Western Railroad Discussion > A Cold WInter's Night

Digging through the closet today I came across a stack of UP prints from the late 70's I had long ago forgotten about. What a blast from the past looking through all of them! Oh the memories from so many solo trips to the Cheyenne area. I was 19 at the time these were taken, and assigned to Ft Carson, Colorado in the 10th Cav. I knew nothing about Cheyenne except that the UP ran through town. And I especially knew nothing about the weather in the winter. I brought my military issued Arctic sleeping bag (we had another name for them...) and thought I'd just sleep trackside in my '74 Nova. Whoa baby, did I get a frigid introduction to Wyoming winters that cold night!!! But it's not the innocence with regards to the weather that sticks in my mind, but the "UP experience". The crews and employees were incredibly friendly and accommodating. And the trains.. Oh my the trains. My memories of the UP then are similar to how I feel when I visit the BNSF's Transcon today: overwhelming.

1. The 6926 leads what my notes relate was the OMW at West Cheyenne. I was foolish enough to think I could chase this past Borie and get another shot. Little did I know that this, the very first train I saw, would be up to 70mph within about two miles, and that snow covered highway was way too icy to permit anything but a snowy picture of the caboose disappearing into the snowstorm.

2. The 2866 between coal trains on the ready tracks in Cheyenne. The roundhouse foreman had come out and visited when he noticed me setting up my tripod for a night shot. He was kind enough to close a door for me, and then took me on a tour of the steam collection in the roundhouse. Wow, what an evening that was! We spent two hours talking steam. If I were foolish enough to try this same shot now I would have spent the night with the sheriff rather than the roundhouse foreman. I sure miss the old days when we all took this kind of thing for granted...

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When the DD40's were in their prime, moving fast w/ fast freight. Running hard into the snow @ 70 mph in the dead of winter? Just awesome. UP was a different railroad back then. They really could "Handle It."

BRRRRR....You've got some great memories there. Thanks for sharing them.

Kent in Carmel Valley

Nice shots and a good story as well! Thanks for posting these.