I am about to embark on a great crusade. A crusade to hopefully save and restore a piece of railroad history to operation. I must be fucking nuts! But what the hell.

Even though I was never alive during the golden age of steam railroading, I can safely attest that I was here for the 2nd coming of age of steam in the 80's and 90's. I spent a many trips behind N&W 611, N&W 1218, SOU 4501, NKP 765 (also as C&O2765), NKP 587, and L&N 152. Besides riding and seeing these enigines in service I have also witnessed other steam power in operation; UP 3985, and MILW 261.

I guess the biggest thrill of my life was the cab ride on N&W 611 from Portsmouth to Batavia. It was awesome to ride an actual N&W steam engine over an N&W route that it ran on in the 50's. To this day I can remember the entire ride like yesterday. The deafning sound of the whistle. The rain of cinders down my back. The heat from the fire box! I remember it all. I can still smell the coal burning.

This project that I about to head is going to be a tribute to all that work in the industry; but most imprtant it will be a tribute to the men and woman of the raildroads during the steam era. A tribute to people like my grandfather who started his railroad career as a fireman on B&O steam. To engineers like Sack Head Ahlers.

More to come. More updates soon. I hope.