Re: Eureka and the Sagebrush Headlight

Glen,
I have been asked over the years to write a complete history of Eureka since I acquired it. Believe me, I have just scratched the surface of our adventures together. I can easily see another 10 or 12 chapters in the series.
I will be covering not only the times we have taken Eureka out on the road and our adventures, but also the many fascinating times I have had with it here in Nevada and at my home. When you have a locomotive that lives with you at your home, it is quite astonishing the things that occur as a result. I have always been fortunate to live an interesting life, but having Eureka has elevated an otherwise interesting life to a fascinating experience that would otherwise never have happened.
John Steinbeck had his "Travels With Charley" but I have had Adventures with Eureka. I think it would be remiss of me to not chronicle these events from the last 20 years. Maybe it will encourage others to not be hesitant to get involved with a similar project that may seem overwhelming in the beginning and miss the incredible things that can happen.
I know that when I read the happenings with the 315 over in Durango, that I always do so with a smile. Their activities bring back lots of great memories of what I went through. When they get the 315 up and running it will not be the end of the project, for it is just the beginning of a wonderful experience. I know that not everyone can restore a locomotive....there just isn't that many steam engines left,especially ones that fit neatly into ones back yard, but there is an entire world of equipment that can be built from scratch or restored, such as hand cars, box cars, a few passenger cars and things like that. The Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec for example, have developed such activities into a grand scale, and I heartily admire them for doing so. There are others as well.
So, as long as my writings do not put everyone to sleep, I'll just keep pounding along on the typewriter and share what has been one helluva ride.