Dunlop Porter Moves back to A&A

Mountcastle wrote:Let me rephrase my objection, in that case:

I hate killjoys, be they insurance companies or litigious dimwits who burn their hands by touching the hot parts of steam locomotives.

Perhaps we need more judges who'll say things like, "no, you can't have $250,000 for being an inept moron, sir/madam. It was your decision to walk up to a great big boiling hot steam locomotive and put your hands on it. Go home."

When I was young, not only could you walk through the cab, you could ride in it if you asked nicely. Manley always let my dad and I ride in the cab when I was a kid. I think we had to sign some sort of liability release form, of which they kept copies on hand on a clipboard in the cab. And if you burned your hand like a dope touching something hot, the reaction was "ouch". Not, "I'll sue you!"

But when you're a kid who loves trains riding in the cab of a steam locomotive and ringing the bell at grade crossings, you could care less about the occasional "ouch".

People are made of cotton candy these days.

ugh before i die i will ride in a steam locomotive

I think there are still some places that let you rent time in a Steam Locomotive. I believe the Nevada Northern does it (http://nevadanorthernrailway.net/locore ... rental.htm). I have heard that some foreign countries like Poland even allow people to run their regularly scheduled trains, still pulled by steam, under the watchful eye of the regular crew. Too bad you don't live in Britain: there are tons of opportunities to volunteer and slowly work up to engine driver. If you want to run a steam engine badly enough, there are possibilities. If you just want a cab ride, then that is something else.

You could always do what I am doing: build your own 1/8 size steam engine! Then, you can ride in/on it all you want!

Let's make sure this thread doesn't turn into an insurance bashing thread.