JAMIE'S RANDOM AMERICAN RAILWAY PHOTOS.

[jasond]

Dammit James, the juices from my memory cells are dripping on the keyboard.  One of my cousins lived within a stroll of Menlo Park Station on the commuter line into SF.  Upstairs, hearing the Fairbanks Morse Trainmaster (H24-66) at San Mateo station stop blast its horns to wake up the crossing dozing in the sun, then  FM H12-44 switchers lining passenger cars up at 3rd (Oct '74) and Townsend, not forgetting switching in Portola(?) freight yard.

 

Had breakfast at San Mateo one morning ... pancakes and maple syrple ... waiter let me off only going for a short stack.  Couldn't finish even that!  Probably the crispy bacon and eggs over light filled me up.  Wow, keyboard tastes almost as good as the real thing...!

[jamie92208]

Good moaning from the Charente.  I'm glad that these pictures are stirring memory juices.  Mine need a good stir at times.  However the Tardis is still on board the San Francisco Zephyr on 6th June 1995. Well actually we'll just skip back a day as I've realised that I was using two cameras, one for film and 1 for slides. These got missed and are from the 5th.

First of all a picture of our train rather than a Cal Trans one. That's at Emeryville.

Then another shot of the reserve fleet at Suisin.

Now skip forward to the 6th and we are in the high Utah desert with a triple trailer rig alongside us.

Now back to the 6th August, our first Rio Grande unit was seen at Helper.

 

Then a triple trailer rig on the parallel highway.

And a lesson in not leaving your camera accessible to the kids.

Roundabout this point in the journey we made friends with a Californian couple who were also heading for Denver.  Sadly Sally is no longer with us but Dave is still a good friend 26 years later,  The catalyst was a rather smelly jar of pickled eggs that the passenger in front of us was eating. I was accused of polluting the atmosphere and vehemently denied it.  

Anyway we got to a rather sad looking Grand Junction.  By this time we were several hours late.

We didn't regain any time when we got to Glenwood Springs but the spa looked inviting across the river.

More tomorrow, all being well.

 

Jamie

Edited April 11, 2022 by jamie92208

[F-UnitMad]

19 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

And a lesson in not leaving your camera accessible to the kids.

Ah, the good old days, when cameras used film, film was expensive, and a 36-frame roll was a luxury!!!

[jamie92208]

Good morning from a temporarily dry Charente.  Fortunately the Tardis is still on the San Francisco Zephyr on 6th August 1995. We had just set off from Glenwood Springs, the canyon was spectacular.

But after going through to Dotsero and traversing the cut off the next canyon ws even more so,

After that we had the Moffatt tunnel and the trip down the Front Range and the Big Ten curves but unfortunately it was too dark for photography.  We finally arrived in Denver about 6 hours late at 11pm. Our new Friends Dave and Sally turned out to have bookings at the same Comfort inn as us, so we were able to share  2 taxis, to get there. When we got there they told us that they had resold our family room despite me having rung them at 05.30 from Salt Lake City to say we would be late.   I was not a happy bunny but after some discussion they offered to put us up in their sister hotel across the street.  This turned out to be the famous and fabulous Brown Palace Hotel.  Built by Mr Brown, who's wife was the 'Unsinkable Molly Brown' of Titanic fame. The corner suite of 4 rooms that they put us in was incredible.  A bell boy even showed us a drinks dispenser that didn't cost an arm and a leg to use.  Anyway a rather tired family had a good and comfortable nights sleep.  Next morning though we had to troop across the road for breakfast.   A hire car was collected and then we set off south but first of all paid a call at the famous Caboose Hobbies.   By chance we met Dave and Sally there and exchanged phone numbers and addresses.   Then it was time to head south. 

 

We stopped at the US Airforce academy at Colorado Springs and this was the gate guardian.  Rather larger than the Harrier at Wittering and looking for all the world like a giant Airfix kit on it's stand.  Then we turned right at Peublo and headed over la Vita pass the Alamosa where we stayed for the night.

I was pleasantly surprised to find mixed gauge trackage still in evidence in the yard there.

The next day, the 8th August we carried on to Durango.  Surprise surprise a railway was visible from our hotel room.

 

Not a bad view to wake up to. Then it was down to the station. Just brilliant.

 

Jamie

 

 

 

Edited April 11, 2022 by jamie92208

[Johann Marsbar]

Can't recall seeing that B52 when I went there in 1983, as I'm sure I would have taken a photo of it. The concrete looks fairly fresh, so it may have been installed after I went there. Did take a photo of the college though.  Decided against getting the camera out when we drove into what turned out to be the Cheyenne Mountain complex though!

[Mike_Walker]

Glenwood Canyon was a great deal more spectacular before they pushed that dual carriageway interstate through it!

[jamie92208]

31 minutes ago, Mike_Walker said:

Glenwood Canyon was a great deal more spectacular before they pushed that dual carriageway interstate through it!

I will return to Glenwood Canyon in 2005.

 

Jamie

[F-UnitMad]

9 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

We stopped at the US Airforce academy at Colorado Springs and this was the gate guardian.  Rather larger than the Harrier at Wittering and looking for all the world like a giant Airfix kit on it's stand.

I was wondering why the Buff's wings weren't drooping badly, then I looked closer at the photo...

[jamie92208]

31 minutes ago, F-UnitMad said:

I was wondering why the Buff's wings weren't drooping badly, then I looked closer at the photo...

Yes the nickname fits. However  it's a pretty impressive gate guardian.

 

Jamie

[jamie92208]

Good moaning from a rather cool Charente.   Fortunately it was a bit warmer in Durango in 1995, despite the altitude.   It's the 9th August and the family were getting ready to ride the train to Silverton and back.

 

We got down to the depot in good time and I had a wander round the yard.  Two trains were ready to depart and we were booked on the second so I had the chance to photograph 473 leaving town.

Here it crosses the road just outside the depot.

In the yard was a recently restored pullman coach.

Our train was getting ready to leave.

Off we set up the Animas valley  through the flattish valley bottom then after, IIRC, Rockwood the really spectacular bit starts.

And here we are on the High Line.

Don't look down if you don't like heights.

 

Jamie

Edited April 11, 2022 by jamie92208

[Wendell1976]

23 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

 

 

 

Nice picture of the Glenwood Canyon, Jamie. I have driven on the Interstate 70(I-70) freeway through the Canyon a bunch of times over the years as a professional truck driver.

 

Wendell

Idaho, USA 

[jamie92208]

Good morning all from the Charente. The Tardis is still in Colorado and it's still the 9th August 1995 as we head north to Silverton. I said, don't look down yesterday, this was the view. Not bad.

Then a water stop.  Rather makeshift tank that would make a good model.

Shortly afterwards an older, but out of use tank came into sight.

 

Then into Silverton and off for some lunch. The town is obviously aimed at the tourist trade and looks like a set for a western.

Including 'extras'

The tow trains that were still in town were due to depart about 3pm but it was obvious that all was not well as the two locos were parked up next to each other.  With a hose connecting them.

No smoke from our loco either.  It turned out that 476 had a leaky tube and they had had to drop the fire and let it cool down to make repairs.  the hose was to refill the boiler of 476 with hot water and steam from 473.  All credit to the crew for doing the repair.  

Water was getting short so the local fire department turned out to refill the locos.   All this took a couple of hours and most of the town had shut down by 3pm when the trains were due to leave.  The restaurants reopened to make the most of the extra trade and we even found a model railway shop with a big G scale selection at good prices.   I managed not to succumb to temptation. Anyway by about 45pm 473 got it's train away.

More tomorrow.

 

Jamie

Edited April 11, 2022 by jamie92208

[Mike_Walker]

This sign in Silverton always makes me chuckle...

 

 

[jamie92208]

Good moaning from a rather cloudy place.   The Tardis is still in Silverton, CO on the 6th August 1995. We eventually left Silverton at about 5pm from memory.  The light was drawing in as we headed down the Animas Canyon.

And then stopped for water at the makeshift tank.

Our adventures hadn't ended though.  The conductor came through the train asking if anyone had an asthma inhaler.  My 15 yr old had one so I volunteered him. We were escorted down the train to where a 9yr old boy was having breathing difficulties.  Fortunately a heart surgeon and a respiratory nurse had also volunteered. A makeshift nebuliser was made using our son's inhaler and a plastic cup.  Then we had to stop under an overbridge and wait for an ambulance to come and pick the lad up.  This made us even later.  As we went back down the valley it was getting dark.  Then the crew ran out of hours and we had to wait for another crew to be brought to us by taxi.  The last few miles in the dark with the glow from the firebox and the mountains around us were magical when seen from a dark open coach.  I think we finally got back to the motel at about 9pm.   Quite a day out.   The next day we went to a rodeo a=then on the 8th set off to head north.  We stopped at the overbridge where the ambulance had picked the young lad up and this just happened to be coming.

As we approached Silverton there is a great lookout point at the side of the road which gives this view of the town.

And we could even see a train in the station plus a lot of freight stock.

Next it was over the pass to Ouray and time in the hot springs before heading over another pass and down the valley to Gunnison.  A lot of the way we were alongside the abandoned  Rio Grande Main Line to Montrose and Grand Junction.   The National park service has nicely loaded a cattle loading ramp at the bottom of the pass. Here I was happily surprised to find a Rio Grande 2-8-0 in the park.

Along with some freight stock.  

Not a bad couple of days in slim gauge country.

 

Jamie

 

 

Edited April 11, 2022 by jamie92208

[sir douglas]

8 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

And we could even see a train in the station plus a lot of freight stock.

 

whats the point of that wide curve that the train is on?

[jamie92208]

2 minutes ago, sir douglas said:

 

whats the point of that wide curve that the train is on?

I'm not sure. It's some sort of balloon track for turning trains I think.  IIRC it went past the goods shed. Silverton used to have three railroads running out of it and there must have been a lot of other trackage around. The two spurs that run up to the main street, thst the trains start and finish on look new.

[PaulRhB]

4 hours ago, sir douglas said:

 

whats the point of that wide curve that the train is on?

 

 

4 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

It's some sort of balloon track for turning trains I think. 

The wye for turning is just south east of that siding. I’m not sure why it veers off like that but I assume it’s in its original position so probably to serve industries over that side. 

[PaulRhB]

The Sanborn insurance map here suggests it was a coal and lumber yard so I assume it was just to get it in line with their storage piles originally. 
 

https://www.loc.gov/resource/g4314sm.g010761910/?sp=5&r=0.006,0.177,0.705,1.04,0

 

[jamie92208]

Thanks to both Paul and pH who have helped sort out the reason for the loop track.  It does seem to be dictated by the presence of lumber and coal yards.  Anyway good moaning from the Charente.  The Tardis is still in Colorado and it's now the the 13th August 1995. After a white water rafting trip we were heading from Gunnison up to Cheyenne, of course, for our final stop before setting off home.  The drive along the park from Gunnison was lovely with the abandoned rights of way of the D & RGW and the South Park Line alongside us.  Both potential transcontinental links. One that got to Salt Lake City and one that ran out of money above Gunnison.

For us it was over Monarch Pass, looking back at the park. The Rio Grande used Marshall pass to the south and the South Park had Alpine tunnel just north of where we were.

How anyone could look at country like this and plan a railway route through it I have no idea  and only admiration for the engineers and surveyors.

The kids all fell asleep at this point and we headed across the South Park and stopped at, IIRC Fairplay, for breakfast of steak and eggs plus various sides.  Then down towards Denver and up I 25 to Cheyenne where the steam shop was visible.

Homage was of course paid to the only Big Boy in town, in 1995 at Holiday Park.

A short drive out along Otto Road, US30, caught this eastbound heading towards town.

The next morning Up had put on a show for us as this consist had arrived.

Then one last llok at the depot before we headed for the airport.  SD40-s's still on the point.

And that was that for 1995.   Now I've got to go and refuel the Tardis and set the controls for 1999.

 

Jamie

 

Edited April 11, 2022 by jamie92208

[JZ]

34 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

How anyone could look at country like this and plan a railway route through it I have no idea  and only admiration for the engineers and surveyors.

 

Jamie

 

Exactly my thoughts when I did the Cumbres & Toltec and Durango & Silverton  in 2019.

[Graham Heather]

Really enjoying this story. Hope there is more to come. The photos bring back great memories for you?

Two things though. Do you have any more photos of the Pride of the Fleet business car train in Cheyenne?

And did you leave Cheyenne via Cheyenne's wonderful airport?

The smallest commercial terminal I have been through. Was there in November 97.

Graham.

[jamie92208]

On 12/07/2021 at 05:18, Graham Heather said:

Really enjoying this story. Hope there is more to come. The photos bring back great memories for you?

Two things though. Do you have any more photos of the Pride of the Fleet business car train in Cheyenne?

And did you leave Cheyenne via Cheyenne's wonderful airport?

The smallest commercial terminal I have been through. Was there in November 97.

Graham.

Thanks for the comments Graham. Much appreciated  and sorting out dates etc plus viewing all the photos has brought back sone wonderful memorories.

 

No we didn't fly out of Cheyenne, i have driven and cycled round the outside of the airport though. 

 

Secondly, sadly no better photos of the business car train but there are some more to come in due course.

 

Jamie

Edited April 11, 2022 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Good moaning from a rather damp Charente.  You'll be pleased to here the Tardis was able to move along and it's now 1999. It's late July and we are changing planes at Chicago O Hare for a flight to Seattle/Tacoma airport. This time it's just , Me, Beth and an excited 15 yr old Rachel.  The boys were doing there own thing back in the UK. Our onwards connection ws in an Mcdonnell Douglas MD 80. I believe that model eventually became part of the Boeing catalogue.

The first part of the holiday was on Vancouver Island, after a night at Bellingham, before a ferry to Victoria. Some whale watching then over to Vancouver and a short stay with my aunts. Then a flight to San Francisco, pick up a hire car and out to Walnut Creek to stay with the friends, Dave and Sally, that we had made on our 1995 trip. The next day, 4th August they took us up into the Nappa Valley.  Wineries were visited and on the way back what should be see coming towards us but this beauty.

I think that it's an FPA4, probably ex VIA like the ones that I saw in 78 in Toronto. Here working the wine train.

Dave and Sally were both heavily into trains so getting then to stop the car for me to take photos wasn't a problem. As we exited the valley to go back across the bay what should we see but this array of power. Four California Northern locos parked up. I have discovered that they were all GP15-1's mainly of C & NW heritage. All very clean.

Four more of them were also present. The line is now part of the Gennesee and Wyoming group.

And a rather nice, but not so clean observation car.

The next day They took us down to the southern end of the San Francisco Peninsula and the Roaring camp and big Trees railway.  This had a narrow gauge logging railway and a standard gauge track down through the woods to the seafront at Santa Cruz.  This was still an active freight line but eh preservationists were able to run their passenger train down from Roaring Camp.  Here we are in Santa Cruz.

So far so good.

 

Jamie

 

Edited April 11, 2022 by jamie92208

[roundhouse]

I remember the MD 80 well doing many internal flights on them. They became Boeing 717's IIRC . I think the last time that we flew on one was a Hawiian one.

 

We were booked on the Napa Valley train some years ago but it was cancelled due to flooding. The train to Santa Cruz is another one we have yet to do as our visits to Roaring Camp were on days that it wasnt running those trains. We did manage to do the full length of the Skunk train from Fort Bragg to Willits in one of the petrol engined railcars when it was run daily to deliver the post.

Edited July 12, 2021 by roundhouse

[Johann Marsbar]

The Napa Valley MLW's are all dumped out of use now, as I found in September 2019.......

 

 

...and their trains seemed to be worked by "quality" locomotives like this......

 

 

 

I saw all 3 trains of the morning depart Napa, the third being a nondescript high-hood Geep.   The whole operation looked rather more downmarket than I was expecting it to be!