A steam engine locomotive in Nevada (Caliente?) in the mid 1930s
Chugging through a Utah landscape in the mid 1930sMuggles wanted to go outside very early this morning. Even though
it was still dark, I went out with her and watched as she explored
every nook and cranny of the courtyard. I enjoyed the cool breeze
that was gently soothing away some of the heat of the previous
day. This is my favorite time. It is my time for reflection, my time
to explore the wonderful memories that are tucked away in my
heart.
As I sat there, I heard the OOoo ooOO of a train whistle and the
Ding-Ding-Ding of the railroad crossing bell as the gate came
down. Immediately, I was transported back to another time and
another place.
I have always been fascinated by the sights and sounds of the old
steam engine locomotives, the "Iron Horse", as they were called
when I was a child. Caliente was 15 miles from Panaca and was
home to one of the Union Pacific Round House Railroad Stations.
From the time I was a little girl, a favorite pastime was to go to
Caliente and watch those amazing steam engine locomotives
pull into the station. Even before you saw the train, you would
hear the blast of the train whistle. The whistle on the old steam
engines was called a 'mechanical bell whistle". The blast, when
the engineer blew the whistle, was a delightful sound caused by
super heated steam being forced through the smoke stack of
the locomotive. WHoOO!, and then the thunder of the wheels
as the train roared into the station. The sound is everywhere,
inside of you, outside of you. Then just for good measure, the
engineer blows the whistle again. WHoOO!
I remember being six years old and standing on the train
platform with my parents and my brother, David, who was
eight. Mom and Dad were putting us on the train to go to
Salt Lake City, Utah. We were going to stay for two weeks
with our sister, Theresa, and her husband, LeGrande.
WHoOO! The towering black and grey monster roared
into the station. The huge steel cylinders were dripping a
watery black grease and plumes of black smoke billowed
from the smoke stack. Steam hissed steadily as it rolled
to a stop. I remember jumping backwards and releasing
a long drawn out AaaaH! as I was overcome by awe and
wonder.
I watched the flurry of activity on the platform as people
rushed around; passengers collected their belongings,
stewards hurried by with baggage carts piled high with
luggage, and hugs and kisses were exchanged as loved ones
bid their goodbyes. Mom and Dad gave us into the care of
a pretty stewardess, admonished us to be good and do every
thing she asks of us, kissed us goodbye and stepped back as
the conductor called his "ALL ABoarrrD! The last
passengers hurried to board as the stewardess settled us
into a window seat facing the front of the train and pinned
tags with our name, parent's name and address, and
Theresa's name and address onto our clothes. I clutched
the cuddly rag doll mother had made for me tighter in my
arms and gazed around with wide eyes. I was actually
sitting in a passenger car pulled by one of those huge
locomotives! I will never forget the many sounds as the
engine prepared to leave the station. The passenger cars
stretched out far behind it and the conductor was now
standing on the red caboose at the end of the train.
Suddenly, WHOosh! I got goose bumps and my spine
tingled as the train started to roll forward, past the
station, and we were leaving. I looked out the window and
saw Mom and Dad smiling at us and waving. The engineer
blew the whistle, WHoOO! as the conductor signaled the
all clear. The OOoo ooOO echoed all around us and
soon all of the cars were moving. WHOompH! CLang!
CRash! ClacK - ClanK!, as the heavy engine and cars
begin to roll across the gaps between the rail sections.
Ka-WHOosh! CLang-CRash! WHOompH! And
then a steady and soothing Tick-Tickety-Tick as the
great Iron Horse picked up speed and settled into it's
traveling gait. We looked out the window in wonder as
the landscape rushed by and it seemed like we had
just began our voyage when we heard the Ding-Ding-
Ding as the crossing gate came down and we were
pulling into Modena, Utah. There were no passengers
getting off or on the train there and we were soon on our
way again. Before we even had time to think about it,
the stewardess came and got us to go to the diner car for
lunch. We felt very grown up sitting in an elegant booth
and being served by a waiter in a uniform. I don't
remember what our lunch was but I do remember that
we had ice cream for dessert.
After we settled back into our seats, David played with
the wooden train and blocks he had brought and I spent
time describing the sights rushing by the window to Dolly.
I think we both took a nap, lulled to sleep by the soothing
symphony of the train rushing along the tracks, Tick-
Tickety-Tick. After awhile the stewardess came and
told us she had a surprise for us. Holding our hands, she
walked us through the train cars until we were standing
on the observation platform of the caboose. We were
approaching the famous Horseshoe Curve built into the
tracks through one of the canyons. At a certain point,
you can see the engine with the smoke billowing from
the smoke stack, the long line of cars curving into a
graceful half circle, and the little red caboose trailing
along with jaunty flair, in one amazing picture. The
engineer blew the whistle, WHoOO! as a signal to those
who wanted to take pictures. Some sights, no matter how
young you are, you never forget, and this is one of them.
It seemed just a very short time after we returned to our
seats that the conductor came into our car and said we
were approaching the Salt Lake City station. He told all
of us to make sure we collected our belongings and to
gather up any trash we had accumulated. The stewardess
came and told David and I to remain in our seats until she
had helped the other passengers leave the train and she
would be back for us. WHoOO!, and then with a loud
CLang-CLang-CLang! WHOosh! HisssSS!, the
mighty engine rolled to a stop.
Theresa and LeGrande were waiting for us with huge
smiles on their faces. The stewardess took us to them,
checked all information and identification, told Theresa
how good we had been, hugged us and waved, as she
walked away. We went into the station and as LeGrande
left to claim our luggage, Theresa asked, "Did you have a
good trip? Was it fun? We were both talking at once as
LeGrande came with our luggage and we walked to the
car.
Suddenly, we heard ALL ABoarrD! Ka-WHOosh!
CLang! CRash! CLack-CLanK! Once again, I got
goose bumps and my spine tingled as with a last WHoOO!,
a plume of black smoke rising from the smoke stack, and a
HisssSS! of steam, the mighty Iron Horse rushed out of
the station on the way to it's next stop. For a little girl from
the tiny town of Panaca, this was a dream come true. It
had been a beautiful, wondrous day!
In the next several years, I repeated this trip two more
times. Once with David and Delores and once with Delores.
The excitement and fun of riding on the mighty Iron
Horse had not diminished at all. It was still a wondrous day!
