Hey Folks,
Let’s go back to grade school – American History class. You’re sitting in the back row. It’s just after lunch and you’re really
trying hard to stay awake. Little Wayne
– the class clown - is sitting next to
you and has a row of spitballs all lined up in the little depression in the
desk top that's supposed to hold pencils.
The teacher is droning on about westward expansion and the
transcontinental railroad. “On May 8, 1869 the Central
Pacific Railroad was laying track eastward from California and arrived at the agreed meeting point, Promontory Summit, Utah. Two days later on May 10th the Union Pacific arrived after having laid their track from St Louis. The country was finally joined." Right about
now Wayne launches a big one at the clock and you soon forget the significance
of what happened long ago in the middle of nowhere, Utah.
Fast forward to now. An adult appreciation has taken hold and this stuff has become interesting. Margo and I decided that while we're here we had to go see the place where it all came together, so to speak, at Promontory Summit. It’s still in the middle of nowhere (about 80 miles northwest of SLC) but it’s
a National Historic Site now with a very nice Park Service museum (and gift
shop) and as luck would have it, a reenactment of the momentous occasion taking place.
 | |
| Entrance to the Golden Spike National Historic Site |
So a few weeks back we packed a picnic lunch and met up with our good friends Pat and Nancy for the trip to the tracks. Pat works for the company as well. We met in Nashville back in the "arctic vortex" days of last winter. He was also assigned to SLC so we've both been able to work together again and thaw out at the same time. It was a beautiful day and a nice drive to the site. It's quite impressive actually, as I hope the pictures show, and all of our hats went off to the Park Service employees and volunteers who are keeping the spirit and machinery alive.
 |
| The Central Pacific "Jupiter" from the west coast. |
 |
| Union Pacific #119 from St. Louis |
 |
| A country is united |
I won't go into all the history here since it's been done so well by the Park Service here and the Wikipedia article here. Go ahead and click 'em for extra credit. Your
history teacher would be proud.
