The annual RailFest attracts thousands of visitors from all over southern California and in spite of less then desirable weather opening day... this years festival was no exception. But this year there was an exceptional reason for perhaps more folks than normal to drive for hours to be there. The reason being a very special refurbished locomotive recently completed and put on line. She's big... black... and oh-so-very addictive. The Queen of the 2011 RailFest is a recently restored Baldwin 2-8-0 steam locomotive titled #14... also affectionately known as Tresa Jean. #14 was born in 1913 in a Baldwin Locomotive company factory. She last revenue service in the 1960s and was parked in a RR yard until bought by the Fillmore & Western RR in 1999 from the Dodge City RR in Kansas. Because you can't just buy spare parts for an 86-year old steam engine, it's been a huge project. Now fully restored, Dave Wilkerson, FWRY owner, says that #14 is the only full-size operating steam engine in Southern California. Steam locomotive buffs have been waiting for some time for this glorious occasion. When it was announced to the world that #14 would be working... pulling rolling stock... steam engine aficionados from everywhere flocked to Central Park. And if I had a quarter for every photo taken of #14 over the RailFest weekend... I'd have more money than was won in the last Mega Million lotto. You simply cannot look at her and not be mesmerized. And fascinated! And does she ever love to show off... belching smoke from her lovely stack to blasting steam to let everyone know exactly what makes her so very special. Her bell rings crystal clear and the whistle is a sound to behold. The steam-powered train ride took passengers east out to Fish Hatchery Road with a special treat on the way back. After passing through the infamous Fillmore tunnel... the engineer stopped the train to allow photographers to disembark. The train then backed up and then came back through the tunnel... belching smoke high into the air and blasting steam! Photographers were ecstatic as #14 displayed her majesty and magic. Did I say that she loves to show off? As always, the Fillmore RailFest... sponsored by the Santa Clara River Valley Railroad Historical Society and the Fillmore & Western Railroad... is a crowd pleasing family event. Besides the regularly featured train rides, there were 'speeder' rides, antique farm equipment, great Historical Society tri-tip bar-b-que, kids rides, down-home music, arts & crafts booths, and the ever entertaining Frontier Gunfighters who also 'robbed' the steam train of bags of loot. Where's the sheriff when ya need him? When the day is done... and one has participated in all the marvelous activities and events of the Fillmore RailFest... one sighs and declares... WOW.. that was FUN! See you next year! In the meantime... we'll leave the boiler on for ya!