The Long View
A summer day in 1956, and it's a long road from Chicago to the West Coast. The Olympian Hiawatha covers 2189 miles to reach Seattle, then 38 more to reach Tacoma. Total time: 45 hours and 45 minutes. If on schedule, it reaches this location, Vendome Mt, at about 3:45 in the afternoon of the second day. Behind it lie the foothills and smaller ranges already crossed as it makes it way west. In front, a sharp turn and attack on the Rocky Mountains directly. On this summer day, the Oly Hi is in classic Milwaukee Road colors of Orange and Black, the UP Armour Yellow will come later. I've got the camera set up, it's ready. I know the train should have pulled at Three Forks on-time, 3:00pm. It should only be a matter of minutes before the headlight of the approaching streamliner comes into view, still many miles distant. It will approach silently, born westward by electric power. The shear scale of the distance makes judging its speed difficult, but it will arri