In Reply to: Stack Talk posted by Dean on February 28, 2026 at 18:45:28:
Again, we find a common interest. We love trains. My grandfather Rushford worked every railroad from New York to Montana, eventually becoming a roadmaster for the Oregon Short Line. My dad worked on a track crew, under a fake name to avoid nepotism claims. My stepdad worked on the huge cab forwards that were used to get over the Sierras without suffocating the crew. His job was to keep the water level up to avoid overheating the boiler. My brother-in-law is a member of the California State Rail Museum Foundation. Despite its problems, California has a rich railroad history. The Railroad Museum in Sacramento is one of the best in the country. The displays include a huge 4-8-8-2 cab-forward locomotive. Rail Town in Jamestown (up in the Sierra Foothills) is part of the Railroad Museum with several running steam locomotives, including a shay and Sierra Number 3, a 4-6-0 "ten-wheeler" known as "The Movie Star Locomotive" that has appeared in films for years, including Back to the Future. When the Challenger came to Sacramento, my son and I were there. When Big Boy came to Kansas my son and his family were there. Ely Nevada has a cool rail museum as well.