Tim,
A relative now deceased used to work for the C.P.R. When I was 9 years old he took me and my Dad to a train yard one quiet Sunday and I got to actually drive a diesel-electric locomotive around the yard! That was quite the thrill at the time i'll tell 'ya! Woo-Hoo!
I've never had my hand on the throttle of as much horsepower since in my entire life! I even got an engineer's hat to keep! That would'a been about 1963.
Rob