SANDY HOLMES
When the big steam trains came into Ogden, Sandy would walk out on the 24th viaduct just to stand in the fog of steam wafting up from the engine. She even volunteered to haul large hoses to fill the tenders with water. This is the way Sandy remembers the trains of Ogden. Later working for the Union Station, Sandy had access to the roof where she would stand and watch the rail yard hum with activity from the best view in town. When Slim Jolley invited Sandy to join the volunteers working on the #223, she jumped at the chance just because “I love the place!”
Sandy may be new to the crew (2012) but she brings experience in CNC machine tooling and an enthusiasm for learning more about welding, riveting and large band-saw operations. Sandy lives near the rail yards and admits that maybe her love of trains and the sounds of the whistles may now be part of her DNA. That DNA may also be there because both her grandfathers worked for the Union Pacific. Her paternal granddad was a supervisor in the yards and her maternal granddad got his hands dirty as both a breakman and switchman.
Like all the volunteers at the shop, Sandy is willing to do anything, considering every experience a pleasure and an opportunity to build her railroading DNA. When asked what the completion of #223 will mean to her, she answered, “Hearing its whistle will run chills up and down my spine”.
