You like old steam locomotives? Check this old speedster.

[John Schmidt]

Sure brings back some memories of the early 40's when my parents took the train from Omaha to Colorado so dad could attend summer school in Boulder. Check out how fast those big drivers and their connecting arms are moving.

A GWR Castle at speed - 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe racing alongside the M5

[Jess Tolbirt]

it has always amazed me how those small steam engines could move a locomotive and cars that fast or even at all for that matter,,,also on todays tracks there is no more clickety clack because they weld the tracks together instead of using splice plates..

[old2soon]

As a gear head I'm liking this a LOT!  All the mechanical STUFF just workin like it's sposed to.  IF the small stack in the middle is the boiler safety valve he is working the boiler about as hard as it can SAFELY be worked!  I swear I could ALMOST smell the coal smoke!  Thanks John-brought a smile and a chuckle here in da Ozarks!  RIDE SAFE.

[flsix]

John that is a great video.
I was watching the stoker throwing one shovel full after another. He won't get many breaks with the her running all out like that.

[Pappy!]

Love it!
Sometime I would like to take the one that runs the Canadian Rockies. I hear that is an amazing train ride.

[Robert]

That was really cool I cannot believe how fast that thing is. 

[art]

A friend of mine worked at the Grand Canyon railway in 2003 on the steam engines. I was going to apply there but the drive was around 80 miles and I would have had to move. It would have been interesting working on those old engines. Being a machinist I have done some work in that field. Too late now,retired.

[Willow]

Many years ago I rode on the Possum Trot Line (Reader, Arkansas) and the narrow gauge between Durango and Silverado, Colorado.  Steam engine driven trains are fun.

[John Schmidt]

Many years ago I rode on the Possum Trot Line (Reader, Arkansas) and the narrow gauge between Durango and Silverado, Colorado.  Steam engine driven trains are fun.

My wife and I did that Durango-Silverado thing also, was one of the last trips she was able to make. Great memories. 

[Willow]

Many years ago I rode on the Possum Trot Line (Reader, Arkansas) and the narrow gauge between Durango and Silverado, Colorado.  Steam engine driven trains are fun.

My wife and I did that Durango-Silverado thing also, was one of the last trips she was able to make. Great memories. 

I'm sorry.  That was Silverton.  Thank you, John, for not making me look silly with my flawed memory.  That's a pretty ride.

[John Schmidt]

Hey Carl, my memory isn't any better apparently. Now that you mention it, Silverton is right. At least we were in the right state! 

[Valker]

I like this one a lot better than the Durango to Silverton one. I always arrive a few hours early and watch them get the engines ready. On an occasional good day, I even get the opportunity to help in some small way.
http://cumbrestoltec.com/

[R J]

When my mom lived in DSM and I lived with my grandma in Panora, I used to ride the Hooterville train to mom's on Friday evening and back to Grandma's on Sunday 1 week a month.   It was an electric trolley car, rode it 45 miles from mom's to grandma's, and it took just under 3 hours.   I think it stopped at least 14 times at different depots to pickup/drop off passengers and also drop off and pick up mail to come to Des moines to the main Post office.

Then my next big train ride was January 23, 1950, I and 19 other USMC recruits rode the train from Des Moines to San Diego to Boot Camp.

Then I rode another train once when home on leave before heading to Korea the 2nd Tour.  It was the same train I rode to Boot Camp.   Drove my car home, dropped it off and took a one way ticket back to California.

After that, the wife and I and 2 of the kids rode Amtrak from Chariton, IA to San Francisco, CA.

Then we rode a Greyhound back home to Grass Valley, CA.   

This way, all 5 of the kids have ridden a train a fairly long distance, and got to sleep in a sleeper car.

[flsix]

As a family we really liked the Cumbres to Toltec ride. The kids were in their early teens and enjoyed it so much they still talk about it.
My son just had to bring a spike home that was found on the tracks while we were waiting and wandering around in the morning. I didn't discourage him from doing so but my better half was less than tickled with the idea.
We sure had fun on that trip.