Chance of a lifetime

[Anonymous]

Touring a plant that makes steam locomotive models unless the trip is in a steam locomotive for a day.

[coldrail]

My dad and I have done the cab ride in a 1913 Swedish built class B 4-6-0. We received an operating manual a month prior to the ride to study. On the ride you operate the steam engine with an engineer at your side.You get a shot at being an engineer ,brakeman,fireman.When you're not in the engine,you follow train in a highrail to do switching duty for turn around at the wye. While two people are in the locomotive, four ride the highrail,you also help turn engine around on a manual turntable.The program is called locomotion.It's on a short line still active today on the Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railroad, at Unity Maine.The BMLR is a short line from Belfast to Burnham Junction,where it joins the old Maine Central line.
My dad had a boyhood dream of riding a steam locomotive,I was pleased that we both had the opportunity to to be"Casey Jones" for a day,it was a great experience!!!!
To answer the forum question,i'd go for the diesel engine ride.

[Anonymous]

I'd definitely take the cab ride. A number of years ago I was able to ride in the control car of a push pull commuter train going into Chicago. And this summer I was asked if I would like to help run a 24" gauge live steam park engine for a day. I can still feel the vibrations in the the of my pants as I whistled off, set the reverse lever all the way forward, eased back on the throttle, and tried not to spin the drivers. Most of the time the park ran a gasoline powered engine. But later on in the summer, I received another call asking if I would like to help out with the steam engine again. I was there bright and early. I'll take the cab ride every time.

[Anonymous]

I'd want to take a ride on Norfolk Southern heading east out of Williamson all the way to Bluefield. And I'd want it to be in a hi-nose SD40 with the long hood leading the way! Or even better, a Y-6!!

[Anonymous]

Definitely the locomotive ride, but I want to DRIVE the locomotive!! What's the sense of having cake if you're not going to eat it ??!!

[nealknows]

I was fortunate to have already experienced the cab rides, once inside the cab of a GG-1 in the 70's, and once actually driving an LIRR M-1passenger train for a station or 2....Now that was great!.....To the model train tour!!!

[Anonymous]

A cab ride through the Rockies would be fine by me!

[Anonymous]

This is a no-brainer. Who in the hobby in their right mind (my wife says no one in model railroading is in their right mind), would pass up the opportunity to take a cab ride rather than a factory tour. I am disabled, but believe me, I would FIND A WAY to get into the cab of a steam locomotive if I had the chance to do so. Granted, it would prefferably be UP's 844(4) or SP's 4449, but any one would do as long as it's steam.

[nslakediv]

would love a cab ride on the NS up or down horse shoe curve.

[Anonymous]

I'd take the cab ride. Kettle Valley Railroad, B.C. through the Canadian rockies

[Anonymous]

All your polls should have a "none of the above" so we can register theopionion that the poll itself isn't meaningful.

[JoeUmp]

Give me the locomotive anytime!

[Anonymous]

I've ridden in the cab of a switch engine and a "jeep" so I'd like the factory tour. Since I've operated a switch engine, if running the engine were offered I'd have to rethink this offer. It's a thrill for a short while, but I'd rather see the manufacturing process .

Scott

[yellowducky]

Cab ride, there ain't nothin like the real thing. It's a whole different view than what you get from a side window of a coach. Just don't do it on a dark and rainy night in a wagon top going into Chgo. But then I'm glad I've done that too. High iron caboose rides are something too! On the other hand, was there really a Lionel factory N. of Detroit? All I saw was the showroom.

[MrDxer]

Any time a trip (or at least part of it) sitting in the control seat , handling a tonnage train,on any road for that matter. Just being there and making happen is what it's all about. Been there and would trade just ( !?!) about anything to do it again !!!

[Wdlgln005]

It would be cool to meet any of the members on the Trains side of this forum. I'd love to ride a full commuter run. sure would get a different view of the city!

[Anonymous]

I would choose the cab ride; however I would like to visit EMD or GE and see how the real locomotives are manufactured. That might take a few days. Wouldn't it be fun to follow the process of one locomotive from beginning to end. I know how models are manufactured but to see a real locomotive made and to be on its first run is my dream

Dennis Lynn San Diego Hi trainnut 484

[ironhorseman]

this one's easy:
CAB RIDE! CAB RIDE! CAB RIDE!

[Trainnut484]

Definately a cab ride. Steam or diesel.

Take care[:)]

Russell

[Bergie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by greatscottz

Now, if I could ride in the cab on the way to the factory tour.....PURE HEAVEN!

Well done, greatscottz! You made me laugh out loud.

Always pushing the envelope, aren't we! [:)]

Erik

[locgg2020]

Having spent 42 years in Train sevice on the Santa Fe I have had enough cab rides to last a lifetime. But like vsmith and the Baldwin plant I would like to revisit the past.We had the 342LA344LA four unit f-7 assigned to the Southern Div. I would like a cab ride in the late 50's over Raton Pass behind one of those old f units withSanta Fe's chime whistle blowing loudly.

[ClinchValleySD40]

I spent way too many years running trains from that cab, so I'm not interested in going back into one. Any manufactures left is USA to tour?

[Anonymous]

Very interesting riff on the basic poll question: people's favorite route to take that in-the-cab day trip.

And for "bltkate", whose engineer friend has offered to take him out: GO TODAY; life is short & there may not be a tomorrow. Right up there w/ do you eat the braucilli first or the hot fudge sunday.

[perrylamb]

Cab ride in an SD90MACH!

[Anonymous]

Sign me up for the loco ride; any will do. However, the dream trip woud be GG-1 thru the Horseshoe curve! Unfortunately, not gonna happen.

[Anonymous]

Unless you are a retired Railroad Engineer and have had your fill of being in a Locomotive Cab, the CAB RIDE IS THE OBIVIOUS CHOICE. of course a Steam Locomotive would even be better, but you had better expect to get DIRTY shoveling coal or just oily surfaces in Oil fired locomotive. A Diesel would be relatively clean, but not as much action, but still I WOULD NOT PASS UP. Especially if on a Local, where switching was involved, where you could really get the feel of operation.

[Anonymous]

No contest. I would love to ride in a Baldwin. Shows my age, doesn't it?
Carol

[hook]

This is such a tease. Can you get a cab ride? Isn't this why we model? So we can pretend we are in the cab. I know quite a few people that would die happy if they could ride in the cab for a day.

[Anonymous]

Would definitely take the cab ride. Would perfer to do it in the cab of a Norfolk and Western Class "A" but, would settle on a Diesel going over the Shenandoah Division today.[:)]

[Anonymous]

This is sort of like asking whether one wants apples or oranges in his fruit salad. I've done both, and they are in no way comparable. With my back to the wall, however, I'd take the cab ride.