Loading ...A blast from the past, I recall those old steamers with fond memory since I was fascinated by trains in my youth.
One day around age 12, two friends and I were ambling along a section of track in hometown Hamilton Ontario when we came upon a switch yard engine idle on a siding. We chatted up the engineer for a few minutes relating how we loved trains and he unexpectedly invited us into the cab. Monkeys couldn’t have scaled the ladder faster than us! We were shown the controls, firebox, whistle, coal control system (the fireman,who shoveled directly from the coal/water tender). The the engineer nonchalantly inquired if we would like a ride? Wow, what kid wouldn’t and off we were backing a train of cars into International Harvester’s switch yard. After switching a few cars we left IH and proceeded to the Stelco yard where the process was repeated. Finally after about 45 minutes in the engine we re arrived at the departure point and de-trained. It was the ride of my life and it cemented my intention to become an engineer (which didn’t materialize, life has different outcomes).
So decades later I still recall the thrill of that ride. My only regret is that nothing like that could occur for kids in today’s world.