Steam & Excursion > Who Wouldn't Take This Kind Of Ride If It Was Offered?

This photo demonstrates how different a time it is that we live in today from the days of Railfans in the 1950's. Railfans of today are lucky if they can photograph trains from public roads next to the track of their favorite railroads without being chased off by railroad police. That was not the case in the 1950's as we see here.

Stan Borden was an ardent railfan in Northern California from the 1930's through the early 1960's. One of his favorite steam roads to photograph was the Northwestern Pacific north of the Bay Area. He became enough of a fixture to the steam crews of the NWP that he was invited to jump aboard the trains on more than one occasion to catch the action from atop the train itself.

In this view taken by him in the early 1950's he was allowed on-board the caboose behind 2 helper engines at the rear of a long NWP freight train as it tackled the grades ahead. The engine immediately ahead of his caboose is NWP 4-6-0 #2336. The other engines on the train are likely 4-6-0's as well. Stan is up on the roof of the caboose at this point hanging on as it rocks back and forth while he snaps this photo with his camera.

We can only imagine the sights and sounds that he was treated to as he hung on for the ride on this sunny day enjoying all that steam railroading had to offer to any railfan. Those were the days!


Martin



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 01/22/15 03:00 by LoggerHogger.

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Very nice view, I enjoy unique angles like this one, Thanks for sharing it and all the other photos you have in the past.

Indeed they must have been the days. I thank you for sharing.
John

Great shot, great details, including the two kerosene
markers stashed on the front/center of the tender.

Martin,
Wasn't Stan a dispatcher for the SP ? I met him at Gordon Adams place in Fairfax in the early 60s.

Nudge

The good old days when people were kind to each other and didn't sue everyone for everything!

Great shot. I have enjoyed many a time aboard the cupola of the cabooses at the NNRY with a smoky coal burner heading up the freight consist in front of me. I always feel like I've stepped back in time...nothing in my field of vision to say otherwise. It's a great 'second best' to not having lived during the twilight of steam.

Mike Massee
Tehachapi, CA
Photography, Railroading and more..



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/22/15 10:28 by Harlock.

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Very nice and a great railroad.

I do not know what Stan did for a living. I would love to know if we can confirm that he was a dispatcher for the SP.

Martin

I seem to remember being able to get those kinds of shots on a couple of your photo specials at the McCloud, Martin. All gone now.

Jim,

Come on my next charter and you can get them again!

Martin