From steam engines and souvenirs to passenger cars and the variety of private varnish here for the all-day excursions.

First was my favourite, the "Cedar Rapids" and the rear end of this unique Milwaukee Road product.

Milwaukee Road Skytop observation car 186 "Cedar Rapids". PPCX 800040. Owned by the Friends of 261.

Milwaukee Road 53 "Super Dome" (ex North Carolina Department of Transporation 400031 "Mount Mitchell", exx. Union Pacific 421 "Powder River", exxx. Chicago and North Western 421, exxxx. Rail Travel Associations 53, exxxxx. VIA 2701, exxxxxx. CN 2701, exxxxxxx. CN 2401 "Athabasca", nee Milwaukee Road 53). PPCX 800862. Also owned by the Friends of 261.

New York Central observation car 3 "Portland" (ex. Conrail 1, exx. Penn Central 4, nee New York Central 3). Stored between 1978 and 1988 then sold to Columbus and Greenville. Owned by Lovett Smith and chartered by VarChandra since 1992. PPCX 800084.

Great Lakes Central 76-seat coach 5447 (ex. Tuscola and Saginaw Bay 5447, exx. VIA 5447, nee Canadian National 5447). Built 1954.

Pennsylvania Railroad 76-seat coach "Lake Pepin" (ex. "Whitehall", exx. AMTK 7617, exxx. AMTK 7428, exxxx. Penn Central 1598, nee Pennsylvania Railroad 1598). Built 1952 as 60-seat smoking lounge for Congressional and Senator trains. PPCX 800799. Owned by Friends of 261.

Pennsylvania Railroad "St. Paul Pass" (ex. AMTK 7613, exx. AMTK 7424, exxx. Penn Central 1594, nee Pennsylvania Railroad 1594). Built 1952. PPCX 800798. Owned by Friends of 261.

North Star Rail baggage/concession car 2450 (ex. Union Pacific 24467, nee Union Pacific postal storage 5471). PPCX 800287. Owned by Friends of 261.

Michigan State Trust for Railway Preservation (MSTX) cafe-lounge 762 (ex. Tuscola and Saginaw Bay 762, exx. VIA 762 1919, exxx. Canadian National cafe-coach 3025 1965, nee Canadian National 5576). Owned by the Steam Railroading Institute.

MSTX baggage/concession car 1363 "William Berkompas" (ex. AMTK 1363, nee US Army Hospital Kitchen car 89639). Owned by the Steam Railroading Institute.

Arizona Transit Assembly (ATAX) 76-seat coach "Arizona" (ex. AMTK 7615 "Glen Falls", exx. AMTK 7426, exxx. Penn Central 1596, nee Pennsylvania Railroad 1596). Built 1962. PPCX 800861. Owned by Friends of 261.

MSTX 64-seat coach 5528 (ex. Blue Water Michigan Chapter 5228, exx. VIA 5228, nee Canadian National 5228). Owned by the Steam Railroading Institute.

North Star Rail coach 202 "Wenonah" (ex. Algoma Central 442, exx. Central of Georgia 671, nee Central of Georgia 541).

MSTX 64-seat coach 5526 (ex Blue Mountain Chapter 5226, exx. VIA 5226, nee Canadian National 5226).

Ohio Central 80-seat coach 705 (ex. Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society 7158, nee Chicago, Burlington and Quincy 7158).

Ohio Central 80-seat coach 704 (ex. Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society 7174, nee Chicago, Burlington and Quincy 7114).

MSTX crew-tool car 462 "Mark Holton" (ex. Chicago and North Westerna, exx. Chicago Great Western, nee Chesapeake and Ohio). Was formerly owned by the Illinois Railway Museum.

Metra/Burlington bi-level commuter car 796. Owned by the Steam Railroading Institute.

Ann Arbor caboose 2838 (ex. Bluewater Michigan Chapter 2838, nee Ann Arbor 2838). Owned by the Steam Railroading Institute.

History of caboose 2838 and information on cabooses in general.

Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society tool car 701 (ex. US Army kitchen car 89665 1953). Acquired by FWHRS in 1979 and converted to a tool car in 1981 for use behind Nickel Plate 765.

Federated Railways (FRYX) bi-level commuter coach 712, nee Metra/Burlington coach. Federated Railways bought Tuscola and Saginaw Bay and re-named it Great Lakes Central).

MSTX 76-seat coach 5646 (ex. Tuscola and Saginaw Bay 5646, exx. VIA 5646, exxx. Canadian National cafe-coach 3208, nee Canadian National 5646). Used on the hourly excursions behind Little River 110.

The afternoon was waning and the equipment was being set up for the evening's photo shoot.

Southern Pacific 4-8-4 4449 returning from its trip to Alma; 4449 led the Friday trip and 765 led the Saturday and Sunday ones. Throughout the day, we had seen a helicopter overhead and after a full day, we left and drove to the airport where the helicopter tours were being offered. Neither Bob nor I had ever ridden in a helicopter before and we bought our tickets for a rare and memorable ride.

As we left Train Festival grounds, the Shiawassee River was adjacent.

The helicopter that we would ride in.

Aerial view of the Owosso area of Shiawasse County. The Train Festival site is in the upper centre and is the source of the smoke.

Views of the Train Festival site from the helicopter.

The Owosso countryside which reminded me of England. We dropped our purchases off at the hotel then went to dinner before relaxing for the night and anticipation of tomorrow's steam excursion.

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