It had been 12 hours, but it felt like twelve days in my family’s hot and stuffy ’73 Jeep Wagoneer. Five years old and the youngest of the family, I was sandwiched in the back between the cooler and the luggage. We arrived in the middle of the summer in the hot, arid town of Durango in southwestern Colorado. We all piled out and followed my dad down to the depot. Suddenly, there it was. I had never seen a steam engine before, yet there it sat—a big, black hulk of soot, steam, and oil. Its headlight glowed yellow even in the brilliant afternoon sun. Every few seconds, a kah-whumpf sound shook the ground and made my insides tremble. It breathed, it panted, it sweated, and it rumbled as if it were alive. The steam, along with the scent of the oil, the coal smoke, and the creosote on the ties, mixed into a kind of perfume. My father walked me up to the locomotive and stood me on the deck of the cab while the fireman opened the doors to the firebox to let me see and feel the tremendous heat inside. By then, my 5-year-old mind was fascinated with this new world of railroads. The sights and the sounds mingled into an experience that I have never forgotten.

When I became a father, my appreciation for this boyhood fascination flourished. One of the first of many trips with my children to see trains was down to Durango with my 3-year-old daughter along with my own father to ride the same train I rode as a 5-year-old. I learned some valuable lessons that day. First of all, I learned not to plan a trip that is too long. Keeping the trip length age-appropriate is very important. A young child is not able to occupy their time the way a teenager can. My daughter was 3 years old at the time, and a day-long train ride was simply too long for her. Fortunately, I was able to get us seats for a shorter trip on a bus back to Durango. A picture of her with a light dusting of soot coating her cheeks at the end of that day remains one of her grandfather’s favorites.

That trip was special. It was our first daddy-daughter adventure together. In fact, it was her first time away from Mom, and our trip brought us together in a direct one-on-one connection. She and I had an opportunity to talk together and I was able to see this experience through her eyes.

The Strength of Steam
I took advantage of the opportunity that day to talk to my daughter, in a simple way, about how the engine worked. I told my daughter that a steam engine is like a teakettle. It is based on the principle that water expands into steam when it is heated. The pressure created by making steam is used to push the locomotive forward.

From the little engines in the 1830s to the massive, black brutes of the 1940s, the basic concept of a steam engine remained unchanged throughout its use. Coal or oil is burned inside a firebox in front of the cab, where the engineer sits. The heated gasses from the fire move forward from the firebox through tubes—called flues—in the boiler, and out the smokestack in the front. The flues are surrounded by a jacket of water that absorbs the heat from the fire. The water boils to steam, and the steam dome at the top of the engine collects it to feed it down through the cylinders. There the steam expands against the piston and pushes it back, driving the wheels around. The steam from the cylinders is vented through the smokestack to pull more air for the fire into the firebox, giving the locomotive its chuffing sound.

Steam is also fed back to an air compressor. It’s what gives off the kahwhumpf sound that shook the ground in Durango. The compressor forces air into tanks on the side of the locomotive. The engineer uses the air to control the brakes on the locomotive and the cars behind him.

In addition to the engineer, the typical crew of a steam train consisted of a fireman, one or more brakemen, and a conductor. Passenger trains had car attendants as well. The engineer was responsible for controlling the train’s movement from the cab of the locomotive using the throttle and brakes, signaling with the whistle, and ringing the bell. The fireman would monitor the pressure of the steam, add more water to the boiler, and add more fuel to the firebox. He would use a pump for oilfired engines and a stoker, or old-fashioned coal shovel, for coal-fired engines. The brakemen would manage the cars in the train, coupling and uncoupling the cars at stops and making the necessary checks on equipment of the train. Before pneumatic brakes were invented, brakemen would ride on top of the freight cars and operate the brakes of several cars by hand, day or night, in the heat, rain, and snow. The conductor would manage the paperwork and instructions for the train, ensuring the right cars were picked up or left at the right locations. He was considered the captain of the train. Given the many responsibilities, it’s not hard to imagine the conflicts and tension arising between different crew members, most notably the conductor and the engineer. This, along with the odd hours and the constant physical labor in all weather and conditions, made for a very hard life—and still does—for the railroad employee.

As the demand for railroads grew, so did the engines. One of the earliest engines, the Stephenson Rocket, was rated to pull only three times its own weight. By the advent of the diesel engine, a steam engine was capable of pulling hundreds of tons. The boilers, the cylinders, and wheels all grew in capacity in proportion to the demand. The driver wheels on the last generation of steam engines often were seven feet or more in diameter, taller than the men who drove them. Taking my children to the railroad museum, I’ve watched their eyes boggle as they look at a driver wheel that is twice as tall as they are. What is amazing is the speed these gigantic wheels generated, sometimes exceeding 100 miles per hour.

Dawn of the Diesel
Despite all the speed and power of steam, a revolution of diesel electric locomotives was on the horizon in 1933. By the mid-1950s, just 20 years later, diesel had completely replaced the mighty iron horse of steam. Sleek and modern in appearance, the new diesels won over the public and railroad management alike with their efficiency and relatively clean appearance.

If a steam locomotive is like a teakettle, a diesel locomotive is a generator, literally! For example, after ice storms paralyzed northeastern Canada in 1999, a Canadian National locomotive was intentionally derailed and driven up the street to provide power to a town’s city hall. A diesel engine drives generates 2-phase alternating current (AC). It is then rectified to direct current (DC) and fed to motors mounted on the axles of the wheels beneath the engine. Within the last 15 years, locomotives have changed, converting the DC power into 3-phase AC power. While the DC locomotives are easier to maintain, AC locomotives are more powerful and efficient. There are trade-offs, and the debate on currents continues today.

Another fun experience was taking my son down to a depot. This particular depot was largely unused but still maintained. The lack of renovation left the history of the station largely intact. The one thing it did have was a large collection of old diesel engines waiting for a museum. My son and I examined the locomotives. Not long into our exploration, we heard a little rumble from the east. The rumble grew, and we realized it was a freight train coming. My son and I got down in time to see a large DC-powered engine swing into view. Keeping my son safely away from the tracks, I told him to wave at the engineer. He did, and the engineer’s friendly reply with a short blast from his horn made my son jump and run back to me. I forgot how big those engines look and sound when you’re 4 years old!

Like steam engines, diesel engines have been made more powerful and efficient by improvements over the years. Early models of diesels were rated to pull with 1,200 to 1,500 horsepower. Today’s diesels could replace four or five of these early models with 6,000 horsepower. It’s not uncommon to see three or four engines pulling trains over 100 cars long, something that would have required a dozen engines 40 years ago.

Occasionally, even diesels just don’t have enough power to make it over a hill. Such was the case when a freight train stalled on the Union Pacific main line in the mid-1990s. It was just ahead of another Union Pacific locomotive that had one thing these diesels didn’t—ample power. The locomotive’s engineer called the dispatcher and asked if they could help give the stalled train a shove. After a few moments, the dispatcher gave them approval and they rolled forward to the back of the train. They coupled on and called the engineer of the stalled train. The first engineer told them to shove and he would gradually start pulling from the front. After a moment or two they still weren’t moving. The engineer on the front called the other and asked what throttle setting they were in. The second engineer told them they were in notch 48 and still not moving. The first engineer was puzzled. Diesel locomotives have only 8 throttle settings. What in the world is notch 48? His reply brought a laugh to everyone in the second locomotive. It turns out it was locomotive #844, the Union Pacific’s only steam engine never retired from active service, returning from a publicity tour. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, they started moving, and soon the stack let out a big, long whoosh of steam. A few more turns of the wheels and they were charging down the rails, bringing in the revenue, just like the old days.

Steel Wheels, Steel Rails
What allows these giant diesels and steam engines to pull the same tonnage that would take dozens of semi-tractor rigs? It’s the efficiency of steel wheels on steel rails. Rather than fight to overcome the friction of rubber tires on concrete, they move on the comparatively frictionless guide path of rails. This scientifically proven efficiency is the fundamental reason why railroads remain competitive nearly 175 years after they started, even though they bear the cost of maintaining their own network of rails.

While the rails don’t go everywhere, they have the job of bearing up as millions of tons of cargo pass over them every year. Eventually, just like pavement, the rails wear down. Frequently, track crews, and even specialized contractors, examine the rails for signs of wear. Often the rails are resurfaced by a grinder. Occasionally a rail develops a crack. To repair it, the rail is cut out and replaced with new rail using welding torches. Older railroads used jointed track, where the sections of rail were bolted together. Because heat causes steel to expand, a gap was left between rail sections to keep them from pushing on each other on hot summer days. That gap was what gave the railroad cars their characteristic “clickety-clack” sound. Today’s railroads use welded rail as much as possible to smooth the ride and reduce wear on the wheels and rails.

The rails are tacked down with spikes to railroad ties. The ties serve two functions. First, they distribute the weight of the cars over a broader area. The second function they serve is to stabilize the rails by holding them a specific distance apart, which is called a gauge. Standard gauge is 4 feet, 8½ inches. Larger gauges are called broad gauge, and smaller gauges are called narrow gauge. Each gauge has its advantages. Broad gauge can carry larger and faster trains, while narrow gauge can go around sharper curves and is less costly to operate. Railroads found the disadvantage to different gauges was that engines and cars from one railroad would not run on another gauge without cumbersome adaptations, like a third rail. As a result, to handle cargo smoothly, all major railroads run on standard gauge.

As a child, I remember my father examining a sign at the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad that said, “End of Standard Gauge.” Because narrow gauge railroads are not used much any more, the workers preserved the sign to serve notice that the riders of their tourist railroad were traveling back to an era when narrow gauge ruled the mountains of Colorado.

Demise of the Caboose
In addition to the change from steam to diesel, the rails have also seen the demise of the caboose. From the earliest days of railroading, it was helpful to have the conductor and a brakeman or two at the rear of the train. The caboose had a couple of bunks for resting, a stove for cooking meals, a desk for paperwork, and lockers for tools. One of my children’s favorite activities at a railroad museum is to visit a caboose. One or two are always open to inspection, and the kids love to climb up and look out the cupola, the high set of windows overlooking the roof of the car. The cupola allowed the occupants of the caboose to watch the train for trouble, which could range from bandits to an overheating axle on a car, also called a hotbox.

As the threat of bandits decreased, the caboose was still needed on trains to watch for hotboxes and other problems not easily seen from the cab of the locomotive. However, by the 1990s, advances in railroading, such as trackside detectors for hotboxes, rendered the caboose mostly obsolete. Today, it has been replaced by FRED, the Flashing Rear End Device, which monitors brake pipe pressure and flashes a red signal to trains that might approach from the rear. The conductor has moved up to the cab of the locomotive and, in addition to his own duties, has taken over the duties of the brakeman, who is now out of a job except for local trains making deliveries and pickups. The caboose has mostly disappeared from railroad life, but it’s still possible to find a caboose used by brakemen for local runs where frequent backing up or coupling and uncoupling cars is necessary.

Catching a Train
Most families will find that it isn’t too much trouble to catch a train. There are dozens of intercity trains run under Amtrak and commuter railroads, as well as numerous trains that allow for a day trip through the most scenic parts of America. In my travels, I’ve found it to be a unique and fun adventure to take to the rails.

Amtrak took over the majority of passenger railroads in 1971, consolidating an existing fleet of passenger trains and then building its own rail fleet with Metroliners and double-decker Superliners. Its routes run everywhere across the nation. Among the more popular routes are the Acela high-speed trains on the Northeast Corridor, the Sunset Limited in the South, the Empire Builder in the North, the Coast Starlight in the West, and the California Zephyr across the heartland and the Rocky Mountains. Riding in coach is usually less than a plane ticket, while purchasing a sleeper room costs more. One thing you don’t have to pay for is the view, which is amazing in places like Glenwood Canyon or along the Pacific coast. Often, a guide will point out interesting sights along the way. It is a great way to see the country without having to drive.

My family once rode from Denver to Glenwood Springs on Amtrak’s California Zephyr. Having ridden the same route 20 years earlier with the Rio Grande Zephyr, I remembered it as one of the most beautiful and scenic trips I had taken. Riding in the glass-enclosed lounge car, my niece and her cousins thought it would be fun to try to hold their breath through the many tunnels on the route. Thankfully, the game wore out before we reached the Moffat Tunnel, which is several minutes long, or we’d have had some very blue faces.

The best opportunities for education and relaxation for families are often found in one-day train trips. These railroads attract tourists who are looking for a fun experi- ence for the entire family. A significant number of these roads incorporate steam engines as a feature. Some of the more popular tourist railroads are the Strasburg Railroad, the Grand Canyon Railway, and the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Still other operations seek to educate their visitors, such as the Steamtown National Historic Site, which is run by the National Park Service.

Some of these railroads offer unique experiences such as “cab rides” up in the locomotive with the engineer or a caboose rental on the rear of the train, where you have an entire car for you and a number of your friends for the whole trip. Still others offer tours of their engine facilities and shops. A call to the railroad offices or a look at their website will usually let you know what they have available.

However, you don’t have to go out of state to enjoy yourself. The trip down to the local train station or commuter line is rewarding if you know where to look. Finding these trains is relatively easy. On the Internet, go to www.trains.com/railroadguide/map.asp and click on your state. Or, if you are on your way to the library or grocery store, swing by the periodicals and look for magazines on railroads. A number of railroad publications have ads and listings of trains you can ride in the summer or year-round. Granted, these sorts of trips take a little research into routes, fares, and history, but it’s worth it to broaden your children’s minds and give them new experiences. It may be beneficial for your children to help you with the research.

There is nothing like getting out and seeing science, economics, and mechanics in motion. It fires the imagination and couples desktop learning with practical application. Ask questions that get your children wondering, such as “How does a switch work?” for your younger children or “How does a railroad crossing signal know when to lower the gate for a train?” for your older student. Most importantly, go out there and have fun. Your children will be naturally curious about the things they see, and it will give them plenty of reason to get out the books and find out for themselves. All-ll- l aboard!

Steve Walden lives in Colorado and, together with his wife, Karen, homeschools their three children, ages 10, 7, and 3. He is a freelance writer and editor with articles appearing in The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, Focus On Your Child: Discovery Years, and Familymanweb.com. He also serves as editor for TOS’s Free Science e-Newsletter. When he’s not blogging at www.HomeschoolBlogger.com/SteveWalden, he’s searching for new opportunities to write about homeschooling, parenting, and connecting with God. He is president of Tree of Life Family Ministries, a retreat ministry for families and especially those in ministry.