Spring is Here!

April showers might bring May flowers, but steam engines bring cinders. Can you tell I like trains...especially steam engines. This weekend was the opening of the 2007 season of the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad. Their showcase locomotive is 734. Built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia in ca. 1915, the old engine never looked better, and never fails to excite.

However, if I may be allowed to gripe about one thing...wait a minute, this is my blog...I can gripe about whatever I want. Whoa, this is cool. Now, where was I? Oh yes, I had a gripe. About 10 years ago when the 734 came to town, someone in, I think, County Tourism decided the engine needed a catchy nic-name. So they came up with...drum roll, please...are you ready for this...'Mountain Thunder.' Now, put on a sweater and in your best Mr. Rogers voice say, 'today's word boys and girls is cheesie. Can you say cheesie, boys and girls?'

It's complete and total cheese! Corny too. But someone high up thought is was cute. So we have a steam engine called Mountian Thunder. That's like buying a purebred dog and naming him Rover. It's stupid, as well as annoying. But that's enough of my inane blathering.

Here are a few photos from opening day on the WMSRR.

734 pounding up Cash Valley, half a mile below Helmstetter's Curve.

734 rounding the upper end of Helmstetter's Curve, passing the Helmstetter barn. Since the track here is in the shape of a giant horseshoe, all I had to do after shooting the previous picture is walk west 20 feet and wait 45 seconds for 734 to come along.

734 exiting the upper end of Helmstetter's Curve and beginning the run up to Brush Tunnel.

What was it I said earlier about cinders? 734 was nice enough to deposit a few on my camera bag as it passed by.