New GE BNSF Dash9 4,400HP

Railroad days in Fullerton 2012 May 5 & 6 was a great event. It all started off with the Pancake breakfast at 8:00 sharp hosted by the Boy Scouts troup #292. Encouraged by the scout leaders they have an opportunity to increase their people skills by interact with the public. I gave my money to the young Scout then another young chap relayed "one pancake Breakfast" to his counter part. Being still early I ventured towards the brand new BNSF GE Dash 9 (see video) engine that was on the side track humming away. It was only 8:50am so I waited in a short line ready for my experience of walking along the catwalk and through this 4,400 horse power 12 cylinder monster of an engine. I was thinking quietly about Warren Buffet how he must know something that we don't know yet, as he invested billions in the future of BNSF. On the gangway along the BNSF dash 9 I got talking to another gent who also liked trains when he was a boy and still does. We slowly entered the cab and into the engineers cabin where all the GPS, computers control system is situated all in curved display of Hi Tech Electronics. Man in front said sit in the engineers seat I'll take your picture, you never get another chance to do that again. After the thrill of sitting in the drivers seat and the picture taken it was off to the many table top displays. The model train layouts were unbelievable, so much to see, everything from O gauge to the smallest Z gauge, even a fantastic display from the Lego train club. Most of the gauge letters I don't understand but I figure the Z being the last of the letters is and was the smallest. I saw a guy operating on one like a surgeon with a body, could hardly see the components it was so small. One could see the work and the care you have to have with all these model trains (video) setting up the display alone takes time. All the displays were great, thanks for all these clubs coming together with a only little help from the City of Fullerton. This event is all worth while but the thing that stuck out for me is when you see the kids of all ages get so excited, pointing, jumping up and down as if they were at Disneyland, again! I thought the best display was the steam engine (see video) puffing smoke out of the little stack pulling a long load goods. It was a great day for me and tons of other nice folks in good old Fullerton town, you can't beat it.