Good birthday ride and I love steam engines. Some time ago I went on a touristy riverboat ride on the Mississippi from New Orleans. This was a steam driven paddle wheeler. In my opinion, one of the very best reasons for steam engines on such a boat is steam driven caliopes. My imagination take me back to those thrilling days of yesteryear as a paddle wheeler approached some town along the river, piping up a rousing tune to announce it's presence; the pilot casting his lead to check for depth as barefooted children ran to the river bank. I'll bet that was better than TV.