Dear Pilot,
999 says that in her day, they didn’t do all these publicity stunts that started coming into vogue in the 20’s. As I’m sure you are wondering too, no, apparently breaking speed records or attending world’s fairs do not count. She means all the “circus antics” as she put it. I asked what specifically she meant, to give me an example, but she suddenly did not want to discuss it any further. I do wonder though if these “circus antics” didn’t come into style in the 20’s because we had just gotten out of a Great War and then stuck around because we went into a Great Depression. Maybe a birthday cake for a train – just as an example – would have seemed silly in the Gay 90’s, but certainly no one was going to say no to free cake in 1944.
It’s been a bit of a circus around here (and not just in the circus exhibit). We’ve had a lot of visitors over the past few months. Not just the usual kind, although we’ve had plenty of them too. We’re on track to break our attendance record again. Lots of famous people have come to visit us as well though and that always gets us in the paper and reminds everyone else to come see us. We had President Walter Scheel from West Germany last June and the Empress Farah Diba of Iran in July. She says she wants to make a museum like ours in her country.
Mick Jagger from the Rolling Stones visited too when the band came to Chicago to play a concert last month. My guides were particularly excited about him! They even sang a little bit of the band’s music for me. I don’t really understand it, but they were having fun and that’s always good for the museum too.
I hope I didn’t seem like I was lamenting my articulation. I do think roundhouses and your barns sound comfortable and friendly, but being an outdoor engine isn’t so bad. It’s even sort of a… vote of confidence, let’s say. That you and I and all my yardmates are outside is because our minders know we’re still strong enough to bear the weather. Not bad for a forty-year-old engine! And it isn’t as though we articulates weren’t given our own privileges. We had wyes built at all our termini so we could turn around (there was some back and forth over whether it was termini or terminuses when there’s more than one, but my guide likes the sound of termini better). We also had our own maintenance yard with special equipment to work on us. They called it the Zephyr Pit. I hear it’s still called that, even though we don’t use it anymore.
The work your museum does is truly amazing, both in results and volume. 13,000 hours on one engine is difficult to conceive of, let alone on one that’s been retired. That 1630 is making the most of her restoration immediately shows she appreciates every second they put into her. And that her jumping right in frees up your Shay to get her turn in the shops; it’s very familial, isn’t it? Sort of like how Æolus would cover the Twin Cities Zephyr for Pegasus or Zephyrus when they were due for overhaul. It would have been strange to think of doing such favors for engines from other railways when we were in revenue service, but we’ve both found ourselves with new fleets built out of fellow relics from our fallen flags. And navies, as it were. (2903’s loud snorting suggests I am getting a little sentimental for his liking.) As for your Green Hornet, I’ve never seen one, but my guide describes them as “cute”. I’m sure she’ll make herself a nice compliment to your CTA twins once she’s compliant with safety regulations.
Your people are very dedicated. Ours are too, obviously, but it’s a little different here than there. We don’t really need maintenance here the way you do, but we still have a lot of different kinds of support for us. Taxes and donations and things, official contributions so they create a sense of obligation, if that makes sense. Your people are accomplishing so much just out of a passion for your preservation.
I’m really happy they found you and brought you home to their railway. And that you are going to get your share of the hours put in. It won’t be long now before you and your Goddesses are pulling more weight among your museum’s fleet too.
Your friend,
Pioneer