Locomotive

[baldeagle]

Got a call from an airline pilot on layover in Las Vegas last night, who said the hotel they were staying in, the Sunset Station, had a locomotive on display that according to the sign was once at ORA, and did I know about it. Not only did I know about it, I remember building fires in its boiler when we were kids, and hoping Cole didn't see the smoke...

Who else remembers it?





Surviving Steam Locomotives in Nevada

Preserved Orenstein & Koppel Steam Locomotives

Looks a little better now than it did in the old days...




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[SteveS]

Yea, this is the way I remember it...



I took this photo way back in 1973.
Certainly does look a tad better.
I had often wondered what happened to it. Glad it got the care it deserves.
Salute,
Steve

[Gwen]

I remember hearing stories of the locomotive and I believe another train car used as a dressing room being on loan at ORA. As I recall one day the owner decided to take them back. Then the building attached to the Souvenir Shop became the dressing room. In time that became too cramped, so the female staff asked Cole to have a new place for the vintage clothing and costumes. What we were thinking of was just a square building with changing booths and clothing racks.

One evening Cole called me and asked if I preferred to have a boat or a train for the vintage clothing collection. Anyone else would think this a very odd question, but I answered right away, A TRAIN!

Cole went on to explain that he had been offered a boat, and that the caboose on a hill on the way into Rhinebeck was up for sale. It was obvious that he was looking for justification for buying the caboose besides that it would replace the train that use to be at ORA.

Cole explained that it would have to be trucked in off season in three sections: the car, its wheel assembly, and the tracks with its bedding. Unfortunately when it was delivered the ground was not completely frozen and it tore up the runway. My Aerodrome brothers voiced quite a complaint of the folly that I was now an accomplice to that caused them much work to repair the ruts crossing the airfield.

In for a penny, in for a pound. I arrived to look at the delivered vehicle and found it quite a hike to climb into it using the side ladder. Inside it was painted the 1920's candy apple green that had become baked on enamel. It reeked of kerosene from its full tank that supplied its kitchen stove. It also had a small heating stove that was later put into the barn. The windows were all frosted over, making the interior very dark.

Cole enthusiasticly told me that he wanted the windows replaced and the interior to be painted pink in honor of Trudy Trulove. He'd like the interior to eventually look like a car from the Orient Express, with Wilbur and Orville Wright sitting at the windows.

While the caboose never became the Orient Express, with a lot of work it did get painted pink and cream and became the new dressing room. Stairs and platform made for easy access for the volunteers for the vintage fashion show. Donations and volunteer help contributed to the many costumes inside.

Cole quickly took over the former dressing room building, hung a parachute from the ceiling and turned it into the model airplane museum. He was quite happy with taking over its space for his favorite hobby.