RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted December 24, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted December 24, 2013 Yesterday afternoon we arrived into a rather cold St Louis. It's the first time that I have used the new station which is a massive improvement on the previous basic station nearby although it's a shame that they didn't move back into a Union station. The new station is now part of a transit center with a tram stop alongside. The photo is of our train which terminated here. Plenty of freight going past but a string of 'out of the box' smart new covered hoppers blocked the view of the moving freight. We did see a number of coal trains as it was getting dark on our way to 4 Hands Brewery! Also a photo of the Gateway Arch from the tram stop just before the bridge over the Mississippi. Today we head to Kansas City on Amtrak Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
strachjs Posted December 24, 2013 Share Posted December 24, 2013 I guess you're travelling on the Missouri River Runner. Springfield MO is not far away, and is a great place to visit. BNSF have a large freight yard here and it has a really sweat little railway museum, which is open during the summer. Have a great trip. (I saw Banbury at Princes Risborough and briefly spoken to you). John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted December 24, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted December 24, 2013 John Thanks for that. Unfortunately we are only doing public transport this trip but useful to know as one day we will be back in the area with a rental car. Yes we are on the Missouri River Runner. A sunny day along the route but it's cold out there with ice on all the trees which is quite spectacular with the sun rays bouncing off the ice. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Scottish Modeller Posted December 24, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 24, 2013 Hi Ian, Enjoy the trip! You only just started and I'm already jealous of you.... I'm trying to persuade the Mrs that a visit to the USA would be a nice idea for our 20th anniversary. Will have to work harder though - no dent in the defences yet! Thanks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted December 24, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted December 24, 2013 Hi Ian, Enjoy the trip! You only just started and I'm already jealous of you.... I'm trying to persuade the Mrs that a visit to the USA would be a nice idea for our 20th anniversary. Will have to work harder though - no dent in the defences yet! Thanks Good luck and buy her something nice to weaken her resolve!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted December 25, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted December 25, 2013 Awaiting our train at Kansas City Union Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jamie92208 Posted December 25, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 25, 2013 Hope you have a great Christmas Ian. I'm following the trip full of jealousy. Looking forward to more pictures and hope that you're house is OK. Jamie Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted December 25, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted December 25, 2013 Thanks Jamie Merry Christmas Train number 3, The Southwest Chief was two hours late arriving into Kansas City but Union station is such a grand place that we didn't mind the wait too much. Wandering about the great hall on Christmas Eve with Christmas music echoing around was quite something when you think as to how busy the station once was with about 30 platforms but now just two. Lying in bed with the curtains open We have a lower sleeping berth and with the snow we can here the snow and ice collecting in the truck and every so often chunks of it then fall off. We have had some sleep which is much as expected. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted December 26, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted December 26, 2013 Christmas day we woke up on the Soiuthwest Chief to a very sunny day but still cold outside with snow patches on the ground. Our first stop where we could get off for stretch and for those that required smoke was at La Junta. However we went straight up to the front of the train to photo the head end power. Even the driver was in the Christmas spirit. Inside our Superliner sleeper coach the crew had put up some decorations. We were still about 2 hours late through the day but made up a little by the time we arrived into Albuquerque where the two of us were detraining to stay the night leaving our two fellow travellers to carry on to Los Angeles where we will catch up with them in a few days. Whilst we were taking photos of the locos my other half standing near to our sleeper coach had something underneath go pop. We headed off to our hotel but it turned out to be an electrical fault and they had to remove the sleeper coach from the train so we were lucky that we weren't continuing on. The train left three hours late. This morning we are catching the Rail Runner commuter service to Santa Fe. A good part of this route is new track which opened a couple years ago and since our last visit to Santa Fe so looking forward to the run. More photos to follow. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted December 26, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted December 26, 2013 A couple more photos The lovely menu cover on the train. Also the train being refuelled at Albuquerque. The electrical failure on the sleeper coach happened whilst I was taking this photo. I kept trying to get photos of the semaphore signals around Raton pass but failed. I think that this is just about the last place in the USA that they are still in use. This line is under threat of closure as there is no through freight these days. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted December 26, 2013 Share Posted December 26, 2013 I don't know the last time you were in Santa Fe but there is a decent restaurant in the old AT & SF station/depot. We stayed in the hotel cunningly disguised as a large adobe building about half a mile from the Station - they have a London Taxi that can be used as a runaround. Of course I can't remember the hotel name... I prefer Santa Fe as a town but prefer the surrounding area of Flagstaff, does that make sense? Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted December 26, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted December 26, 2013 Yes I know what you mean. Downtown Santa Fe is very nice but some of Flagstaff is a bit tatty although the very centre of town is OK. We were going to catch the train off Albuquerque just after 7am which would have given us plenty of time to wander around Santa Fe but now we are going for the one just after 9am so will not have very long there. Depending on how cold it is there we might just go into the brew pub at the new station before heading back to Albuquerque to continue on the Southwest Chief. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supaned Posted December 26, 2013 Share Posted December 26, 2013 Ian , if it's open, I can recommend Chama River Brewing taproom , which is not far from ABQ station. Also Tractor Brewing in Nob Hill. Enjoy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted December 26, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted December 26, 2013 We will be doing Marble Brewing when we get back to Albuquerque. Chana River doesn't open till 4pm and at the moment the Chief is on time so we may just about be able to get a quick pint there. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted December 26, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted December 26, 2013 An hour and a half in Santa Fe for lunch and a few beers then back to the station yo head back to Albuquerque. A very pleasant trip and good yo see the three bi level Bombardier coaches full on the way up and a reasonable loading heading back. The Santa Fe Southern short line is currently out of use but the loco still looks smart. I love the beep beep roadrunner sound as the car doors shut! Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supaned Posted December 26, 2013 Share Posted December 26, 2013 Forgot about Marble Brewing, that's good too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted December 26, 2013 Share Posted December 26, 2013 Sky looks beautiful............too. Anyone familiar with Gallup? Was going to have a nose next time I'm down there. Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted December 26, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted December 26, 2013 We passed through there six years ago. Nice station but town didn't really make any impression on me. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozexpatriate Posted December 26, 2013 Share Posted December 26, 2013 A. Green chili sauce or red chili sauce? Q. The New Mexico conundrum, or so I've heard. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium BR60103 Posted December 27, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 27, 2013 When we drove out west several Decembers ago, we didn't get snow until Albuqurque -- then we stayed 3 days because the road ahead was not passable without chains. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
warbonnetuk Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 Pete Stayed in Gallup around 9 years ago before passing through it with Ian. When me and Mrs S stayed over the town was your typical strip development of motels and fast food. apart from the Amtrak depot the only points to note were the old hotel in the centre of the strip (name escapes me) and the large number of stores selling Native American art / jewellery Dan Sky looks beautiful............too. Anyone familiar with Gallup? Was going to have a nose next time I'm down there. Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 When we drove out west several Decembers ago, we didn't get snow until Albuqurque -- then we stayed 3 days because the road ahead was not passable without chains. That must have been the year when Flagstaff got 5 feet of snow in one day. Holbrook is worth a short visit (near the Petrified Forest Park) before Winslow if travelling westwards. I felt that I'd entered an episode of "The Twilight Zone". Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted December 27, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted December 27, 2013 The petrified forest was amazing when we did it in 2007. Last night when we stopped at Winslow the Harvey house looked busy. Some nice Christmas decorations on the trees next to the platform with a number of people out there taking photos of our train. Just leaving Barstow now. There appears to be more locos on display in the rail museum than when we were last here some years ago. Only a few more hours before we arrive into LAUPT. Isn Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted December 27, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted December 27, 2013 Fullerton early this morning Next stop LAUPT Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 Ah, Fullerton. The original location of Fender Guitars under Leo Fender. Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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