I was a brakeman today on the #2472 Family Days runs on the Niles Canyon Railway sponsored by PLA and the GGRM. On our third trip eastbound with #2472 working up hill, we stopped stopped just before the at MP 32 to do a re-start for the trackside photographers....(show 'em some action as the head end crew called it!) Anyway, on the other side of the Canyon a UP Baretable (well cars) popped out of the Tunnel and slowed from 25 or 30 down to 10 as we started to pick up speed. The UP
crew blew their whistle, we acknowledged and then traded whistles as we train matched our speed all the way to Sunol. Folks on our train saw it and realized what was going on. Did anyway at trackside see the same thing? The engine ran flawlessly all day and we were ok'ed for 30 mph some stretches. Our 800 tons was easily accelerated to track speed from a standing start on a 1% grade by the ex S.P.P-8 with a sharp stack talk reverberating off the Canyon Walls.