MAGNIFICENT
is not too
strong an
adjective to
describe the
latest
Bulletin
effort...
First of
all it arrived
yesterday in
PERFECT
CONDITION
wrapped in a
plastic
wrapper which,
apparently is
going to be
"standard"
from now
on..As per
usual the USPS
ignored the
instruction to
"not fold" but
the plastic
wrapper
protected the
integrity of
the cover and
the "innards"
of the
magazine.
Rupert's
BELMONT
TUNNEL article
is my
favorite..It
required
"superogatory"
effort to
produce this
piece and him
being
thousands of
miles away.
It's the
story of the
tunnel from
its original
contemplation
to the final
not
destruction
but by its
being bypassed
by double
track.
Rupert's
piece brought
back some "far
distant
memories"...Don't
forget
"everything
reminds me of
something"
Here's my
story.
I believe
that I can say
without fear
of
contradiction
that I'm the
only BRHS
member who has
twice ridden
through the
Belmont tunnel
in both
directions.
Once behind
steam on the
open platform
observation
car on the
rear of Train
43 in year
1942 when I
was 6 years
old..My GF and
I stood on the
platform as we
went through
the tunnel on
the westbound
trip.
On our
return trip on
No. 42 the
conductor told
us that we
couldn't be
out there
since the
tunnel is at
the top of
Crawford Hill
and the
gradient in
the tunnel is
UP that there
would be too
much smoke and
cinders from
the laboring
engine for us
to be outside.
The
second trip
was in June of
1957 when I
accompanied my
GF from
Lincoln to
Sheridan WY
for a
celebration of
the opening of
the Jim
Gatchell
Museum in
Buffalo, WY.
By this time
the open
platform Obs
was long gone,
But we did
ride through
the tunnel in
both
directions
Trains 42 and
43 were, of
course Diesel
powered by
this time.
Steve
Holding has
"outdone
himself" with
his reprise of
his "OS
Creston" piece
from several
years ago with
his current
effort OS BN
(by the way
he is not
violating
Society rules
by writing
about the
Burlington
Northern
Railroad).
Some of you
guys will
understand
before you
read the
piece, but
Steve is
"taking no
chances" and
explains in
the opening
phase of his
article.
This
Bulletin is
worth the
Modest $40
annual dues
and there is
hope that
there will be
additional
bulletins of
this quality
in the
forseeable
future.
Pete