The Year Was 1869 by bmac62
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Description
...yesterday we visited the Gold Spike National Historic site in the middle of nowhere northern Utah:)
...the two steam engines above, UP#119 and Jupiter, were the engines that met nose to nose at Promontory Summit on that historic day. May through September they are parked at the actual site where the rails were joined. Here they are a few hundred yards away in their winter quarters for maintenance and where they can be stored inside away from the ravages of winter weather.
...the actual engines were sadly scrapped in 1901 and 1903 respectively. The engines above are very expensive replicas built in the late 1970s to exacting specifications of the originals...to include beautiful paint jobs, loads of brass and even gold leaf.
...the US National Park Service has preserved the site where the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads met at Promontory Summit, Utah on May 10th, 1869...where the rails were first joined...resulting in America's first Transcontinental Railway. With tracks connecting the east with the west, the United States was open for expansion as never before.
...there are certain places where I've felt a sense of history...this was one of those places.
Bill
P.S. For those of you who would like more details, here's a good link
"For The Man Who Has Everything (RodS)"
Comments (25)
durleybeachbum
FABULOUS!! I love colourful shiny things, and these are WOW exapmles!
T.Rex
Look almost like toy trains. A very beautiful and loving job recreating the two original locomotives. Bye-bye wagon trains and conestoga wagons, pony express, and so on. Very nice 3/4 view photos (front, back) of these two. Nice that one is indoors (winter quarters) and the other still outdoors. Could you get photos from inside the cabs? Would be interesting to see how the control systems were. :-)
auntietk
I love these shots! Nicely done. I know it wasn't easy to get them! And you got John lecturing ... a nice touch. He was fun to listen to. Great job, Hon! :*
bobrgallegos
Wow, wonderful collage of these two very beautiful engines Bill!!!
Meisiekind
What glorious old-timers Bill. They are so shiny - like they were in their prime. Amazing shots.
jendellas
They are kept to perfection!!!
jayfar
Fantastic shots and a brilliant piece of history Bill. I love these 'old' train engines.
RodS
Great photos of these beauties, Bill! Sad that the original engines were scrapped, but these reproductions are gorgeous!
Maxidyne
They may not be the real deal but better to have faithful replicas than none at all. These are stunning Bill!
bazza
Fabulous replicas Bill!! Nice that they were able to remake to the same specifications as the originals.. Now did he tell you which one had to back up once the ceremony was over... Fabulous captures of these my friend!!
flavia49
shining steam engines!! great image!
helanker
AWWWW! They are SO beautiful!!! Wonderful shots of these lovely old steam trains.
weesel
Nothing like the charm and glitz of the vintage 4-4-0's! Roughly, for the US, the railroad equivalent to the DC-3.
jocko500
cool pov of these trains
Faemike55
Very sweet shots, Bill
Chipka
1869 was a good year for locomotive engines it would seem and WOW, even as reproductions, these are a couple of beauties. There's something inherently right about machinery, engines, stuff that does work...and these are perfect examples. And because I spend so much time reading, I have to say that this reminds me of two particular trains I've read about. One is The Perpetual Train as it appeared in the China Miéville novel, Iron Council, though appearance-wise, I'm reminded of the super-train(s) featured in the brilliant, funny Ian McDonald novel: Desolation Road. Even without those literary references, these are a couple of beauties and I simply love the colors. Brilliant work.
Blush
Great collage of these old stream engine trains I esp like the bottom one Hugs Susan~
Richardphotos
without doubt the most ornately decorated engines I have seen
awjay
wonderful machine
makron
Superb composition. Wonderful colors
cfulton
Steam dreams. As you say, lots of history! live
tennesseecowgirl
Great work!!
danapommet
That must have been a thrill to have stepped onto that spot. Wonderful captures and collage. Amazing colors and details. Wasn't there a gold spike involved with this event. Did they make you give it back? HaHaHa! Sorry couldn't help myself. Great narrative too.
junge1
A beautiful capture Bill and interesting information about this historic event!
debbielove
Wow! This is a stunning piece of work! Bright, very bright, you certainly wouldn't miss it coming! lol Well taken photos Bill.. Rob