A Summer To Remember

On Saturday, July 26th, the day's excursion was a trip to the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento, pulled by Southern Pacific GS-4 4449. I was lucky enough to work the train as a car host, my assignment being the former Daylight lounge car coupled just forward of the observation car. 

The eastbound trip allowed for only a single run-by, executed along the Carquinez Straits at Pinole  (SP was, to say the least, somewhat reserved in their handling of the excursion). We were running late out of Sacramento and were told there would be no run-by on the return trip. Then, a few miles east of Davis, along what's referred to as the Cal-P line, we came to a stop. My packset crackled forth, "Doyle sez we have time for a quick run-by and it's been OK'd by the dispatcher." 

Great! The sun was low in the summer sky, bathing the sides of our Daylight-painted train in superb light. Since I was also a photo line superviser, I followed the brakeman to the vestibule and was first off the train in order to survey our impromptu photo location and help organize the herd of camera-toting railfans quickly pouring forth from the train. 

Like my fellow car hosts, I was looking for the best place to string a photo line in my little corner of the universe.  We were in a wide open field with plenty of space to spread everyone out, but there was a line of telephone poles "planted" close to the tracks that made getting a clear shot impossible. Many of the passengers began complaining about this until I pointed out that they were lucky that God and the SP were allowing this unscheduled event to begin with. I felt that the poles were far enough apart to allow a decent shot of the train if one was careful about framing. 

Passengers were scampering about, looking for that special spot to call their own. If I didn't organize the group of people in my jurisdiction this herd would soon be a free-for-all. Exhibiting a rare display of leadership, I quickly organized those near me into a first-rate photo line. Within five minutes the rest of the passengers were snaking off our line until we were all in place just as the 4449 was ready to start its run. 

Two toots of that steamboat whistle found the world's most beautiful steam locomotive charging forth  like a race horse from the gate. A thouand yards out Engineer Doyle McCormick began the show in ernest as he allowed a plume of black smoke to stream forth from the streamliner's recessed stack. As the 4449 approached us the cab crew alternated blowing the '49's steamboat whistle with one borrowed from a railfan in Florida. 

It was truly awesome! 

Two hours later, as we approached San Jose's Diridon Station, the passengers in my car (mostly attendees from the East Coast) complimented our chapter on the smooth execution of this excursion and our convention in general. Ladies and Gentleman, it was our pleasure! 

We later learned that our convention was rated as one of the best in recent times.