To Shiny Rails

Almost entirely by accident, we ended up at the right place and the right time to catch the #4014 and #844 leaving Ogden for the return to Cheyenne! Lynn became an official train chaser when she dashed across a busy road with crutches and her broken foot to catch a glimpse of the passing train.

I joined who knows how many thousand (Spike150 estimated 38,000 people visited May 10-12) of my railroading friends today at Promontory Summit, UT to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Golden Spike that marked the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad on May 10, 1869. (Unless you’re from Strasburg, CO which tends to argue the point; they’ll have their 150th at Comanche Crossing on August 15, 2020. That’s just up the road from us, so we’re going!)

As with yesterday’s fun at Union Station in Ogden, UT with the arrival of the Big Boy UP #4014 and her traveling companion, UP #844, there were so many people that I couldn’t get much in the way of great pictures of either the equipment or even what was happening on stage. So, the photos here give you a feel for what attending the event looked like. I’m sure there will be plenty of closeup shots on social media from those who were close up. All my pics from the day are here.

The ceremony turned out to have quite the list of dignitaries, including Utah Governor Herbert, U.S. Secretary of the Interior, U.S. Secretary of Transportation (whom we worked with back when she was at Labor and I was with the California Space Authority), Mitt Romney, Rep. Bishop, Lance Fritz of the UPRR, the Irish ambassador to the U.S. (who offered a champagne toast!), the Chinese ambassador to the U.S. (by video), and more.

Part of the reason for so many dignitaries is that the Golden Spike National Historical Site recently was upgraded to a full-fledged National Historical Park.

The keynote was given by author Jon Meacham, and without a doubt, gave the best speech of the day. If a recording gets posted anywhere, I’ll hook it in here. My favorite quote, roughly, “a country is unified by its passion for what we love in common.”

Did you know that on that very day in 1869, the real last spike (not the golden ceremonial spikes) and rail were wired to the telegraph system so that the world could actually “hear” the completion of the railroad. #DONE

Interesting map showing why Promontory Summit is no longer on the existing rail line.

Did you notice that 5/10 (May 10th) and Spike150 share the same digits?

The latest effort by the UP Steam Team is UP’s #4014, Big Boy. And I got to be in Ogden, UT today to welcome her to town and essentially open the Spike150 celebration. If you want to see great images of the Big Boy and sister UP #844, particularly as they make their way from Cheyenne, WY to Ogden, UT, check out the UP Steam Club Facebook page.

The rest of my pics from the day are here. They’re mostly about the event and the sites of Ogden, particularly near Ogden’s Union Station (which houses the Utah State Railroad Museum, by the way).

#DONE.

Look what I re-discovered in my stash of railroad stuff – a souvenir from a November 8, 1953 inspection tour of the Holyoke and Westfield Railroad (Massachusetts). The cigar manufacturer, 7-20-4 Cigars, still exists and has quite a story. They opened in 1874 and closed in 1963 due to the embargo on Cuban tobacco, which they used exclusively. Kurt Kendall revived the name in 2006, which is why their bands now have Kendall on them instead of RG Sullivan’s.

These could be pre-embargo, Cuban tobacco cigars! I must say, though, they look to be in better shape than I’d imagine, and that band is awfully shiny for having been made in 1953. I can dream. I can also smoke it and decide for myself…

Update 4/3/19.

On November 30, 2018, the 41st President of the United States, George Herbert Walker Bush, passed away at the age of 94. Among the many ceremonies and events accompanying the memorials for President Bush will be the train carrying his body to its final resting place at College Station, TX. The train will be lead by Union Pacific’s No. 4141, a locomotive honoring President Bush painted in the colors of the Air Force One he used. As far as we know, this is the only locomotive on the rails that was ever driven by its namesake and a former U.S. President (for about 2 miles during its unveiling ceremony on October 18, 2005 near the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum on the Texas A&M University campus). Here are some photos of 4141 when it came through San Luis Obispo in September of 2008 as part of a freight power consist. A few of these photos also show what the freight house and display track looked like at the time.

https://slorrm.com/181130-UPRR-4141.html

While in Kansas City over Thanksgiving, we had to make a stop at Fritz’s Railroad Restaurant for lunch. Not only is it railroad themed, the food is delivered to your table by train!