Re: Eureka and Aviation

Steven,
Thanks for your interest in Eureka at Railfest. We did not have any major mechanical problems this year. In fact, thankfully, we have never had any major mechanical problems in all the years we have been doing this. However, every so often, as to be expected with any machine, there is a little glitch that will pop up. This year, the automatic brake stand valve swallowed some crud and the piston would not reset. So, while taking on water tank at Hermosa while the locomotive was being serviced for the climb up the mountain, Earl Knoob field stripped and cleaned it, and before anyone knew the difference we were off and running. The guys in the pits at the Indianapolis 500 would have been proud of us!
As for vintage aircraft, or any aircraft for that matter, I am a fanatic. I have been a pilot for some 30 years, as a lawyer a major part of my practice concerns aviation, and I have worked at airports. My father was a B 17 pilot and commercial pilot, my wife worked for TWA and my inlaws were involved in a major airline. Aviation is in my blood and that of my family. Interestingly, most of the guys on Eureka's crew are also pilots. One is a retired Major General from the US Air Force, another is a Captain for United Airlines and many of the rest are private pilots. Not only that, my home, where Eureka is also kept, is less than a mile from my home airfield. When I restored Eureka, I did quite a bit of the sheet metal work at one of the large maintenance hangars at the airport.
So, there is a fairly close relationship between Eureka and aviation. Indeed, to a large degree it's flyboys that keep her going!
Dan Markoff