Summarized by Vickie Speek
LDS Film Maker Gets Joy from Small Train (Small train brings great joy)
Deseret News 7Sep99 L5
By Gib Twyman: Deseret News staff writer
Starting in 1950, Thirot worked first for KSL-TV, then for Film Service Corp.
in Salt Lake City, winding up a vice president/general manager. For 40 years
he filmed the University of Utah basketball and football games, only missing
two football games in 40 years. Over the years, he purchased and rebuilt a
12-inch gauge steam locomotive, built rail cars, and built a mini-railroad
out of 3,000 feet of track from a Eureka gold-and-silver mine.
In 1970, Thiriot and his wife, Pat, moved the whole train, kit-'n'-caboodle,
to their summer home on six acres one-half mile north of Homestead
Resort in Midway. It took him two years to lay out the track, friends helped
build several steam engines and a diesel over the next several years.
Keeping the train yard in apple-pie order requires constant work. "Keeps me
young," Thirot said, "I may be almost 80, but I think 30."
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