Scrooge Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Jim, I'm sure the 700 crew was upset by this, and
> that they did everything they could to make it
> happen. I totally understand, stuff happens, and
> it was nobody's fault. So, no slight intended to
> the 700 group "circumstances beyond our control"
> and all that. :)

I didn't take your posting in that manner; I'm sorry if I gave that impression. I fully understood your intent.


> My only question was why they didn't take Santa
> (who was presumably waiting in his red suit for
> 700's departure) drive him over to the station and
> then either have one of the BNSF engines from
> Vancouver yard pull into the station with him on
> board, or even simply have him arrive by taxicab
> and great his fans at the station. Sure, not
> nearly as impressive as showing up by steam train,
> but at least he'd still have arrived.

Our crew was totally unaware of what did, or did not, take place in Vancouver. When it became evident on Friday evening that our delayed, but hoped for, departure to Vancouver simply wasn't going to happen due to the continued derailing, the BNSF was contacted to apprise them of the sad news. We assumed that a diesel locomotive would be substituted for the steamer but, from reading this discussion thread, it appears that that did not take place.

We would not have ordered the UPRR pilot in mid-afternoon if we had not still been optimistic at that time about our ability to keep our commitment to the BNSF. One of our crew had already moved our portable cab-visiting stairway from its storage place and, as far as I know, it probably arrived in Vancouver in anticipation of the 700's arrival.

No one was sorrier than the members of our crew of being a disappointment to the attendees at the BNSF company function. Monday through Friday had been long days (the longest, I think, was about 18 hours) of working with the engine in temperatures in the teens and twenties and of course the live engine had to be manned overnight also. Our small crew was stretched to the limit. A couple of our people even called into their employer reporting a case of the choo-choo flu in a effort to aid the battle but, alas, our goal became unattainable. We certainly hope for better conditions next year.