Casey Jones and his engines

[Desertdweller]

GG1,

That video was pretty neat.  I rode a tourist train last month with my wife and three grandchildren.  The Black Hills Central, between Keystone and Hill City, SD, about 10 miles each way.  Bought RT tickets for us all for $100.  Not bad for today's prices for a two-hour ride.

It was a standard gauge ex-CB&Q route, through gorgeous mountain scenery.  Power was an ex-Rayonier Lumber 2-6-6-2ST.  The cars were immaculate.

In all my career, I've never run a steamer, although I did get a nice cab ride on the Essex CT Boat Train.

My N-scale Denver Union Terminal Railroad (set in the 1960's) has three steam locos.  A Life-Like USRA 4-6-2 in CB&Q, a Bachmann Santa Fe 4-8-4, and a UP 0-6-0.  The 4-8-4 has been modified with pickup on all tender wheels, and the 0-6-0 was kitbashed from a 2-6-2, with relocated headlight.

Les

[J3a-614]

In reference to the song "Casey Jones," I would argue that this specific version may be the most fun, featuring Jerry Colonna and the artists of Walt Disney Producitons:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIrjnWKM9Tw

[jward]

while I will admit turn of the century railroading has a certain charm, for me the era to model is the 1970s. the equipment is something I am familiar with in real life., and the operating practices based on my own experiences. there really isn't a lot of historical research I need to do, because I was there. can't say that about the 1890s.

Isn't the research all part of the fun?

research is fun, but not as much fun as being there.  it is hard to get the context of things 100 years later, because so much of the mundane did not survive. at least with more modern (post ww2) eras, there are people still alive who were there, and their stories about what it was actually like are worth far more than any book.

put another way, when I worked with the railroad, the signs of the past were everywhere. it was nice to have people around who could explain what all those abandoned buildings and tracks were used for. 

[GG1onFordsDTandI]

In reference to the song "Casey Jones," I would argue that this specific version may be the most fun, featuring Jerry Colonna and the artists of Walt Disney Producitons:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIrjnWKM9Tw

I beat you J3a, my "Rocky the squirrel"  introduction to a link, previous page, began with James Earl Jones but ended up Disney.

[Johnson Bar Jeff]

There's also an endearing (to me, anyway), spunky, funky charm to the smaller equipment. I won't use the c-word (no, not that one -- get your mind out of the gutter) but they do make me feel a little squishy inside and like I should cuddle one. Compared to the giants which came later -- and I have nothing whatsoever against big steam -- they evoke images of the little engine that could or man against the arctic.
                                                                                                                                                -- D

I more or less agree with you, D. (Sorry if I'm late. I was away over the weekend.) I.C. #382 was probably "big passenger power" when it was built in 1896.

[Johnson Bar Jeff]

I think we should cut Casey some slack.  Worked past his limits, he tried to minimize the effects of the crash by staying on the engine and laying on the brakes.  His actions probably saved many lives.  Most engineers I have talked to about this consider him an unlucky hero, as I do.

Amen.