Through Tunnels and Over Streams: Piecing Together Stone Steel and Steam
by Elmer Prather, guest blogger
My latest puzzle is a one thousand piece titled Stone, Steel and Steam by Ken Zylla. Pictures tell a story, and this puzzle picture displays a steam powered engine pulling twenty-five or so rail cars and a caboose. The train is a Santa Fe and the engine pulling the cars is number 1307.
The setting is in a mountainous area with a tunnel that was constructed so trains could get through that part of the mountain. There is a section of track that goes over a stream flowing under the train track. This section of track is supported by two rock and cement support beams. Back in the 1800s stream crossings like this would have been constructed with wood. Over time, many of these wooden railroad bridges would be damaged in fires or in floods causing many trains to derail.
Stone Steel and Steam assembled and photographed by Elmer Prather
The colors used in this puzzle are amazing. The red brown and cream colors are displayed in several locations in the picture. It was sometimes interesting trying to decide where a certain puzzle piece went because of this but the puzzle looked great when I finished putting it together.
I do research on the puzzles I put together and found several interesting facts about the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. It was often referred to as the Santa Fe or AT7SF and was one of the largest Class 1 railroads in the United States between 1859 and 1996. The railroad was chartered in February 1859 to serve the cities of Atchison and Topeka, Kansas and Santa Fe New Mexico. As the railroad was first being built, many of the tracks were laid directly over the wagon ruts of the Santa Fe Trail. The railroad officially ceased independent operations on December 31, 1996, when it merged with the Burlington Northern Railroad to form the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway.
I have had the pleasure of riding on several steam powered locomotive excursions. The sound of the steam powered locomotive going down the tracks is something I will never forget. On many of these excursions, I have taken the opportunity to speak to some of the people who keep these steam-powered locomotives running and have found that they are a dedicated group of people who love what they do. These steam powered excursion train trips are slowly being eliminated. I hope the people responsible for keeping them alive and working will be successful so future generations can enjoy these wonderful rides.
Elmer Prather
Canton, Georgia
USA
