Mike Danneman's show on the Rio Grande & Helper, UT., was tops in my book. As with all the truly great Winterail shows, there was enough of the human element to keep the crowd, without becoming boring. The biggest surprise to me, was the lack of anything at all in the way of a tribute to Richard Steinheimer. Although I did see Shirley there, I did not feel it was right to offer condolances; as I'm sure she has tired of them by now. May he rest in peace.
Speaking of books, I was able to view a copy of Ken Meeker's new Western Pacific book at the swap meet. ( Thanks to Clint Nestell for opening a copy for me ) I was hesitant to buy, sight unseen, yet another WP book; however once I looked through it I realized it is a keeper !!! While some photos have been seen in other books, most of the photos are never - before seen stuff. Yes, it does have plenty of coverage of the CZ, Feather River Cyn, and The Final Four F's; however there is also excellent coverage of the Oro Dam RR & line relocation, the mainline across Nevada & Utah, and some rather obscure branchlines. The aerial shots of Stockton & Oroville shops are great, as are the night shots on pages 174 & 175.
In my humble opinion, this book is worth every penny I paid for it. I also consider my purchase as a final " thanks " to Ken Meeker. May he also rest in peace.