Waiting at the Crossroads

I have seen this train for over fifty years—rode it, waved at it, photographed it, and waited for it to pass through intersections, yet never noticed the name painted so prominently on the side of the engine. More concerned with getting my groceries home unmelted, I didn’t notice it this time either, just sat there cross-eyed til the gate lifted. And then I had the image up on the screen: who the heck is Gene O’Lague? 

Retired Southern Pacific Locomotion Engineer Gene O’Lague was a beloved fixture on our local Santa Cruz, Big Trees and Pacific Railway from 1988 to 1992. He brought his love of trains and his expertise from over forty years with Southern Pacific to our Roaring Camp Beach Train, a tourist attraction that runs from the Boardwalk to the redwood forest.

In 2013 Locomotive 2641 was named in tribute to Gene O'Lague, one of the original employees of Roaring Camp. Keep your eyes open, folks. It’s an interesting world.