Nostalgia & History > WAG Wednesday: Dead Steam & 2 Hams!

In June of 1959 Bill Gibson went on a railfan excursion with fellow railfan friend & photographer Marion Perrin. They loaded up in Marion's Rambler station wagon and headed for Glenwood, Iowa to shoot CB&Q's 4-8-4 glamour girl, the 5632. After 'main event' business was concluded they shifted to the Omaha/Council Bluffs area where they picked up several roster & other shots that captured slices of mid-western flavored RR history ala 1959.

While in Council Bluffs Bill & Marion also did what we railfans will occasionally do with each other. They took turns posing for mug shots! For background fodder they just happened to be posing around a couple of Uncle Pete's stored steam engines. UP 843 & 3828 sat side by side on tracks that appear to be far away from the strongly beating heart of UP's yard in the Bluffs. UP steam was all but dead by 1959 and the guys may even have been aware that these 2 grand entities would never again have heat in their boilers. But in climbing all over the 3828 their apparent concern was to ham it up for each other's cameras.

I can only speculate at the mildly derisive guffaws that might have burst forth during ensuing slide shows. I have all the faith in the world that Kansas railfans of the 1950's could be just as playfully irreverent with each other as we Kansas Gangsters were in the 80's and yes, as a lot of us still are today. Imagination is a wonderful thing...

1. UP steam engines 843 & 3828 sit in a Council Bluffs deadline, never to see mainline action again.
(photo by William A. Gibson Sr.)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/02/22 13:26 by santafe199.

---

2. With body posture that suggests he could have been thinking in terms of 'wind in his face', Bill Gibson is posing regally on the right-hand walkway of UP 3828. This photo was snapped by Marion with Bill's camera.

3. Marion Perrin could be pre-dating Leonardo DiCaprio's Titanic character by nearly 40 years by thinking he is 'king of the world', standing on the face of the 3828. I'm sure Bill reciprocated by shooting Marion with his own camera.

4. With obvious surprise shown by Marion, Bill snaps one more photo of him & his Rambler for posterity...
(all photos taken June 13, 1959 in Council Bluffs, IA)

Say "cheese"!
Lance Garrels (santafe199)
Art Gibson (wag216)



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/02/22 13:27 by santafe199.

---

---

---

Only if we could have got to them before the scrappers did.Just imagine how many of these beautiful steam locomotives we could have saved.What a shame.

msdgbar Wrote:

> Only if we could have got to them before the
> scrappers did....

I agree! Unfortunately for railfans, railroading in 1959 was ALL about the same thing as it is today:

>>> $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ <<<

Lance

msdgbar Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Only if we could have got to them before the
> scrappers did.Just imagine how many of these
> beautiful steam locomotives we could have
> saved. What a shame.

Yes but who could afford to save them and what would anyone do with all of them? Keep in mind that if we had all of those locomotives saved it would take away from the thrill of having just a few to enjoy.

Wouldn't it be nice to have a few more around just sitting in static display that could be used as part sources for the locomotives that are actually working?

msdgbar Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Only if we could have got to them before the
> scrappers did.Just imagine how many of these
> beautiful steam locomotives we could have
> saved.What a shame.

So true! But at least UP maintains working examples of each of the two types pictured. Wish we could say the same about NYC Niagras, Mohawks and Hudsons.

Dave

And how about that Rambler wagon!

Brian Ehni

DavidP Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> msdgbar Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Only if we could have got to them before the
> > scrappers did.Just imagine how many of these
> > beautiful steam locomotives we could have
> > saved.What a shame.
>
> So true! But at least UP maintains working
> examples of each of the two types pictured. Wish
> we could say the same about NYC Niagras, Mohawks
> and Hudsons.
>
> Dave


I sure wish they woulda saved at least one U.P. 3800! I don't know... I just always liked those Fetters Challengers.

The last shot, of Marion's Rambler, shows his street address, 916 Kansas Ave. And I will tell you that Marion loved his Rambler almost as much as steam locos. <lol> wag216

santafe199 Wrote:

> 3. Marion Perrin could be pre-dating Leonardo
> DiCaprio's Titanic character by nearly 40 years by
> thinking he is 'king of the world', standing on
> the face of the 3828.

From his gesture, I kind of expected image 4 to show him loading the bell into the back of the Rambler. ;^)

Yeah, it would be nice if more had been saved...it would be even nicer if we had the funds, hands, and willpower to properly preserve what we've already saved.

Rambler: the first station wagon with a roll-up tailgate window.
...Lorenzo

OK, guys, I saw one (the Rambler wagon) only it was a 1963 getting gas in my neighborhood on Monday. Same beige colors also. Had a long chat with the owner. He said he picked it to restore because everybody does chevy's and fords!

Just thought you all would like to know that there is at least one of those around (in the Spring, TX area).

I met Marion Perrin in 1971 while shooting the Gridley Branch Local at Gridley. We became friends after that.Marion was way ahead of his time, he was shooting depot pictures way before anyone even thought about doing it. We all should have such foresight.

Is the Locomotive on the left UP 843?

Ironic that the 843 is long gone, and the 844 goes on and on. . . .