I'm Warren Smith the fellow that Tom talked about in his message, and yes the ride on the old Sugar Pine Ry is my most favorite train ride also. I was not yet a gualified brakeman for the PLA so I spent most of that weekend playing, I got to see three railroads under steam that weekend. That warm evening ride on the top of that reefer for me was the high light of that whole weekend. Watching the Headlight of the Sugar Pine number 7 illuminate the track and pine trees ahead of us is a memory that I will never forget, Tom and I and the crew were all part of history that night.
Tom comes up and stays at my place in Twain Harte almost every Sunday evening, and we spend a lot of time infront of my pellet stove talking about the good old days, and that ride almost always comes up.