Something for the little boy in all of us.

[Moonpie]

When most of us were little boys we liked trains.
We liked steam trains even more.
Bet most of you know who Casey Jones was?
Well today was a throwback to that time, if just for a moment.
Union Pacific was bringing Old 844 through the town of Brazoria on its way to Bay City and points south.
The Moonpie hid out by the river bridge and got these few shots as She passed over the Brazos swingbridge.

Here She comes!


Nearing the bridge.


A cool old locomotive crossing a cool old bridge on a cool old river.


As She rolled on by.


If you don't like steam locomotives turn in your Man Card.

[fishingrx]

now I know why there was a big group of folks at the old rail depot in alvin...

[coachlaw]

Very cool Moonpie! Wish I would have seen her comin' through Angleton.

[XtremeAngler]

very cool. thanks for sharing

[nokatchin]

Cool,thanks for sharing MP

[Robalo]

Great pics Moonpie! Thanks.

[Robalo]

BTW, how did the engine sound-was it chugging and belching (like JT after a 12 pack of Silver Bullets)?

[Walker]

Hey - thanks for posting those. I heard that 844 was in Houston yesterday, but I could not sneak away to see her. Must have been quite a sight coming down the tracks.

We took a ride Saturday afternoon behind a steam locomotive, but not nearly as impressive as 844.

This is a pic of 2248 on the turn table at the Fort Worth stock yards.

[nokatchin]

Cool pic Walker

[czechmark]

Thanks for sharing. This was the last steamer built for Union Pacific. Check out this website I found and look at her vital statistics. She 's a big boiler on wheels.

http://www.uprr.com/aboutup/excurs/up844.shtml

[Moonpie]

UP 844 is supposed to return down the same track on Saturday, April 17.
You can see her again.

link to schedule:
http://www.uprr.com/aboutup/excurs/schedule.shtml

[Swells]

Yep, they're closing a bunch of roads in Harlingen today because of her, big news.

[Walker]

If she runs according to that schedule, she should be chugging up along CR-171 between Angleton and Liverpool sometime around 11:30 on Saturday morning. The Union Pacific tracks run right alongside the road for the entire 10 miles between Angleton and Liverpool.

She will also have to make the turn north at Algoa (on highway 6, about 3 miles south of Alvin). The turn is at Mustang Road, and is a very good viewing spot - a tight turn (about 800' radius) with tracks only about 50 feet from the road. I would guess that time to be noon to 12:30.

I plan to get some pictures.