Steam & Excursion > Railfair 1981 at Sacramento

The UP Challenger visited a very successful Railfair in 1981. Like most other Californians I had never seen a locomotive being loaded with coal and found it quite interesting to watch. Meanwhile, just down the track was a more familiar SP 0-6-0, the 1269, getting a wash from the local fire department. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/16/22 18:19 by Westbound.

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The SP 4449 was also there in attendance as were a number of other locomotives. Sacramento simply smelled good during Railfair 1981.

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The chase out there was pretty epic, the UP locomotives on their own being a joy to see. The Fair was very good and at
the time pretty much unlike anything most of us had seen. I wouldn't expect a current version to be as good.

Out 

Railfair 1981 will always be very special to me.  It was the last time my Dad and I did something together before he passed.  

Westbound Wrote:
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> Sacramento simply smelled good during Railfair 1981.

It really did. It was magical and intoxicating.

Very nice.
I was there on the crew helping service the two locomotives.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

My lasting memory of this event is that they parked the 3985 where there was a nice wide open area on the east side.....perfect for pre-11:00 AM photos. The area was even cordoned off.  I got my photos early on one morning, and shortly afterward,a large Cub Scout group showed up and set up a dozen or more tables with cakes, etc. for sale in the open area, despite railfans and others telling them that they weren't supposed to be there!   A mean, nasty, and undiplomatic "den mother" continually told everyone that "We have permission to be here!!!"  Well, as everybody here probably knows, the coal-burning 3985 puts out quite a lot of cinders even at rest!  I came back by about 45-minutes later and found the Cub Scout's tables and cakes completely coated with black cinders from the 3985!  The den mothers were there arguing/discussing what to do (obviously blaming the disaster of their own making on the 3985 crew and trying to figure out a way to get them to pay for the cakes).    

Man that tells you how stubborn some people are, and 3985 had to of been a great attraction even then, saw her push 844 out in 99 and who knows if a 4TH Railfair will ever happen!

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