Postcards from Paradise (and also MYM)

When I was a little girl, we moved between California, Wisconsin, and Illinois on a fairly regular basis.  The moves were often accomplished when my dad was overseas or on his way overseas.  Mom, my sister and I would ride the" Santa Fe All the Way" train all the way cross country.  I would spend my days in the dome car, meal time in the dinner car, and evenings in a sleeping car.   Years later, with our own children, it was miniature train rides at Christmas, history trains going from Point A to Point B and back, and for the grown ups dinner/mystery trains. 

To this day, counting train cars at a crossing is an irresistible impulse.  Of course, when the train is going 5 miles per hour at a crossing, well, that's not so great and the impulse to do a 180 becomes irresistible. 

Today I was hit with another irresistible impulse.  This one had me doing a 180 on my way home.  I've passed this train engine literally hundreds, maybe thousands of times.  Every time I drive through Geer and Santa Fe, I pass this engine secured by a fence and barbed wire . . .

. . . but I've never photographed it.  So,

1.)   180 at the grain elevator entrance;

2.)   cross over onto the shoulder running next to the orchard;

3.)   up a makeshift dirt road and park;

4.)   Ignore the "Trespassers will be prosecuted" sign, and

5.)   make an end-run at the end of the fence. 

Would they prosecute?  Really?  I decided the sign was for nogoodniks (definition: A worthless, disreputable, or malicious person). And after taking several pictures, that theory was put to the test.  There came security in an electric cart.  I grinned.  I waved. I remained poised to take my last picture. 

Fortunately for me, the nice, young, curly haired man could see that I was an admirer of the old beauty.  The object in my hand was a camera, not a paint can capable of long range spraying.  We were instantly bonded in our shared admiration of the grand old engine.  Here are a few more pictures for you to enjoy. 

Engine #2260 details are below.

Original Owner - Atchinson Topeka and Santa Fe

Model:  Rebuilt EMD GP9u  Built as: AATSF 700 (GP9)

Serial No:  21570   Order No: 5450

Number: 5450-1  Built: 5/1956

Current owner: Nuwest Milling, Since technically the engine is no longer a Santa Fe (or BNSF) engine, as it is owned by a grain elevator company, they have yet to paint out the Santa Fe markings.  I think after all this time, the Santa Fe will stay on the side of the engine right where it belongs.

Link here as well for Mellow Yellow Monday