Steam & Excursion > Mrs. Copy19's wild ride on 844(4)

This is one of my favorite pictures of my wife Pat. We had ridden out to Salt Lake City on an passenger equipment deadhead to meet the 844-3985 double-header going to the 1991 Railfair in Sacramento.

Underway westbound across Eastern Nevada we stopped the train between Wendover and Wells to rotate various guests from the train up to the cabs. I thought it would be neat if Pat rode the head-end the rest of the way into Elko, her home town.

I had never ridden the former WP in that area and didn't know about the mile-long Hogan Tunnel out in the middle of nowhere. We stopped just east of the tunnel and Pat went up and climbed aboard the 844 with Steve Lee running.

I don't know exactly where this picture was taken; right after Hogan or after a couple of more shorter tunnels before Elko. You should know Pat is very fussy about her long blonde hair. She later said the Hogan tunnel was hell and she thought she was going to die. But she was more worried about the people in the trailing 3985.

Anyway she cleaned up well and was ready to help host relatives and VIPs in the business car in Elko that night.

I don't think I ever was in the dog house for Hogan tunnel but I did step into it when she learned it was my suggestion to VPO Jerry Davis to renumber the 8444 back to 844 after the GP30 844 was retired. She said Eighty Four Forty-Four rolls right off the tongue, but eight four four sounds like you're tongue-tied.

When we talk about it these days, I try to remember to always call it Eighty Four Forty-Four.

JEB



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/14/12 06:08 by Copy19.

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Great story. I will say this: She's definitely prettier than Steve.

Pump

Posted from iPhone

Pat just told me it was "the late great" Lynn Nystrom who took the picture. "He was always there with his camera to catch me looking my worst," she laughs.
JEB



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/12/12 15:02 by Copy19.

UPTRAIN Wrote:
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> She's definitely prettier than Steve.

Worst.

Compliment.

Ever.

;)

She has a lovely smile.

Are her knuckles white? I think they are, Heeheheee....

Cheers,Dave

Coming back from Railfair in '91 I was on the second engine (3985) when we worked upgrade through Heremosa tunnel on Sherman Hill. I think Karl Jensen (sp?) was up there too.
Engines were filthy, cars behind the engines were filthy and we looked like a traveling Minstrel Show. We had the cab closed up tight, but still got bombarded with diesel soot. Nasty crap!

Great story and photo John! Thanks for sharing.

Al Seever
Phoenix, AZ

I guess who you know does count.

You and Pat were always great to be around and when you would visit us it was always a good time. Thanks for posting the memory. I was watching from behind that trip. Lynn always had his camera in the cab and I took mine along on occasion. Sorry I missed you two on your way through town but I will make time the next passing.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

Bob3985 Wrote:
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> You and Pat were always great to be around and
> when you would visit us it was always a good time.
> Thanks for posting the memory. I was watching from
> behind that trip. Lynn always had his camera in
> the cab and I took mine along on occasion.

Bob: Pat and I always enjoyed working with the steam crew and the DC&H people. The 1991 trip was the last time I was able to take Pat out on a trip. The steam program was evolving into the long excursions for Pacific Limited and over time became month-long or more Odysseys around the system. Due to the changing work load in my own office I couldn't afford to spend that much time with excursions and had to beg off. Those early days for Pat and me were truly the Camelot Years!

John Bromley



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/13/12 16:29 by Copy19.

Is that hoghead asleep or just daydreaming? He appears totally detached from anything going on around him.

Posted from Android