Steam & Excursion > SP2472- Going home from SLO

Here is part three of my coverage of 2472's San Luis Obispo excursion from 1994. One of the downsides of the train making such good time was not as much coverage as I would have liked, even on such a long trip. Following each runby, I had to drive like the devil to get back in front of the special, not really knowing where to shoot the next sequence, then have to decide where on the fly. I remember nearly getting pulled over once, and following the last sequence shown, got caught in a massive traffic jam that ended the chase for the day. I think it took me three more hours to get back home in Richmond.
Edit: The first post didn't take for some technical reason; we'll try again.

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Great video.  Always nice to see a properly fired engine.

Very nice. Any idea who the Engineer was?

HotWater Wrote:
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> Very nice. Any idea who the Engineer was?

And why he was so scared of the whistle?

San Jose to SLO engineer was the late Neil Vodden, with John Teshara firing (IIRC).  SLO to San Jose engineer was Bill Stettler.  Neil was not only a master steam locomotive engineer, he was also one helluva showman with S.P. 2472, in a thoroughly professional manner, of course. A real gentleman, sorely missed.

-  Doug

DWDebs/2472 Wrote:
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> San Jose to SLO engineer was the late Neil Vodden,
> with John Teshara firing (IIRC).  SLO to San Jose
> engineer was Bill Stettler.  Neil was not only a
> master steam locomotive engineer, he was also one
> helluva showman with S.P. 2472, in a thoroughly
> professional manner, of course. A real gentleman,
> sorely missed.
>
> -  Doug

Thanks. I was sort of wonder if Neil was "in charge". He certainly was a master, and a real Gentleman, as you state. Sure had some fun times with him while at the various RailFairs in Sacramento.

PatternOfFailure Wrote:
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> HotWater Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Very nice. Any idea who the Engineer was?
>
> And why he was so scared of the whistle?

Bill Stetler is NOT much of a "whistling Engineer"...   This is evident the times he has operated ATSF 3751..

KRK

Where is Bill Stetler these days since 2816 is not operating any more? Is he still in Canada?

TrackGuy

Posted from Android

TrackGuy Wrote:
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> Where is Bill Stetler these days since 2816 is not
> operating any more? Is he still in Canada?
>
> TrackGuy

No. Bill is Road Foreman of Engines for Amtrak, out of the Los Angeles terminal. He has been with Amtrak for quite some years now, even prior to the CP 2816 stopped operations.