Steam Locomotive #844

Earlier this week, I saw a poster in the clubhouse that said historic Steam Locomotive #844 was going to come through Benson, AZ on Thursday around 11 a.m. I told Mike about it and we decided we should probably go and take a look.

If you know us, you know that niether of us would be content to join the masses along the tracks in Benson. So, after consulting an official in town, we headed east a ways. By the old covered tracks looked like a good spot.

Mike climbed up and over to check it out

and eventually I joined him at our private observation area.

It wasn't long before we saw the news helicopter circling...
and then we heard the whistle and saw the lights...

There is just something special about that puff of steam with the mountains in the background.

Our vantage point served us well - we were even able to wave to the conductor and see the number on the engine.

The Steam Locomotive #844 was the last steam locomotive built for Union Pacific Railroad. It was delivered in 1944 and used until 1960 as a high speed passenger engine. At that time, it was retired but saved for special service, like this trip from Texas through Arizona and up the coast of California.
After it had passed our observation point, we talked with a fellow who told us of another spot we may enjoy. So we headed north and west on I10 and then down March Station Road a few miles. What we found were lots of people and a really cool trestle.

By stopping a ways up the hill and going into the brush a bit, I was able to get some good long shots as this train made its way along The Marsh Station track.

It was a fun way to spend a couple of hours... who knows if we will ever see a Steam Lomotive again.