Monday, July 12, 2010

Monday (out of) Steam

(Recovering from weekend roofing project where I found how out of shape I am.)
Chinese built 2-8-2, JS8419, from the Boone and Scenic Railroad.

In honor of True Blue Sam, I'm taking a play from a theme of his called Weekend Steam.

The Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad in Boone, IA, provides one hour, 45 minute excursions utilizing several engines. They also have dinner, dessert and "picnic" trains and several events throughout the year, including full-sized Thomas the Tank Engine appearances.

When the boys were small we rode on a weekday excursion over the 156' tall Bass Point Creek High Bridge, "which is the highest single-track interurban railroad bridge in the United States." This provided a very scenic view of the Des Moines River valley, although my wife wouldn't look down.

Boone is also the birthplace of Mamie Eisenhower and the final resting place of Kate Shelley who saved a passenger train from crossing a collapsed bridge in 1881, saving 200 lives.

2 comments:

Cashner said...

We'll be taking the kids there this summer. Took the older boy there in 2008, but it was a shorter ride as some of the tracks were washed out.

strandediniowa said...

I thought about the dinner train but after looking it up, $55 each is a bit steep.

We went in '99 but missed the steam engine and had to settle for the diesel.

If you're into trains or model kits of any kind, there was a hobby store in downtown Boone that had a great selection of model trains, cars, and kits. It was still there a couple years ago.