Steam & Excursion > " The Most Beautiful Train in the World"

Yes it's the Daylight. These shots were taken by a good friend of mine, Mike Johnson in March '84. I'm posting these in his honor as he was killed in a car accident 20 years ago this month. He was not only a great photographer, but a great friend as well. Sorry I don't have the location of these pics but I'm sure you guys out there will fill me in. Thanks.-Brian

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Brian, sorry to hear about the loss of your friend. He certainly did well on this trip! The second photo looks to be right at the OR-CA border just before the train enters the tunnel near Dorris.
That was an interesting trip...there was snow one day at the Summit in OR, then 90 degree weather the next day in Redding, CA.

Tom

UPNW2-1083 Wrote:
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> Yes it's the Daylight. These shots were taken by a
> good friend of mine, Mike Johnson in March '84.
> I'm posting these in his honor as he was killed in
> a car accident 20 years ago this month. He was not
> only a great photographer, but a great friend as
> well. Sorry I don't have the location of these
> pics but I'm sure you guys out there will fill me
> in. Thanks.-Brian

A touching tribute to your good friend Mike. Sounds like you were the same kind of friend as well Brian!

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Thanks you, Brian, for your very wonderful tribute to your dear friend.
I am so sorry he passed away - a big loss not only to you but to all of us.

Yes, that IS "the most beautiful train in the world".

Thank you very much for posting those beautiful photographs of one of the
most beautiful things I have ever seen.

Margaret (SP 4449 fan!)

Having just lost my very closest friend of nearly 40 years I applaud your remembering your good friend.

And, yes, he was obviously a great photographer! That first image, especially, is superb.

Thanks very much for sharing these.

John

Brian,

Man has it been 20 years? I still remember the day I heard he had been in the accident and didn't make it. I know if he were still with us, he would be one helluva modeler and still out there cranking off the shots trackside, and in an old "corn binder" (I-H) to boot.
Nice tribute Brian!
Kevin

Thank you all for your sentiments, as Kevin has stated above, Mike was a great modeler too. He was an Athearn SD40 kit-bashing expert. I can't tell you how many he put together from SDP40 and SD45 shells. I still have two of his SD40's and an A-B-B-A-A set of GP30's he "remanufactured" from GP30 and GP35 shells. He was known to many as "JLW", for Johnson Locomotive Works. Here's a few shots of Mike over the years.
The first shot was taken at Palm Springs, August '76 as he tried walking in the gale force wind that is always prevalent there.
The second was at Summit in his '75 IH "Corn binder" , January '77.
The third shot taken with fellow "beer brother" as he and Bob Gottier were know as, taken at our annual "last days of May" camp out at MP 57x on Cajon, Memorial day weekend 1984.
Thanks again.-Brian

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I agree with Nitehostler on the second picture. The first picture looks like it was taken the day before in the high country between Chemult and the downgrade on Calumus Hill that leads to Chiloquin. My bet would be at Kirk or Fuego. The third picture looks to be earlier that day, in the area of Minnow or Hampton on the uphill climb out of Eugene to Oakridge.
Nice pictures. Here is to Mike Johnson.
-Dan
Nitehostler Wrote:
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> Brian, sorry to hear about the loss of your
> friend. He certainly did well on this trip! The
> second photo looks to be right at the OR-CA border
> just before the train enters the tunnel near
> Dorris.
> That was an interesting trip...there was snow one
> day at the Summit in OR, then 90 degree weather
> the next day in Redding, CA.
>
> Tom

Sounds like a great guy to hang out with. It hurts when you lose someone either family or friends that were close! It hurts for a very long time, nice tribute!