That's a sweet story Shaygetz
I've ridden on the NILES CANYON Ry. And Had been very lucky enough to ride in the cab's of:
Quincy RR's #2, a 2-6-2T. A beautiful lil' steam engine!
SP 1423, an NW-2 for about 15-20 miles up the canyon, I love the 360* view!
WP 713, a GP7, which was lots of fun, and I learned how dynamic brakes worked!
...and my most memorable, and first Cabride, in an SD9! switching the yards at Brightside, Ca.
-I've ridden on the Capitol Corridor to Sacto and Back.
-I took the beautiful trip through the Sierra's on the Cal Zephyr.
-MY FIRST TRAIN RIDE WAS when I took the San Joaquin frommy old home in Orange, CA to Modesto, near my new home in Pleasanton. That was fun, and memorable. I have lots o'' picture I took when I was little! Notably, An SP GP35, and an SF GP30!
Rode the beautifully restored Panama-Pacific Exposition's 1915 Minirature live steamer at the San francisco zoo!
Look here to learn about the Exposition:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panama-Pacific_Exposition
Learn about the lil' steamer here:
http://www.sfzoo.org/about/puffer.htm
Went to Traintown a little bit up north, In Sonoma. Take a look!
http://www.traintown.com/
...and finally, I've ridden the Cal train from Burlingame to SanJose's Diridon Station.
No Bay area railfan would live without riding the BART!
http://www.bart.gov/guide/overview/overview.asp
There ya GO!