Steam & Excursion > Bathed in steam

Since returning home to Kansas in 2010 I’ve gone over to my 2nd home town of Abilene many times to watch & photograph an old family friend in the Abilene & Smoky Valley ex-Santa Fe 3415. In the 1960s we would have family picnics in Eisenhower Park where the 3415 sat on display for so many years. After the food was devoured, the whole stampeding herd of us cousins would inevitable head toward the 3415 and pretend to be railroaders. Or we might split into 2 groups. One group would climb onto the 3415 and the other group would take cover in the old WW2 army tank sitting nearby and we would commence to stage WW3. (I don’t believe I need to reveal which side I was always on… ;^) Maybe this attention to the 3415 was a sort of unknowing tribute to our Grandfather who was a career Rock Island man. But of all the male cousins in our herd I was the only one to follow in “Grandpa’s footsteps” into a railroad career.

I often think of my Grandfather while I’m watching the 3415 come out for an excursion. After all, the old Rock Island track here passes just south of the lot where my Grandparents house once stood. Would he be interested to know that live steam now passes by in back of his old house? I think I already know the answer to that one…

1. & 2. A&SV 4-6-2 3415 makes the traditional grand entrance march out to get on its excursion train. Soon to be “bathed” in steam in image #1 are TO members ‘oklachaser’ & ‘PRose’. In image #2 the flagman get his bath while handing the stop sign up to the hogger.

3. In this image a couple of us photographers narrowly escape the full steam bath as the 3415 passes by. But I wouldn’t have minded…
(3 photos taken October 1, 2016)

Thanks for looking!
Lance Garrels
santafe199

---

---

---

I believe I was across the tracks from you for these shots :)

Richie Kennedy
Lawrence, KS
route56.com

Great photos Lance.

Ronda Thomas

Posted from Android

Those are gorgeous photos, Lance!
The 3415 is a handsome locomotive.

oklachaser Wrote: > ... Great photos Lance...
Well... I had a couple of friendly subjects to work with, especially in #1

Margaret_SP_fan Wrote: > ... The 3415 is a handsome locomotive...
Yes she is! It will never get old chasing & shooting her...

Lance

I wonder if she will ever get to stretch her legs on the high iron again? Seems a shame for a 79" drivered engine to only be allowed 15mph on secondary track. Don't get me wrong, she's a beautiful engine and I'm glad she's in steam, would just be nice to see her pull an excursion at track speed.

Posted from iPhone