Re: What was your first experience with NG?

My first was playing on #223 as a 5 year old boy and the first running train was on the D&S.My father was a mountain goat and we hiked from the top of Molas Pass into Animas canyon,it was very exciting for a 7 year old boy to stand way up on the side of the canyon on the switchbacks and look way down into the canyon and see the trains at a distance both watching the smoke and just listening to the to nature with the extra feature of steam locomotive sound.
Anyway I could not wait to get to the bottom of the canyon and the very first engine I saw was the #476 at Elk Park,we also camped there that night and needless to say once I saw the trains the next morning and afternoon this seven year old made excuses that he was to tired to continue on to climb EOLUS,WINDOM and SUNLIGHT UP Chicago basin,that came four years later.We went back every year after that just so I could see the most amazing real toy trains ever.The summer I turned 12
my father took me to Chama for the first time and the guys in the shop let me help around the place and the then General Manager had me sign a waiver if I got hurt.After I got a little older my Dad would rent a room for 2 weeks and take off to go climb for 10 of those days.We met a really nice lady named Pat Cooke that ran the Chama station inn and would keep an eye on me.By the time I turned turned 18 John Bush was the CMO and decided hiring me was worth a shot and the rest is history!MY FIRST LOVE D&RGW NARROW GAUGE STEAM!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/05/2009 04:44PM by chris king.