The Wabash Cannonball

This weekend we got to see something really cool: The steam locomotive 765 coming through downtown Huntington. On Saturday and Sunday the train was running an all-day round trip excursion from Fort Wayne to Lafayette and back again, retracing the route of the Wabash Cannonball. We walked down to the tracks to watch it come through last night, and it was something to behold.

I love living in a town where a steam train coming through town is a big event and brings out an excited crowd. Of all the versions of the Wabash Cannonball we listened to this weekend, this one best seemed to capture the festive excitement, especially of the kids waiting to see the train.

We had so much fun on Saturday night that I called my train-loving brother Andrew, who lives two and a half hours away, and invited him to come watch with us again on Sunday afternoon.

We got up a little earlier than usual on Sunday morning to catch the westbound train on our way to church. Like a good small-town girl, Annie brought along her flag to wave at the train.

It was a beautiful, clear, cold October morning in downtown Huntington.

Collin, Laurel, and Annie waiting for the train...

I hear the train a-coming. It's rolling round the bend...

Listen to the jingle, hear the rumble and the roar

As she glides along the woodland through the hills and by the shore

Hear the mighty rush of the engine, hear those lonesome hobos call

Traveling through the jungle on the Wabash Cannonball

She's mighty tall and handsome she's known quite well by all
She's a regular combination on the Wabash Cannonball

Here's the video Collin and Laurel took of the eastbound train on Sunday afternoon, with the old Huntington depot in the background. Annie and Jenny and I were over down the tracks a bit, watching with Uncle Andrew. Lots of people put pennies on the tracks to get smashed coin souvenirs, which is why you see the rush of people to the tracks right after the train goes through. We put down three pennies, but only found one. I'm going to drill a hole through the top and turn it into a necklace.

This was such a fun weekend! We're really hoping they decide to run this train again next year - and if they do, Andrew and I might need to go train chasing again like we did in college.