Chance of a lifetime

[perrylamb]

Cab ride in an SD90MACH!

[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.

[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?

[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.

[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

[Trainnut484]

Definately a cab ride. Steam or diesel.

Take care[:)]

Russell

[ironhorseman]

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

[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

[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!

[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 !!!

[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.

[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

[JoeUmp]

Give me the locomotive anytime!

[Anonymous]

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

[Anonymous]

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

[nslakediv]

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

[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.

[Anonymous]

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

[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]

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 ??!!

[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]

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.

[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]

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

[eastcoast]

I have a friend in NY state that works at the bombardier plant and took me on the tour at his own expense. I am an avid modeller or passenger trains and love the ACELA . I am still in awe of the tour and opportunity I was given on that tour.

[richardj1]

Cab ride of course! Have no desire to go overseas to witness a
manufacturing process that should be done in USA. A great sadness
of this hobby!

[paliz]

QUOTE: Originally posted by vsmith

I'd take the tour.

But I'd want a tour of a real steam locomotive plant. Of course there are none left to today ...

Actually, there is one - in the UK the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust are halfway through building a NEW A1 Class steam locomotive!! Have a look here: http://www.a1steam.com/

Regards,

Peter Borcherds

[Anonymous]

I am old enogh to have ridden on a Mexican passenger train pulled by a steam engine back in 1956 about 450 Kms (281 miles) twice back and forth, and 1000 Kms (625Miles) and a round trip an the coper canyon train and went to the ehgine by more than 39 minutes "great" the mountain view the wildlife and the cabin interior, and also I have worked inside 2 remanufacturing mexican shops, but I would like to be on the steam engine again " ANY TIME"

[Anonymous]

well i'm lucker than most i've been around the manufacture part. But i'd rather take a ride in a locomotive, not nesarry c-l, rather on the DRGRWY or Grand cayon steam a real railroaders engine, one filled with wonder and aw. To be allowed that special favor would be a dream come true, to smell the coal smoke or the sent of and oil fired loco. And to hear a real locomotive whistle scream in the middle of the night on a cold night several miles a way. Then you would know the sound of lonelinss down to your feet. But we all must have a secret want or desire. Hope you can have yours.

[Anonymous]

referebence (emeraldisle) rather be a co pilot on a 767. I've been around 757 and must say while your up their for the lack of anthing else you will probly be reading the modelrailroader. pilots and co-pilots are nothing but back up for computures.. Really what to fly trie a king air, or even a queen air
, you may not be making the money but you will be really fling.