Towards the end of summer in 2019, I found myself trackside at the Niles Canyon Railway for their traditional steam excursions. The morning of August 11th, we find the NCRY running its daytime excursions led by Columbia River Belt Line #7 (aka "skookum"). Due to the train being longer and heavier than normal, some diesel assistance was called on (US Army 65-tonner #7348) to get the train up the hill from Niles to Sunol. SP 5623 (torpedo tube GP9) was also on hand to guide the train downhill.
September 7th, 2019 brought the NCRY steam crews back out again as Skookum once again led the daytime excursion runs. However, this run finds the Skookum paired up with Clover Valley #4, making for a complete steam lashup. We start with a UP manifest on the WP side of the canyon, then go back to the SP side for the excursions. Noteworthy for today is the much shorter consist that they are running up and down the hill with. This consist also includes the Yosemite Valley #330 observation car, quite easily the most treasured passenger car that the PLA has in its possession. The car is privately owned.