Jeff - As a kid, in the summer, I used to catch a cab ride the northern local in #70 all the time. You are spot on with the details. I used to remember that they used to also tie down on the Joe Costa spur or if nothing south, on the main by LP.

That truck following has to help save time, the conductor could get there and everything ready so it was a pickup and go operation for a lot of stuff. It was also handy when they would derail (always by the curve heading to Blue Lake leaving Korplex) so they didnt have to bum a ride home from one of the many train watchers. I remember a time they set an axle down and we had to give them a ride back to Eureka...