Brigham in the Engineer’s Seat!

Bill and Diane Brigham, and their daughter, Ginger Cook, stand in front of old engine #40 in Ely, Nev. Bill and Ginger got to run #40 for 14 miles through tunnels and across bridges, the culmination of a life-long dream for Bill.

If you think childhood dreams can’t come true then you need to speak with Bill Brigham, Randolph’s train enthusiast.

Bill and his daughter Ginger Cook recently had an opportunity to rent and actually operate a steam engine in Ely, Nev.

Bill Brigham’s fascination with trains is legendary. He has an enormous model train collection in his Prospect Avenue home. He has a big collection of train and engine photographs that he presented to the Randolph Historical Society a year ago. He still makes sure he’s in Depot Square when any special train comes through.

And he’s made it a life work as well as a hobby, as the long-time Amtrak stationmaster in both the White River Junction and Montpelier Junction stations.

His genial manner at the Montpelier Junction station even got more than a mention in a book by the famous Vermont playwright, David Mamet.

The fascination started early

"As a kid I used to ride in the steam engine cab from the Whiting Creamery on Pearl Street to the United Farmers on Weston Street," Bill reflected.

"I would look at the engineers and dream of doing what they were doing."

So when he heard about a program of the Nevada Northern Railway Museum in Ely, he was all ears. The program allows individuals to rent and run one of their old-time steam engines.

"I read about the steam engine rental program a few years ago and when my daughter Ginger invited us to vacation with her and her husband Bob in Lake Tahoe, the opportunity of a lifetime presented itself as far as I was concerned," Bill said.

Bill and Ginger arrived at the Nevada Northern Railroad Museum early on Friday, Sept. 14 in order to prepare for their adventure running old Engine #40 a.k.a. "The Ghost Train."

The two would operate the engine from the East Ely Depot down to McGill and back, a 14-mile round trip (equivalent to the distance from Randolph to Bethel and back).

First, they took a written test, which they had studied for, then they received training from the engineer, Chris, who would remain on board throughout the trip.

Then it was time for Bill to sit in the engineer’s seat. He took his place at the throttle, while the engineer stayed close by to ensure the engine stayed at the proper speed throughout their trip.

Bill would be responsible for operating the throttle, brakes and Johnson bar in order to keep Old Number 40 running at the proper speed. At tunnels and crossings, it was his job also to blow the whistle—two long, one short and one long.

"I got to blow it just the way I wanted to," Bill said excitedly. "I think blowing the whistle and waving at the onlookers was my favorite part," daughter Ginger added.

At the end of the rental, the engine was returned to the depot where the pair of part-time engineers received their certificates of completion.

"It was an amazing experience and I’d do it again in a heartbeat," Ginger said. "That I got to share it with my dad made it even more memorable!"  

"The experience was all I expected it to be," Bill said, "For half a day I was a steam train engineer!"