You say I am overly pessimistic... I would say that I just don’t see things getting any better in regards to mainline steam. Sure, I would love to see Nickel Plate 765 on the New River Train this fall but we all know that isn’t going to happen. What frustrates me the most is that the current manangement of Amtrak is being allowed to keep on destroying what is left of their already poor service. I suppose we peasants are to not question the Almighty management of Amtrak. We are to shut up and be reminded that we are subjects not citizens.
So, in my opinion and everyone is entitled to their own, mainline steam is done.

I congratulate the ORHF for raising the money and constructing a permanent home for the city of Portland Oregon steam locomotives. They will have a nice home until the city of Portland decides there not environmentally friendly enough and order them scrapped.



Foamer w/glass half full (of beer) Wrote


-------------------------------------------------------
> Sign of the times Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > What I am saying is that the future looks
> pretty
> > bleak and we are never going to see a
> high-speed
> > open vestibule excursion again. In my opinion
> > there’s no reason to restore any more big
> engines
> > because they are all dressed up and nowhere to
> > run. With the exception of the big boy all of
> the
> > stuff you mentioned is mostly small potatoes.
> And
> > quite frankly the big boy is mostly smoke and
> > mirrors because Ed is afraid to actually work
> it
> > hard because he is afraid he might break it.
> >
>
> If I recall correctly, the Union Pacific does
> allow vestibule windows to be opened on
> excursions. Thus Those who ride the October big
> box excursions in Southern California may very
> well have the opportunity to enjoy a high-speed
> open vestibule excursion. Your comment may very
> well be premature.
>
> I didn't see the Big Boy and don't know if I ever
> will see it. However, based on much of the
> Internet commentary about the Big Boy trips in
> Wyoming, Utah and the Midwest, many railway
> enthusiasts were thrilled to watch it in action.
>
>
> One other opportunity may be with the Santa Fe
> 2926 based in Albuquerque, NM.
>
> As far as everything else being "small potatoes,"
> you are being overly dismissive. I say this as
> someone who rode behind #425 in 2008, watched it
> depart Jim Thorpe in 2016 and may ride behind it
> this year. I also look forward to restoration of
> the Reading 2102. Why would that be small
> potatoes?
>
> Yes, steam excursion opportunities are greatly
> diminished compared to 25 years again.
> Nevertheless, your pessimistic outlook says more
> about you than the state of steam excursions in
> the US today.