Diesel Delight

This weekend is our annual Diesel Days celebration, and it seems to get more popular every year.  We always need trainmen, and so to support the Museum (and as a character stiffener, to some extent) I decided to go out and help.  Stranger things have happened.

I was assigned to the coach train, and got one of the Boonton coaches from the Lackawanna as my very own.  I won't bore you with an explanation of my enthusiasm for the Lackawanna, but it's enough that I enjoyed the day.  We generally had four mainline trains running, and under the capable dispatching of Joel Ahrendt things went well. 

Part of the allure of Diesel Days seems to be the goal of running as many different implausible consists as possible.   Here the Nebraska Zephyr is headed by the 504.

The department brain trust plot their next move:

For the coach train's first run, we have the BN-3, an E-9 remanufactured by MLW for some reason.

Meanwhile, on track 1 the U30 is powering the ever-popular caboose train.

And after one run, it gets replaced by the recently-repainted Rock Island Geep.

Meanwhile, the coach train's power is replaced by the Santa Fe FP-45.  (If it weren't for my handy IRM roster, I'd be at a complete loss to explain any of this.)

Two different generations of commuter equipment:

One of things that struck me about Diesel Days was how many photographers there were everywhere.  I sure hope all these people bought their tickets.  They were everywhere on the property:

Alongside Barn 2:

Out near Olson Road:

and out at Seeman, near Karstens, etc.   Smile for the cameras, kids!

And I'm sure you wanted to see a crew portrait.  Mark Hoffman was the conductor, with Kevin Kriebs and me as trainmen.   A good time was had by all.

Later in the day, the E-9 B unit (originally UP) was added to the consist, and even later, these two units were wyed and the 9911A was added to make an A-B-A set.  But I was unable to stay around long enough to get pictures of it, so I hope someone will send some in.  Thanks!

If you missed it today, there will be even more tomorrow!  Be there!