Back into “Training”

Saturday July 23

Today we took a pleasant but short ride to Golden Spike, UT. The once very famous location where the final spike was driven that connected the continental US via railroad, the magic carpet ride of its age. It is in the middle of a very ordinary small basin just a little bit north of Salt Lake City. The event in this small ordinary basin was heralded around the Country, and the World.

The National Park Service re-enacts the event (twice on the day we were there) with dignity and true to histories actual event. The two refurbished locomotives are beautiful, fully functioning, replicas of the high tech engines of the day. The actors are knowledgeable and friendly. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the visit.

The four final blows of the spike maul,  D-..  O---  N-.  E.  sent the telegraph message that instantly initiated many elaborate celebrations throughout the US. In San Francisco here was even a cannon volley triggered remotely via the telegraph signal.

Because the Railroad Barons could not hit the spike a worker
had to finish the job. Four blows and it was finished.

What it might have looked like, on film of the period.

Hip Hip Hooray!

Detail of the Union Pacific 'No. 119.'

Cow's eye view of the Central Pacific's 'Jupiter.'