I don't have much in the way of experiences of this particular type. Some of the posters must have had really memorable times.

The only one that comes to mind was in 1977 when I was deadheading from Guatemala City to the frontier at Tecun Uman to meet up with a chartered steam special. The car was the former IRCA Guastatoya, a little wooden private car.

What made to 130 mile all day trip so special was that a friend, Road Foreman Jose Pineda, was also deadheading. We spent the entire day together and he told me a little of his career on the railroad, which went back as far as when IRCA used a few Shays on Palin Hill.

On the return trip back to Guatemala City, we had 1948 Baldwin 2-8-2 204 and 4 cars, a baggage, 2 coaches and the Guastatoya. Because of delays in Mexico, the rest of the group didn't get to the border until nightfall, resulting in an all night steam ride. I was rested and spent the miles either atop the tender or firing. When we got to Santa Maria, Jose kicked the engineer out of his seat and let me run to Escuintla and from there up the hill to Palin. It was my last time in a steam locomotive there. I still have the employees TT that was given to me from the car by her steward.