Eureka, I Filmed It!

[Bob Boze Bell]

August 19, 2012

Busy day in Durango yesterday. Started off early at the train station filming new True West Moments for the Encore Westerns Channel. 

 

 

 

Here I am in front of the Eureka steam locomotive, built in 1875 and in use in Nevada one year before Custer's Last Stand. Sucker weighs 44,000 pounds and is in perfect condition. They had the steam engine on the roundabout and it turned behind me as I gave the history of steam engines in the West.  After this shot, the owner of the train allowed me to get up in the engine as we chugged through the roundhouse and coupled with two cars and a caboose. The little boy in me was in the clouds. Much fun. Filmed four other Moments on the Presidential Train to Cascade and back.

"Eureka, I filmed it!"

—BBB

[Stan H]

What a thrill that must have been.

I am old enough to rempmber riding passenger trains,,,, loved it. I think the nation lost something when they stopped regular train service to the small towns,,,

[DieselDaze]

My two favorite past-times: 
The Old West and Steam Trains. That's a "True West Moment" I look forward to seeing.

[Wolfgang]

. . . Bob . . . all I kin say . . . is . . . . . WOW . . .    :)

[Sue Cauhape]

Losing trains as a major means of transportation is indeed a great lose. What other technology, besides sailing ships, has inspired songs and legends and downright lies about the people and the times?

[Bob Boze Bell]

Speaking of legends and lies, according to a certain distinguished professor, the song "I've Been Working On The Railroad," is very sexual, but in a Victorian, disguised way: "Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah, someone's in the kitchen I know. . .strumming on the ol' banjo." According to Paul the person singing is away, working on the railroad, but he knows his wayward wife is entertaining someone in the kitchen and the gent is, well, he's strumming something other than a banjo, if you know what I mean and I think you do. Anybody buying this?

[Stan H]

You may have something there BB. The next verse, according to wikipedia:

 

Someone's makin' love to Dinah

Someone's making love I know.

Someone's making love to Dinah

'Cause I can't hear the old banjo

 

I love this,,, I start out googling about "working on the railroad" and evolve to old english tunes from 1830,,, and on from there,,,, ain't it great?