In the mid 1950s, my grandmother lived in Emporia, KS..2nd house from the tracks (206 Rural)....I used to stand in her front yard and watch steam locomotives and make lists of names on rail cars. Had no need for the BIG ones there in flat Kansas, but they were big enough for a 12-14 year old.

Then, about 1975, some commerative train came thru Wichita...(freedom train? funeral train?) and did some switching right beside where I was working in the Yard Store on E.Central..BIG steam locomotive, and I watched it for 15-20 minutes.