Nostalgia & History > Topeka Railroad Days Memories

Digging through old photo albums, I've come across quite a few of my old train pictures. Way back then, I was just a young pup still in middle school, and completely uneducated on how to take pictures. I've chosen a few from the greatest year for Railroad Days: 1992. That year, both the ATSF 3751 and the UP 3985 were in attendance. Here they are for all to enjoy!

---

---

---

A few more...

---

---

---

The last 3.

Thanks for looking!

---

---

---

Following right along with part 2! I'm not 100% sure what year this was. 1994 or 1995? In attendance was SLSF 1522, UP 3300, and CRI&P 652. It also looks like the BNSF had some track maintenance equipment on display as well.

---

---

---

Unfortunately, this year was a cloudy overcast. I was just thrilled that I captured them.

---

---

imrl Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A few more...


Yep, whatta weekend. Me & the Mrs. were there too.

---

Ah yes I remember the treks to Topeka from Cheyenne. One year the last day on Sunday it rained so hard and the wind blew that the tents took a serious hit. And one year I got to drive a steam traction engine in a swap for a 3985 cab tour.
Bob Krieger
UP/CRIP retired
Cheyenne

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

Man the 652 sure looked a heck of a lot better back then! I'll have to upload the pics I took this weekend! Looked like the girls were getting ready to bust outta Baldwin City as the track they had been on was reconnected and they had been moved closer to the depot!

They aren't leaving Baldwin City yet. Still alot of bridge work to do before it's safe to move them to the BNSF at Ottawa. It was just time to put the track back in service.

I believe that when the 652 came to Topeka, it was very recently after it's rebuild. That's why she looked so good back then.

Here's the 652 last weekend taken with my point & shoot. I'm going back out when I get my DSLR later this week! I need to find the Midland's website so I can ask them if there's any volunteer work I can do for them.

---

---

http://www.midland-ry.org/

There is a form online where you can print off and mail in your membership application. We are always looking for new memebers. There is always something to be done. Things are a bit slow right now being the off season, but things will pick up soon. We host boy scout camps in the spring, along with charters and specials. Thomas comes back to kick off the season for the first 2 weekends of June I believe. We operate regularly from then until Halloween on Thursdays and Saturdays. We can always use help for anything from maintenance of way to train crews. If you have any specific questions, drop me a line. If can't answer it, I know who can!

The 3751 crew wouldn't drop that damn fence for you, either?

ddg- Did you get to be on any of the Steam crews runs? wag jr

When 3751 came to town, I ran the GE 800 class helpers from Newton-KC. After we got there, I rode 3751 over to Santa Fe Jct. to turn it, and then back to the office building where we tied it up for the night. Next morning, I rode the diesels behind it over to Topeka, and then to Emporia, where we turned the train on the wye at NR. From there, I rode the caboose back to Forbes Field where we put it away for display. A couple of years later, I piloted Frisco 1522 from Pauline-Emporia & back to Topeka. Later after that, I worked three round trips from Pauline & Topeka to Emporia & back with Milw 261. One trip was aborted at Osage City because we were delayed at Pauline waiting for a late #4. At Osage City, they taxied me to the east end of the train where we had another engine, and I drug the train back to Pauline at about 30 mph.