In 1997 when I had Eureka on the C&TS we made a couple runs down the mountain to Antonito at night. On one occasion we were way behind schedule because we had trouble with getting decent wood before we left that morning. When we finally got things sorted out, off we went with a group that chartered the train.
We left Osier for the return trip just as it was getting dark. I fired up the old oil burning headlamp and off we went. That evening and night turned out to be one of the most memorable nights of my life.
Mere words cannot describe the incredible experience and sight of running through the mountains and high desert behind an oil burning light. The lamp casts a golden glow like nothing else I have ever seen. It is as if the light is bringing the past alive in front of your eyes, with a hue on everything that has not been seen for over 100 years.
Around 1:00 am as we were rolling down the line, all was quiet in the cab except the rhythmic sounds of the engine working. Faint flashes from the firebox illuminated the sagebrush to the side and track underneath the engine. Back in the train, all the passengers were sleeping. It was just the crew quiety tending the locomotive as it travelled through the darkness, with the headlamp pointing the way.
At one point, we turned east down a long tangent. Up in front of us the moon was rising directly over the tracks, with Venus in a direct line immediately below the moon. It was as if two locomotive were charging directly toward each other. No one said a word, but we all looked at each other through the faint glow from around the firebox door, and knew this was a special moment that we should all remember. At one point, I broke the verbal silence and said, it is a shame we did not have a camera with us to capture the moment.
Sometime around 1:30 or so we arrived at Antonito. The slumbering passengers came to life, gathered their belongings and left, never knowing the special sight we had witnessed a little while before.
Some months later after returning to Nevada, I received a large envelope from George Sapp, who was firing Eureka that night, in the mail. In the envelope, was an 8x10 color photo looking down the fireman's side of Eureka. Clearly visible, is the headlamp lighting the way down the track with its gentle golden glow, and there, directly down the center of the track is the moon looking directly back at us! I could not believe it, but George happened to have a little point and shoot camera with him, and he got the photo when no one was paying attention to him.
That is my little story of night running from Osier to Antonito. The picture hangs in my living room. Many people do not know what it is, because it is just the dark outline of the side of the Eureka with two streaks heading into the darkness, with a white orb above it. I dont much care if someone cannot figure out what it is, but I know.... It is a night, the memory of which I will carry with me the rest of my days.
Dan Markoff
