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It is official, 7 steam locomotives are now committed.

I don't know if they list them on their website currently, but the Little River 4-6-2, a new 4-4-0, and 3 saddle tankers will be there...plus the two berks. I don't recall the 7th.

I'm looking forward to the last full weekend in July!

Michael
nkp_174 Wrote:It is official, 7 steam locomotives are now committed.

I don't know if they list them on their website currently, but the Little River 4-6-2, a new 4-4-0, and 3 saddle tankers will be there...plus the two berks. I don't recall the 7th.

I'm looking forward to the last full weekend in July!

Michael


Is this the festival that will be in Owosso, Mich., sometime in late-July? I'd be curious to know because if it is in Owosso, Mich., I might be able to make it. Apparently, it's less than a 5-hour drive from Toronto. Wow -- seven steam engines -- that's a rare sight! :mrgreen:

Thanks,
Rob
OK, it's looks like it is the same event -- the one in Owosso, Mich. I just googled and found this site: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.trainfestival2009.com/video.php">http://www.trainfestival2009.com/video.php</a><!-- m --> This looks awesome -- I'll have to see if I can make it. Rob
RobertInOntario Wrote:Is this the festival that will be in Owosso, Mich., sometime in late-July? I'd be curious to know because if it is in Owosso, Mich., I might be able to make it. Apparently, it's less than a 5-hour drive from Toronto. Wow -- seven steam engines -- that's a rare sight! :mrgreen:

Thanks,
Rob

That is it. Owosso, MI...July 24-26. All hail the 1225 group for putting this together Worship

There will be excursions. To support it, purchase a ticket and ride...but imo, the best experience is to just be there with your camera at the ready. I plan on doing both. It is supposed to be a 5.25hr drive from my home.

Robert, if you can go, you have to visit the Huckleberry Railroad either before or after...it is practically on your way. They operate an Alaskan 4-6-0 and a D&RGW 2-8-2...the only D&RGW 2-8-2 which is always painted up for the Rio Grande (it is a K-27 "Mudhen"). They also have a number of authentic pieces of rolling stock. It is located 5 miles north of Flint.
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.geneseecountyparks.org/huckleberry_railroad.htm">http://www.geneseecountyparks.org/huckl ... ilroad.htm</a><!-- m -->
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClwsxAitzjY">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClwsxAitzjY</a><!-- m -->

That would take you up to either 8 or 9 (or possibly even 10!) for the trip.

Michael
nkp_174 Wrote:
RobertInOntario Wrote:Is this the festival that will be in Owosso, Mich., sometime in late-July? I'd be curious to know because if it is in Owosso, Mich., I might be able to make it. Apparently, it's less than a 5-hour drive from Toronto. Wow -- seven steam engines -- that's a rare sight! :mrgreen:

Thanks,
Rob

That is it. Owosso, MI...July 24-26. All hail the 1225 group for putting this together Worship

There will be excursions. To support it, purchase a ticket and ride...but imo, the best experience is to just be there with your camera at the ready. I plan on doing both. It is supposed to be a 5.25hr drive from my home.

Robert, if you can go, you have to visit the Huckleberry Railroad either before or after...it is practically on your way. They operate an Alaskan 4-6-0 and a D&RGW 2-8-2...the only D&RGW 2-8-2 which is always painted up for the Rio Grande (it is a K-27 "Mudhen"). They also have a number of authentic pieces of rolling stock. It is located 5 miles north of Flint.
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.geneseecountyparks.org/huckleberry_railroad.htm">http://www.geneseecountyparks.org/huckl ... ilroad.htm</a><!-- m -->
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClwsxAitzjY">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClwsxAitzjY</a><!-- m -->

That would take you up to either 8 or 9 (or possibly even 10!) for the trip.

Michael

Thanks, Michael ... The Huckleberry RR sounds great too!

I might not know if I can make it to Owosso until the last minute. Do you think you could just show up and buy tickets when you arrive or do you need to buy them in advance? (It sounds like it's the latter from the website).

Otherwise, if I can't make it that weekend, maybe I could just visit the Huckleberry RR, say in August.

Thanks, Rob
RobertInOntario Wrote:Thanks, Michael ... The Huckleberry RR sounds great too!

I might not know if I can make it to Owosso until the last minute. Do you think you could just show up and buy tickets when you arrive or do you need to buy them in advance? (It sounds like it's the latter from the website).

Otherwise, if I can't make it that weekend, maybe I could just visit the Huckleberry RR, say in August.

Thanks, Rob

If there are leftover tickets, they would definitely sell them...but I would suspect that the big engines will sell out...it's the biggest event since the glory days of the NRHS Conventions of 15+ years ago.

Michael
I'm becoming more interested in just going to the Huckleberry RR, possibly later in August. I'm not sure if I can commit to that weekend in July weekend, so it might be simpler to have a more relaxed, casual visit to the Huckleberry RR. But is it worth driving 4-5 hours? It sounds like there are other things to see nearby ... and are there any outlet malls? My wife said she'd go along with our two sons as long as she could go to some outlet malls! Eek :mrgreen:

At any rate, from what I can see on its website, the Huckleberry RR looks really good.

Thanks!

Rob
Rob:
In the same area as Huckleberry is Frankenmuth, a German community, which is quite an attraction. At one end of Frankenmuth is Valley Junction which is a large miniature railway -- park size, long complex run. Birch Run is a large outlet mall. These two are at the north and south exits from I75 to Frankenmuth.
The Huckleberry RR is part of a pioneer village complex.
For a Colorado Railroad fan, the Huckleberry is more than worth it on its own...for general railfans, maybe.

Perhaps the way to package it would be as a three part weekend:
The Junction Valley would be great for the kids:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.jvrailroad.com/">http://www.jvrailroad.com/</a><!-- m -->
Plus the Huckleberry, and then a trip to Dearborn (1hr away...not too far out of your way)...<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.hfmgv.org/">http://www.hfmgv.org/</a><!-- m -->
There are two attractions at Dearborn...the locomotives in the Museum as well as the Greenfield Village (which operates the only surviving Mason Bogie!!!)
They have 11 steam locomotives total...the highlights are:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://steamlocomotive.info/vlocomotive.cfm?Display=641">http://steamlocomotive.info/vlocomotive.cfm?Display=641</a><!-- m -->
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://steamlocomotive.info/vlocomotive.cfm?Display=639">http://steamlocomotive.info/vlocomotive.cfm?Display=639</a><!-- m -->
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://steamlocomotive.info/vlocomotive.cfm?Display=634">http://steamlocomotive.info/vlocomotive.cfm?Display=634</a><!-- m -->
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://steamlocomotive.info/vlocomotive.cfm?Display=635">http://steamlocomotive.info/vlocomotive.cfm?Display=635</a><!-- m -->

The Torch Lake is the Mason Bogie. Unlike normal locomotives, its drivers swivel like a railroad car truck! It was also one of the earliest locomotives to have an external valve gear...decades before it became common. It was originally build for a 4'1" gauge railroad...but is used on the std gauge Greenfield Village Railroad. I've been dying to see it.

Henry Ford's personal engine, 4-4-0 #7 is also in the museum.
nkp_174 Wrote:For a Colorado Railroad fan, the Huckleberry is more than worth it on its own...for general railfans, maybe.

Perhaps the way to package it would be as a three part weekend:
The Junction Valley would be great for the kids:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.jvrailroad.com/">http://www.jvrailroad.com/</a><!-- m -->
Plus the Huckleberry, and then a trip to Dearborn (1hr away...not too far out of your way)...<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.hfmgv.org/">http://www.hfmgv.org/</a><!-- m -->
There are two attractions at Dearborn...the locomotives in the Museum as well as the Greenfield Village (which operates the only surviving Mason Bogie!!!)
They have 11 steam locomotives total...the highlights are:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://steamlocomotive.info/vlocomotive.cfm?Display=641">http://steamlocomotive.info/vlocomotive.cfm?Display=641</a><!-- m -->
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://steamlocomotive.info/vlocomotive.cfm?Display=639">http://steamlocomotive.info/vlocomotive.cfm?Display=639</a><!-- m -->
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://steamlocomotive.info/vlocomotive.cfm?Display=634">http://steamlocomotive.info/vlocomotive.cfm?Display=634</a><!-- m -->
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://steamlocomotive.info/vlocomotive.cfm?Display=635">http://steamlocomotive.info/vlocomotive.cfm?Display=635</a><!-- m -->

The Torch Lake is the Mason Bogie. Unlike normal locomotives, its drivers swivel like a railroad car truck! It was also one of the earliest locomotives to have an external valve gear...decades before it became common. It was originally build for a 4'1" gauge railroad...but is used on the std gauge Greenfield Village Railroad. I've been dying to see it.

Henry Ford's personal engine, 4-4-0 #7 is also in the museum.

Thanks again for this info, Michael ... I don't know much about the Colorado Railroad but I'm really keen to see any steam power! Goldth The pics that I've seen of this railroad on the web look great, so this railroad still interests me. Cheers, Rob