Weekend Steam

This is nice little slide show of photos taken nearly fifty years ago, and shared with us by Strobx1, the little boy in the pictures.

Here are Strobx1's notes about the photos from his YouTube site:  View a slide show with big band music and see GTW Pacific type 4-6-2 #'s 5627 and 6323 In Muskegon Michigan in 1957 and August of 1961. See the 6323 as it travels east bound along Laketon Avenue towards Simpson Jct. The 6323 will cross Laketon Ave then head south to "Shaw Jct" where it will head East on the Pennsylvania tracks (The GTW used the PRR to gain access to Muskegon) to Marne MIch where it will join the Grand Haven line at "Penn Jct". Then east to Grand Rapids crossing the Grand River and ending up at Durand Mich. The 5627 had a famous sister. Dick Jensen's 5629 which was one of the main steam excursion engines along with steamer off the CB&Q. An unresolved dispute between Metra and Mr Jenson resulted in Metra scrapping the 5629. See the 5629 in service and it's scrapping at the Metra Blue Island (ex Rock Island Yard). I was only three years old at the time the 1957 photos were taken.I do not remember these. But I do remember the 6323 in August of 1961. Liability was NOT an issue and my Dad & I were free to climb all over the engine. My Dad asked permission to do so. He received it. Likely because the GTW guys knew the PM/C&O guys.The whole experience was frightening for a 7 year old child. My dad stepped on a floor pedal and the "Butterfly" firebox doors swung open. He asked me to look inside. The heat was unbearable in this white hot coal fire. I was scared. If that weren't enough, we climbed on the tender. When I got to the rear platform, The engineer blew two LOUD whistle blasts, then started to move with my Dad & I on the tender. Now I was REALLY scared. But he stopped after about 10 feet to blow water out of the cylinder cocks. We lived a 1/2 mile from the Pennsy. So my Dad wanted me to listen, When he heard the 6323 coming he said "Remember this sound because you'll never hear this sound again!" Steam had died on August of 1961 according to my Dad. That was my only experience with steam until we saw the ex Southern Mikado 2-8-2 #4501 in Birmingham Alabama.. This time I wasn't scared!