Re: Still a chance to sign up for the Lerro Charter early May

Well, at least we tried to recruit folks to support Pete's proposed SP 18 charter in Durango..... I was looking forward to seeing this engine work.

Unfortunately, the trip still ended up 8 tickets short. Last night, Pete was forced to pull the plug and cancel the trip. Not sure when SP 18 will next be someplace where it has room to run.

The sad part is that many folks apparently told Pete they were focused on the Big Boy, even though that engine isn't supposed to begin its trip to Ogden until 2 days after the SP 18 trip was to be completed. And of course, that's assuming that the engine is ready. The UP folks have only about 6 weeks until they need to have a roadworthy example of a very complicated locomotive, and one that can pull a train several hundred miles. As far as I know, the 4014 still has not turned a wheel.

Having signed up for a couple of charters with articulated locomotives that were still under restoration at the time when the charters were offered, I can say that I would not put any money down on another one. Neither charter was successful. I do plan on going to Ogden, but the only engines I am counting on seeing are Jupiter and the 119.....and perhaps 844. I am not planning a chase from Cheyenne to Ogden. The Big Boy will run again. I don't see UP putting millions into this locomotive, only to stick it back into a museum after the 150th anniversary of the last spike. There will be other opportunities.

/Kevin Madore