Southern Pacific 2-6-0 1744 has recently been put to work on a branch across the river from the French Quarter. Details are at www.bigeasysteamtrain.com. | ||
| Happy hunting, y'all! | ||
| I'll be updating this column for April 2001. Got any tips, corrections, or suggestions? Send them to crystalball@steamcentral.com. | ||
| Jim Wrinn, who really obsesses about being so near 40 with no hopes of turning back, writes this exclusive column for Steam Central. He earns his living as a reporter for The Charlotte Observer and volunteers at the N.C. Transportation Museum, where he tries to spend as much time on the museum's two operable steam engines, Graham County Railroad Shay 1925 and ex-Buffalo Creek & Gauley 4. | ||
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