Top 3:

1. Without a doubt, riding BC Rail's Pemberton Pushers in their last month of operation with a bit of throttle time too. Rode light from Pemberton to D'Arcy and shoved a southbound to Mons, I believe and light back to Pemberton. Six and a half hours of pure mountain railroading at its best.

2. McCloud River 18 on its last day of operation on home rails. I've been blessed with many memorable diesel cabrides, but riding in/on a steam engine climbing a 3% grade under load is an absolutely life changing experience.

3. This is two really, riding from Cayton to Bartle on the McCloud's freight from Burney. This was when they still ran decent sized trains (19 cars with caboose and two matched SD38's). The throttle setting and the speedometer were giving the same reading: eight!
Riding up to Hambone on the McCloud's Lookout line to retrieve stored cars right before the rails were lifted. A bunch of foamer friends were up there as crew and just to tag along. Stopping the train for photo shoots whenever and wherever we felt like was one of the many perks that day. Who cares when the railroad is dead and after this run the tracks are gonna be gone?!