The twentieth of December and fourth Advent Sunday. Four days to Christmas. We will still stay at Minkiö station, which over the years has become the center of operations of the Jokioinen Museum Railway and an active museum depot. Let's go back in time to the Autumn Colours Train in snow described on the third of December and operated less than twenty years ago in October 2002.

In the picture, the train is just crossing the Kiipuntie level crossing on the way from Jokioinen to Minkiö. The train is hauled by the steam locomotive HKR5 "Sohvi", which started museum railway operations in Finland. The locomotive's plow wings are useful when the locomotive pushes over the Kiipuntie level crossing.

At the first departure of this specific fall train, there was a funny incident that the conductor of the train will probably still remember. As the train left Minkiö for Humppila, a branch of snow-covered birch growing at the corner of the station swept the snow from the roof of the conductor carriage to the neck of the conductor standing on the end platform of the carriage. A cold and cheerful start for the day!

A train pulled by a steam locomotive crossing a snowy level crossing
A 2002 autumn train from Jokioinen to Minkiö, surprised by snowfall, crossing the Kiipuntie level crossing just before arriving at the station. Photo: Teemu Virtanen 5.10. 2002.