Old Railroad Locomotive from Fantasy Park at Clark County Museum

[@ka7hqp182]

Born in 1958 at Southern Nevada Memorial Hospital, now called UMC, I guess I could be considered Old School. As kids, our parents used to take us to Lions and Fantasy Park and set us free to run wild. This Steam engine was available to us and this was before the wood steps and railings were installed and we never fell off of the engine or for that matter never got hurt. You did learn very early that an engine made of steel did not have any give to it and since we had common sense back then, we respected the strength of the engine and were careful when playing on it and did not run into it. Back then the firebox where the coal was burnt was accessible from the bottom and it was extremely dark in there when we climbed in. Later a metal grate was welded on to prevent access. Also at the Parks was an Air Force Jet that we could climb into both the cockpit and where the rear engine was mounted. Concrete later would fill the cockpit area and access to the engine position would be removed. Again this was an actual aircraft and sharp surfaces were accessible, but I guess we were smarter than most and did not get hurt. The park also had a Metal Rocket ship that we climbed into and had between six or eight levels and a great view into the park. A concrete Dragon and a Blue Whale that we used to sit in the mouth of were also available to climb on. The Whale had a sprinkler on the top of it's head, but I never saw it on. There were turtles that were big enough to climb under and into the see through shells. Lots of trees and grass only to be replaced by a State Building. Back when we were kids there were no homeless in the park since it was not tolerated. Our other fun park was Lorenzi Park where we would catch crawdads by hand, and could they bite with their claws. Growing up in Vegas was a lot of fun in the 1960s.

[@curtish.6900]

Loved this train as a child. The big Blue Whale was my favorite. I used to just climb into the mouth and sit there and look around the park just thinking how happy I was. Can't ever forget 4th of July's there either, which was the one holiday where people from all over the city specifically came to Fantasy park because it was the best in the city. Barbeques going everywhere, children everywhere, and the best part was that families of all race, creed, and colors gathered and treated each other like family. Some of the happiest days of my life were spent in Fantasy Park.

[@dimpleface2163]

As a child in the early 70s....this was always the first thing I'd run to. lol I'm 51 now. lol

[@stevencoffman]

wow at 2:20 that's me the kid with the yellow shirt and blonde hair reaching for the little girl on top of the train .this was late 1977

[@bobbernstein8824]

Thank you so very much for creating these videos. I loved playing on the locomotive when it was at Fantasy Park, and I loved meeting Union Pacific trains at the old UP passenger depot that used to be where the Plaza Hotel is now. I love knowing that one of the old wooden benches from the Las Vegas depot is now part of your collection in the restored former Boulder City depot

[@Gofastpowder]

I crawled all over this thing as a child.

[@malcolmmarzo2461]

I remember when this engine was in a North Las Vegas Park. I used to play around the engine. It must have been in 1958 because the Omaha service record documents were still in the holder. It was in operating condition and looked very good.

[@Tikipunch9]

I use to play on that train back in the 1970s at Fantasy Park, someon die on that train, and that's when they removed it. I remember the airplane they had at that park too, and the snack stand where they sold popcorn, pickles, chips, candy, we had fun back then, and further vack in the park they would have a live band on every Saturday, yes I would dance away, and sneak beers, and cigarettes from my older cousins conversion vans, they had their conversion van crew, and ice chest full of beers, and T.J Swan cheap wine, kid would have a water ballon fight, and I would be on the train in the corner sipping, eating, abd smoking Benson & Hedges menthol cigarettes, he I was always ahead of my time, I always felt I was a 20 something year old woman trapped in a childs body. People always said I act like a old woman, and I did, I was raised by grandparents, and no sisters 2 brothers, but I would spend time with my grandmother sisters, and my grandfather's sister in-law, if they was still here they would be 110, 105...I was 8 years old, well my body was, and I was 24, just trapped in a childs body. Now I'm 55yrs old, and feel older like 70s, my hair started to get gray at 16....Now I realize how much I loved that train, I was in France on the 1895 the Montparnasse derailment, I was murdered along with my lover, we were shot to death, by a healous woman, we had two children, and guess what he's back in this life, I found him in 2020, but he's married now with no babies, I didn't have any babies either, and guess who he married the one that murdered us in our past life, she knows who I am, she seen me on Instagram, and tries to keep him far away from me, one high priestess tells her that I will show up, and he will meet me face to face, nothing can't stop that, it's Universal Law, it is her karma, she killed us. Question did our two children come back in this life? Maybe him, and I will take a train ride? Who knows.

[@Vegas70s]

I remember sliding (or trying to slide) down the back of that. I also remember it being pretty hot.

[@motordale]

Vegas70s I remember how scary the thing was. It was dangerous for us little kids back then. Also has an old US Air Force Jet on the grounds. You could sit in the cockpit. Then they decided to fill the cockpit up with cement and ruined it for us.

[@allenra530]

The engineer was not on that side of the locomotive, that is the fireman's position. The sand dome was only one of the domes on the top of the boiler and the sand was used for traction on the rails, not to "damp down the fire." The other dome houses the throttle valve and had the pressure relief valves and the whistle on top of it. It was set up that way so that the throttle valve would be as high above the surface of the boiling water as possible to avoid "working water" which would have been disasterous for the pistons and side rods.

[@vegasvik]

Someone that knows what they're talking about should have typed the description for this video. This is not a railroad "car". This is a locomotive, or more commonly, an "engine". And "playing as children on a railroad"? Really? A locomotive and tender is not a "railroad".

[@ClarkCountyNV]

We'll update the video description, VegasVik! Thx!

[@stevenscottoddballz]

I remember climbing in there and pretending I was running the train! such FOND memories!

[@stevenscottoddballz]

www.flickr.com/photos/zackarnold/3797198868/

[@stevenscottoddballz]

I remember climbing in there and pretending I was running the train! such FOND memories!