This day in May, 1887. The same train?

 A train engine on its tracks. Five men pose in front (two stand on the cow catcher). A date is written on the reverse of the photograph: May 12, '97

Unfortunately, we have no other identifying information!A date is at least a starting point for figuring out an unidentified scene.

We also have another similar photograph, but with nothing written on it... and it appears to be the same scene, perhaps taken the same day. What do you think? What could be the occasion?