On Becoming a Train Chaser

Well, I am attempting to upload a video...who knows if it will work! Anyway, Saturday (which apparently is national train day), Dennis (Jason's dad) took us to see the Steam Engine 844 at the Ogden Depot. Dennis is an avid train enthusiast. Anyway... Jason and his dad climbed all over some trains. We got to tour some too, but we got to see one of the last running steam engines...the 844. It was quite impressive (as you can tell by the pictures!)

This is a retired steam engine 833 and Jason climbed on in and became the engineer!

I love this picture! Dennis looks so giddy!

Ahhh tender! Look at the wheels though! They are huge (and so is my already showing prego belly!)

That's the beauty! 844!

Well, after learning about the Engine (today I even watched a lengthy video about the 844...I know Jason, you are jealous!), I was excited to go and "chase" the 844 on its way to Wyoming from Utah. Today we woke up early (apparently Tori got the memo and woke up at 6:15) and waited for the train on East I-84 at a rest area. You wouldn't believe the amount of train "buffs" at this area. Well, as we waited Tori pretended to drive the car and stuck her head out the sun roof.

Then we decided to go claim a spot by the river to take video of the train. At about 8:45 the train rolled by! It was really magnificent and made all of the cool train noises (the chugging, letting off of steam and a little bit of horn). Tori was quite mesmerized by the whole scene.



Then we decided to chase the train. You would not believe the people who follow the train! It is amazing! Well, they got their pictures at the rest area immediately got in their cars and zoomed to the next spot. We didn't think that we were going to catch up, and the traffic was crazy (everyone was trying to keep pace with the engine). We saw the train go through two tunnels and then when we finally caught up with the train it went right underneath the freeway blowing steam up at the car! It was awesome!

Well, we finally got ahead of the train and stopped at a small little town called Echo and that is where I got my two pictures of the train! Isn't it amazing. It was a cool adventure that is for sure!