When function meets grace...

Welcome to a blast from the past. When I heard that an old steam engine was steaming into town, I had to grab the camera and go see. I was a little dissapointed at first, but soon got over it. I think that I was expecting a more traditional steam engine; a cacophany of whistles, clangs, chugs wrapped into a functional display of steam stacks, tender cars and a flash back into America's past. Instead I was greeted by a sleek and powerful combination of function and elegance.

Sleek lines. The older traditional coal driven steam engine made way for these faster, more powerfull oil fed steamers. This engine was built in the early 40's and modernized in the 50's to create this "contemporary" look. If I remember correctly, this was the last coal engine produced and the last to be retrofitted to oil. It is also the last steam engine that travels the national lines. It is still used to carry passengers and goods, though I imagine that it won't be too long before it ends up in a museum somewhere, its whistles silent and its wheels still.

A close up of the end of an era. This is an example of the pinnacle of American ingenuity, will and might. Looking close you can almost feel the heat, hear the noise and experience the smells of the foundry that cast this eight foot tall wheel. This was an time when man created through sweat, blood and tears. This was long before man created machines to create for him.

One wonders what memories this train carries. Old dining cars like this have seen thousands of people and carried the hopes and dreams of countless people. One can almost envision immigrants, the well-to-do and the classic business men steaming leisurely to new homes, luxury vacations or the financial transactions that helped shape our today.

Old meets new.