Random National Train Day factoid

Tom dredged this up about the little railroad where we work. (The Riverside & Great Northern Preservation Society is the old Sandley works mentioned here.)

Here's an odd, almost random, fact about National Train Day and the "golden spike": The Sandley company, which the railroad preserves as a living museum, was the premier builder of small-scale steam engines in its day. Sandley was asked if it could make two full-size American 4-4-0 engines for the centennial of the "golden spike" in 1969. The company didn't have the capacity to build two full-size Americans in the 12-month period allotted, so the work went overseas. But wouldn't it have been something if the company had been able to do the work?

I'm struck by the fact that way back in 1969 the work for such an "American history" event was offshored! But then, much of work on the original Transcontinental Railroad on the western end was done by Chinese laborers, so maybe it is fitting.