A very special Friday moment.
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| This is the turn table I used to operate. |
She had a poem/story of a train ride; well I too rode a
little train in the park as a kid. I love
train rides and trains, well it’s in my blood, and my family had a lot to do
with trains. My granddad was the section foreman for the Union Pacific Railroad
out of Omaha. My dad worked for the Union Pacific as a crane operator and store
keeper and I work for two years as an engine cleaner, sander, and turntable
operator, well that is a general labor. So this post is for Debra and all the
train lovers out there.
Growing up we rode the train quite a bit traveling from
Grand Island Nebraska to Ogden Utah, for us it was a free ride as we were part
of the railroad family. I have ridden from little Rock Arkansas to Tacoma
Washington, from Saint Lewis to San Francisco, and around the little track in
the park. One of my greatest thrills was to move the big boy, just a hundred
yards down the track, but I held the throttle in my hand. The sad thing was
that it was leaving service for good. I was the turn table operator when they
took the last steam engine out of the round house in Ogden. It was the end of
the age of the steam locomotive; diesel and jet engine were now the modern
power for the trains. Heck it was the end of my railroad career they shut down
the round house and sent me wishing.
The old train station is now a rail museum and there is a
big boy and the big blow, that’s what they called the jet turbine engine, is on
display for the public. So for Debra and
all the train buff out there beside me here is some picture of the big trains.
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| railroad crossing can you spell that with out any "R's" |
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| this is one of the crane's my dad operated |
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need your driveway cleared this is a snow blower
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| the big boy |
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| engineers side of the cab of the big boy |
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| it is really big |
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| this is not the end |
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| Ogden Utah |
Are you ready to ride again then ALL ABOARD!!! next stop some where in your dreams.
This Friday moment was started by soule mama and introduce to me by Sarah Jane of almost there you can fine them in my blog roll of reader and commenters
Thank you for riding the train with me and God Bless
17 comments:
Nice pics Roy :-) glad you had a good day out :-)
Here is mine: http://mikegprint.wordpress.com/2011/09/16/this-moment-a-friday-tradition-no-14/
Mike
Oh Roy, I love to hear stories of your past. They are so very interesting :) My father, of 88 yrs old, tells me of how he 'jumped' trains from town to town when he was just a teenager. I look at my son, who is now the age my dad was while he was traveling, and imagine what I would do if my son decided to do that (at age 15!).
Love the photos, Roy! I've loved trains since I was a little girl and I sure enjoyed reading about your family's experience with them, first-hand and close-up.
Blessings!
Loved the pictures Roy. Just last week while in South Dakota I was able to take my osn on his first ever train ride-the 1880 Train. Those 2 hours were wonderful, and he learned a lot of history!!
Oh I love trains too, Roy and these pictures are marvelous. I loved the narrative too. Hope you're better.
What a wonderful way to share your Friday Moment Roy! Absolutely loved reading it :)
http://othersideofanna5.blogspot.com/2011/09/this-moment_16.html#more
wow..our trains here is a lot older than those..takes forever to get anywhere..
Roy:
I have always had an affinity for trains. My grandparents lived atop the Pennsylvania Railroad yard- back when it was one of THE train systems in the world. And, I had my own train set (on the other side of my chem lab) from when I was 6 to about 13... But, most importantly, I managed to travel by train (by myself) for years. Back then, there was no unaccompanied minor rule (or, at least, they never enforced it).
I stopped enjoying travel when Southern Railways terminated its Crescent- within two years, Amtrak had removed the silverware, the fresh food, the timely performance, etc. All so it could satisfy the Congressional delegation from Louisiana. (It never left New Orleans on time!)
Thanks for bringing back really fond memories.
Nice pictures....there is a Railway museum in Delhi which I had visited when I was a kid. Did not have a camera then. Brought back memories.
choo choo....as always...XOXOXO
http://bongoisme.blogspot.com/2011/09/this-moment_16.html#axzz1Y8PQZZqb
Love your photos and the post. You sure did a lot of travelling by train! How fun.
http://mariscamera.blogspot.com/
My step-grandson just loves trains, since he was very little. Brings back wonderful memories.
Thank you Roy
Glad to see this story and photos blogged as now people can enjoy them forever.
http://holesinmysoles.blogspot.com/2011/09/this-moment-friday-16-sept.html
I've never seen a snowblower before. Sure is a funny looking thing.
I loved the story and the pictures. There's something about trains that brings out the kid in me!!!!!!! Thanks for sharing! Awesome!
Here's mine: http://pamanner.wordpress.com/
Roy, I’m so intrigued by your life as both a cowboy and a railroader! And thankful for your story of a family’s train adventures, complete with pictures of the old station and rail museum. Love that yellow children’s train too ;-) The passenger waving… that’s what I enjoy most. Love this post!
I've been workin' on the railroad,
All the live long day.
I've been workin' on the railroad,
Just to pass the time away.
Don't you hear the whistle blowing?
Rise up so early in the morn.
Don't you hear the captain shouting
"Dinah, blow your horn?"
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