The REAL Spirit of the Union Pacific

I had the opportunity to attend an interesting event at Kansas City’s beautiful Union Station and it coincided with the arrival of Union Pacific’s 4-8-4 steam locomotive  #844. The railroad was very kind to allow the public to get up close to the vintage steam engine. After taking pictures from the angles that I wanted to, I started watching the visitors. There were lots of people taking selfies with the 844 and there were a many families who had their pictures taken in front of the “cowcatcher.” Of all the people I watched, these two were my favorite. The older gentleman had such a thoughtful look on his face as he was wheeled past the locomotive, and the young man was beaming with pride. I guarantee that these two individuals will never forget this day.

I am a big fan of photographing everyday railroad operations, but have started to appreciate staged events more and more. I’ve seen even the strictest no-nonsense railroad corporations show a warm side that is a real joy to experience. Have a great year of railfanning in 2021! Oh, and thank you to railroad management for offering the public to get an up close and personal look at your interesting operations.