Well, winter is trying to depart these parts in Boston, but I just stumbled upon this steamy side discussion. I had to second the motions made here by several of you that petting one of these living breathing monsters is an unforgetable experience for us mere modern nudists accustomed to our reliable if not entirely efficient daily drivers. I had the pleasure of riding the steam excursion train in the Snowdonia region of Wales two summers ago. At one of the stations where we pulled up for a few moments to take on and discharge passengers, the engine driver invited me up into the cab for a look about and petting session. I am no stranger to the mechanicals that I spied around me, having spent some pleasant days in my youth around the Potomac freight yards outside Washington DC at the controls and tooling about in "borrowed" steam locomotives, still in daily use at the time. You see, I was my grandfather's favorite spoiled grandson and he was the Yardmaster. But that is another story.
In any case this warm and unusually sunny day in Wales, scantily dressed as I was only in my Running Kilt (regimental of course), and a tanktop, I was once again overwhelmed by the long forgotten intense heat clawing at me from the open firebox at my feet and the boiler just inches from my face. And here next to me was the engine driver smartly dressed in his timeless blue denim bib overalls, long sleeved shirt, and fool length undies both top and bottom, and crowned with his jaunty grey cap. I'm not sure which one of us was more appropriately dressed for the occasion, but rest assured, but of us were sweating copious and equal amounts of water out by the minute as we stood there chatting. One never fails to be impressed by the sheer endurance that our forebears displayed as they went about their daily lives, pioneering their way towards some of our modern pleasures that we take for granted. Never pass up an opportunity to see, restore, build or otherwise live with one of these amazing creations if one comes your way!
-Dan
