tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60941736050709393472024-03-22T13:44:37.223-07:00The Desert Empire ProjectModern and Historic Rocky Mountain RailroadingKipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15298088669147273518noreply@blogger.comBlogger68125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094173605070939347.post-13549649390684616422020-01-07T10:29:00.002-08:002020-01-07T10:35:08.724-08:00Review: Jim Boyd's "The Steam Locomotive Century of North American Classics"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Cover art for "The Steam Locomotive"</i></div>
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I have always liked books. I know its certainly a stereotype of my generation to paint us as screen enslaved and never having touched a book in our lives... but even as a little kid I found myself reading a lot. Part of it traces back to memories of elementary school libraries, Scholastic book fairs, and the like. I remember the first time I heard of Union Pacific's Big Boy locomotive was in some sort of DK cross section book. I voraciously read everything I could get my hands on from Star Wars, Lego, and other favorites of mine growing up. In Junior High School I remember going on a bit of a Jules Verne kick, reading the likes of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Around the World in 80 Days. The library was the place to hang out in-between classes; and it became more so in High School were after lunch my friends and I would browse the bookshelves or break out the library's chess set before we had to head back to class.<br />
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One of the books I remember the most from my High School library that I first encountered sometime in 2008 or 2009 or so was part of the school's small selection on railroad technology. Jim Boyd's <i>The Steam Locomotive Century of North American Classics</i> was just the right style of large coffee table book with beautiful photographs and excellent writing to capture my attention. The book was published in 2000, and covers many preserved steam activities from the 1960's onto its publishing date. The book was produced collaboratively between Boyd and the <i>Railfan and Railroad </i>team, and Barnes and Noble's <i>MetroBooks</i> arm.<br />
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For me, the early 2010's were a different time in railfanning. Facebook was still the platform to connect with grandparents and long lost friends; its use to host hobby discussions really hadn't blossomed yet. There was (and still isn't) no reason in hell to pay money to use a discussion forum with a paid subscription service like Train Orders then. My only railfanning connection was really the small, free to use, and teetering on near constant collapse RR.Picture.Archives website and the occasional copy of <i>Model Railroader</i> that showed up in local grocery stores. I had no way of really knowing that Jim Boyd the author of the book I so often read in the library had written countless other railfan books and articles for <i>Railfan and Railroad </i>where he worked for many years as chief editor. I had no idea that he died in early January of 2011 while I was still in my junior year of High School.<br />
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But Jim's book opened up a world for me. Before opening its pages; I honestly knew almost nothing about the many of the subjects in the book. UP's Steam Program before then was only a vague memory of an opening shot from <i>Shining Time Station </i>with UP 844 and small whispers of Utah's own Echo Canyon being like a holy ground for Union Pacific's steamers. NW 611, Southern 4501, and even SP 4449; had I ever heard of them before that book... only existed as snippets in my mind before then. Jim Boyd's book in many ways opened up a larger world of railfanning beyond what I was familiar with growing up in the shadow of the Tooele Valley.<br />
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Of course now, <i>The Steam Locomotive</i> feels almost like a time capsule of a world almost lost. Yes there are indeed evergreen faces in Jim's book; 844 and 4449 in particular stand out, with other stalwart engines like ATSF 3751 and NKP 765 also highlights of the pages. But the book also highlights engine's who's sound of their whistles are now distant memory and have returned to static display, stuck in long restorations or are in storage; such as C&O 614, PRR 1361 and even UP 3985. In the eight years going on since I graduated High School, I have grown increasingly curious how <i>The Steam Locomotive</i> would hold up under modern inspection. So I ordered a copy of Amazon, and decided to give the book a fresh glance over!<br />
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One of the first observations getting the book and flipping through its pages... in a way this almost reads "in memory of..." 20 years after it was published. I counted about 46 preserved steam engines featured in the book focusing on those that were shown in operation (plus the static photo of C&O 1309 because a restoration effort on the engine would start many years after the book was published). Of those 46 engines, only 12 of them are still operational with about 6 or 7 undergoing current restorations to operations. Not surprisingly many of the engines still operational in the present day are some of the big celebrities of the preservation world, NKP 765, SP 4449... you get the picture. One of the engines showcased in the book was even Britain's LNER 4472 Flying Scotsman during its brief North American tour, meaning that of the 12 engines still presently operational; at least this one isn't even in the Western Hemisphere anymore!<br />
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<i>A sample of the standard page and photo layout of the book.</i></div>
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This is in part due to the book's narration focusing on the development of North American mainline steam. As such the popular 2-8-0's and 4-6-0's that remain staples of the current historic railway circuit, get only a brief mention before the larger 4-8-4's and other big modernized engines take the center stage. It certainly helps create a cohesive narrative of America's motive power growing over the years from the diminutive start with engines such as John Bull up to the mighty articulated at the twilight of the steam age.<br />
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Of course one of the sadder tales from the book is the mid-60's failed steam program operated by Richard Jensen. Boyd doesn't shy away from publishing a photo of Jensen's GTW 5629 being scrapped, with its flues exposed to the open air as the torches come down upon it. CB&Q 5632, another one of Jensen's former locomotives gets its own spotlight including its briefly lived gold scheme; is like the GTW engine now in the "roundhouse in the sky." CB&Q 4960, one of Jensen's other engines though remains in service to this day at the Grand Canyon Railway in Williams, Arizona as Grand Canyon 4960; so there is indeed one silver lining to the tragic collapse of the Jensen steam program.<br />
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Speaking of silver linings and a touch of grey... Boyd is obviously a big fan of <i>The Grateful Dead</i>. Its a bit of an interesting experience realizing how much Jerry Garcia is being channeled into the book by Boyd. Even UP 8444's roll out in Greyhound paint doesn't escape Boyd showing off his status as a Deadhead. It helps to flavor the text, even if it firmly dates Boyd's age and creates a bit of a generational gap while trying to read this book.<br />
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<i>Salmon colored highlight pages pull out unique pieces of history or steam technology from the main body text in the book.</i></div>
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Many of the programs Boyd mentions are now currently stalled or have been trapped in long restorations; such as PRR 1361's long process to return to steam that is still ongoing, or C&O 614's two decade long absence from mainline action with only a touch of green paint and a few static displays marking its entire 21st century activity. Perhaps the most upsetting engine to see sidelined is Cotton Belt 819, which had been restored by a small town effort that Boyd writes about very well, and is currently waiting an eventual restart in its restoration. Some engines, like the Pennsylvania Railroad engines used on the Strasburg, have gone onto become static museum display pieces. Of course, when I first read this book all those years ago I had no clue that Southern Railway 4501 or NW 611 would have returned to steam in the years since, let alone have made trips on the Norfolk Southern mainline in the 21st century... so never say never when it comes to some of these steam locomotives.<br />
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There is oddly enough, a bit of future foretelling that Boyd never could have imagined would come true... The parting pages of his book are first dedicated to old black and white photos of the Pennsylvania Railroad's duplex locomotives, including the shark-nosed T1 class. 13 years after the book was published, and two years after Boyd's death a modern project to rebuild a T1 began with the T1 Locomotive Trust and their planned Pennsylvania Railroad 5550. While the original T1's are a memory, slowly piece by piece a new one is rising from cast steel.<br />
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Secondly, Boyd finishes his book with perhaps the most famous steam locomotive class of American history; UP's Big Boy. Boyd bets on the wrong horse, stating that perhaps UP 4012 at Steamtown and UP 4018 in Texas would be the prime candidates for restoration; ignoring the now famous locomotive that was sitting in a fair-park in Los Angeles at the time... and it seems clear Boyd doesn't guess it would be Union Pacific itself to tackle the restoration. But... his closing words on the subject feel almost prophetic:<br />
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"Will the 4012 or 4018- or any other Big Boy ever run again?<br />
Absolutely.<br />
Why?<br />
Like Mount Everest, because it's there."<br />
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<i>Some of my own photos taken in May of the restored Big Boy.</i></div>
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In May 2019, myself and countless other railfans witnessed that Mount Everest finally being climbed; when UP 4014 made its inaugural break in run from Cheyenne to Ogden for the Golden Spike 150th Anniversary celebration; and countless more would get to witness or re-witness 4014 in steam again over the coming year.<br />
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I can't help but wonder what Jim Boyd would think if he was still around now to see the current rail preservation scene. Yes, plenty of the locomotives featured in his book are now silent display pieces. But with UP 4014, Skookum, PRR 5550, Nashville 576, ATSF 2926, C&O 1309 and C&O 2716 all recently restored or in process of restoration/reconstruction... it seems the 21st century is about to be full of a new cast of steam locomotives that Boyd never could have imagined would someday be plying the rails once more. Particularly the support CSX has given Kentucky Steam with their C&O 2716 project seems to suggest that the old adage of "CSX doesn't allow steam trains on their railroad" might vanish once 2716 returns to the mainline. Not to mention the affect social media has had on exposing UP 4014 to tens of thousands of people during its multiple cross country journey's last year.<br />
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Maybe in another few years... the editors at <i>Railfan and Railroad </i>should maybe consider the idea that Jim Boyd's book will need a sequel... 😁<br />
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- Jacob Lyman<br />
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<i>I am sure this is the music Boyd would want you to be listening to right now.</i></div>
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Jacob Lymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03836321845066754233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094173605070939347.post-46372857050967898192019-12-30T14:08:00.002-08:002019-12-30T14:21:09.698-08:00Steam Locos in Profile: My favorite YouTube railfan seriesYouTube will probably be looked back on as the content platform of the decade. Despite its bouts with controversy (*cough* COPPA *cough*); YouTube has successfully allowed many amateurs a platform to express their voice and contribute to their hobbies. The railfan community has of course benefited from this; and there are many "RailTube"channels, all focused on railfanning and rail preservation. Some of you might remember one of the first things we did as a group was help Josh make his documentary <i>Trackside</i> and release it on his YouTube channel. When I find myself bored, I will often flip through videos of steam locomotives posted by countless creators on YouTube; both revisiting familiar railroads and watching footage of distant operations I have yet to see.<br />
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<i>Trailer for the USATC S160s episode of </i>SLIPs<i> detailing the American built 2-8-0's that have proven popular in British preservation.</i></div>
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Today though, I want to highlight one series and its spin offs in particular; Chris Eden Green's <i>Steam Locos in Profile </i>(SLIPs) and its spin off series <i>Sole SLIP</i> and <i>Gauge the Issue</i>. I (and probably countless other American railfans) got a little taste for British railroading and preservation thanks to a certain book & TV series I watched as a child staring a certain blue 0-6-0T locomotive... and its been hard to brush off that appeal of the country that served as the birthplace of steam railroading. SLIPs is a documentary style series that focuses on Britain's preserved steam locomotive classes narrated by Chris. The footage is rather well shot, and oftentimes shows multiple examples of the same locomotive class in action. Most of the older episodes, are available exclusively for purchase online or on a DVD, while the newer episodes are free on YouTube. The quality of the series I feel justifies the purchase to watch the older episodes. Each episode takes its focus on one particular class of engine, and its history in service and preservation.<br />
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<i>A comparison of Britain with the western United States shows the type of tight compact geography that would make SLIPs work in Britain, but be highly impractical in the United States.</i></div>
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First off, this is the type of series which really could have only originated on the preservation focused and compact British islands. As much as I would love to see SLIPs be imitated in America, it would be near impossible due to geography alone. To point out my own 2019 railfan trips across the western USA, I could have covered the entirety of Britain with that kind of mileage; where-as I was only able to see a very small sample of the railroad museums in America. Britain in comparison is very compact, with plenty of road and public transportation options to reach countless heritage railways and museums all in one area. I often think of northern Wales as the holy Mecca of steam railroading when I look on a map and try and count every single heritage operation just surrounding the Snowdonia National Park. Its hard not to feel a bit envious of Britain's close together and robust rail preservation scene!<br />
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Second, Britain's own unique railway history makes it far easier to homogenize the preserved locomotives into railway specific classes. Prior to nationalization, most of Britain was operated by "The Big Four;" four private railroads with their own unique locomotive classes and styles, while the advent of British Rail brought a single company to control the entire mainline operations on the island. Thanks to the preservation efforts, particularly from the many locomotives rescued from the Barry Scrapyard; its not uncommon for a single locomotive class in Britain to have nearly a dozen survivors or more in the present day. A far cry from the States were iconic classes of engines such as the Challenger only have two surviving examples (and both from Union Pacific with all other railroad's Challengers scrapped).<br />
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<i>The spin off series </i>Sole SLIP<i> provides the opportunity to review rarer and one-off locomotives that don't have enough material to justify a full episode length SLIPs feature.</i></div>
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As such SLIPs takes advantage of this by filming many locomotives of a same class in action on various railways (most of them just a day trip away for Chris and his film crew); then editing the footage together to create a cohesive documentary style episode. The narration for the episodes owes a bit of influence to another British staple... Top Gear. We're talking about the golden era of Clarkson, Hammond, May in particular and their presentation style. Chris's narration for SLIPs; much like the best years of Top Gear is information dense, sprinkled with a dose of dry and sometimes crass British humor. It gives the show a notable personality that many other railfan films sorely lack.<br />
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The Top Gear style comes in full influence in the sister series <i>Gauge the Issue</i> which is a lower budget editorial series. Chris let's his opinions and narration do all the talking; using his own footage and stock photos to discuss preservation topics, review rail related material and give an additional dose of perspective to his primary documentary focused SLIPs. If SLIPs is like Top Gear's road testing and challenge segments, then Gauge the Issue is most like Top Gear's studio segments; minus the obligatory celebrity interviews. While SLIPs is very British focused, Gauge the Issue allows the occasional discourse into international subjects. In one instance Chris even spoofs the railfan's who want a modern replica of an E2 0-6-0T (the model Thomas the Tank Engine is based on) by pointing out the much more interesting locomotives that survive in the present age including our own Big Boy. Another favorite Gauge the Issue episode of mine discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the growing trend of new build steam locomotives particularly following the success of the A1 Steam Trust's <i>Tornado</i>.<br />
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Ultimately what elevates SLIPs and its sister series for me, is Chris being able to inflect his personality to his channel. This helps elevate it above many of the more monotonous presentations of trackside video that populate YouTube and other social media platforms. Compared to the old guard of railroad videos such as Pentrex that are either narrator-less or have a dull monotone narration; this extra bit of personality helps SLIPs take on an identity of its own. </div>
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SLIPs is the type of series I wish could exist in America, but as I mentioned already our geographic challenges and wildly different preservation attitude would make a SLIPs-like series a much more daunting task in the United States. As such, SLIPs still feels uniquely British; taking advantage of all the historic and geographic influences that make British railroading unique. I recommend this series highly for any railfan interested in British rail preservation, and looking for an example of what is possible with high production values in a railfan series. </div>
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Now, lets blow up some Pacers: </div>
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- Jacob Lyman</div>
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<br />Jacob Lymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03836321845066754233noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094173605070939347.post-82066634409565363382019-12-12T12:39:00.000-08:002019-12-12T12:39:01.341-08:00A Look Back, Three Railfan Trips 2019: Part 3: Western Nevada and Sumpter, Oregon.<br />
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<a href="https://desertempireproject.blogspot.com/2019/12/a-look-back-three-railfan-trips-2019.html">Part 1: Las Vegas and Kingman, Arizona</a><br />
<a href="https://desertempireproject.blogspot.com/2019/12/a-look-back-three-railfan-trips-2019_15.html">Part 2: Solo adventure to Ely, Nevada</a><br />
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Part 3: Western Nevada and Sumpter, Oregon</b></div>
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<i>On October 10, we took a stop in Elko, Nevada to check out WP 727 on display in a downtown park.</i></div>
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Fall Break would be the grandest trip of them all… a
five-state tour across the west to several of the most prominent steam
railroads in the region. October marked Big Boy’s second return to Utah, and
again after another few days of swimming through crowds I was able to convince
a few friends that the best form of post-Big Boy therapy was a trip to a much quieter
steam railroad out of state. Josh joined me again on the adventure, and another
one of our friends Jacob Morgan joined as our third-party member. Schon decided
to sit this one out since he was adjusting to a new apartment at that time. On
Wednesday night, Jacob and Josh brought their cars to Tooele to leave at my
house. On Thursday, October 10<sup>th</sup> we all hopped in my car early
morning and began our westward trek across I-80.<br />
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I prepared for this trip, I borrowed a DSLR camera from extended family so I would
be able to best capture all the destinations we had in mind. First in Nevada
we’d visit the primary branch of the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson
City, making it so Josh and I had seen both branches of that museum on opposite
ends of the state in the same year. On Friday, it was time to visit the famed
Virginia and Truckee, then swing up north to Oregon so by Saturday morning we
would be on the Sumpter Valley Railroad’s fall photo charter! It was ambitious,
full of historic railroading and the capstone trip for the year.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>The preserved Southern Pacific depot in Lovelock, Nevada was built by the Central Pacific in 1880.</i></div>
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On our first day we stopped in Elko, Nevada for both
breakfast and a quick shot of the WP GP locomotive displayed downtown. It gave
me a chance to get used to my rented camera’s settings. We followed along I-80,
stopping for a few of the old curiosities along the former Southern Pacific
railroad route until we finally got into Reno. One of the highlights was an SP
depot dating back to the Central Pacific era, that has been preserved near the
tracks in Lovelock, Nevada. This beautiful two-story depot definitely caught
our eye in this small town. <br />
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In Reno a former SP narrow gauge locomotive is on display off I-80. SP 8 was
prior to that a part of the Nevada California & Oregon railroad. My
grandmother who passed away after my first trip had ancestry who worked for the
NCO, so I was proud to see a bit of family heritage in that engine. Sadly, the
fence around it makes it impossible to get a good photograph of; so, I was just
glad to be able to see it in person. Another one of the surviving NCO engines,
SP 18 has returned to steam recently; and spent most of 2019 on loan to the
Durango and Silverton Railroad in Colorado. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We were soon back on the highway soon and pulling into the Nevada
State Railroad Museum in Carson City. </div>
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<i>The Virginia and Truckee McKeen motorcar was running for training purposes when we arrived at the museum.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyF0S_YLi5-QlSLMy7rvL9a-EmOY2y5OQFnNmjm6SoWdjHy3inWD9rgvgEpoLt-O1qDc7lJK_4RaDLPMTkugsUVnjRE5_bn6ex1Uo_iCrkLG_YgaLpYoW3u7gTWjhnpowX1Du32QdfnA0/s1600/IMG_1502Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1254" data-original-width="1600" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyF0S_YLi5-QlSLMy7rvL9a-EmOY2y5OQFnNmjm6SoWdjHy3inWD9rgvgEpoLt-O1qDc7lJK_4RaDLPMTkugsUVnjRE5_bn6ex1Uo_iCrkLG_YgaLpYoW3u7gTWjhnpowX1Du32QdfnA0/s400/IMG_1502Edit.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>V&T Inyo and Dayton starting in 1969 up through the 1970's were used as "stand in" locomotives at the Promontory Summit site for the Golden Spike Historic Site display. They were replaced with the two O'Conner Engineering replicas, and returned to Nevada in 1978. For the Golden Spike 150th, the two engines were pilot to pilot inside the museum to honor their previous roles masquerading as UP 119 and Jupiter back in the 1970's.</i></div>
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Arriving at the museum we were greeted to
the surprise sight of the museum’s McKeen Motorcar roaming about the tracks
along the museum property. The only preserved McKeen Motorcar that is
operational in the world, it was an instant win for us; Josh, Jacob and I made
sure to take plenty of photos! We made it inside and walked around the gorgeous
locomotives on display in the museum, admiring their own Golden Spike 150<sup>th</sup>
exhibits. Outside in the roundhouse we got to meet Oscar The Dog who was there
with his owner. I think Oscar might give Dirt back in Ely a run for his money
for cutest railroad animal. Jacob asked the museum staff, and was able to get
us back into the storage area to see Nevada’s Merci Car up close.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>The McKeen motor car just fits barely onto the turntable. The car is powered by axle in the lead pilot truck, leading to its weight being off center while on the turntable.</i></div>
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After we left the roundhouse we got a few photos of the
McKeen as it approached the turntable. The “strong arm” turntable is pushed
manually to align it to the right whisker track, and to our surprise the museum
staff asked us if we would be willing to help push the turntable to align the
McKeen back to its stall! With Oscar the dog supervising we pushed the
turntable around to line it up. Turns out, the McKeen is an off-balance railcar
due to its drive mechanisms all in one forward axle… Jacob and I were on an end
where the turntable felt light as a feather to push… while Josh on the opposite
end felt the weight of pushing the full railcar. Once lined up the McKeen
pulled into its stall, where Oscar promptly plopped down in front of it to take
a snooze. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkGwArjq2qIBloTCgQdNBAsFYRFBK8PuuMZg7Ztx5PwbF0ZYnhCzG1RfVAAvVqD-rJ20eZFHSaX4gui9LZsIKgIAB6_sGeledn_AvPl9b7XXubWGh4_jrfVYwGLdpel47-zA9LE7S0Wkc/s1600/IMG_1624Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkGwArjq2qIBloTCgQdNBAsFYRFBK8PuuMZg7Ztx5PwbF0ZYnhCzG1RfVAAvVqD-rJ20eZFHSaX4gui9LZsIKgIAB6_sGeledn_AvPl9b7XXubWGh4_jrfVYwGLdpel47-zA9LE7S0Wkc/s400/IMG_1624Edit.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<i>Oscar supervising the McKeen car after it returned to its stall.</i></div>
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Leaving Carson City, we drove past scenic Lake Tahoe to
Truckee California. The rail traffic in Truckee was a bust, but I got a kick of
seeing all the snow fighting equipment stored in town used for winter use on
Donner Pass. After eating dinner in a diner, we traveled back alongside Tahoe
blanketed in sunset and returned to a hotel in Carson City. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_82335DMpQC67fbVEgwjJL_z2kph-Qw_LwN3lcj9I7IdWRrcfQq0AoEDqXfuyWjbZDDYFA6BpxjurPn4eC7nj9L5MZeiQTBG-qk6LxPfibfcQMQWaMfkhPdOeMTW6iiT6EHaiJfRybFM/s1600/IMG_1628Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1047" data-original-width="1600" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_82335DMpQC67fbVEgwjJL_z2kph-Qw_LwN3lcj9I7IdWRrcfQq0AoEDqXfuyWjbZDDYFA6BpxjurPn4eC7nj9L5MZeiQTBG-qk6LxPfibfcQMQWaMfkhPdOeMTW6iiT6EHaiJfRybFM/s400/IMG_1628Edit.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>A retired SP rotary snowplow on display in Truckee, California.</i></div>
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<i>Stored snow fighting locomotives in Truckee waiting for the winter season.</i></div>
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<i>Nevada Neon in downtown Carson City.</i></div>
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October 11<sup>th,</sup> we woke up early to arrive to
Virginia City. This spectacularly preserved western town caters to tourists
now, but the resurrected Virginia and Truckee Railroad is a spectacular treat.
I had been to the V&T as a teenager once, and being back there again seeing
V&T 29 the line’s 2-8-0 in action was awesome. 29 works hard for a steam
locomotive, and its barks and hisses could be heard all throughout the
surrounding hills as it climbed the treacherous grades along the route. After
chasing 29 we rode a quick 30-minute diesel excursion from Virginia City to
Gold Hill. Our train’s conductor made a great narrator for the route, and I got
to add another ‘railroad dog’ to my list when the train’s engineer brought his
dog along for the ride.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>V&T 29 leading an excursion train with three passenger cars between Mound House and Gold Hill on October 11. This little 2-8-0 was barking and working hard to get up the grade.</i></div>
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<i>Having cut of its third car, the now two car train being pulled by V&T 29 rolls past an abandoned headframe at Gold Hill, Nevada. Originally built for the Louisiana & Pacific Railway in 1916, this small Baldwin feels at home on the sharp grades and twisting track of the V&T.</i></div>
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The spectacular mining headframes and tailings piles give
the area an otherworldly feel with strong yellow’s and oranges in the
hillsides. After our train ride we took a moment to tour the St Mary in the
Mountains museum, the train used to pass through a cut/tunnel right in front of
the church’s basement! The museum guides had plenty of local history photos of
the Comstock district and the railroad. We visited the original V&T
locomotive preserved up the road, then began the long drive from Nevada to
Oregon.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>Jacob Morgan observes the 29 departing Gold Hill.</i></div>
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<i>The West Coast Railroaders Group provides fire protection service on the V&T; their orange speeder is seen here trailing behind 29's returning train in Virginia City.</i></div>
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<i>The conductor on-board the V&T's diesel train from Virginia City to Gold Hill narrating the journey.</i></div>
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Like the spring break trip, staying awake relied on the most
absurd of railfan discussions. This time, Jacob kept us awake by reading bits
of Railway Series lore from the Thomas the Tank Engine wiki… and about the time
we were passing near Boise, Idaho we may have felt we knew more about British
Railway history than we ever needed to know. It eventually evolved into
discussing just how awful <i>Thomas and the Magic Railway </i>was (sparkle
sparkle sparkle). Finally stumbling into our lodging in Baker City, Oregon; we
got ready for our next grand adventure on the Sumpter Valley’s photo charter. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8AbXlSjFoJu9Kxi6qS7yjFfmEODpjmIoEtI5Xn9fAm_CysUIs1CwJHalTSTV88vu5g2pZQXWKmTV2gOS8sHI7yoSAZfsqELrm9lJKJky9gXax35sMadL96hOUn1Y1qZFzHh45qzOhagE/s1600/IMG_2141Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1318" data-original-width="1600" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8AbXlSjFoJu9Kxi6qS7yjFfmEODpjmIoEtI5Xn9fAm_CysUIs1CwJHalTSTV88vu5g2pZQXWKmTV2gOS8sHI7yoSAZfsqELrm9lJKJky9gXax35sMadL96hOUn1Y1qZFzHh45qzOhagE/s400/IMG_2141Edit.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>W.H. Eccles Lumber #3 illuminates the 3' gauge rails in McEwan, Oregon on the morning of October 12.</i></div>
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Like the Virginia and Truckee, the Sumpter Valley is also a
modern-day reconstruction; re-laid over the original rail route. The modern
Sumpter Valley runs between two stations in McEwan and Sumpter. The entire
surrounding valley is covered in loose rock and pebbles due to gold dredging
activity many years ago. This loose talus surrounds the entire railroad, with
lots of ponds along the route. Once outside of the rocky dredging piles, the
scenery turns to a brilliant pine forest. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>Sumpter Valley #19 and and W.H. Eccles #3 great the morning sunrise in McEwan, Oregon.</i></div>
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For the photo charter the railroad had both its operational
steam locomotive under steam. In the crisp fall air, we could feel a chill when
we arrived at the depot in the morning prior to sunrise. We huddled around
inside the McEwan station, eating breakfast and trying to stay warm in the
chilly air. Outside, the gradual hisses of steam could be heard. Right as the sun
crested the horizon the two steam engines had arrived side by side in front of
the depot; Sumpter Valley 19 a logging Mikado, and W.H. Eccles 3 a geared
Heisler. With the air slowly warming up, we hoped onboard the passenger cars
part of 19’s mixed train and began riding along for the photo charter.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUAAd1onmKWzoujqUw0YBHjKLBZ9TnLdE3-lIsP3wjElcom2QJxSn2xiafGqr2-1m8H5m8xszC_1QzsfVXs1w2ci9uTcvVN9YxtyNuv9axQIbo04jCX7v05tbIvA_DnKvPT2C3bmVs0y4/s1600/IMG_2523Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1111" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUAAd1onmKWzoujqUw0YBHjKLBZ9TnLdE3-lIsP3wjElcom2QJxSn2xiafGqr2-1m8H5m8xszC_1QzsfVXs1w2ci9uTcvVN9YxtyNuv9axQIbo04jCX7v05tbIvA_DnKvPT2C3bmVs0y4/s400/IMG_2523Edit.jpg" width="277" /></a></div>
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<i>#19's apperance is captured in the reflection from one of the many ponds alongside the Sumpter Valley Railway.</i></div>
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The three-foot gauge railroad has a rough-hewn appearance,
and our trains gently rocked back and forth as we rode. For Josh, Jacob and I
we this was our first paid photo charter experience; and we were curious how
things would operate. The Sumpter Valley operated the charter with an employee
who had a handheld radio, we could talk to him and he would radio the train
crews telling them we wanted a run by and direct how to stage the locomotives.
It was surprising how responsive the railroad crew was and welcoming of the
photo requests, it sure made the experience very easy going and fun. <o:p></o:p></div>
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One of the most interesting tidbits of dialogue I overheard
from another passenger though was them commenting on the crowds at the charter,
and how other participants had accidentally wandered into their shot once or
twice. It gave me a chuckle having seen the Big Boy a week prior back home in
Utah; for me the crowds at Sumpter Valley seemed light and a breeze to navigate
compared to the posse the 4014 draws!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>#3 taking on fuel back at the wood rack in McEwan.</i></div>
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<i>#19 leads its mixed train near Sumpter, Oregon.</i></div>
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After a few runs up and down the railroad, we stopped at the
Sumpter Depot for a grilled hamburger lunch. The classic American potluck food
was highly appreciated after a long day on the train! As the day stretched on,
we returned back down the line, eventually stopping at the Hawley siding again.
The crew was very welcoming to our requests, we asked if we could ride in one
of the cabooses and we got the chance a few times to ride from the cupola
seats. At that final stop at Hawley, Jacob mentioned he wanted to ask if he
could ride in the cab of 19. The crew welcomed him on board, and for the final
leg between Hawley and McEwan, Jacob got the cab ride of a lifetime inside the
vintage narrow-gauge steam locomotive. Once at McEwan, we got a few parting
shots of the Sumpter Valley’s crew posing in front of their locomotives. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>The crew of the Sumpter Valley pose with their locomotives back at McEwan.</i></div>
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Again, I can’t stress enough how impressed I was by the
Sumpter Valley and their crew. Truth be told all the heritage railroads and
museums I had the chance to visit this year had excellent crews and
hospitality. From Randy Hees giving us a tour at the Nevada Southern back in
March, helping operate the turntable for the McKeen car back in Carson City,
and finally the chance to explore inside the cabooses and cabs of narrow-gauge
steam trains on the Sumpter; it was a series of spectacular experiences all
around. A tip of the hat to all these operations and the great experiences they
gave us on our trips! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>A collection of diesel locomotives sitting outside of MPI in Boise, Idaho on October 13.</i></div>
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<i>A UP freight train heads north along the former OSL mainline in Bliss, Idaho with three Canadian Pacific locomotives in tow.</i></div>
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October 13<sup>th</sup> marked the end of our trip; with the
long drive from Baker City, Oregon back home to Tooele, Utah left ahead. Of
course, we had a few final stops to see in the Gem State. In Boise we took time
to admire the preserved Boise Depot downtown. We then payed a visit to the
outside gates of Motive Power Industries. With the merger between MPI’s parent
company Wabtec and GE Transportation, the MPI plant in Boise is scheduled to
shutter locomotive production and move its series to the former GE plant in
Erie, Pennsylvania. Even with shutdown looming, looking in from the fence
surrounding MPI we could see countless locomotives scattered about the shops,
in various states of repair and disassembly. Finally, as the Gem State came to
an end, we happily crossed the northern Utah border on our final leg home,
arriving back in Tooele shortly after evening fall.<o:p></o:p></div>
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What can I summarize from my three multi state trips this
year? The west is truly still wild country in its open expanse, and the long
drives and Mt. Dew fueled journeys are a testament to the sheer scope of the
country. Our Nevada-Oregon trip in October was proof of that, with nearly each
day taking up eight hours in the car to travel from location to location. Go
off road, and in poor weather the journey can become threatening as our March
escapades near Lund, Utah proved. <o:p></o:p></div>
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However, in the wide-open expanses of the west is stunning
scenery, and spectacular railroading. From the round the clock action in
Kingman, Arizona; to the restored vintage steam railroads in Nevada and Oregon
there is plenty of reward for the railfan willing to make the trip. Bring a few
friends, pack a few good tunes and grab a few tickets for some of America’s
most stunning historic railroads and museums; and the wild west spirit that
fueled the original Transcontinental Railroad is not hard to still find. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Jacob Lymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03836321845066754233noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094173605070939347.post-64127270129564485702019-12-11T17:21:00.000-08:002019-12-12T12:40:26.600-08:00A Look Back, Three Railfan Trips 2019: Part 2: Solo adventure to Ely, Nevada.<br />
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<a href="https://desertempireproject.blogspot.com/2019/12/a-look-back-three-railfan-trips-2019.html">Part 1: Las Vegas and Kingman, Arizona</a><br />
<b>
Part 2: Solo adventure to Ely, Nevada</b><br />
<a href="https://desertempireproject.blogspot.com/2019/12/a-look-back-three-railfan-trips-2019_12.html">Part 3: Western Nevada and Sumpter, Oregon</a></div>
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On June 21<sup>st</sup> I had a simple theory to prove…
would it be possible to make a round trip from my home in Tooele, Utah out to
Ely, Nevada and back in a single day? Obviously, there was some hesitation from
my parent’s in me traveling a long trek again, this time alone; but I assured
them there would be no muddy roads and I would inform them off my progress.
Fellow Desert Empire Project editor Matt Liverani lives out in Ely, and I’d be
meeting up with him to railfan the Nevada Northern Railway before I went home.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Besides, I needed Ely and its steam locomotives. UP 4014 had been a blast, but the crowds were certainly still stuck in my mental image of the day. I needed a trip that was more quiet, intimate; one where I could get close to a living breathing steam train without the massive wall of crowds that follow the Big Boy wherever it steps foot. The Nevada Northern Railway offered just the right remedy for that kind of malaise.<br />
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<i>My first stop on June 21st lead me to catch this Ferromex locomotive shoving on the end of a westbound grain train on the former Western Pacific route.</i></div>
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<i>Welcome to Earth</i></div>
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My first stop was at the former Marblehead branch on the ex-Western Pacific, I
shot a passing grain train on the mainline; then inspected a bit of the now
abandoned branchline which had been disconnected from the mainline since my
last visit. A brief stop at the Salt Flats where I pretended to be Luke
Skywalker on Crait facing Kylo Ren also happened… for nerdy reasons. Although
seeing Star Wars’ scene on Crait was filmed in Bolivia, maybe the real movie I
should have been quoting was <i>Independence Day</i> which had many scenes
filmed in the Wendover area and on the Salt Flats. “Welcome to Earth” like Will
Smith said. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<i>Although many of the original buildings are gone, the remaining machine shops and offices fenced off at McGill are a significant reminder of the smelter that once operated here.</i></div>
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<i>Similarly fenced off is the Nevada Northern depot in McGill. Owned by the railroad, this could perhaps someday be restored with the track repaired allowing excursion service to this town. The distant mountains still have a snowcap in June, showcasing the extremely wet water year the Great Basin had.</i></div>
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The long drive through the Steptoe Valley was beautiful.
Nevada had a generous springtime rain season, and the mountains were green and
verdant. It was the most stunning I had ever seen the desert regions of Nevada,
and I enjoyed every minute of it. My interest in smelters and railroading led
me to McGill, the copper smelting hub once served by the Nevada Northern
Railway. The smelter site is closed off, but the few buildings still standing
visible from outside the gate were spectacular and made for a great reference
for how similar smelters might have looked in their heydays. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>A lot of historic railroad's have steam locomotives. Very few of them can say though they have steam locomotives original to the line based in the original yard full of original structures... yet in Ely #40 lives on the same railroad it has been on since its was delivered from Baldwin in 1910. The original fabric preserved here is astounding.</i></div>
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<i>I don't tend to share my backlit pictures that often, but I love how this curve looks and how well it showcases the abundant green this year had.</i></div>
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Finally, in Ely I met up with Matt and grabbed my ticket to
explore the grounds of the Nevada Northern. #40 the line’s famous “Ghost Train”
the official State Locomotive of Nevada was doing the rounds that day, booked
to haul a string of hopper cars up to Ruth as part of a locomotive rental. A
second departure from Ely had #40 running light to Ruth as another locomotive
rental, before returning to prepare for the late afternoon tourist train run.
Matt and I chased the first two runs. Here out in the Nevada desert, #40 put on
a show hauling its short freight train. I was enjoying the lack of crowds with
Matt and I often alone; although by the time #40 had reached Ruth a few other wandering
railfans had come out to photograph it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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#40 was nearing the end of its current certification, being
due for a 15-year inspection in 2020. The engine showed it, in all the best
ways; specks of rust, faded paint, clanking valve gear… #40 was indeed showing
her wear and tear. Worn out and tired? Yes. But not un-cared for, as the Nevada
Northern prides itself in maintaining and up keeping its locomotives in an
authentic manner. #40 perhaps looked her best like this, slightly worn out and
rough around the edges but every bit as authentic to the East Ely yard in 2019
as it would have been back in say 1949. The extensive preserved structures in
the yard make it easy to lose sense of time… the Nevada Northern is a
modern-day oddity, but only 60 or 70 years ago these types of shortlines in
small distant towns were lifeblood of American life. East Ely Yard could have
been “Anywhere USA” only a hundred years ago, yet now it stands alone and
unique. Like a place lost in time. I can’t help but think of my hometown Tooele
Valley Railway which ceased to exist long before I was born, but its much
easier to picture the sights, smells and sounds that once would have happened
in my hometown when I have the Nevada Northern Railway as a point of reference.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>#40 just simply puts on a good show each time it runs. Thanks to the several rentals running that day, I got to chase 40 with both a train and running light up and down the canyon.</i></div>
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Matt offered to buy me lunch at the Economy Drug and
Old-Fashioned Fountain pharmacy in Ely after our chasing. I swear, that is
still the best Italian Sandwich I think I have ever had… Jimmy Johns and Subway
have both failed to capture the awesomeness of that one sub in Ely. Matt left
for home, and I was on my own… first I made a stop to Garnet Hill… taking an
hour to hunt for garnets in the public rockhounding area. </div>
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<i>I've heard it said that the Nevada Northern is like a place where the people working there just left one day and never came back, leaving everything behind... I feel that is not entirely accurate; its a place where once those people left, others came back to keep working there. The machine shop there is amazing and always a must see when I am visiting. This is true living breathing history.</i></div>
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<i>In progress restoration on NN #81 was happening while I was in Ely visiting the shop. I can't wait to see this one in steam someday!</i></div>
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I finally returned to
the Nevada Northern, using the ticket I bought earlier in the day to tour the
shops. Rather than take a guided tour, I wandered in and walked the shops alone
taking it in at my own pace. I watched crew working on the NN 81 restoration,
while a man hosed the floors in #40’s vacant stall next to NN 93. I also got to
meet the famous cat Dirt finally, after the cat managed to avoid me on my two
prior visits to Ely in years prior! As #40 was preparing for its tourist train
in the afternoon, I shot a few parting photographs and bought a fridge magnet
on my way out of the gift shop. <o:p></o:p></div>
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One more stop in McGill to admire the still standing smelter
buildings. I couldn’t resist it myself, had to admire the few standing remains
still at the smelter there. <o:p></o:p></div>
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A few cans of Mountain Dew and some patience with the long
road, and a few hours later I was pulling into my home in Tooele… my car
running a lot more smoothly than the last trip! I’d say Ely was a successful
venture… time to start thinking big again! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbhlQJUvQq7Xy67fYOsqZYMBcLO6ttzAyT9Orqzzt0ZU5MgF7Yzb9mDtRa7rFi3v9s4T6W8IQby4efqy85xnykjMMiVVY9WUTlsazFAyXhhl_jb6d6tYFs4YUGyRk2XKG7-nus9IDBwc0/s1600/IMG_2000.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbhlQJUvQq7Xy67fYOsqZYMBcLO6ttzAyT9Orqzzt0ZU5MgF7Yzb9mDtRa7rFi3v9s4T6W8IQby4efqy85xnykjMMiVVY9WUTlsazFAyXhhl_jb6d6tYFs4YUGyRk2XKG7-nus9IDBwc0/s400/IMG_2000.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>The ambiance of this place... its just amazing. A mid-20th century railyard just stuck in time.</i></div>
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The Nevada Northern Railway is one of the most talked about
and celebrated standard gauge lines in America, but its isolation often means
it’s quite a journey for almost anyone to get out there. Is the journey worth
it? Of course. The wide-open Steptoe Valley provides a dramatic backdrop for
the drive there; and the Nevada Northern Railway is steeped in the area’s
history of copper mining and smelting. I was glad I got the chance to pay my
dues to #40 on that trip, as the engine is scheduled to be sidelined pending an
overhaul for its 15-year inspection in 2020. But with #93 and soon #81 joining
the roster; the Nevada Northern will continue to be the leading experience for
standard gauge steam in an authentic western setting for many years to come. <o:p></o:p></div>
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- Jacob Lyman<br />
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<br />Jacob Lymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03836321845066754233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094173605070939347.post-16570389067124119782019-12-10T18:07:00.001-08:002019-12-12T12:39:54.288-08:00A Look Back, Three Railfan Trips 2019: Part 1: Las Vegas and Kingman, Arizona<br />
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<b>Part 1: Las Vegas and Kingman, Arizona</b><br />
<a href="https://desertempireproject.blogspot.com/2019/12/a-look-back-three-railfan-trips-2019_15.html">Part 2: Solo adventure to Ely, Nevada</a><br />
<a href="https://desertempireproject.blogspot.com/2019/12/a-look-back-three-railfan-trips-2019_12.html">Part 3 Western Nevada and Sumpter, Oregon</a></div>
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<i>UP 844 leading an excursion train in Boulder City on the Nevada Southern Railroad on March 16, 2019;</i></div>
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This year I went on three major railfanning trips with
friends. 2019 was always going to be a big year for railfans, with the
long-awaited Golden Spike 150<sup>th</sup> celebration and the return of Big
Boy to steam. Utah was bound to be a major location for all of these events,
and it would host UP 4014 on two separate tours throughout the year. <o:p></o:p></div>
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However, I wanted to have experiences that were away from
the bustle and crowds that the Big Boy would bring, and experience the 150<sup>th</sup>
year of the Golden Spike throughout the west where I could see how the coming
of the railroads changed life out here. It was also the first year in my life
where my own family was not having any vacations of our own; my parents had
decided to go on their first trip to Europe together and they made it clear
that the only way my sister and I could join them was if we could pay for our
own ticket overseas.</div>
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To be clear… their tour had them depart Utah to head to London on May 10<sup>th</sup>.
I am sure most of the readers here would understand why I would not want to be
leaving Utah on that day especially this year! Second, all of my own European
fantasies seem to begin and end in Wales on the Ffestiniog and Talyllyn railway
lines… and somehow the idea of touring London, Paris and Berlin was not the
European trip I’d choose myself. Lastly, it was expensive; domestic traveling
is much more affordable than international especially on a shoe string college
student budget! So, I ended up joining up with friends to plan and execute our
own vacations and trips this year across the American west. Sorry mom and dad,
but maybe Europe <i>next </i>time. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>January 3, 2019; was the day Dynamic Rail Preservation's two locomotives an F40PH and SDP40F left Utah on a freight train heading to Nevada. I captured a few photos of them while the train passed through the Tooele area.</i></div>
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Our first trip in March was born several months prior to
that in January of this year; when Dynamic Rail Preservation finally moved its
two locomotives stored in Ogden to the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Boulder
City. We wanted to see DynaRail’s new home in Boulder City, and see how Nevada
was treating Chris Fussell’s/DynaRail’s two locomotives. The next catalyst for
the trip was the discovery that a piece of my hometown railroading history
resided in Boulder City now. The International Smelting and Refining company
had operated a steam crane known as “The Crab” in Tooele, Utah at their
facility there along the Tooele Valley Railway. When the smelter closed “The
Crab” was sold to the Heber Valley Railroad, and eventually was bought alongside other
ex-HVRR stock by the Boulder City museum. <br />
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Lastly were the rumors that south of Boulder City, in Kingman Arizona was a
land of milk and honey where the railroad action never stops on the former ATSF
transcontinental railroad. Chris’s two locomotives, the BNSF action on the
former ATSF and “The Crab” were the trifecta needed to launch a spring break
trip to the Vegas area. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Joining me on the trip was Josh Bernhard; Desert Empire
Project’s founder and one of our editors; and Schon Norris a former contributor to
our blog and co-host of the Railroad Roll
By Podcast with local radio DJ Todd Nuke 'Em. On March 15<sup>th</sup>
I picked them up in Provo to begin our trek south to St.
George where we would overnight before heading into Boulder City and Kingman
the next day. I left behind a partially finished group homework project, I had
done my assigned part and I figured my team mates would finish it before I
returned Sunday night.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I-15 doesn’t offer much railfanning opportunities past Nephi
where Union Pacific’s Sharp Subdivision begins to head west shortly south of
town. So, for a bunch of railfans, this first leg of the journey was a caffeine
fueled trek across Utah with not a lot going on other than our own idle
conversations. It was the next morning, Saturday March 16<sup>th</sup> where
our real fun began.<br />
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St. George is a marked contrast with the Great Basin Region, being the far end
of the Colorado Plateau in Utah red rock country. I-15 drops off the plateau
region through an Arizona canyon that straddles Utah and Nevada; then entering
Nevada the altitude drops and the increase in heat marks the beginning of the
eastern Mojave Desert. Seeing how northern Utah is still locked in winter, the
summer like heat of the Mojave was a nice change of pace. I was a bit too
excited to enjoy the heat, and forgot to apply sunscreen and ended up with a
sunburned neck by the end of the day. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm4ZXv4Sb3FcfyqoW7w0V4Tz2tLIbHfnlMgQ4kBlPqL0wPV5WoGp4DDNzGrRFCis9HMefyuM23EK2Nusoew-lRGVLgWLBh9guOYWVZByeTHV1VUJBZPF4XO0M9wBEWJQwyJd0Jwhpta5s/s1600/IMG_0976EDIT_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1472" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm4ZXv4Sb3FcfyqoW7w0V4Tz2tLIbHfnlMgQ4kBlPqL0wPV5WoGp4DDNzGrRFCis9HMefyuM23EK2Nusoew-lRGVLgWLBh9guOYWVZByeTHV1VUJBZPF4XO0M9wBEWJQwyJd0Jwhpta5s/s400/IMG_0976EDIT_2.jpg" width="367" /></a></div>
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<i>One of the Las Vegas Monorail trains glides past Harrah's and The Linq on the backend of the Vegas strip on March 16, 2019.</i></div>
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Our first major railfan stop was in downtown Las Vegas. We
joked that we were in Las Vegas in spring break, not to see the clubs or
casinos; but instead catch a sight of the monorail! The Las Vegas Monorail is a
Bombardier system, based on the system first installed at Disney World in the
1970’s. We wandered on the back end of the Vegas Strip to watch the monorail as
it climbed and crested the curves along its route. After sometime watching the
monorail, we rushed back to our cars to head out to the Nevada State Railroad
Museum in Boulder City.<br />
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The Nevada Southern Railroad rides along the former Union Pacific branch that
connected the Hoover Dam construction site to the national rail network. The
northern leg of the branch up to Henderson is still in service with Union
Pacific; but the southern leg hosts the museum and their tourist trains. We arrived
and the museum’s director Randy Hees and Braden Brickman one of the museum staff
both guided us on a tour throughout the museum for the next few hours. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsUfr4mZthWRphyphenhyphenWDXwsfBM_oiW5Eipq3xD7TSMv6SCFq6f0jIIl_epNKCHWJHEEw6bLmT401YDPXqtW5tH-SXTkm8BWJPPHLAUA7ajLYvoMXsq-1mp7KL5eiwQI0m6sDnXQ8VYBxM7iY/s1600/IMG_0994.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsUfr4mZthWRphyphenhyphenWDXwsfBM_oiW5Eipq3xD7TSMv6SCFq6f0jIIl_epNKCHWJHEEw6bLmT401YDPXqtW5tH-SXTkm8BWJPPHLAUA7ajLYvoMXsq-1mp7KL5eiwQI0m6sDnXQ8VYBxM7iY/s400/IMG_0994.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>One of the projects currently at the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Boulder City is the construction of Dan Markoff's replica narrow gauge passenger car </i>Elsa.<i> This car will accompany his famous Eureka locomotive in future visits to narrow gauge railroads.</i></div>
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Randy and Braden were great hosts. They walked us through
the railroad’s shops so we could see DynaRail’s locomotives up close in their
new home, we even ran across DynaRail’s president and owner of the locomotives
Chris working in the cab of UP 844 (the GP30) in-between tourist train runs. We
toured a private parlor car kept in the museum, and got a kick checking out the
“Jackass and Western” equipment that was used in NERVA nuclear engine tests by
NASA and the Department of Energy at the Nevada Test Site.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiES_RmIX55p-4cgsCOwgLkSkOoQvs01i1VY-BxkUopb7HlOyo5gii6bW7_Bos-t5nlQX_Pek7rNI30iVGwX5g9cd8onUZsgqWR5LntG_TdafqoVu2J7HuFhCExA_Bkfs7zetAEObic_c/s1600/IMG_1004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiES_RmIX55p-4cgsCOwgLkSkOoQvs01i1VY-BxkUopb7HlOyo5gii6bW7_Bos-t5nlQX_Pek7rNI30iVGwX5g9cd8onUZsgqWR5LntG_TdafqoVu2J7HuFhCExA_Bkfs7zetAEObic_c/s400/IMG_1004.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>A faded outline of the NASA logo is visible underneath the DOE emblem on one of the preserved Jackass and Western locomotives. The NERVA rocket would never fly in space, but the idea of nuclear powered rockets is still discussed as a future deep space method of travel.</i></div>
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Randy opened up the back end of the museum for us, so I got
to get my chance to get up close to “The Crab.” We also got to see Uintah
Railway #12 stored in the museum back lot. In-between all the historic equipment
on display, we took occasional breaks to photograph UP 844 and the rail bikes
coming in and out of the museum to head on excursions on the railroad line. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinWw8Xcud8ciRRsIw06LPt86IeEFC_1kcIC_g3hWPXwi-qcQu6UQQw3qvIJrNCsEzP1Vap4YEV9qjAIS7d2u9npHQJhPid9XAgRpENLX_W9IZX6os0XD3w1WZbxp-7lmI065au7fsaKkw/s1600/IMG_1033EDIT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinWw8Xcud8ciRRsIw06LPt86IeEFC_1kcIC_g3hWPXwi-qcQu6UQQw3qvIJrNCsEzP1Vap4YEV9qjAIS7d2u9npHQJhPid9XAgRpENLX_W9IZX6os0XD3w1WZbxp-7lmI065au7fsaKkw/s400/IMG_1033EDIT.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAA5-KicMLhqWdmz5wt6ejXPzyc4_uwU0wCjQWaoLHoLmAgnx2QsnxvMQJjslA3QLvBrTrmRKooXBF4tPn1L5NukB0jYdHlhRkPdW5VVGmrqYV3SVU4smwOnTv3ZpHJvasdjAFH1EcL7M/s1600/IMG_1037EDIT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1343" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAA5-KicMLhqWdmz5wt6ejXPzyc4_uwU0wCjQWaoLHoLmAgnx2QsnxvMQJjslA3QLvBrTrmRKooXBF4tPn1L5NukB0jYdHlhRkPdW5VVGmrqYV3SVU4smwOnTv3ZpHJvasdjAFH1EcL7M/s400/IMG_1037EDIT.jpg" width="335" /></a></div>
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<i>Faded red paint has turned to orange in the Nevada desert sun, but The Crab is in remarkably good mechanical condition.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTQKmz3whH4ueTU6vNPfsD6qPEc-qomqbgYMNo1D-_PlF-HIbTlEduLoE6W3WMUkfVhdTAeTbSe768fLLHnNDq65oEyBOtzKds3-w3OpCrAEZHpN-IP-P6PDBrxz7RbcvYljDKWUp0vJU/s1600/IMG_1052EDIT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTQKmz3whH4ueTU6vNPfsD6qPEc-qomqbgYMNo1D-_PlF-HIbTlEduLoE6W3WMUkfVhdTAeTbSe768fLLHnNDq65oEyBOtzKds3-w3OpCrAEZHpN-IP-P6PDBrxz7RbcvYljDKWUp0vJU/s400/IMG_1052EDIT.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Nevada Southern Railway 1000 was one of the first diesels on the Union Pacific. It would later work for the Western Pacific and the Sacramento Northern before entering preservation on the Heber Creeper. It moved to Nevada with a large majority of the former Heber collection in the 1990's.</i></div>
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I have to speak very highly of Randy and Braden for hosting
us. If anyone is out in Boulder City area, I definitely recommend taking the
chance to visit the Nevada Southern for themselves and experience it. It’s a
great museum, that has plans to grow over the next few years! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS5JE9C3LOC3i33GqO6zyxwmxYLb9XFmEocBPhyphenhyphenTOvLJHVwP-yMuyw3QTHHml8-BNC85ubz4LqgmlR7Pc9j5jSdfTdFuZTiEDorVaqlMrnwWY3d44zHk_lmGZGr6R-FitG1Jbe61Z3-Vg/s1600/IMG_1064EDIT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1129" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS5JE9C3LOC3i33GqO6zyxwmxYLb9XFmEocBPhyphenhyphenTOvLJHVwP-yMuyw3QTHHml8-BNC85ubz4LqgmlR7Pc9j5jSdfTdFuZTiEDorVaqlMrnwWY3d44zHk_lmGZGr6R-FitG1Jbe61Z3-Vg/s400/IMG_1064EDIT.jpg" width="281" /></a></div>
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<i>UP 844 returning rail bikes to the museum's station platform.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEawHwfS5NR9VWL5dZxPjmbiBJk-Y2hHvKVZWsHCYzVtvVkovQ2tP7KRwdO4GZnDt_URqSwt_PaE_YuYAt-bPjJ-XBxl86qfEJ0C52fwpfKGvtGvc40xTtljLerTnvUmh3YBMmQXHfCeY/s1600/IMG_1067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEawHwfS5NR9VWL5dZxPjmbiBJk-Y2hHvKVZWsHCYzVtvVkovQ2tP7KRwdO4GZnDt_URqSwt_PaE_YuYAt-bPjJ-XBxl86qfEJ0C52fwpfKGvtGvc40xTtljLerTnvUmh3YBMmQXHfCeY/s400/IMG_1067.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Dynamic Rail Preservation 644 would be renumbered later in the year to its BNSF era "6967." Due to the work of Dynamic Rail Preservation and the Nevada Southern, the locomotive would return to operation in November 2019.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAaM-ZH39t7n4t3lPRHDwJR_-5DEfcxm8SIFo8rhjipIw8s0_xoaMeW3Y_EPteVl4DCDEypSyqyzGsJsCABU4H5ia7RPzycnHsmkLTHo8pfDRkqzvJpw9RExgZbeD2lbcc23rjuV7sPS8/s1600/IMG_1097EDIT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAaM-ZH39t7n4t3lPRHDwJR_-5DEfcxm8SIFo8rhjipIw8s0_xoaMeW3Y_EPteVl4DCDEypSyqyzGsJsCABU4H5ia7RPzycnHsmkLTHo8pfDRkqzvJpw9RExgZbeD2lbcc23rjuV7sPS8/s400/IMG_1097EDIT.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>BNSF freight passes alongside the preserved ATSF era Kingman Depot. The station is still an active Amtrak stop after it was restored a few years back.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6WTXjm4vue0Y9S1lnGcY9pvr-pH4NVspKvM7QaHLqCQj6x0Ihg8xfwXBkP1x-nUbMN1RPfHEhBjzkkjjh7vmriMneul5nJk_4bgxwkQKwQIHovOUq7ZI0mDM4DuN4LXRHMineMCym8LM/s1600/IMG_1135EDIT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1183" data-original-width="1600" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6WTXjm4vue0Y9S1lnGcY9pvr-pH4NVspKvM7QaHLqCQj6x0Ihg8xfwXBkP1x-nUbMN1RPfHEhBjzkkjjh7vmriMneul5nJk_4bgxwkQKwQIHovOUq7ZI0mDM4DuN4LXRHMineMCym8LM/s400/IMG_1135EDIT.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>BNSF action on the double mainline just east of downtown Kingman.</i></div>
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After our time in Boulder City was over, we began our trek
south to Arizona to Kingman. The long drive was rewarded with Barbeque in
Kingman at the end; but we had to see for ourselves… was the ex-ATSF
transcontinental really the fabled train mecca we had been told about? We
already saw one train before entering the BBQ place, and we swore we could hear
a few more pass while waiting for our meal… so as soon as we were finished
eating, we rushed out to see the traffic.<br />
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Kingman did not disappoint. I had never before in my life seen so many freight
trains in one place passing each other almost nonstop. BNSF runs a constant
line of freight traffic along their southern Transcon all day; and every 15 minutes we were
almost guaranteed another train passing through town. We were stunned, we’d
move to one location and have a train almost as soon as we arrived; then when
we’d discuss moving location, we’d start packing up our gear only to whip it
out seconds later when we heard the distinct shriek of dynamic brakes coming
around the curve. We were constantly bouncing around town, enjoying the
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFh0lLR_Dg_CbviXQBUAz_C4RC-cqtHcOXvey6CnKcz7SLLPzIFcyMV-fQbOZ3Iu3BXicRsZaRCknIJWjV0jlILTuYPA2wZkEGckFPyLtGplLxw8fkeR6DYnxOKLE1GTjjpzXvwx0yHK0/s1600/IMG_1198EDIT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFh0lLR_Dg_CbviXQBUAz_C4RC-cqtHcOXvey6CnKcz7SLLPzIFcyMV-fQbOZ3Iu3BXicRsZaRCknIJWjV0jlILTuYPA2wZkEGckFPyLtGplLxw8fkeR6DYnxOKLE1GTjjpzXvwx0yHK0/s400/IMG_1198EDIT.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYYgvSgf93s_iVhJNps6M8VslpqiDMaw3O4cUNJ88aFU5BTgamKh38KEBP3mhe6Omw6QDOyR8DGiBWdPvWggnF_Avxy_rccrIAneoCK9e2bojC8mktiBacFVpJ9GKQptAwz7CzEC1Drjs/s1600/IMG_1203EDIT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1119" data-original-width="1600" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYYgvSgf93s_iVhJNps6M8VslpqiDMaw3O4cUNJ88aFU5BTgamKh38KEBP3mhe6Omw6QDOyR8DGiBWdPvWggnF_Avxy_rccrIAneoCK9e2bojC8mktiBacFVpJ9GKQptAwz7CzEC1Drjs/s400/IMG_1203EDIT.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>"What the...!?!?" a trailing Union Pacific DPU on a BNSF freight gathered our teasing ire in Kingman Canyon. Another train with a Ferromex leader and a KCS unit trailing caught us by surprise.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9kMImvvVuMGtC4unZd39hG-jFZelvPy7usY0Sia27cjyuSFWYfZUTpAGXmv5NRuLJSCnCU2WITk9fV6qfj6L3UZ10Nt5RMKwZ1NVVFo0kzDi_dhUT1XDNGyluB7RDpN3JldOeKoZVia0/s1600/IMG_1211.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9kMImvvVuMGtC4unZd39hG-jFZelvPy7usY0Sia27cjyuSFWYfZUTpAGXmv5NRuLJSCnCU2WITk9fV6qfj6L3UZ10Nt5RMKwZ1NVVFo0kzDi_dhUT1XDNGyluB7RDpN3JldOeKoZVia0/s400/IMG_1211.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<i>Schon and Josh demonstrate the natural seating in Kingman Canyon.</i></div>
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We finally settled just off Route 66 in Kingman Canyon on top of a pile of
rocks overlooking a pair of ATSF painted bridges. Josh, Schon, and I stretched
out on the natural chairs formed by the rocks and just enjoyed the nonstop
parade of trains along Route 66 from our perch. We got a few chuckles at the
oddball Union Pacific or Ferromex locomotive, joking we traveled out here to
see BNSF not these locomotives! Our jokes and obscenities echoed in the canyon,
muffled by the growling prime movers on upgrade eastbound trains, and the whine
of dynamics on the downgrade westbound. Dusk fell, and we packed up, grabbed
gas for my car; then began the long drive from Kingman back to St. George.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyDbyGlXj8R1k-PA3N0J94t0-gK_ov-7vLLo6avR1es86IyKfn7OhY56iOu9blYTvP-AUTU5wj4s22mKRYA-oTaddMK4l3k28J9Rj5bfMOpNMaAuZyZOj0Q3nGAvfmeuU8y9lB26mjuho/s1600/IMG_1219EDIT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyDbyGlXj8R1k-PA3N0J94t0-gK_ov-7vLLo6avR1es86IyKfn7OhY56iOu9blYTvP-AUTU5wj4s22mKRYA-oTaddMK4l3k28J9Rj5bfMOpNMaAuZyZOj0Q3nGAvfmeuU8y9lB26mjuho/s400/IMG_1219EDIT.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Our discussion in the car became something of a meme among ourselves and our
friends. We started debating the value of sound effects in model railroading,
and the long debate over pro-sound anti-sound kept me awake while driving the
long drive. Turns out Schon and I were very much in favor of locomotive sound
effects, while Josh felt a more traditional soundless approach was truer to the
hobby. After the long drive we finally pulled into St. George and grabbed some late-night
Arby’s, before heading back to the hotel.<br />
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On March 17<sup>th</sup>, I took a break from Josh and Schon to visit my
grandparents who live in St. George. My grandmother was suffering from
dementia, and I was glad to visit her and spend time with her and grandpa;
since grandma would end up passing away a few weeks later. I shared with them a
few pictures I had taken in Boulder City and Kingman, hoping perhaps the photos
of The Crab would jog a few memories from my grandfather who worked at the
International Smelting plant in Tooele in his youth. After I spent time with my
family, I returned to the hotel to meet up with the rest of the crew. While I
was gone Josh and Schon plotted a route that would take us to Iron Mountain and
then onto Lund, Utah up through Milford then along the Lynndyl Subdivision then
the Sharp Subdivision back to Provo, Utah. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>The mothballed locomotives at Iron Mountain just outside of Cedar City, Utah continued their long rest on March 17, 2019 when we stopped in the area to check them out. Once the lease expired on these locomotives, the lessor decided to scrap them on site later in the year.</i></div>
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Little did we know how that re-routed plans would begin to
change our last leg of the trip into a different journey we’d never forget! We
arrived easily enough at Iron Mountain, exploring the mothballed locomotive
fleet and the branchline leading from the Union Pacific to the moribund iron
mine through sharp hills and pinion pine trees.</div>
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<i>My car at Lund was already looking terrible... I wish I got a picture of it before we reached Milford since it was already looking comically worse; but I think I was to frustrated to bother with grabbing a photo of it by then!</i></div>
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It was on route to Lund we encountered the first troubles in
an early spring trip through the desert, wet muddy roads. My RAV4 limped
through dirty roads into Lund, and we were a bit nervous but decided to stick
to the dirt roads on the route north to Milford. Soon it unraveled into a
disaster… my car was covered in mud, Josh and Schon had to push my car out of
the mud while I tried to throttle the car out of the muck. A few grunts of frustration and profanities laced rants later, we eventually started bush-whacking through sage brush, the
brush grabbing to my car’s undercarriage and beating us around. The bush seemed
friendlier than the mud anyways.</div>
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<i>We did manage to catch a few trains outside of Milford and on our route to Delta; but it felt sparse after the nonstop action the day before in Kingman, Arizona.</i></div>
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By the time my car rolled into Milford, it looked like it
had come out of a jungle expedition. Sticks of brush plastered on with mud were
glued to my car. Turns out Milford has no car washes… so we had to try and
clean off my car with a gas station squeegee. We tried railfanning a bit
between Milford and Delta, but compared to the feast of traffic the day before;
the LASL felt like a famine. <br />
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In Lynndyl, I noticed my car started shaking as I approached 60 mph… we pulled
over to inspect it, and I found more brush stuck in the undercarriage. The
following trip over Leamington Canyon was a crawl, and getting into Nephi and
back onto I-15 was a slow slog where we had to stick to the right line with
emergency flashers on to Payson. I nearly considered abandoning my car in Provo letting Schon drive me home but I decided to stick
with it and drive on the final leg back. By myself now, I crawled slowly across
the valley’s back home… fortunately The Killer’s <i>Hot Fuss</i> album kept me
company. I learned to love the bass lick of <i>Jenny Was a Friend of Mine</i>
that night, as it kept me awake during the long limp home. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>Thank you Brandon Flowers and Mark Stoermer, et. al. for giving me some music to stay awake to on that long slow drive home.</i></div>
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Then I got home only to discover neither of my teammates had
done anything in the group project I had left that weekend. A late night was
spent on my computer, waiting for them to finish their legs of the assignment
before I could submit it in for its Monday morning due date! The next few days
I was faced with paying for the repairs to my car transmission due to the
damage caused by all the sage brush back in Lund. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Weeks passed, and somehow the legendary car disaster at the
end of our trip morphed into legend; and I had over a thousand photos to admire
from our trek. Somehow the group project came together in the end and I passed
that class. Eventually May struck and after the Big Boy with its crowd’s and
hysteria had come and gone… I decided it was time to do it again. I learned a
few things… this time I <i>wasn’t</i> going to let my car get stuck in the mud!
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.spreaker.com/user/broadwaymedia/4-11-2019-mixdown">Want to hear more about this particular trip? Check out this episode from the Railroad Roll by Podcast where Schon talks about his views on the trip near the end of the episode.</a><br />
<br />Jacob Lymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03836321845066754233noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094173605070939347.post-30477296192121122022019-12-09T16:24:00.001-08:002019-12-09T16:29:18.415-08:00Opinion: The UP 3985 Challenger Talk<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Patience my fellow foamers.</i></div>
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Like some sort of rigged booby trapped explosive, UP 3985 has been coming up as a trigger point in countless railfan forums and Facebook groups over the last few years. With the increased interest in the UP steam program this year following the wildly popular UP 4014 tours, it seems plenty of talk has been made of 3985. Disparate clues that UP is planning to get working on it now that UP 4014 is finished, plenty of other firsthand reports claiming the engine is as good as dead and will continue its long term storage in the Cheyenne Roundhouse. Even more rumors suggesting its going to be packed up and stuffed and mounted in a museum. What exactly is going on with 3985, and why does the railfan community have such a fixation on it?<br />
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Do I have the answer to these tales of 3985's fate? No, I don't. I bet only Union Pacific themselves know the answers, and it seems for now we are just going to have to wait a bit longer to find out what they are planning (or not planning) for the engine. But I do want to share my opinions on the subject.<br />
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<i>Mark Evans photo October 2008</i></div>
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1979 marked the beginning of UP 3985's return to service, when a group of volunteers began reassembling the engine in Cheyenne. The restoration was completed in 1981, and as part of the Union Pacific Steam Fleet it joined UP 8444 in public relations tours across the Union Pacific system. Among the highlights of this career was its 1992 use on CSX rails as part of the former Clinchfield Railroad's annual Christmas train. Another trip in that same era was the 1990 stack train run, where UP 3985 lead a stack train for APL. The final trip for the Challenger was in 2010, pulling the Ringling Bro.s Circus into Cheyenne; and the engine was stored pending its FRA mandated overhaul. A month later, in November; longtime UP Steam Program head Steve Lee who had been a part of the program for much of the Challenger's use, retired and was replaced by Ed Dickens. </div>
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This is where I think of a lot of the hysteria surrounding UP 3985 began to take root. The changing of the old guard definitely ruffled a few feathers. In 2013, UP 844 joined UP 3985 in storage and many online railfans went into a fury over the idea that this 'new guy' Ed Dickens had somehow allowed both of the railroad's steam engines to fall silent. </div>
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However it is clear that Ed and his team were already beginning to focus on a much <i>bigger</i> task up ahead. In 2012 UP had announced their desire to re-acquire a Big Boy locomotive; and in July 2013 UP officially sealed the deal acquiring the now famous UP 4014 from its home in the Rail Giants museum in Pomona, California. 2014 was a big year, moving the Big Boy from its static display; and across four states back to Cheyenne to start restoration work. </div>
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Still for many armchair critics, retired preservationists, and other railfans in the forums and chatroom's; it was unacceptable that steam was still silent on the Union Pacific (the pending Big Boy restoration not withstanding). Meanwhile the diesel fleet maintained by the steam program (the DDA40X and E units) slowly began falling silent too, furthering increased online speculation. Many began protesting the current steam team with some online petitions demanding Ed Dicken's removal from Union Pacific. It seems silly in hindsight, but the digital vitriol from that era was very real, and continues to haunt a few segments of the railfan community.</div>
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What followed was a stunning set of years, where Ed and his team proved their worth; first with a remodel of their steam shops in Cheyenne, the return of UP 844 to steam in 2016, and the final push to get UP 4014 ready for its grand May 2019 entrance. The chatroom hysterics seemed unfounded as 2019 grew to become Union Pacific steam's biggest year yet. 4014 would travel the nation in three massive tours, taking it up and down the Union Pacific system, celebrating the Golden Spike with UP 844 in Ogden, joining a preserved ALCO 2-8-0 in Duluth for a double steam display, pulling excursions up Cajon Pass, joining UP 4141 in honor of the late President Bush Sr. in Texas, and storming through snowstorms in Kansas and Colorado in a rush to get home before Thanksgiving. While many of the internet critics remained, their complaints fell on deaf ears as many who experienced UP 4014 in person (myself included) got to witness a spectacular showing from it through out the year. </div>
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In person, its hard not to admire UP 4014. Clean and crisp looking its a modern and complete restoration to its core. The only part of 4014 I genuinely hated, was having to swim through the massive crowds that always followed to admire it! </div>
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<i>One of my favorite experiences with UP 4014 was its return to Utah in October, I chased it in Salt Lake City; and again a few days later through central Utah down from Provo to Delta.</i></div>
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What a year 2019 was! Thousands if not hundreds of thousands of people got to witness the largest steam locomotive in operation. I can't help but wonder what seeds have been sown, what little kid who was out trackside for UP 4014 this year might be the one with Ed Dicken's job in the next 30 years? Which one of those kids might be the next to helm the famous steam shops at Strasburg? Or the one to design the next leap in rail technology? This kind of publicity is excellent for our community, and UP 4014 has done marvels for railfanning and railroading this year. </div>
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Of course though, the question returns eventually to... "what's next?" Slowly whisker tracks that had been removed for environmental remediation at the Cheyenne Roundhouse; are being put into place once again connecting UP 3985, the DDA40X and E units to the national rail network. Once these pieces of equipment are no longer "landlocked," will they join UP 844 and 4014 in the program's active roster?</div>
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As I said earlier... I am not the person with those answers. I do know what I want emotionally; the thought of three massive UP steamers in play is an awesome fantasy. The image of UP 4014, 3985 and 844 in a massive triple header is probably the holy grail of many a railfan's dream, and its been something I have spent time idly daydreaming about. Just as 844 was welcomed to communities it returned too after its 2016 restoration was completed, perhaps 3985 could do the same once more as it returns from its long hiatus. Perhaps a double showing of 4014 and 3985 could solidify UP's legacy as the railroad of true giants.<br />
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But the logical part of me asks... why? Why in the world would Union Pacific need three locomotives in their fleet? They don't often pull passenger excursions, the Cajon Pass and a brief segment of the Ogden trip being the only parts of 4014's trips this whole year with passengers on-board. Unlike a tourist railroad that can have two or three engines under steam at a time, UP often only needs just one engine running per trip. Part of the appeal of 3985 was it being a large articulated steam locomotive, but with 4014 in the stable now there is a <i>larger</i> articulated in town. Lastly with the corporate bean counter's over their shoulder's; would Ed even have a case to argue to corporate for the funding to restore 3985 when its clear 4014 and 844 can already draw the crowds? Would funding for 3985 delay the potential return of the E units and the DDA40X?<br />
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Like Pink Floyd said "Money so they say, is the root of all evil today..." and money will always be the bottom line in any steam locomotive's hopes for future operation. Just go ask Western Maryland Scenic and their long slow road to returning 1309 to operation... So if money is the key issue, unless corporate was willing to finance a three steam engine operation; it seems 3985 might only have a chance to return to operation if it replaces either 844 or 4014 in the future. This is where my opinion comes on strongly; if I had to pick two of the three and leave the third for storage... I'd pick 844 and 4014 any day over 3985. With the exception of the railfan's who have formed strong bonds to 3985; I imagine most of the railfan population, general public, and most importantly corporate heads at UP would likewise leave 3985 behind in their selections. Its hard to sell UP 3985 to corporate and the general public, when its simplest description is "imagine UP 4014, but slightly shorter..."</div>
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So then the question becomes... what to do with 3985? It has already donated some parts (most notably its tender) to 4014, perhaps it can join UP 838 as a part's source and template permanently stored in the Cheyenne shops? Or maybe its destiny lies in a museum, bring it out somewhere for display and permanently strike it from the UP roster? Or perhaps it is to sit collecting dust, until maybe a day comes when 4014's novelty wears thin and a replacement is sought for, or maybe UP's business head's hearts will grow three sizes one day and they decided they need that third steamer to complete the ultimate foamer dream team? Or is UP already planning a return to steam and restoration is secretly under way even as we speak? </div>
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If I were a betting man, UP 3985 is going to stay exactly where it is at. I tend to lean on a lot of the accounts from this year's 4014 tour's where several railfans reported Ed or other steam crew mentioning there are no plans for UP 3985. No plan's means exactly what it says on the tin; <i>no plans</i>... no plans to donate it, restore it, scrap it, move it, or anything of the like. Personally, I think no plan is in a way, the perfect plan for 3985 right now... its safe and indoors; protected from theft, can serve as a parts template for 844 and 4014, and makes a great talking point for the occasional Steam Shop tours. I'd hope that the steam shop dedicates its forces to continued upkeep on 4014 and 844, and perhaps begins bringing its historic diesels back into operational shape; since the return of the DDA40X and E units could perhaps make more poignant diesel helpers for the two active steam engines rather than the current trend of using general UP freight engines. </div>
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Again, I can't pretend to know with any certainty what is going on at the UP Steam Shop. But I think Ed and his crew deserve all the praise they can get for the restoration of 4014. I find the continued online hand wringing and bashing over 3985 odd; 2019 has been the most spectacular year for the steam program yet, but many railfans seem to not be seeing the forest through the trees continuing to focus on what hasn't happened rather than what has already happened. Our community can continue to get hung up on 3985... or we can enjoy the 4014 ride while it lasts and the present events we are all getting to collectively witness. When Otto Perry or Emil Albrecht witnessed the golden age of UP steam, do you think they could have imagined the crowds and excitement that would have been caused a half century later when just one Big Boy returned to service? Its an amazing world where every railfan across the globe got to witness the Big Boy in action thanks to digital streaming and social media bringing it right to them. </div>
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As 3985's enjoy's its well deserved rest, I do hope that someday in some future it will once again breath with a fire in its belly and join its sibling engines in the UP Steam Fleet. Its the only one of the three UP steam engines I have yet to personally catch in action, and I hope to see it someday myself in steam. Until then 3985 will be fondly remembered by railfan's who got to witness it in action, while a new generation will get to come and know 4014 and 844 in these coming years. </div>
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- Jacob Lyman</div>
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I should also mention, the 1982 fires caused by UP 3985 in Utah are personally one of my favorite "that's crazy!" stories that exists in railroading. If anyone wonders why UP 3985 and later UP 4014 became oil burners... well here's the answer: <a href="https://www.railpictures.net/photo/420353/">https://www.railpictures.net/photo/420353/</a></div>
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<br />Jacob Lymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03836321845066754233noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094173605070939347.post-41714211112771481822019-02-23T10:37:00.000-08:002019-02-23T11:45:50.796-08:00Opinion: How I Would Fix Amtrak<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Amtrak's California Zephyr; running several hours late, in Salt Lake City, Utah.</i></div>
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Lets be honest, the current Amtrak long distance train system has struggled to work for a long time. Since the system was founded in the early 70's, Amtrak has struggled to increase ridership and turn a profit in long distance train service. The long distance trains have also struggled to retain decent on time service, and recent cutbacks in dining car services on certain trains have sparked debate among travelers and rail-fans alike.<br />
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<a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/97/Hiawatha_streamlined_steam_locomotive_1951.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="800" height="251" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/97/Hiawatha_streamlined_steam_locomotive_1951.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<i>A classic streamliner scene on the Milwaukee Road in the mid-20th century.</i><br />
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A lot of the current operations of Amtrak's long distance trains follow the methods and style of the classic American long distance streamlined trains of the mid-20th century. Its hard not to see the appeal of this era of rail travel, lightweight passenger cars fitted with luxurious interiors, fine dinning services, and other luxuries designed to pull ridership back to the rails and away from the new airline and automobiles. This era still has a strong pull in the American psyche, such as Alton Brown discussing his first experiences eating a shrimp cocktail while riding a late streamliner era passenger train in his TV show "Good Eats", or the cinematic attempt making innuendos with the trains in the classic Hitchcock film <i>North By Northwest</i>.<br />
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Not only did the railroads compete with luxury as its weapon of choice, so did their competition in the sky. Airlines tried to bask in luxury in that era, putting kitchens into their airplanes that could dish out meals that rivaled those on the railroads (such as explained <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLq2q5NyPEo">in this video</a>). Meanwhile the car companies advertised the rising interstate system as a personal form of freedom, without the restraints of rail or air travel.<br />
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To railfans its hard not to see trains such as the 1950's Super Chief or the California Zephyr as the peak of American rail travel. The streamlined steam locomotives and bulldog nosed diesels certainly help the mystique, and I know I would love to have a full replica of some iconic named passenger trains in HO scale to run on model train layouts!<br />
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This is 2019. Airlines serve bags of peanuts to passengers in cheap seats that are painful to anyone over 4-foot 2-inches. The interstate system is complete, and long distance car travel is routine. And here is Amtrak, straddling the line between the 1950's passenger trains of old while trying to match the modern era of economy and low cost of their competition. In a strange way, Amtrak's service seems like a watered down version of the streamliners that came before, too cheap to be considered luxury and too expensive to be considered economic. Is it any wonder then that in 40+ years of operation Amtrak has still yet to find a working method for long distance trains?<br />
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Meanwhile, in city's across the nation short distance train travel is returning in force. In Salt Lake City, I am lucky to have easy access to the TRAX and Frontrunner systems, and similar streetcar-light rail-commuter train systems are popping up in metropolitan areas across the nation. America is falling in love again with these short distance trains in their local area; cheap and economic, and easily accessible to the masses.<br />
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That is what makes the recent <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/amtrak-plan-to-expand-ridership-could-sidetrack-storied-trains-11550664000">Wall Street Journal article</a> about Amtrak considering re-inventing its long distance trains so intriguing. I see it as taking a page out of what commuter rail is doing and bringing it to Amtrak's intercity model.<br />
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For example, lets say I want to travel from Salt Lake City to Denver via train. Does the current California Zephyr really service my needs? I'd first have to get on a 3:30 am train in Salt Lake City, in a neighborhood that has limited parking options and is infamous in the area for its homeless population. If I could park off site then ride TRAX in that would be preferable, but TRAX isn't running at night when Amtrak makes its Salt Lake stop.<br />
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Then I'd travel most of the scenic former Rio Grande in Utah in darkness. At least it will be morning when I hit the Utah-Colorado border on the train, and I would be able to enjoy the Moffat Route in daylight, although I think it would be hard to shake that I missed half the scenery already. The arrival at 7:10 pm in Denver is sort of a more normal arrival hour and it will be at the refurbished Union Station; but much of the same troubles repeat on the return route with a return to Salt Lake City being about 11:00 pm at night.<br />
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Simply put, its not convenient hours and not competitive to similar airline service. The appeal of using Amtrak to travel outside of Salt Lake City is not very strong. Not to mention, its completely limited to the California Zephyr route... Oakland, Reno, Denver and Chicago are about the only major cities I can reach via the CZ without taking connecting trains or bus routes. I have had far more trips to Los Angeles for somewhat regular visits to Disneyland and treks up to Seattle to visit my family than I have ever had to Oakland or Reno (I have never been to Denver or Chicago). The point being, the California Zephyr not only has the wrong departure times, it also has the wrong destinations...<br />
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And that is why the proposal to run shorter daylight trains on more direct routes between cities Amtrak is looking at is so tempting. Its a sacrifice of the last vestiges of luxury for sure, but it could be the full embrace of economy and ease of access that Amtrak sorely needs. Trains Magazine contributor Fred Frailey has discussed the issue in a recent blog post called <a href="http://cs.trains.com/trn/b/fred-frailey/archive/2019/02/20/amtrak-39-s-great-debate-begins.aspx?fbclid=IwAR2Hf_6xM2OkDN5recPpIROX-CJC8FG3Cp1YUjV_0AIhEnWOOjDrDu5o4Bw">Amtrak's Great Debate begins</a>, addressing both the legal and planning hurdles the changes could face; while also showcasing the potential. Frankly, it is time for this "Great Debate" to start and I am excited at the possibility of a 'new' Amtrak.<br />
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For inspiration, why not look at the Western Pacific's Zephyrette; an RDC motorcar service that was meant to be an 'off hours' counterpart to the California Zephyr? Lets take this model to the modern era and see how it works.<br />
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First, lets take a modern DMU unit such as the Stadler FLIRT or Siemens Desiro (what can I say, the Europeans build good trains!). Lets outfit it for longer distances, bigger fuel tanks so it can make runs from say Salt Lake to Las Vegas without refueling between terminals. A portion of one car will be a luggage rack for passengers to store their carry on bags. Lets add a small concession bar, so riders can get some cold served sandwiches and some snacks so they can have a small meal or two en-route. No-where near as glamorous as a three course hot meal, but still comparable to similar services seen in airline travel (besides what is to say a passenger couldn't pack their own meal for the train?). Outfit the train with Wi-Fi and maybe some on-board TV screens to entertain the commuters who might not be captivated by the scenery. This train will be staffed with an engineer, a conductor or two who will aid in ticket checking and passenger boarding, and some staff to run the snack bar.<br />
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Two trains will be staged at opposite terminals, one in Salt Lake and the other in Las Vegas. Both will depart early in the morning around say 8:00 am or so to coincide with the commuter rush in their respective cities so passengers can use public transportation or off site parking to reach the stations. We can maybe add one additional station stop in the middle of the route (in this case such as Milford or Caliente) so we can do a much needed crew change and provide some service to more rural communities.<br />
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Without large dining, luggage, parlor cars, or other classic streamliner trappings; our relatively small DMU is a fast little train, able to zip along the single tracked line between the two cities without fouling sidings for long. This is important to ensure the dispatchers of our host railroad are welcoming to these Amtrak trains darting between their freight traffic. It will likely be late afternoon before the train could arrive at the end of the line, but our passengers have successfully traveled from one city to another! If our Vegas bound passengers want to travel further, perhaps the train could connect with another DMU service that runs the Vegas to Los Angeles route.<br />
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Another benefit of using DMU's is it lowers the cost compared to having to maintain or buy a full 11 car train set like the current long distance trains need. This could allow for an increase of train frequency, with maybe two or three DMU trains departing a city terminal daily. Maintenance could be provided by either constructing new repair facilities for the DMU's near the routes, contracting services to local area commuter lines such as Utah's UTA or Los Angeles's Metrolink; or any remaining Amtrak long distance trains using traditional methods could be used to return DMU's to Amtrak's already existing facilities across the country.<br />
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Of course this plan has hurdles. Terminals would have to be expanded to handle having several DMU's at a time, in comparison to handling only one or two long distance trains per day. Of course the spending in purchasing the new DMU fleet and arranging to maintain it would be another hurdle. Most importantly, the very laws governing Amtrak and its definition of train service would have to change, allowing for Amtrak to implement these shorter routes without needing funding approval from individual states.<br />
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But I think the benefit on a focused model of smaller trains, shorter routes and more frequent service is tempting. Yes, it would be sad to see the departure of the long distance trains; but the continued long distance service has proved to be uneconomical and unsustainable financially year after year. Short routes and short trains could very well be the change Amtrak needs to be more economical and competitive in a modern United States.<br />
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I hope this "Great Debate" ushers in positive changes for Amtrak. Its about time this conversation started and I hope it modernizes American rail service for the 21st century!<br />
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-Jacob Lyman<br />
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<br />Jacob Lymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03836321845066754233noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094173605070939347.post-53422584525508099232018-09-15T10:14:00.000-07:002018-09-15T10:14:09.865-07:00Opinion: Its Time to Preserve the West's Smelting History<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_K_FpbMuOXadHeeg_5ULdkanltp3lxXlFKwTk6_WXTWXl_ssPMJHgLXqZq5sDfkFNxHZCdIbREh9H5ZUNo3lqyxAswwcNpcAJrrVBteaCBMoYH61bXcRfCl-BZJyy9NRYxjEq74OLSfY/s1600/ResolutionCopper.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="551" data-original-width="509" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_K_FpbMuOXadHeeg_5ULdkanltp3lxXlFKwTk6_WXTWXl_ssPMJHgLXqZq5sDfkFNxHZCdIbREh9H5ZUNo3lqyxAswwcNpcAJrrVBteaCBMoYH61bXcRfCl-BZJyy9NRYxjEq74OLSfY/s400/ResolutionCopper.JPG" width="368" /></a></div>
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<br />Its been a while since I have gone to the blog to write a long form post; but a recent scroll through my Facebook feed brought up something interesting, which I have screenshot-ed in the above photo. I have never been to Superior, Arizona and not studied up much on its history... but the loss of any building related to copper smelting history is something I take notice of.<br /><br />From what I read about the demolition currently ongoing in Arizona is that the buildings were briefly considered for preservation. However the amount of asbestos, arsenic, lead, and copper contamination was high enough that it was decided for health and safety reasons to demolish the remaining smelter buildings. One cost estimate pegged the cost of demolition at $2 million dollars, the other option to clean and rehabilitate the site and preserve the buildings? A whopping $12 million! (<a href="https://www.azcentral.com/story/money/business/energy/2015/10/23/resolution-copper-mining-faces-decision-smelter-stack-superior-arizona/74237478/">Source</a>)<br /><br />Non-ferrous metal smelting is a vital piece of our industrial history that is rapidly being lost across the nation and falling through the cracks in terms of preservation. Many artifacts from these smelters have made it to local museums, but nowhere has an entire plant in the western USA been saved and preserved. The experiences a railfan can have walking through the historic yards in Ely, Chama, or Jamestown and experiencing the entire site cannot be replicated with non-ferrous smelters. Yes, there are preserved mines & mills; but the smelter represented a critical link in the metal's process from ore to final product.<br /><br />As of 2018, only three operational copper smelter's remain in the nation, Rio Tinto's plant at Garfield which serves as a backdrop for my daily commute, and the two smelters in Arizona. The last primary lead smelter in Missouri shut down a few years ago, the local mines now shipping their lead ores overseas.<br /><br /><br />
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<i>Bethlehem Steel during the early 20th century depicted in a post card. From the <a href="https://www.loc.gov/resource/ds.02641/">Library of Congress</a>.</i></div>
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Ferrous smelting has fared a bit better than the non-ferrous smelters in regards to preservation. Several steel mill remains east of the Mississippi have been preserved, cleaned up and redeveloped into the communities. One of the most notable examples of this exists in the Lehigh Valley area of Pennsylvania, were the former Bethlehem Steel plant has been converted into an event center called <a href="http://www.steelstacks.org/about/what-is-steelstacks/">SteelStacks</a>. A large portion of the plant is kept as a backdrop for the event center, most notably the massive furnace structure which is over 1000 feet long from one end to the next! The site made its way into the news again this year, as the neighboring Sands Casino began plans to purchase the structure and the city entered in talks with the Casino on how to preserve the 'stacks' for the future (<a href="http://www.mcall.com/news/local/bethlehem/mc-nws-bethlehem-blast-furnace-future-20180308-story.html">Source</a>). These sites will remain a part of the local history for years to come thanks to the preservation minded outlook of the local area.<br /><br />However, in terms of Western United States history, the west was not built on steel mills the same way as the east (exceptions existed of course, such as Geneva Steel in Provo and the many small mills that work on scrap metal recycling that still run to this day). The dominant force of smelting in the west's history has always been copper and lead; with the gold and silver trapped in those ore bodies.<br /><br />What remains of the great copper and lead smelters of the west today? Trips to visit the great smelting sites at Kellog, El Paso, Murray, McGill or Tooele end up either in a grassy field with a lone structure or two; or an area so heavily re-developed not much remains of the old plant. Tailings and slag piles might remain, but these toxic remains tend to be removed or blocked from access due to their environmental risk. One of the few preserved smelter structures in the west is the smokestack that once served the Anaconda, Montana smelter... but now it stands alone; a structure out of context. Again, any similar preservation efforts in the west are often single buildings without the surrounding plant or simply moving artifacts off site prior to demolition of what else remains. <br />
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<i>Bunker Hill Smelter in Kellog, Idaho in the 1970's. (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bunker_Hill_Mine_and_Smelting_Complex#/media/File:Bunker_Hill_smelter_operating_in_winter_snow,_1970s.jpg">Source</a>)</i></div>
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I should clarify I do not intend to raise this issue as an attack directed on work such as the Superfund program. I believe it is important that areas be cleaned up to improve health and quality of life surrounding the site, and it would be economically unfeasible to preserve historic structures <i>and </i>clean up toxic areas at <i>every</i> single smelter site in the west. However, it is unfortunate that in the effort to clean up these areas that not one or two sites have been able to do such while preserving the historic plant.</div>
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This may just be the opinion of a lone amateur railfan, but when the next great smelter closes; be it Garfield or one of the ones in Arizona; and the million dollar price tag between clean up and restoring the buildings for preservation, or to simply demolish them comes up... I hope that the powers that be take the more preservation minded option next time. An entire preserved smelter plant in the western USA could be the next great historical landmark, a reminder of our nation's industrial history both the good and the bad. The preserved site could be a key learning tool in understanding the environmental, economic and cultural aspects of our actions. That is simply a story that can not be told with a bare grassy field.<br /><br />-Jacob Lyman</div>
<br />Jacob Lymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03836321845066754233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094173605070939347.post-10732092988539727422018-05-11T09:26:00.000-07:002018-05-11T12:17:18.030-07:00Railfanning Disneyland: An Amateur Guide<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>May 10, 2016; Disneyland Railroad #1 on static display at the New Orleans Square Station.</i></div>
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While thinking of what I could write about the famous Disneyland Railroad, I have to be honest I kind of struggled thinking of what I could say about the history of the route that <i>hasn't </i>been said. The Disneyland Railroad is one of the most famous steam operations currently running, with some estimates suggesting over 6 million+ people ride the railroad each year. Disney trivia buffs can tell the stories of Walt Disney and his Carolwood Pacific; his friendship with animators & railfans such as Ward Kimball and Ollie Johnston; the stories of how Walt himself would come to the park to run <i>his</i> trains on the line, etc. As interesting as these stories are, I honestly have nothing new to say to those stories than what has already been stated prior by other authors.<br />
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However, one thing I feel is worth discussing is how to actually railfan this famous line and its sister rails in the resort, the Red Car trolley and the Disneyland Monorail. Truth be told, my recent experiences on a family vacation have proven to me that this line is one of the most frustrating and difficult railroads to shoot. There is no finding a peaceful lineside spot to watch the rails with few obstructions, as the realities of the theme park crowds make that near impossible. Not to mention that very few of us have the luxury or desire to devote our complete time in a theme park to railfanning (those hard earned Fastpasses for Space Mountain ensure that much). However, some recent reroutes have opened up the line to some new photo opportunities that are worth discussing and I hope my experience can be useful for future railfans who visit the park. By no means, I am not an expert; so don't be surprised if I missed out on some favorite railfan spot some of the frequently visiting Annual Passholders who frequently visit the park may be aware of which I am not.<br />
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<i>May 6, 2018;</i> <i>Monorail Orange glides above park guests at the edge of the resort.</i></div>
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In terms of easy railfanning opportunities, the quickest system to access on the resort is the Disneyland Monorail. While the other lines I mentioned are confined inside the theme parks themselves, the monorail system runs outside the parks and through the public resort areas and alongside the right of way of Harbor Boulevard. As such this is the only system that can be photographed well without purchasing a park ticket. Even better, the segments of the monorail that glide outside the parks are relatively obstruction free in comparison to the cramped spaces in the parks themselves.</div>
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<span style="font-style: italic;">May 6, 2018 Monorail Blue glides along the edge of Disneyland Park after exiting the esplanade.</span></div>
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The line has three operating Mark VII monorails which are known by the color of their paint scheme, Red, Blue & Orange. The units are powered via a third rail (or is it second rail?) that runs along the monorail track. There is also at least one diesel powered tug on the line which is used in maintenance and to rescue stranded trains in the event of an electric power failure. The line has two train sets at a time running with the third kept in the rail shop backstage. During my most recent trip for example, only Blue and Orange were operating on the line.</div>
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<i>May 6, 2018; shots of Monorail Orange traveling through the esplanade.</i></div>
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Those who wish to ride the monorail system should know the line has two stops; one inside Disneyland Park and the other in the Downtown Disney shopping district. The track also passes through Disney's California Adventure and the Grand Californian Hotel & Spa but makes no stops at either location. The gauge and system used at the Disneyland Monorail is unique to the line, based on the ALWEG designs from the 1950's (the sister Walt Disney World Monorail in Florida should be noted as the basis for Bombardier's <a href="https://www.bombardier.com/en/transportation/products-services/rail-vehicles/automated-monorails.html">INNOVIA</a> system, which is in use in Las Vegas, Newark, San Paulo Brazil and Riyadh Saudia Arabia).</div>
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<i>May 9, 2018; a Red Car Trolley traveling along the Hollywoodland facades.</i></div>
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The newest rail system in the Disneyland Resort is the Red Car Trolley in Disney's California Adventure park. A historical leaning railfan should be able to recognize this system is inspired by Los Angeles's famous <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Electric">Pacific Electric</a> interurban system; the demise of which inspired the plot for Disney-Amblin's animated-live action hybrid film "Who Framed Roger Rabbit." The Disney version is an electric street running system with four stations.</div>
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<i>May 9, 2018; The Red Car about to depart from the station near the park entrance at Disney's California Adventure.</i></div>
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The most onerous aspect of railfanning the Red Car is the fact that theme park streets are very crowded. It takes some patience waiting for crowds to split long enough to get an unobstructed view of the trolley system in action. Fortunately, the entire right of way of the line can be followed via walking along Buena Vista Street and Hollywoodland; except a small portion which is "backstage" on the property. Keep an eye out for regular shows to were singing newsboys will ride along the Red Car from the backstage area to a performance area near the park entrance.</div>
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Of course I should mention one of the best part of the Red Car system... the set of Wig Wag crossing signals that follows the line! I have no idea if these are authentic or replica pieces, but it is still pretty fun to watch the Wig Wags in action.</div>
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It is worth mentioning that Disney also some a 'fallen flag' railroads! The "Jolly Trolley" was another streetcar system that looped around the Toontown area of Disneyland. The tracks remain and one of the trolleys is kept on static display in the land, but the system has not been used since 2003. The other is the mine train ride system that is best known as "Mine Train through Nature's Wonderland." This small system traveled through the western themed Fronteirland as part of a scenic attraction. It was eventually replaced with the highspeed rollercoaster, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (again a rollercoaster and not quite a proper railroad despite the fun train theme!) One of these old mine trains used to be on display in the park; weathered to look like an abandoned locomotive, however it has since been removed. Perhaps the most famous shortlived Disney railroad was the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viewliner_Train_of_Tomorrow">Viewliner</a>, which was based on GE's revolutionary Aerotrain (Union Pacific would use an actual Aerotrain set between Los Angeles and Las Vegas as part of its "City of Las Vegas" train, and ATSF would use one between Los Angeles and San Diego) The Viewliner was retired when it was replaced with the early Monorail system.</div>
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<i>May 7, 2018; </i>Ernest S. Marsh<i> former Raritan River Sand Co. #10; a rebuilt Baldwin which is now a 2-4-0 pulls an excursion train along the newly laid reroute alongside the Rivers of America</i></div>
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Now lets discuss the main attraction itself... The Disneyland Railroad and its five 3' gauge steam engines. Each engine has a unique name, the first four named after historic presidents of the ATSF and the : </div>
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<li style="text-align: left;">#1 C.K. Holliday; RETLAW, 1955</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">#2 E.P. Ripley; RETLAW, 1955</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">#3 Fred Gurley; Baldwin, 1894</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">#4 Ernest S. Marsh; Baldwin, 1925</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">#5 Ward Kimball; Baldwin 1902</li>
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#1 & #2 were built by Disney under the name of his private company "RETLAW" (Walter spelled backwards). RETLAW managed the Disneyland Railroad, the short-lived Viewliner, and the Monorail, in their early years separately from the main Disney company to ensure Walt could easily access his trains and retained ownership over them. #3 and #5 are both Baldwin built Forney locomotives which have been heavily modified with pilot wheels. #4 was also heavily modified, with the addition of pilot wheels. The line has also been visited by two other locomotives; the operational "Marie E." a 0-4-0T and the inoperative "Chloe" a 0-4-2T owned by the Orange Empire Railway Museum.</div>
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<i>May 7, 2018; two Disneyland Railroad employees at the station at Main Street.</i></div>
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As I was saying earlier... this line is frustrating to railfan due to the amount of trackside obstructions and the weird angles on the circular route that make it tricky to find good lighting (in addition to the fact that chances are any trip to Disneyland is going to not be 100% about trains and instead focused on the countless other attractions to see and do in the park!) Not to mention nearly a quarter of the line is inaccessible for a trackside view since the train is passing the Grand Canyon and Primeval World displays. Oftentimes the best view of the train is as it is approaching one of the line's four stations.</div>
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<i>Disneyland Railroad #5 the Ward Kimball approaches the New Orleans Square Station on May 7, 2018.</i> <i>As far as stack talk goes, this old Forney based Baldwin was one of my favorite sounding engines on the trip as it had to turn its little wheels at a quick pace to keep up speed on the reltively slow but busy line.</i></div>
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My personal pick for the best station to watch the trains is the New Orleans Square station. Operationally, this is where the realities of working steam engines can be best viewed by a casual onlooker. A water tower is here, were the trains regularly stop to take on fresh water to re-fill the tender. A trackside vent is placed at the end of the station platform, so a blowdown can be performed at the station while taking on water. The vent moves the hot steam to an outlet behind the station building, safely away from the throngs of packed park guests.</div>
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<i>May 10, 2016; the New Orleans Square Station is backdropped via this beautiful wood station which served as the park's original Fronteirland Station. It is based on a station set built for a Disney film and recycled on Ward Kimball's Grizzly Flat Railroad. The station structure is normally off limits to guests, however the platform was accessible during a special display through-out 2016 while the line was temporarily out of operation.</i></div>
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Also New Orleans Square has a great environment to keep one busy between train watching in the area. Live jazz music can usually be heard from street performers; and several eateries nearby sell the park's Mint Julep (a non-alcoholic lemonade-mint concoction named after the bourbon cocktail from the Deep South) and the famed Monte Cristo sandwich. The classic wood style depot is a great backdrop, and the exit platforms of the station are a good place to wait for the trains.</div>
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<i>I know this is not train related, but can I just talk about how amazing the Monte Cristo sandwiches are? Meat & cheese in a sweet doughy bread; deep fried and covered in powdered sugar? Its like a scone with a panini buried inside. Its a rich meal, so I recommend ordering one set of sandwiches and splitting it with someone else; since half the plate is enough to fill up one adult. Then take the short walk from the restaurant to get back to train watching at the nearby station!</i></div>
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Now the Star Wars Galaxy's Edge expansion and the rerouted train route have opened up a few new opportunities to see the train, which while not perfect; are some of the funner places to watch the trains roll by. The back patio of the Hungry Bear Restaurant and the trail leading to the future Star Wars expansion have a good view of the tracks as they snake above the rivers. Its here where I like to think of Disneyland as a "large scale" model railroad layout, as the small artificial hills with their forced perspective tricks are not to dissimilar to many a setup I have seen in 1:87 scale. It kind of reminds me of the Durango & Silverton's crawl above the Animas River... just a<i><b> lot </b></i>smaller and with a lot more handrails surrounding the train tracks; and music and narration blasting out of every speaker on the train into my ear! A well timed trip on the Mark Twain paddleboat might offer a chance to see the trains up close on the new river front area.</div>
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<span style="font-style: italic;">Some of the views of and from the new train route through the Rivers of America. The Star Wars Galaxy's Edge expansion in the distance will be partially obscured once the new trees grow in.</span></div>
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A few of the other opportunities to train watch in the park that I have found interesting include the new red rock section alongside the back end of the Big Thunder Trail (new additions from the Star Wars expansion. Keep an eye out for a Union Pacific marked barrel and a small RPO stand replica while riding the train through here). Another spot is near "it's a small world" which is near the engine house for the train and includes the line's only grade crossing. While its can't be reached to photograph (unless on the train itself), listen closely for the train to give a the distinct long-long-short-long signal on its whistle while its crossing the road. </div>
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It should be worth noting that all the viewing areas on paths near the Star Wars expansion are currently pretty peaceful and calm. However I doubt this will last after 2019 when the new expansion opens and crowds will be rushing into the Star Wars areas.</div>
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Of course, those who want a closer experience to the Disneyland Railroad than just riding the regular excursion cars and or watching it from the trackside have a few options at hand. One is trying to get a tender ride on one of the steam engines (#1, #2 and I think #4 all have seats for tender rides, while the two Forney based engines do not). I had the fortune to have the opportunity to ride in the tender of the C.K. Holliday in 2005. My Disney trip this year though I tried twice to get a seat on the tender, but I was out of luck in both my attempts and couldn't get that coveted riding position. Seats are also available in caboose's when they are running. The line runs a parlor car, the Lilly Belle; a refurbished RETLAW coach from the original days of the railroad which is also a coveted riding opportunity not normally available to park guests. The best bet to get onto any of the special seats on the railroad is via asking at the Main Street Station at the front of the park, however as I previously said guests should be aware its sometimes tricky to have the timing work out right to get on-board the special seats. Despite the 'Mickey Mouse' nature of the whole operation, the Disneyland Railroad is indeed a real working steam railroad and the nature of such makes it tricky to arrange opportunities for tender rides or other special seating on every trip in the park.</div>
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<i>Disneyland Railroad #3 Fred Gurley and the Lilly Belle bask in the morning sun while on static display during May 2016 at Main Street while the railroad was closed for construction.</i></div>
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A famous and more regular way though to get to see the Disneyland locomotives up close though is at the annual Fullerton Railroad Days. Over the last few years Disney has been sending one engine to display at the depot during the special event, giving railfans the chance to get up close to the engines outside of their park habitat. Another opportunity to experience the railroad in unique ways includes <a href="https://disneyland.disney.go.com/events-tours/disneyland/grand-circle-tour/">The Grand Circle Tour</a> a reserved train with rides in the Lilly Belle parlor car. I know of some people who have been able to get in and tour the enginehouse itself, however if that was via a tour event or just special connections I have not been able to verify how they did it. The enginhouse is interesting, since its a two story building with the steam trains on the bottom floor and the aforementioned monorail on top! A brief glimpse of the enginehouse can be seen after departing Toontown and looking to the left of the tracks while on the train ride itself. A far easier to see look at the trains is currently in the Main Street Opera House, with a Disney train dedicated pre-show prior to the Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln attraction.</div>
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I hope my little guide and thoughts on railfanning the rails through the Disneyland Resort are useful. I am not some sort of local railfan with an Annual Pass who can drop by Disney regularly to scout for the best photo spots, but instead an out of state guy who gets the chance to drop by every two years or so; in case anybody else has some better insights on how to railfan the route please let me know in the comments. Until then, I hope future railfans on vacation get a chance to have a "Zip-a-dee-doo-dah" of a time while railfanning this uniquely American narrow gauge line!</div>
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-Jacob Lyman<br />
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*Note: While the Disneyland Railroad does not have an easily accessible behind the scenes tour currently, the sister operation the Walt Disney World Railroad at the Magic Kingdom in Florida has a lengthy "Behind the Steam" tour which I have heard great things about.</div>
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*Note two: I have excluded both Casey Jr. Circus (which is actually a proto-rollercoaster flat ride thing); and the horse-drawn trolley cars that run up Main Street from this list. I figure both could have qualified for this article, but I figured they were not going to draw as much attention from railfans as the other lines and photographing them is rather self explanatory while in the park. I also guess every roller coaster in the park could qualify as a "train" but no, I am not going to go there today!<br />
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<br />Jacob Lymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03836321845066754233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094173605070939347.post-1547035067392408292017-11-30T10:13:00.000-08:002017-11-30T12:56:50.933-08:00Milfordfest 2017!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>The </i>ILXG3X 24 <i>rolls south of Bloom, Utah on the 25th; with three locomotives elephant style on point and a "BYU-Wedge" on the first well car.</i></div>
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Over a year ago we went to Milford as a large railfan group; and this year we decided to repeat the venture with a longer overnight trip! The central portions of the historic Los Angeles and Salt Lake route in south-west Utah are some of the least frequented areas for railfans on the Union Pacific system, and it is always a pleasure to join friends and trek out into the high desert looking for train action.</div>
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<i>See that concrete curve going through the grass? That is part of the remnants of the Lynndyl Roundhouse. One of the largest steam era division yard shop facilities on the LA&SL; trains north of Lynndyl ran with coal and those south ran with oil. The variety of steamers coming in and out kept the shops busy. Diesels rendered the shops useless, and the crew change point was eliminated in Lynndyl.</i></div>
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Our first day had our group meeting in different points across the desert; keeping an eye out for any incoming trains. We ended up finally all together at last in Delta, Utah; a small town (with a few interesting local museums worth checking out if you happen to be in the area). Two stack trains traveling opposite directions met in the center siding in town.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYVtQXKpFc9hodn-Ag2twm6yKibTg_d8rNqak-cMRvAzHf4FQiZdOtDd38IjFsHESY9Y4Aoem5S-QrzsCwpbSAbpbHaUgsOCh9Wkg4X-eDmcxroKpDubM8IKvv3KTT4BfVGcCr0hFv4v8/s1600/IMG_8982_Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1236" data-original-width="1600" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYVtQXKpFc9hodn-Ag2twm6yKibTg_d8rNqak-cMRvAzHf4FQiZdOtDd38IjFsHESY9Y4Aoem5S-QrzsCwpbSAbpbHaUgsOCh9Wkg4X-eDmcxroKpDubM8IKvv3KTT4BfVGcCr0hFv4v8/s400/IMG_8982_Edit.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>The ZC1G1-23 rolls into the siding at Delta (November 24) with the ISCLB-24 holding the main. The meet was well timed, with the two trains pulling into opposite ends of the siding at the same time.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzadNuizu47Ty5FZNEqCHihZpvU4E8_l5OrykPFlPIr9yCfJKvynqbBjCAqnJOnhSG3PrhunIUsJBrJhzmNLiWtks7wWNWwnj2zK0rjzL9lQN9EJsfCGDUw4ErIwIk2hRDc5EM0aSP4Wg/s1600/IMG_8984.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzadNuizu47Ty5FZNEqCHihZpvU4E8_l5OrykPFlPIr9yCfJKvynqbBjCAqnJOnhSG3PrhunIUsJBrJhzmNLiWtks7wWNWwnj2zK0rjzL9lQN9EJsfCGDUw4ErIwIk2hRDc5EM0aSP4Wg/s400/IMG_8984.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Almost as soon as the Z-train pulled through the siding, the ISCLB-24 began to throttle up; continuing its trip west. The ISCLB-24 is a regular train which runs from Salt Lake to Long Beach nearly every day. With the holiday rush, it takes high priority on the rails due to the UPS or FedEx trailers it often carries.</i></div>
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We headed down south and found a nice spot south of Bloom, Utah. There our group set up and as the sun set, watched the trains traveling through the desert. Other than the highway and the nearby limestone plant, there were few other signs of civilization. In-between trains, the area is nearly silent with the occasional jack-rabbit jumping through. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVD7LtJ13JQwBNkAyTMdAN50h6_D7c7ccLmLnLyNYt1noqtDndyDZNn_yzz-cCRBhQYUl2trbqsOHA9B3v8BIZHKrHkL4MG3DL83Pze-B8VgEwvrWotWAOTyXzHTXRN4o4eWP-c4HM4o0/s1600/IMG_5917.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVD7LtJ13JQwBNkAyTMdAN50h6_D7c7ccLmLnLyNYt1noqtDndyDZNn_yzz-cCRBhQYUl2trbqsOHA9B3v8BIZHKrHkL4MG3DL83Pze-B8VgEwvrWotWAOTyXzHTXRN4o4eWP-c4HM4o0/s400/IMG_5917.JPG" width="400" /></i></a></div>
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<i> An ILXG3X-21 interrupts the quiet desert, with two UP units and a trailing CSX unit on point.</i></div>
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<i>A desert sunset as seen from our perch south of Bloom.</i></div>
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Prior to the Union Pacific's acquisition of the Western Pacific in the 1980's; the Los Angeles and Salt Lake was UP's only route to California (and even after the WP merger remained the UP's only route to the Los Angeles area until the 1996 merger with the Southern Pacific). High deserts, and long distances meant that the LA&SL had to work <i>hard </i>to remain competitive against the shorter SP Sunset Route and the Santa Fe mainline; for lucrative traffic between Los Angeles and Chicago. The desert meant that water was in short supply, and many of the early diesels on the Union Pacific began to work the desert line almost as soon as they arrived on property. CTC signalling, long unit trains, lengthy sidings, and containerization all joined forces with the diesels to make the LA&SL routes a pioneer in modernization. In the present day, it is common to see over one mile long stack trains on the LA&SL; traveling at full freight speed through empty landscapes. </div>
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At night, in the dark desert sky it is easy to see thousands of stars above. Trains continue to move through at night under the star light, with the new LED signal system installed over the last few years lighting the way for them. </div>
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<i>An ILXG3X 24 approaches the southern end of the siding at Lund, Utah.</i></div>
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The next morning (the 25th) we ventured out to the ghost town of Lund. The junction of the Caliente Subdivision and the branch to Cedar City was once UP's gateway to Utah's national parks. Trains full of vacationers from across the country would travel through here to see the beauties in Zion, Bryce Canyon, Cedar Breaks, and the Grand Canyon. Visiting coaches from lines as far east as the Pennsylvania Railroad and the New York Central joined the UP consists in the summer time National Parks specials; where they passed through Lund on their way to the balloon track yard in Cedar City.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiox9gX4f1RmivCdgIFP1w3UBpoGB4pFqz9OOACdJoa72Lt4xe6rlfI1wNIYhClMnNfPgcYssMlHVnOcYwzqdBtJtx2OF7hnIQn4dtWoqbgEdhFtvex_zbiYg3ygtjBmZbKGNHyYSQmw88/s1600/IMG_9018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiox9gX4f1RmivCdgIFP1w3UBpoGB4pFqz9OOACdJoa72Lt4xe6rlfI1wNIYhClMnNfPgcYssMlHVnOcYwzqdBtJtx2OF7hnIQn4dtWoqbgEdhFtvex_zbiYg3ygtjBmZbKGNHyYSQmw88/s400/IMG_9018.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTu_QUG7IyOexYEoB1jwLso9BL6y5VRy19ee5q0xONVB47ddA0TbxFkK5z17_CjTB8jvF3PI5U00xvD8woQWP3s58mTRtcJ_GYjBkHwKFpA8MDiDlXrs5qDPB7wTOcEKSrtuUxqPJEMXo/s1600/IMG_9025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTu_QUG7IyOexYEoB1jwLso9BL6y5VRy19ee5q0xONVB47ddA0TbxFkK5z17_CjTB8jvF3PI5U00xvD8woQWP3s58mTRtcJ_GYjBkHwKFpA8MDiDlXrs5qDPB7wTOcEKSrtuUxqPJEMXo/s400/IMG_9025.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI5weW2I627SkAHz0_6L0zTHS9U-ZpUronHPTt4ehSRyrhrx9HaM_WU3xRFiJ7tY9v_IOgiBtVgRaIzp1V_eHbEAbnD0DDAp4dESD79tQ_BMrvcJjugL925X55GmKRRceDyHbIJWZXD98/s1600/IMG_9036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI5weW2I627SkAHz0_6L0zTHS9U-ZpUronHPTt4ehSRyrhrx9HaM_WU3xRFiJ7tY9v_IOgiBtVgRaIzp1V_eHbEAbnD0DDAp4dESD79tQ_BMrvcJjugL925X55GmKRRceDyHbIJWZXD98/s400/IMG_9036.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>C40-8's, SD60M's, and Gensets are among the many pieces of old motive power stored at Lund.</i></div>
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Now, Lund is a few empty buildings watched over by the local ranchers. UP uses the spacious yard for locomotive storage. The area became infamous a few months back when a group of vandals tagged one of the SD60M units in storage there. The "Rail Beast" caused quite the stir, and the unit was almost immediately dragged out of the desert storage line and sent back east to have a visit with the paint booth in Jenks. The unit though has already become part of local railfan legend, and the orange paint stained rails reminded us we were at the site of the units infamous creation. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJzyr_qOR5RAjOo0Cq6eqfVhAyy11G8NVZW-ZUVsdSOzllmdDp5WVMo_bA9mNxD6sEMGR3XvESi-dJXSNXDBaaV01_26xCQG4cvVkErK3E18A7mBJ_qO02RDiqtKd-HCte9h3oG-_AnM/s1600/IMG_8931.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJzyr_qOR5RAjOo0Cq6eqfVhAyy11G8NVZW-ZUVsdSOzllmdDp5WVMo_bA9mNxD6sEMGR3XvESi-dJXSNXDBaaV01_26xCQG4cvVkErK3E18A7mBJ_qO02RDiqtKd-HCte9h3oG-_AnM/s400/IMG_8931.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>I never photographed the real "Rail Beast" but the unit's claim to fame in the local railfan sphere was forever immortalized in plastic in this model on display at the Intermountain Train Show a few weeks back (model made by Dave England).</i></div>
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<i>Also at Lund, this awesome trackside sign with a reminder of the long gone Amtrak </i>Desert Wind<i> which once traveled this route!</i></div>
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Back up north near Read, Utah; was our next train watching spot. We got a chuckle out of the ironic sight of a coal train rolling past the Milford area's array of wind, solar, and thermal power complexes. Coal has seen a small upswing in traffic on the rails recently, however it is still a shadow of its former-self in the Utah market compared to the strong demand of coal many years ago. The days of DRGW or Utah Railway trains "running through" the LASL with black diamonds are sadly long gone.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghsqT_NoRz5zRbt1yToYIMqamu4dVeZ2-vEBevYDiD8l2mgCIHmwYXQCBNCUgzUfvc756uaAD67_5niykTf1nE21w6zuk7NBfF66W1TdAYp3x8cfmNXQP0tlPC0xRLHQfHfpFxPhr9OVk/s1600/IMG_5981.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghsqT_NoRz5zRbt1yToYIMqamu4dVeZ2-vEBevYDiD8l2mgCIHmwYXQCBNCUgzUfvc756uaAD67_5niykTf1nE21w6zuk7NBfF66W1TdAYp3x8cfmNXQP0tlPC0xRLHQfHfpFxPhr9OVk/s400/IMG_5981.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqzW6uP2UOmQetFtb_bHhMy717QlEgGQEi_397M0WF_5O96LcvsqzgvwjRV3u33-nhgaU9VQojbstiZRuxSNbcXjMHGmBfeqPBCDTIH52-utWyIR6W15Bl97sMHtL_YRsW0ysbBwc8H0M/s1600/IMG_5982.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqzW6uP2UOmQetFtb_bHhMy717QlEgGQEi_397M0WF_5O96LcvsqzgvwjRV3u33-nhgaU9VQojbstiZRuxSNbcXjMHGmBfeqPBCDTIH52-utWyIR6W15Bl97sMHtL_YRsW0ysbBwc8H0M/s400/IMG_5982.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>The </i>MSCWC-24 <i>at Read, Utah crawls on its journey westward.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsuNRSfSedkNykFqKAqe93gIOyahXTT5ovMOG6rq5FYnINguZVHndtqVsYgY0xHbY7M599qxPh02u-mb801aXrOW3_bEokoqJzteym7d16kfgDDwPq-Jlst0tR6OSvn27Nzp9b4z1rjro/s1600/IMG_5992.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsuNRSfSedkNykFqKAqe93gIOyahXTT5ovMOG6rq5FYnINguZVHndtqVsYgY0xHbY7M599qxPh02u-mb801aXrOW3_bEokoqJzteym7d16kfgDDwPq-Jlst0tR6OSvn27Nzp9b4z1rjro/s400/IMG_5992.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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As our day wound to a close, we returned to the hill near Bloom we had visited the day before. As we watched the final trains roll through the daylight hours, we talked about the hobby. Everything from the trains we had seen in the day, to our dreams for the model railroads we would love to <i>someday </i>have; kept us entertained while the last freights ran through the dwindling daylight hours. We tried to follow a speedy stack train out of Bloom back up north, but it ran well ahead of us and we lost it at Delta. Finally our group split at Lynndyl, ending our trip.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimB8C78kOeKL3FClfb-d0r8QF36ta37cMAzkmOANDVPaG4xvSRQO6WX3dc4pJS3Lvjls_ph0NBGK_YXAcKqg1Nhyphenhyphen-mcFoJLePGrp6Eg1lYGWFh3vBAp7NsKl37hMiIfnuYschuqa3tsJc/s1600/IMG_9049_Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimB8C78kOeKL3FClfb-d0r8QF36ta37cMAzkmOANDVPaG4xvSRQO6WX3dc4pJS3Lvjls_ph0NBGK_YXAcKqg1Nhyphenhyphen-mcFoJLePGrp6Eg1lYGWFh3vBAp7NsKl37hMiIfnuYschuqa3tsJc/s400/IMG_9049_Edit.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<i>The </i>ISCLB-25<i> going through a cut near Bloom.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKQT18Rc__CshBafIFJCfAPogo9W7DCtXnoTwtGSZw7kDHunne8GvsdiYnZSJg-hTPhiAy5XUME_JZfgw6yGQZXE7aLY_B9OWtQ5hTqO8qaz3UEKjVs4EnFdweW7I6mjnMZUNyLpxP8DM/s1600/IMG_6000.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKQT18Rc__CshBafIFJCfAPogo9W7DCtXnoTwtGSZw7kDHunne8GvsdiYnZSJg-hTPhiAy5XUME_JZfgw6yGQZXE7aLY_B9OWtQ5hTqO8qaz3UEKjVs4EnFdweW7I6mjnMZUNyLpxP8DM/s400/IMG_6000.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>The </i><span style="color: #313131; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14px; text-align: start;">ZLAG1-24</span> <i>at Bloom.</i></div>
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Over 100 years of service, and the "Pedro" still holds a unique place in America's railroading system. Not as favored by western railfans as the Overland, the Sunset Route, or the Northern Transcon; the Los Angeles and Salt Lake's desert portion still languishes in obscurity. The LASL is a true hidden gem. Empty desert flats, with towering mountains on their edge, all serve as a strange and scenic backdrop for the railroad. In places such as Milford, the railroading blood still goes deep; with crewmen from the yards in Salt Lake and Las Vegas meeting together in small town diners between runs. </div>
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Where the SD70ACe and the GEVO now rule, is the faint echo and memory of the days when FEF's, ALCO PA's, and EMD E7's charged the desert with their passenger trains in tow. Its always a pleasure to get out there and see how little railroading has changed in the desert.</div>
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-Jacob Lyman</div>
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Jacob Lymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03836321845066754233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094173605070939347.post-5939633475501966382017-10-15T20:42:00.000-07:002017-10-15T21:21:24.777-07:00Pride of the Nevada Northern - Dirt!No, I'm not talking about the stuff you walk on or curse for having to constantly keep out of your vehicle. I am talking about the "unofficial" official mascot of the Nevada Northern Railway Museum. For a few years now, the shop cat known as Dirt has wandered through the shops greeting visitors and shop crew alike. Unlike some of the shop cats that have wandered these hallowed grounds in the past, Dirt is very personable and loves attention from whomever will give it to him.<br />
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I went down to the shops on October 15, 2017 to check on the status of the rebuild of engine 93 (more on that at another time). While talking with the shop crew about the current progress, Dirt came out for a visit. This wasn't my first encounter with him, and I know it certainly won't be my last. You touch him once, you are a friend for life!<br />
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- Matt Liverani<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnh9xc3UHQsyUh_wJ3SYHVKWGsxyFQQ_YbGYbifnKi5fjG48c4QuNQZIbGB7E3WO_jQ5rFEc0APT-XvIv1b6smyQkN3lY1ouAa6EFjUB8V_a1VD_-4USk7NajCZA9noSRlUWXfbyZ0jw/s1600/IMG_3245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnh9xc3UHQsyUh_wJ3SYHVKWGsxyFQQ_YbGYbifnKi5fjG48c4QuNQZIbGB7E3WO_jQ5rFEc0APT-XvIv1b6smyQkN3lY1ouAa6EFjUB8V_a1VD_-4USk7NajCZA9noSRlUWXfbyZ0jw/s400/IMG_3245.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is how I was greeted by Dirt on my shop visit today.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAxGZnGdAIbrBhYpaknT35eNNXbThSsebhcUTITThuqk5LRhVwzCZbkL49Nxbij51-Dc2WM1nJquZtb_WzUS-R2WCh9lmkPgYoJYXqB2FAgCy9ycKcL1eWhBW3VkREQIG00nIKA7VxLw/s1600/IMG_3246.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAxGZnGdAIbrBhYpaknT35eNNXbThSsebhcUTITThuqk5LRhVwzCZbkL49Nxbij51-Dc2WM1nJquZtb_WzUS-R2WCh9lmkPgYoJYXqB2FAgCy9ycKcL1eWhBW3VkREQIG00nIKA7VxLw/s400/IMG_3246.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dirt strikes a pose!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxBWrtb5Zy9MAh3uFSt9e63m3X9IcIH7Oa0TWsB16-K1J-En-et-EM98epQDltRaqGeLi8XzDpKTXnPPYJO08igcs9fQgBrEokut1h6zYIE_6EkwY3wqU89O4AF53p16uP_oNr9an_QA/s1600/IMG_3247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxBWrtb5Zy9MAh3uFSt9e63m3X9IcIH7Oa0TWsB16-K1J-En-et-EM98epQDltRaqGeLi8XzDpKTXnPPYJO08igcs9fQgBrEokut1h6zYIE_6EkwY3wqU89O4AF53p16uP_oNr9an_QA/s400/IMG_3247.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After I had spent a few minutes petting Dirt, he let me<br />
know he wasn't quite done with me</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEginWKB2yI35MzhMghYBmwBlNwVV83w7vDmnsgjMYx695L00442j-4xJMNq5d9WdmiF5Jl4letBf5OKXI6HVLO2dA_rQ3gD_z7zRl_U_lA0wsffha3QmdW1iM_UdLyRLFu08uYGUgyZ_g/s1600/IMG_3248.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEginWKB2yI35MzhMghYBmwBlNwVV83w7vDmnsgjMYx695L00442j-4xJMNq5d9WdmiF5Jl4letBf5OKXI6HVLO2dA_rQ3gD_z7zRl_U_lA0wsffha3QmdW1iM_UdLyRLFu08uYGUgyZ_g/s400/IMG_3248.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now the right side...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Under the chin, and done...</td></tr>
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<br />Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04035810342144800113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094173605070939347.post-78359106105564306042017-10-14T14:03:00.001-07:002017-10-14T14:03:32.104-07:00Stadler Rail Breaks Ground for Factory in Utah<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikWzWcGQfk4x-huwbEhPyjfH0mkPzYeeN29oJTMWOVKCRVYTqJG_4VE6KqMxsJGRb9-6dweiy48TFoMYQR9FLf5DuZem9kGvr_6cSptTZ998dBeLIA2h_KX9VX1bu9-b6zu-Xdc81DQkw/s1600/IMG_8794.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikWzWcGQfk4x-huwbEhPyjfH0mkPzYeeN29oJTMWOVKCRVYTqJG_4VE6KqMxsJGRb9-6dweiy48TFoMYQR9FLf5DuZem9kGvr_6cSptTZ998dBeLIA2h_KX9VX1bu9-b6zu-Xdc81DQkw/s400/IMG_8794.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>A Stadler FLIRT is on display with a red carpet, on the mainline of the Salt Lake Garfield & Western railway.</i></div>
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Stadler Rail is a Swiss manufacturing firm, which has been looking to expand into the U.S. rail market. Two years ago the firm began leasing space in the Utah Transit Authority's Warm Springs shops to begin assembly of Stadler FLIRT; units which would be used in Texas on the currently under construction TexRail project. Meanwhile Stadler began looking for permanent locations to house a factory. In the past few days the first FLIRT to have been assembled in Salt Lake City rolled out of Warm Springs; with part of it shipped to Atlanta to be displayed as part of a convention. </div>
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On October 12, I noticed on my way into Salt Lake City the other half of the FLIRT unit was resting on a siding of the Salt Lake Garfield and Western line. It was being cleaned by a work crew there, and I drove up nearby to look at the new unit. I was intrigued to see the new commuter rail unit on the SLGW, it looked at home on the line which is one of the last remnants of Utah's long gone electric-interurban rail system. What I wasn't aware of at the time, is that within 24 hours Stadler was going to be staking out a new home on the SLGW line...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb9ZIn3XTzyH7b29yG0vlPvM6ntPozCToSPc5lglQTK7sHVv-yF5ozdkAzq7dvztey5FgEgq6MOPVplp38YS7jIlHujBnvtzMt5_2LJrJqlPSi6MFrJAJ-CEIzjag2nrbWlWQa05iwMWI/s1600/IMG_8767.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb9ZIn3XTzyH7b29yG0vlPvM6ntPozCToSPc5lglQTK7sHVv-yF5ozdkAzq7dvztey5FgEgq6MOPVplp38YS7jIlHujBnvtzMt5_2LJrJqlPSi6MFrJAJ-CEIzjag2nrbWlWQa05iwMWI/s400/IMG_8767.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFE1iPs_IbOtiMlOIHi7uN9H9O3v06O4SXom7RvIpED9ZLuUQXyJACFN0gIkreYX-64FaNm_exbVyNUX_pGZlS2rPwqCpU6W6F7SFYk48RJMOE7h5SVox_N49Qpxkady9-xfVZ-FXN638/s1600/IMG_8772.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFE1iPs_IbOtiMlOIHi7uN9H9O3v06O4SXom7RvIpED9ZLuUQXyJACFN0gIkreYX-64FaNm_exbVyNUX_pGZlS2rPwqCpU6W6F7SFYk48RJMOE7h5SVox_N49Qpxkady9-xfVZ-FXN638/s400/IMG_8772.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>A few shots showing the Stadler FLIRT unit on the SLGW on October 12th. It was coupled to a few flat cars via an adapter coupler unit. A small work crew was using a high pressure hose to wash the unit, making it look shiny and clean. This model of the FLIRT is actually diesel powered, allowing it to travel on lines that lack electric wiring.</i></div>
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So when I returned to Salt Lake City the next day (October 13, 2017) I was a bit intrigued to see that the TexRail unit had been moved a few blocks west on the SLGW line, with a parking lot of cars surrounding it. A big white tent rose nearby, with people in formal attire milling around it. Fortunately, I was wearing business casual already for my work shift later in the day so I wouldn't quite stick out like a sore thumb among all the people in suits ... so I decided it wouldn't be to hard to drop into this press event and ask if I could get a close look at the locomotive. I pulled up into a temporary parking stall. Near it was a few stalls which were reserved for dignitaries, with one near where I parked labeled for the Salt Lake Major. I asked around and once I heard from Stadler employees they'd be fine with me walking up to the locomotive, I eagerly walked my way to the shiny new FLIRT.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifXkxItY6P3ibsKQs-TWhWz6BYFNNDJ1RUYmT4AVnUw7rNX_RSHuh0rxeOzWLVNoVsKw7Gi2Z9YMHMVokaT2wLu-x51-v9ns1u1SDFqZK6lac9mFpTv9ckBaOuGCFijm6SYgOiQgZ1h-w/s1600/IMG_8773Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifXkxItY6P3ibsKQs-TWhWz6BYFNNDJ1RUYmT4AVnUw7rNX_RSHuh0rxeOzWLVNoVsKw7Gi2Z9YMHMVokaT2wLu-x51-v9ns1u1SDFqZK6lac9mFpTv9ckBaOuGCFijm6SYgOiQgZ1h-w/s400/IMG_8773Edit.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>I joked to myself I was the first "foamer" to be going inside one of these new FLIRT units so I snapped a lot of detail shots as I walked around and inside it. I figured those in Texas in Ft. Worth and Dallas will want a good look at what they will soon be able to ride around their town!</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjogeduPx4PmkaFYEhF6mZhtO42M_S-hPO6PBtv3deV3s2FajrJ1E0cU8d1OTyvXVJ6ioM9-pm3ygk0kFN0Xg4uYlen3swYMD9eAmNLhYKAEAziThiqPb_hI-eYf80555UuUCTE9zg5YYA/s1600/IMG_8774.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjogeduPx4PmkaFYEhF6mZhtO42M_S-hPO6PBtv3deV3s2FajrJ1E0cU8d1OTyvXVJ6ioM9-pm3ygk0kFN0Xg4uYlen3swYMD9eAmNLhYKAEAziThiqPb_hI-eYf80555UuUCTE9zg5YYA/s400/IMG_8774.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz3Lkcz4OiZSGDA81N7ZeP54ZbTXcn_RmUHDUBAeZqELVY34TDbRY6-gjxt1KPs5R0IB1GTY-xVEa3lhCgxcNSEZ_mR2XMg5E0jxo0pmUl49grFhSxTf6UlZ-rg5-txIoclE290af_SSE/s1600/IMG_8775.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz3Lkcz4OiZSGDA81N7ZeP54ZbTXcn_RmUHDUBAeZqELVY34TDbRY6-gjxt1KPs5R0IB1GTY-xVEa3lhCgxcNSEZ_mR2XMg5E0jxo0pmUl49grFhSxTf6UlZ-rg5-txIoclE290af_SSE/s400/IMG_8775.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>A close up view of one of the train set's trucks.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim8lZIWOgLSI8_GMvMNwKYA3W5ehH7FP0N8uBOGIXMqNYyX3NIKoVTSdUMjDzmbSaBRpYjhDxzBD50QlqNT1Pt6miGdFW5ozBEDDkWxfSjuiXJeQzxx5v0-RF2I4CNUY9R4-vxfIdlFP0/s1600/IMG_8776.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim8lZIWOgLSI8_GMvMNwKYA3W5ehH7FP0N8uBOGIXMqNYyX3NIKoVTSdUMjDzmbSaBRpYjhDxzBD50QlqNT1Pt6miGdFW5ozBEDDkWxfSjuiXJeQzxx5v0-RF2I4CNUY9R4-vxfIdlFP0/s400/IMG_8776.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Both sides carry the TexRail logo, one side has the American flag and the other has the flag of the Lone Star state.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjevCrWHxyobqF0oD5C_LLDsV2huJavv40HHBxM3yWrnQdM_qOwVmIavPDeABZw_nLWO-qnW-KSfWXD1OiZ-uvjWrI0ByWevU7ANSldUZEinrE9ErjjgdUMy20Ad2iEJ0ahNUTx6h4ilAU/s1600/IMG_8777.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjevCrWHxyobqF0oD5C_LLDsV2huJavv40HHBxM3yWrnQdM_qOwVmIavPDeABZw_nLWO-qnW-KSfWXD1OiZ-uvjWrI0ByWevU7ANSldUZEinrE9ErjjgdUMy20Ad2iEJ0ahNUTx6h4ilAU/s400/IMG_8777.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<i>The passenger interior, the train set is able to be walked through from one end to another. The blue seats looked crisp and new, a far cry from how they will probably look after years of commuter service are put on this train set.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPcQrntYTYOSEu6eImxl_kItWIJLA8JfkvFPiUl6WUw3kLzx4Mu7mb4PD-u-3BS0X-0MevYk8h3bVIwn_A0KgFWCBS-B-_XpR4fxDPEHYbLOW0vuSz5SP2WM05V0pDPsDZCUEuqKTXP78/s1600/IMG_8785.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPcQrntYTYOSEu6eImxl_kItWIJLA8JfkvFPiUl6WUw3kLzx4Mu7mb4PD-u-3BS0X-0MevYk8h3bVIwn_A0KgFWCBS-B-_XpR4fxDPEHYbLOW0vuSz5SP2WM05V0pDPsDZCUEuqKTXP78/s400/IMG_8785.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<i>There is a hallway which leads from the passenger cabin to the cab for the operator. I wondered if these cabinets contained the diesel engine and other electronics needed to operate the train, although I couldn't see how to open them to get a peak inside them.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH0sSbR7W1Lpr6nN7vureNSdhLC7V78xBHZ3rJTrl3plqJOBypnVo4SWmBpmvQErEw5bD34QOe0lpV-3B784Zk5O33eIkroZkB5Uqs8TMmCwx7O0-_rUsuZApH08X3PZdPZgm0J7FKb2U/s1600/IMG_8778.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH0sSbR7W1Lpr6nN7vureNSdhLC7V78xBHZ3rJTrl3plqJOBypnVo4SWmBpmvQErEw5bD34QOe0lpV-3B784Zk5O33eIkroZkB5Uqs8TMmCwx7O0-_rUsuZApH08X3PZdPZgm0J7FKb2U/s400/IMG_8778.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9OsEGtzIE3fKXcnr2siZa5YxeXXhYNaZrlDQ0hgIRzfgljRUD4givpRNItQzN3oViQMFIK2leeWZncJll3xmxtTx3huJwnNB4TXj-AjqimAQ7lQGz3ax73YbzAbaSFPdnQsekcCzS8-w/s1600/IMG_8780.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9OsEGtzIE3fKXcnr2siZa5YxeXXhYNaZrlDQ0hgIRzfgljRUD4givpRNItQzN3oViQMFIK2leeWZncJll3xmxtTx3huJwnNB4TXj-AjqimAQ7lQGz3ax73YbzAbaSFPdnQsekcCzS8-w/s400/IMG_8780.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr__YZBgKlg-Pl8_9fBQml3pSytvqhMCw5V-fd6RHuJeKTnnugs_d6_QaXa_l_a0djVWHPfoR8OQCt24O-qmS0Um3JiMFgGxxQ6E12nLTuEoRxMmDFFCoDxerg6RQAwn1vcVhrLBdIy2Q/s1600/IMG_8781.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr__YZBgKlg-Pl8_9fBQml3pSytvqhMCw5V-fd6RHuJeKTnnugs_d6_QaXa_l_a0djVWHPfoR8OQCt24O-qmS0Um3JiMFgGxxQ6E12nLTuEoRxMmDFFCoDxerg6RQAwn1vcVhrLBdIy2Q/s400/IMG_8781.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>A few shots of the various operator's controls.</i></div>
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<i>Station map for the TexRail system.</i><br />
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<i>Since one half of the train set was sent on display back east, it gave an opportunity to observe the trucks up close without a train above it.</i></div>
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<i>A nice look at an adapter coupler attached to the LRV allowing it to connect with freight rail couplers.</i></div>
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I had actually arrived at what I believe was the tail end of the event, as the crowds were dying down and most of the dignitaries had seemed to have left. As such I wasn't really sure what the event was for other than to show off the new unit which was built in Warm Springs. The ceremonial shovels and hard hats on the site though indicated it was a ground breaking ceremony; and the news broke later in the day that Stadler had announced its permanent U.S. based factory was going to be here in Salt Lake City alongside the storied SLGW railway! The new factory is going to bring 1000 jobs to Utah, as the Swiss trains will be built here to satisfy the "Made in America" requirements most commuter rails have. Other than the TexRail contract, Stadler has future contracts with Caltrain coming up which will help keep their new SLC factory busy. </div>
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The Stadler factory site is also near underdevelopment facilities for Amazon and UPS, making the SLGW's connection to the west end of the city even more important. I am glad to have literally stumbled into this advent by circumstance, and excited to see how Stadler's presence in the Beehive state will affect the storied SLGW line. Above all I can't wait until someday I am railfanning out of state and run across a Stadler unit and seeing it with pride knowing it was "Made in Utah."<br />
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-Jacob Lyman<br />
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Sources:<br />
<a href="http://www.railwayage.com/index.php/news/stadler-us-settling-in-salt-lake-city.html">Railway Age: Stadler US settling in Salt Lake City</a><br />
<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/business/2017/10/13/stadler-breaks-ground-on-railcar-manufacturing-plant-expected-to-employ-1000-in-west-salt-lake-city/">Salt Lake Tribune: Stadler breaks ground on railcar manufacturing plant expected to employ 1,000 in west Salt Lake City</a></div>
Jacob Lymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03836321845066754233noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094173605070939347.post-46014217629018121432017-09-25T20:18:00.000-07:002017-10-14T13:55:52.020-07:00Utah's Early Steam Legacy in Preservation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>June 26, 2013; UP 618 on display/in-storage prior to the start of the current restoration effort.</i></div>
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Recently I have been thinking a lot about how silent Utah's steam locomotives have been this year. We started off the year with a spectacular showing from UP 844 traveling the former Oregon Shortline Route, then across the Overland out of the state. However since then steam has been notably absent from Utah this year. The two standard gauge steamers at Promontory Summit in the Golden Spike Historic Site remain in operational condition, yet haven't been able to stretch their legs this year due to the need for track repairs at the site. At Heber, UP 618 ticks away slowly in its restoration. In much the same way a child feels the approach to Christmas every year is long and arduous, so to does the local railfan community feel about UP 618... every delay feels like an eternity has been added onto the restoration time; despite the likelihood 618 could return to steam within the next year or two. <br />
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However, history often puts things into perspective. In the 1960's there was several years were steam was completely silent in Utah other than the occasional visits from then numbered UP 8444. Yet those years of silence would define the efforts of rail preservation in Utah for years to come. <br />
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The decline of steam in Utah was shockingly fast, despite the state's bountiful coal production. The three westernmost mainlines through the state, the Western Pacific, the Southern Pacific, and Union Pacific's former Los Angeles & Salt Lake Route lines; dieselized in rapid succession. The high deserts of Utah, Nevada, and eastern California are among the driest places in the world. All three of the after-mentioned railroads ran through the desolate desert scenery, where water for steam locomotives was a premium commodity. Diesels were embraced with open arms by railroad managers, happy to finally rid their lines of the water guzzling steam engines. Some steam held on in the desert lines with one dispatcher claiming to have sent an 800-series UP Northern through Provo in 1957; and of course steam engines such as UP 618 still reserved for local duties until 1958, yet for all intents and purposes steam was all but dead on the Utah portions of the LASL, SP, and WP by the early 50's (Signor, p. 165)<br />
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<i>July, 2017; Tintic Junction roundhouse abandoned foundation. The advent of diesel locomotives on the former Los Angeles & Salt Lake Route lines ushered in changes in how local branchlines were operated in Utah. The three stall engine house which once housed a fleet of unique Union Pacific Shay locomotives, was unneeded after new diesel era regulations put into place by 1949 allowed the Tintic branchlines to be switched by road crews (Signor, p.170). EMD SW1's and other earlier diesel switchers replaced the Shays, and eventually the branchlines they served vanished themselves. </i></div>
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The railroad mainlines on the eastern end of Utah were a bit slower in taking on diesel engines, but not by much. The Utah Railway despite being a coal hauler, happily dumped their steam engines in favor of a fresh fleet of ALCO diesels with their first diesels coming online in 1952; and steam coming to an end on their line by '57. The DRGW had beat them to retiring their mainline steamers a year earlier, with steam gone from their Utah Division by 1954 (although their narrow gauge steam equipment further east in Colorado/New Mexico would survive for many more years forming the groundwork for the narrow gauge tourist railroads over there). The UP retained their steam engines in areas with more abundant water sources such as the former Oregon Shortline and the original Transcontinental Route longer than it had on the LA&SL, but when the era of UP steam finally wrapped up in the fall rushes of the late 50's; the grand finale of Big Boys pounding the rails was taking place in Wyoming on Sherman Hill, not in Utah were diesels had taken over traffic. The UP diesel facility built in Salt Lake City in that era, affirmed UP's commitment to the new method of motive power.<br />
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UP's steam swansong in Utah took place on small branchlines and heavily trafficked industrial areas. UP 618 itself is a representation of this twilight era; first working the OSL era branchlines in Logan, Utah; then ending up in the Provo Roundhouse to haul freight into the Geneva Steel plant. By 1958 though, the 618's mainline life came to an end, and it was stuffed onto display at the State Fairgrounds in Salt Lake City. <br />
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The last operating steam engine in regular revenue freight service was the Tooele Valley Railway #11. It seems there was no reason for it to last as long as it did other than its parent railroad being extremely frugal in its acquisition of new locomotives. A diesel locomotive was demonstrated on the line around 1948, a Baldwin <a href="http://highball661west.blogspot.com/2016/10/my-utah-rail-encounters.html">DRS-6-4-1500 </a>demonstrator #1501. But after its brief testing in Tooele was done, it was Kennecott who purchased it for use in their mine on the other side of the Oquirrh Range, with Tooele remaining under steam for another six years. In 1955 when the Tooele Valley finally went to purchase their first diesel, it was an EMD SW1200 which came to the shortline. The SW1200 bumped all the remaining steam of the shortline roster except for #11 within a year of arrival. The reason #11 survived past its fellow steamers? It had been shopped recently and the shortline needed a backup engine for the days the diesel was in the shop itself... So #11 stayed active, if only as a spare locomotive. <br />
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About twice every year the SW1200 in Tooele was coupled onto a local train and taken into Salt Lake City for an inspection at the Union Pacific shops. During the brief time it was out of town, steam would again run on the Tooele Valley as #11 tended to the line's needs much the same way it and its sister engines had done for over 40 years before the diesel. However when the diesel returned from its regular inspections, #11 returned to its stable; only fired up in extreme cases on the shortline with occasional heavy traffic or when the diesel misbehaved mechanically. Deferred repairs on #11 meant that Utah steam was dying, slowly; as the Tooele Valley ran the steamer into its twilight years. Finally in 1962 the fires in #11 were dropped after the engine struggled up the line in a ceremonial final run. Within a few years, the engine was sitting in a park surrounded by a small chain link fence, a hand-me-down SW900 having taken its place on the Tooele Valley. <br />
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<i>June 2, 1979. A photo showing the state Tooele Valley #11 was in post retirement from 1964 to 1982. The location is the city park next to the city pool and across the road from the high school. In 1982, the engine was moved to its current location in the Tooele Valley Railway Museum. Norm Metcalf photo (Matt Liverani collection). Used with permission.</i></div>
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From 1962, until the beginning of the Golden Spike Historical Site and the Wasatch Mountain Railway (Heber Creeper); steam was as absent in Utah as it is now. Again the drought of steam locomotives was briefly punctured by Union Pacific's steam program; with UP #844/8444 making a few trips into Utah during the formative years of the UP steam group. On one instance, the FEF-3 in May 1961 after having finished an excursion trip, was called to provide helper service to a train departing Ogden and heading up Weber Canyon. 844 rode the train as a helper to Wahsatch. Railfan Gordon Glattenberg who witnessed the sight of 844 providing helper service was amazed at the lack of a crowd it had drawn, "I had not seen another railfan! In fact, no one else had even glanced at the train!"(<i>Crossroads of the West, p.16</i>). It is commonly believed that this was the last steam helper move between Ogden and Green River.<br />
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It was the beginning of steam preservation at Heber and Promontory which once again brought steam locomotives back to Utah on a regular basis. <br />
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The Heber operations can trace their origins a group of Utah railfans who owned the Rayonier 110 a logging 2-6-6-2T from Washington State, and were looking for a place to restore and run it. Their attention was drawn to the Heber Branch of the DRGW, and they began an effort to acquire the line to start a tourist railroad. After a legal battle for ownership of the line concluded, a group of railfans, Heber businessmen, and the NRHS had secured the preservation of the line from Bridal Veil Falls to Heber City by 1970. During the process of securing the line, the Heber group had to find a more suitable steam engine than the 110, one which could be restored to operation easily and could operate their expected trains. <br />
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<i>March, 2016. To paraphrase a line written by Mark Bassett the director of the Nevada Northern Railway and his wife Joan, in regards to the engines at their railroad, "There is no reason for these pieces of equipment to have survived to the present day other than serendipitous luck."* The same could be said of many old locomotives across the country, Tooele Valley Railway #11 included. Avoiding Heber's attempt to acquire it in the 1960's meant the spotlight was instead granted to UP 618 saving that engine of a possible demise. By escaping further attempts to obtain the engine for Heber throughout the 1970's; #11 ultimately had the chance to return to display next to the Tooele Valley's depot and company HQ which was converted into a local museum. Furthermore, by remaining in Tooele it escaped the tumultuous scattering of the Heber Creeper steam collection during the liquidation of the collection during the 1990's. Sure the weather and elements have played their toll on #11 as the early Heber volunteers warned, but perhaps luck is still in the engines future. It should be worth mentioning Nevada Northern #97 a sister engine to TOV #11, did not share the same luck of some of its other NN brethren or its relative in Tooele; likely having been scrapped to feed the smelting/milling operations in McGill.</i></div>
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Not surprisingly, the Heber group went after the most recently retired steamer in the state, Tooele Valley #11. #11 had only spent five years on display in a public park when the Wasatch Mountain Railway group approached the city about obtaining the engine. To paraphrase the way my late grandfather described it, "the Mayor (of Tooele) was ready to sell it, with equipment ready to move it; but then the people in town found out about it and kicked up quite the fuss."** Although the Heber group reminded the people of Tooele that steam engines displayed in parks outdoors were often subject to deterioration due to the elements, the town was vehement that they believed #11 belonged in its hometown and not in Heber. Considering many in town owed their jobs to the smelter at the end of the Tooele Valley line, and with friends and family members having worked on the shortline railroad; it is no surprise they fiercely defended #11 staying in its hometown. Having been completely rejected by Tooele, the Wasatch Mountain Railway shifted its attention to other steam engines in the state. <br />
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<i>June 26, 2013; UP 618 watches on as people mill around the coaches for the diesel powered train to Vivian Park which had departed Heber earlier that day. Before the fire in 618 was dropped in 2010 it went on a steam photo freight where Trains editor Jim Wrinn described, "To see the engine... and its immaculate paint job, you wouldn't think that it is ready for (restoration) work, but to listen to the running gear slap, you know it is one tired engine." Speaking of luck as mentioned in the previous caption, UP 618 not only escaped an untimely disposal at the fairgrounds thanks to the efforts of the early volunteers at Heber, but also was the only steam engine from the original Heber Creeper-era of the line to remain on the property after the other steam engines were liquidated and sold off. </i></div>
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Meanwhile at the Utah State Fairground, the fairgrounds management was looking to get rid of UP 618. Some rumors suggest that they considered that if they wouldn't be able to find a new home for the engine, that they would instead dig a trench next to its display stand and use a bulldozer to shove the engine into a shallow grave! The NRHS and Wasatch Mountain Railway about a year after their rejection in Tooele; had made plans to rescue the UP 618 and make it the flagship locomotive of the new tourist line in Heber. Union Pacific helped bring 618 out of the fairpark and back to the rails; and by November 1970 the engine was in the SLG&W yards. By December the locomotive was back in its old stomping grounds in Provo. After 12 years of retirement, the Heber crew (by modern standards a rather unorthodox, risky, and now likely illegal move) straight away steamed up the UP 618 on the DRGW Heber Branch on December 5th, and by December 7th the engine was pulling a train of preserved equipment up the branch. DRGW MOW workers began work on pulling up the rails behind the steamer on the 5th, isolating Heber from the national rail system <i>(EDIT: Although some rails were removed in 1970, the DRGW had them replaced and interchanged with Heber one last time in 1971 before abandoning the line completely)</i>. Fortunately the 618 didn't blow up on its inaugural run. Even more amazing it made its first tourist run a month later on January 9, 1971. With a crowd waiting to board the train including the state governor, the train derailed on a frozen crossing in Provo Canyon. "The governor instead became witness to the inaugural rerailing." (<i>Crossroads of the West</i>, p. 80) 618 was sidelined again in 1976, returning again in 1986-1990, and then making its longest running excursion career from 1995-2009 with a steam special in 2010 before the current restoration work on the engine began around 2013-2014. <br />
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While many other steam engines would eventually join UP 618 at Heber (and an equal amount having left due to bankruptcy and reorganization which affected the railroad in the 80's-early 90's); the Rayonier 110 which was the incentive to start the tourist line at Heber, sat on the deadline now seen as "unfit" for restoration. After the bankruptcies forced the 110 out of Heber and to the railroad Museum in Boulder City, Nevada; it was bought by the Black Hills Central Railroad which runs in the tourist heavy country around Mt. Rushmore. The locomotive which was seen as "unfit" for restoration, now runs regular tourist trains as the only articulated logging steam locomotive still in operation in the United States. The beautiful restoration work done by the Black Hills on the 110 has not gone unnoticed, and the articulated engine graced the cover of the 2015 edition of Trains Magazine's guidebook to tourist and historic railroads.<br />
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<i>September, 2015. Markings on the firebox of the UP 119 replica in service at Promontory Summit, used in modern day ultrasound methods of safety checking steam locomotives.</i></div>
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Across the state, at Promontory Summit in 1969; railroad enthusiasts and the National Park Service prepared a special celebration for the 100 year anniversary of the joining of the Transcontinental Railroad. For the occasion two static ex-Virginia and Truckee locomotives used in Hollywood films were acquired the Inyo and the Dalton; which were both dressed up in faux-decorations to make them appear like the long gone UP 119 and CPPR 60 "Jupiter" locomotives. As display pieces the two engines were toured around the country on flatcars during 1969. Then the two engines were displayed in Promontory as part of the new historic site. I could find no evidence suggesting the engines were operational during their time in Utah.<br />
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The need for operating replicas at the historic site spurred the National Parks Service to commission the construction of two new steam locomotives to replace the two aging V&T engines. The NPS began looking towards Hollywood for talent who could produce two authentic replicas. The group selected to assemble the two locomotives was the O'Connor Engineering firm. Chad O'Connor the founder of the firm was a mechanical engineer by trade, train enthusiast by hobby in southern California whose homemade camera tripod system he used for railfanning was discovered by fellow railfan and Hollywood legend Walt Disney. Walt encountered Chad trackside while railfanning Southern Pacific's<i> Daylight</i> streamlined train (Broggie, p.149-150). With Walt requesting Chad's camera mounting system for use in his films, O'Connor Engineering was soon founded to build and distribute Chad's "railfan's camera mount" to the filmmaking industry. </div>
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<i>September, 2015. CPRR #60 Jupiter replica in steam at Promontory Summit during one of the National Historic Site's regular steam demonstrations. Originally painted red under direction of Ward Kimball, further historical research has lead the site to switch the colors to a more accurate blue primary color.</i><br />
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In the mid 1970's O'Connor's love for trains lead to his firm receiving the contract to recreate the two historic Golden Spike locomotives. Without any original blueprints the firm had to use old photos and engineering guides to recreate the engines to the best of their ability. As O'Connor Engineering finished up their work on the two new locomotives, the Inyo and Dayton were repatriated to the Nevada State Railroad Museum collection in 1978. On May 10, 1979 the two new engines were commissioned on the 110th anniversary of the Golden Spike. Their stunning red paint was a choice of Ward Kimball, a Disney animator and famous railroad preservationist. Ward also contributed to the paintings on various parts of the locomotives. For nearly 40 years these two engines have operated without much pause in the State of Utah, with the NPS using the off-season winter months to maintain and shop the locomotives; this year's break being one of the few noticeable absences ever in the sites history.</div>
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<i>September, 2015. The UP 119 replica with its clean lines runs light around the Golden Spike Historic Site on a demonstration run. This coal burning engine was based on the Rogers built original. Both of the replicas were originally made to burn fuel oils, but later converted to their original fuels (coal and wood).</i></div>
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In conclusion, it should be noted that much of Utah's modern day steam preservation is the result of a single generation many years ago, who answered the lack of steam locomotives in the state with their own efforts to restore and preserve what they had available. The fact UP 119, CPPR 60, and UP 618 are still the stars of Utah's steam railroading scene is a testament to that legacy. While we all have missed this year the sound of their whistles blowing through the air, as their stacks chuff along the clanking of their running gear; we are waiting anxiously for their return.<br />
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-Jacob Lyman<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Notes:</span></b><br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Currently Operational Steam Engines in the State of Utah:</span></i><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">UP 119 replica, CPPR 60 "Jupiter" replica (both stored operational, awaiting track repairs at site).</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Current Steam Engine restoration projects in the State of Utah:</span></i><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">UP 618 (Heber), Great Western 75 (Heber), DRGW 223 (R&LHS Golden Spike Chapter).</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Static Steam Engine Displays in Utah</span></i><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Tooele Valley Railway #11 (Tooele), Columbia Steel #300 (ongoing cosmetic restoration, Heber), UP 833 (Ogden), UP 4436 (Ogden).</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">It is worth mentioning that Steam Locomotive Information also includes the two steam locomotives used at the Lagoon amusement park and the static locomotive there. Since those three locomotives are 24" Gauge, I don't personally consider them among the "steam engines in the state" because to include them also would require the admission of all the hobbyist locomotives in similar and smaller gauges used in backyard railroads to the list too. I really don't want to track down every backyard live steamer in the state and try and list it here. While we definitely admire the backyard hobby people who run their own steamers, their work would be better admired another time.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">*The direct quotation of Mark and J. Joan Bassett is as follows, "The surviving locomotives and ore, freight, and passenger cars all share one trait - serendipitous luck. There is no reason why they should have survived, but they did." (<i>Images of Rail: Nevada Northern Railway</i>, p.118)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">**My grandfather was prone to telling most of his stories with a strong opinion and a bit of exaggeration; so I haven't seen any other source other than his word suggesting Heber had actually brought moving equipment to Tooele to move #11 right away. However I haven't seen anything to <i>disprove</i> the notion either. My grandfather thanks to his job at Anaconda/ARCO in the 1980's had inside connections with old friends who relayed interesting behind the scenes stuff to him. For example one of the claims my grandfather made shortly before his death was that from his friends still in the mining industry; he had heard Kennecott/Rio Tinto's new Molybdenum mill at their smelter site was built and had yet to have been really used due to the market price of "Molly" falling shortly after completion. That and the landslide which hampered production at Bingham meant the new mill was sitting empty and unused. I took his word with a grain of salt, but sure enough in the summer of 2017 I drove past the Molybdenum mill and realized it was being demolished! Just as my grandfather had said, it was a wasted investment which wasn't used, and he died before he could see Kennecott biting the bullet and demolishing the failed $270 million dollar project. As such, I take a good portion of the claims he made as highly valid unless proven otherwise.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">It is worth mentioning I have only been around UP 618 once when it was operating, as a young kid in the summer of 1997! It has been a long time indeed since I have last seen it.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sources:</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>The Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad Company: Union Pacific's Historic Salt Lake Route </i>(First edition); John R. Signor.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Walt Disney's Railroad Story</i>; Michael Broggie.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Crossroads of the West: A Photographic Look at Fifty Years of Railroading in Utah; </i>Blair<i> </i>Kooistra, James Belmont, Dave Gayer.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">UtahRails.net</span><br />
<a href="http://utahrails.net/utahrails/heber-equipment.php"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Heber Valley Historic Equipment</span></a><br />
<a href="http://utahrails.net/utahrails/tooele-valley-locos.php"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Tooele Valley Ry. Locomotives</span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">National Park Service History on the Jupiter and UP 119 locomotives:<a href="https://www.nps.gov/gosp/learn/historyculture/upload/jupiter%202-2.pdf"> https://www.nps.gov/gosp/learn/historyculture/upload/jupiter%202-2.pdf</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Trains Magazine newswire article on UP 618's freight charter run in 2010:</span><br />
<a href="http://cs.trains.com/trn/b/staff/archive/2010/02/18/union-pacific-2-8-0-no-618-makes-a-rare-appearance.aspx"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://cs.trains.com/trn/b/staff/archive/2010/02/18/union-pacific-2-8-0-no-618-makes-a-rare-appearance.aspx</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">UP 618 preparation for first steam up after retirement, December 1970:</span><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10205676020445062&set=gm.767369343364272&type=3&theater&ifg=1"><span style="font-size: x-small;">https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10205676020445062&set=gm.767369343364272&type=3&theater&ifg=1</span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">O'Connor Engineering Website with video film about the construction of the Golden Spike engines:</span><br />
<a href="http://www.ocon.com/inside-oconnor/the-oconnor-story/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.ocon.com/inside-oconnor/the-oconnor-story/</span></a><br />
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<i>UP 618 builder's plate.</i></div>
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Jacob Lymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03836321845066754233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094173605070939347.post-50371517336686684962017-09-15T20:00:00.000-07:002017-09-15T22:50:37.524-07:00Ghosts of Arizona Route 66 and the Santa Fe Transcon - Part 3We are near the end of my travels on the Mother Road for now, but rest assured, I am not finished. There is so much more to explore and experience and as time and money permit, I will be picking up where I left off. With that said, in this post, I will briefly touch on the third piece of the Route 66 experience.<br />
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This trip started a little differently than the last two in that instead of working east from our previous end point, we started on the eastern end of the leg and worked west. We drove to Williams, AZ and stayed our first night in the Canyon Motel and RV Park in an authentic Santa Fe caboose. The caboose was set up to sleep 6, but accommodations were tight for sure, but at least the beds were comfortable.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our motel room for our first night stay in Williams, AZ.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Room one. Room two is underneath the cupola and has a queen bunk bed.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My dad, my aunt, and my son hanging out on the platform of the caboose. There<br />
is a wood deck the length of the car along the back side, part of which can<br />
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Day two began with breakfast at a lovely restaurant in downtown Williams, followed by a trip to the old Santa Fe depot. The depot was transferred to the Grand Canyon Railway when the line was reopened to the South Rim and has been beautifully restored. We had plenty of time to explore the depot before our train departed for the canyon. The grounds are well kept and look much the same as they did in Santa Fe days.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Williams Depot</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saginaw and Manistee Lumber Company Shay displayed out in front of the<br />
Williams Depot.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9MT54cShIVsIgS90bWUQS_2rDqKNBbWkHMvTK53ydbLx95m12XASPO4Le5ZwKm6q-G7YXvhGNWsQoI2phjpfzE8vDqOOqkJt9IXFCe6W0Gb-IwWInsdAyV9cGJgp7fDQvYRDFLrCzFA/s1600/DSCF3588.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9MT54cShIVsIgS90bWUQS_2rDqKNBbWkHMvTK53ydbLx95m12XASPO4Le5ZwKm6q-G7YXvhGNWsQoI2phjpfzE8vDqOOqkJt9IXFCe6W0Gb-IwWInsdAyV9cGJgp7fDQvYRDFLrCzFA/s400/DSCF3588.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the west end of the depot. The passenger car parked to the left is<br />
painted for the famous Polar Express.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX4LuAGAeZ6I08DAWRkQsJcnsLj23FdQ6_VvVAm3qHz8s9RTcJgpjZ7B0q-JNURCTwhk17vXfudhKtBnuAglQtWI4ogccPUHIAvJYPITyb1DAx9cXjg2J1hxEETmFWxVGJUHSCl7c7Cg/s1600/DSCF3597.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX4LuAGAeZ6I08DAWRkQsJcnsLj23FdQ6_VvVAm3qHz8s9RTcJgpjZ7B0q-JNURCTwhk17vXfudhKtBnuAglQtWI4ogccPUHIAvJYPITyb1DAx9cXjg2J1hxEETmFWxVGJUHSCl7c7Cg/s400/DSCF3597.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outdoor waiting area at the center of the depot building itself.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioMurgUzr52lNZxifYs-1wT9J9MSLAzIINAFCnhpHjf51Qm5dhTfIPyITcQJ9qQTmwNJEgTl9kFDI28TArQYxXWWU8fPsKWBwaNTbVCtVuufSNXB8zlZtlYPDaqwt4YBlmbmaFI3xLUQ/s1600/DSCF3601.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioMurgUzr52lNZxifYs-1wT9J9MSLAzIINAFCnhpHjf51Qm5dhTfIPyITcQJ9qQTmwNJEgTl9kFDI28TArQYxXWWU8fPsKWBwaNTbVCtVuufSNXB8zlZtlYPDaqwt4YBlmbmaFI3xLUQ/s400/DSCF3601.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of a few unique benches around the grounds.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpca5YVeUv6oKDRNQ8LKU9a03NNUUYTcsJMVy_HTfjkHAta-N8doqRNTSzKG5ldGpFx8rMCra8bClU2el5eqnjwxYiIqPq7JWxw9HDv2OGglXd0SupcdZHvz-SKgrE2iK8z9WUL1V52A/s1600/DSCF3765.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpca5YVeUv6oKDRNQ8LKU9a03NNUUYTcsJMVy_HTfjkHAta-N8doqRNTSzKG5ldGpFx8rMCra8bClU2el5eqnjwxYiIqPq7JWxw9HDv2OGglXd0SupcdZHvz-SKgrE2iK8z9WUL1V52A/s400/DSCF3765.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grand Canyon Railway #539 on display at the Williams Depot.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The train ride to the South Rim was certainly well worth the price of admission. Our car was clean and comfortable and our car attendant was friendly as can be.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16mWgC3h_dggz04xdLYmHiUnTYKInr7_sqULn0YsyDBZhr6cBAWILnhyIdZ2uBioftpu6H3-7e0BRotjPcED1UojXgD4CEYdEn0-d6anws6cUWS2lM8qXjyLRDadEPO1YjVTTMddQ9Q/s1600/DSCF3612.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16mWgC3h_dggz04xdLYmHiUnTYKInr7_sqULn0YsyDBZhr6cBAWILnhyIdZ2uBioftpu6H3-7e0BRotjPcED1UojXgD4CEYdEn0-d6anws6cUWS2lM8qXjyLRDadEPO1YjVTTMddQ9Q/s400/DSCF3612.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doug, our car attendant.</td></tr>
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The train strolled at a leisurely pace for the two hour ride to the canyon, taking us through some very striking scenery that displayed the stark contrast that is Arizona. We started in the tall pine forests that surround Williams which quickly gave way to groves of much smaller pinion pines. Soon we were in sagebrush territory that characterizes the open expanses of the high desert only to return to the pine forests that surround Grand Canyon National Park.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg524PpsznCOSrRwxNDtcb7xv8AbBacNnEkeA7zTQFKHo-YYZaPoBZ-CUgiNrn-HG8HOyk57qWEb8IZAKVldalQnEtXyMNW_1_0JyHIIxQcsB_mRTyRK0gUAdVlsB5x4ST7FvKXp5-XYg/s1600/DSCF3622.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg524PpsznCOSrRwxNDtcb7xv8AbBacNnEkeA7zTQFKHo-YYZaPoBZ-CUgiNrn-HG8HOyk57qWEb8IZAKVldalQnEtXyMNW_1_0JyHIIxQcsB_mRTyRK0gUAdVlsB5x4ST7FvKXp5-XYg/s400/DSCF3622.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tall ponderosa pines surrounding Williams, AZ.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPpwaHy51cMFQ29zkPMM5JNRd63P3ykjfMp1hIYFGxNhRtnnXTsacefcMYLA0eMbppjvbJEVtokVPdHIhxVOAJH07cvSCu6Wi2QQ_u7bPpAgMXLIC01e8J_-DLOKcJGHmRhe14KMoocw/s1600/DSCF3628.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPpwaHy51cMFQ29zkPMM5JNRd63P3ykjfMp1hIYFGxNhRtnnXTsacefcMYLA0eMbppjvbJEVtokVPdHIhxVOAJH07cvSCu6Wi2QQ_u7bPpAgMXLIC01e8J_-DLOKcJGHmRhe14KMoocw/s400/DSCF3628.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view of our trains power as it rounds a curve one of the pinion pine forests<br />
along the line.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Along the line there are a couple of ruins of old Santa Fe section houses. The Grand Canyon Railway made them uninhabitable when they took over the line to avoid having to pay property taxes on the buildings. Vandals have taken their toll on the ruins that remained.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVsd91M4J-MbfpfS-WRey665ieH6sxmuyoJXiQD4BxUnZpCycMS6-6AZYJRNKmEJZSvcSqZtvXeCkSHlm_IwWVrnlWMpLgnqiJqknCs5QMOfQSahOxftkF8eYp_EziYIwXBUizt6uxFg/s1600/DSCF3650.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVsd91M4J-MbfpfS-WRey665ieH6sxmuyoJXiQD4BxUnZpCycMS6-6AZYJRNKmEJZSvcSqZtvXeCkSHlm_IwWVrnlWMpLgnqiJqknCs5QMOfQSahOxftkF8eYp_EziYIwXBUizt6uxFg/s400/DSCF3650.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of a couple of old Santa Fe section houses that were still standing along<br />
the line. The railroad made them uninhabitable, but left the walls to preserve<br />
a small piece of the lines Santa Fe heritage.</td></tr>
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Near the end of the line, I saw more relics from the Santa Fe days of the line, such as this low wooden bridge over a dry stream bed.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpmdlzUZHcyR2Am3Q2u6lb1j-vxD61Eipq8tKfWerCNOdG0QkPAWo4BmkJD0NRYgW6unv19exbZmc3ETBruOaEvnyfIU7ulX5jBqI0FojHJQxCNXPxgQMWkJ0xgJ0Am24c_iQ6oa6Sdg/s1600/DSCF3655.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpmdlzUZHcyR2Am3Q2u6lb1j-vxD61Eipq8tKfWerCNOdG0QkPAWo4BmkJD0NRYgW6unv19exbZmc3ETBruOaEvnyfIU7ulX5jBqI0FojHJQxCNXPxgQMWkJ0xgJ0Am24c_iQ6oa6Sdg/s400/DSCF3655.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small wooden bridge set on concrete piers and abutments over an intermittent<br />
stream. There were many of these bridges constructed on the northern end of<br />
the line to combat the flooding that happens in Northern Arizona's monsoon<br />
season.</td></tr>
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Once at the canyon, we got off the train and immediately boarded a bus and headed for one of the lodges for a tasty buffet lunch. We then got back on the bus for our tour of the canyon. Our tour guide was a friendly gentleman by the name of Benjamin and kept the tour lively and entertaining. The views of the canyon were breathtaking and awe-inspiring.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmgDOhMwKjbIMRxSYOk4h243UPN6bai7yPkG3k5eTpxWv0Nt1mDzs0yX0Z1Y2nkeEhr5J84dWbX1WHJJeKlZSn7gFqP0XgWSMhOc-akodqYXd7fMsE1UgSQ5vuVrSlh_J4kIDY5lnbqw/s1600/DSCF3656.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmgDOhMwKjbIMRxSYOk4h243UPN6bai7yPkG3k5eTpxWv0Nt1mDzs0yX0Z1Y2nkeEhr5J84dWbX1WHJJeKlZSn7gFqP0XgWSMhOc-akodqYXd7fMsE1UgSQ5vuVrSlh_J4kIDY5lnbqw/s400/DSCF3656.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A quick photo from the bus of the steam locomotive that powered our train to<br />
the South Rim.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuD6RTfwUaHbZaUY4AHxD5-Jp-eqP_LWut5FVoz9IA4_ELrIJjSOdm-MbuUHWbpv07Du8uCbXbKobhO3b50k6vd4UqluTF3ze01PWww5sedt51bcbg02z89kvlUt-5-hXalR5t0c4IWQ/s1600/DSCF3668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuD6RTfwUaHbZaUY4AHxD5-Jp-eqP_LWut5FVoz9IA4_ELrIJjSOdm-MbuUHWbpv07Du8uCbXbKobhO3b50k6vd4UqluTF3ze01PWww5sedt51bcbg02z89kvlUt-5-hXalR5t0c4IWQ/s400/DSCF3668.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeqsKTY3-4tt59erus-Dh2FUg3D8UDn2VO4RoWUM8iBQZzYUSn4_z3HGUu54qfQ9qfthWAdJCsuCqzIJlH52yH7RJaBdjkqh2Uwh2XzGCcB68eak2b5vNfnqGZEi0laTuM3gCmCWLe7A/s1600/DSCF3673.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeqsKTY3-4tt59erus-Dh2FUg3D8UDn2VO4RoWUM8iBQZzYUSn4_z3HGUu54qfQ9qfthWAdJCsuCqzIJlH52yH7RJaBdjkqh2Uwh2XzGCcB68eak2b5vNfnqGZEi0laTuM3gCmCWLe7A/s400/DSCF3673.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmS0dvNK_3Vv1pMFzRM5o0OV4qi-1hltia00sCW6KMQI8GK1aBS2Nxf-v0W3nop61Z3hjdPMEztSYi7AHvgqfGqyiW-rHRZqz2bIEwao1j5gi7uViruaX0QLE9ZqEpJ9OjlQTwzspipA/s1600/DSCF3677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmS0dvNK_3Vv1pMFzRM5o0OV4qi-1hltia00sCW6KMQI8GK1aBS2Nxf-v0W3nop61Z3hjdPMEztSYi7AHvgqfGqyiW-rHRZqz2bIEwao1j5gi7uViruaX0QLE9ZqEpJ9OjlQTwzspipA/s400/DSCF3677.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The obligatory family photo with the canyon in the background.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA9H-d-Uy6O6F-oLIvVmGtDIEjLAwuZPPUEcpJ1L4xh-ybXAlzbGc9T7PgnNeubHU8KKNRcWU1I6otOsvtLTCOc7CupyAo0uJD2WBddbDi55L0LVlxLWTDNVUjIlr2ALubAqCIL7xeTw/s1600/DSCF3690.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA9H-d-Uy6O6F-oLIvVmGtDIEjLAwuZPPUEcpJ1L4xh-ybXAlzbGc9T7PgnNeubHU8KKNRcWU1I6otOsvtLTCOc7CupyAo0uJD2WBddbDi55L0LVlxLWTDNVUjIlr2ALubAqCIL7xeTw/s400/DSCF3690.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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We returned to the depot, which is the only log cabin depot in the country still in use as a depot, and waited to board our train back to Williams.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMBYGorrNkW74FYts7xSLypYQq2LuUpEhQriuvv4p46So8WC9Kiiq3T8VTZACieutMYi17qQNZ9nOY9bbX88nnx7DiEY9gCN88ttUwbebZosw-Oin2F40KW87dBXxzEiMqcNZMVs8x2w/s1600/DSCF3714.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMBYGorrNkW74FYts7xSLypYQq2LuUpEhQriuvv4p46So8WC9Kiiq3T8VTZACieutMYi17qQNZ9nOY9bbX88nnx7DiEY9gCN88ttUwbebZosw-Oin2F40KW87dBXxzEiMqcNZMVs8x2w/s400/DSCF3714.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The former Santa Fe depot at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. It was built<br />
around 1906 and serves passengers and tourist to the canyon to this very day.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNkAwMAi7rPua3rKEstg7ycOEDSGbUKWFGgf336QkcMMx-w8cwgFnc1rfenpIPkaPrkgjTyiQ48Kk_06BwLW5jtqZTmrrryaiFuU9e2BjPVcolc-RfUVag1xgnTsQ7_M_Pc1wRZgvF3Q/s1600/DSCF3716.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNkAwMAi7rPua3rKEstg7ycOEDSGbUKWFGgf336QkcMMx-w8cwgFnc1rfenpIPkaPrkgjTyiQ48Kk_06BwLW5jtqZTmrrryaiFuU9e2BjPVcolc-RfUVag1xgnTsQ7_M_Pc1wRZgvF3Q/s400/DSCF3716.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 1926 power plant built by the Santa Fe Railway to supply power to the park<br />
and Grand Canyon Village. It is no longer in use as a power plant, but retains<br />
much of the original equipment inside. It ceased operation in 1954 and the<br />
smoke stack was demolished soon after. Today, it houses storage and some<br />
offices.</td></tr>
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On the trip back, our train was 'robbed' by a rather comical pair of dunces. The lawman chasing them didn't seem too worried as the would be crooks didn't realize that the would soon run out of train...lol!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKoHYzbYMbhMwOeqog26HEFZrTYUI5i8P4oCVYMvVWhFZpokt73LecVOUleLuS1qCU1k-v_1OtLYna0xGTH-FRQlfF7sseT0DGUEl34ANbRNe5w24K_uJX1CBPsYqnzF3dLphpIZ31YA/s1600/DSCF3738.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKoHYzbYMbhMwOeqog26HEFZrTYUI5i8P4oCVYMvVWhFZpokt73LecVOUleLuS1qCU1k-v_1OtLYna0xGTH-FRQlfF7sseT0DGUEl34ANbRNe5w24K_uJX1CBPsYqnzF3dLphpIZ31YA/s400/DSCF3738.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Robbery in progress!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil4myLEAvHfE_sl4wkWM0USeeen8OYOdSfCJZpKU-8F0igyAiIPN2P5PoxVkEzdvBA1x73eVcwlPfZVaaeUzuqx3tc3zxIiBy55p6JZ2mn-FOqM5HIHC4HSGhkMg1YV9JQB14rNv8sHg/s1600/DSCF3739.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil4myLEAvHfE_sl4wkWM0USeeen8OYOdSfCJZpKU-8F0igyAiIPN2P5PoxVkEzdvBA1x73eVcwlPfZVaaeUzuqx3tc3zxIiBy55p6JZ2mn-FOqM5HIHC4HSGhkMg1YV9JQB14rNv8sHg/s400/DSCF3739.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Help! Somebody please help!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTiyxNVIT1-0ibRDQOv23aWAa-ARSRW4h4Mqg7JS98qtYs4U8SIgKHz7kcgqVz9gN9jHjtsKYkZhDUAs1A2Bd7Lk_5Panmz43Ma7GxzmvBAQ25EAWd3EfRuBKMKy1nHaeY7ieibeciw/s1600/DSCF3768.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTiyxNVIT1-0ibRDQOv23aWAa-ARSRW4h4Mqg7JS98qtYs4U8SIgKHz7kcgqVz9gN9jHjtsKYkZhDUAs1A2Bd7Lk_5Panmz43Ma7GxzmvBAQ25EAWd3EfRuBKMKy1nHaeY7ieibeciw/s400/DSCF3768.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our train for the return trip was powered by an ex-Amtrak FF40PH and a<br />
historic Montreal Locomotive Works FPA-4.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="border-image: none;">
The rest of the trip into Williams was uneventful, but the clouds that dominated much of the day finally started to clear. We found our way to one of the local restaurants for a delicious dinner. Afterwards, we checked into our motel and strolled through downtown Williams taking in the nightlife before we turned in for the night.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbcGjLi7Jv8tKNJDJW6r9LBOmfPGUkKS3eiN3tn3BastkdTQjosuhCgVEEK8WHYiC3mCVEe2WQ-G7QRzKw3Of7tt03xLeziaPteEjcMhMk_wYIAUmdkP5_8D7TIQD6Eg0P1nsFjEUT6Q/s1600/DSCF3774.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbcGjLi7Jv8tKNJDJW6r9LBOmfPGUkKS3eiN3tn3BastkdTQjosuhCgVEEK8WHYiC3mCVEe2WQ-G7QRzKw3Of7tt03xLeziaPteEjcMhMk_wYIAUmdkP5_8D7TIQD6Eg0P1nsFjEUT6Q/s400/DSCF3774.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The El Rancho is the quintessential 1950s motel.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="border-image: none;">
After a good night's rest, we checked out and headed west on what remained of Route 66 through Williams. There were several old alignments of the highway west of town, but none are readily drivable as they all pass through National Forest land. The portion that follows the current route of and subsequently replaced by Interstate 40, however, can still be driven. Most of it was buried under portions of freeway, but there are stretches that were not used in the freeway construction and became frontage roads. We drove to Ash Fork, Arizona where a portion of the old road survives as the main streets in town. Here the road splits and the westbound lanes become Lewis Avenue and the eastbound lanes take the form of Park Avenue. Something I discovered in my research of Route 66 is that the road actually had two alignments at the west end of town, which for such a small community is rather unusual. The older alignment turned south at Pine Avenue and continued onto what are now the westbound lanes of Interstate 40. The newer alignment continued west into a sweeping curve to the south and rejoined the previous alignment further west of town. Continuing west, the original 1926 alignment turns to the southwest and drops down a hill before crossing Partridge Creek on a beautiful concrete bridge.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF5eOJhNnE8vfeDdYd1GGFGO2pk2wp0zXX89CVFPlkKuC8EfLaZ7LgeaHMMP5DL24I6p46IIMZlOVW2tAtuBYNmBHtLvSO4aUNObavZdJpmtIlA1dWXwu90PuTZcGemQ5APci68DpkGA/s1600/DSCF3784.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF5eOJhNnE8vfeDdYd1GGFGO2pk2wp0zXX89CVFPlkKuC8EfLaZ7LgeaHMMP5DL24I6p46IIMZlOVW2tAtuBYNmBHtLvSO4aUNObavZdJpmtIlA1dWXwu90PuTZcGemQ5APci68DpkGA/s400/DSCF3784.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 1926 Partridge Creek Bridge is still in use, but this portion of old Route<br />
66 is now a local road to access a home on the hill at the other end of the<br />
bridge.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="border-image: none;">
Since the only access to this part of the road is from the west, we turned around and returned to the Crookton exit. This exit is the eastern end of the longest contiguous stretch of remaining Route 66 in the country. Instead of getting on the interstate to return to Kingman, we stayed on Route 66 to share the experience with my aunt, who joined us for this trip to see the Grand Canyon. Next stop on our way home was Seligman, which is where we ended in part 2 of this blog. Of course, no visit to Seligman is complete without a stop at the Snow Cap Drive In. After we ordered, we went out to the patio to find out table and were pleasantly surprised to find some live entertainment. After discovering that one of the entertainers was Angel Delgadillo, one of the founders of the Arizona Route 66 Foundation, I just had to meet the guy. I got him to sign a dollar bill that I had in my pocket and had my dad take a picture of me with him.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd9mlPWKPVL7PH9u9U0rJVA36y-Ddqn1gkRxCIp-ERtW5HRNUAoc_h5-ZVMArTgFyt2YNaBwc3GxXDAMp9OUisfdrU05e_tNiSg-3zTdVS_d2S8YpW8ByrjwII9jtAylzZ6EFcjfabUQ/s1600/DSCF3812a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1195" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd9mlPWKPVL7PH9u9U0rJVA36y-Ddqn1gkRxCIp-ERtW5HRNUAoc_h5-ZVMArTgFyt2YNaBwc3GxXDAMp9OUisfdrU05e_tNiSg-3zTdVS_d2S8YpW8ByrjwII9jtAylzZ6EFcjfabUQ/s400/DSCF3812a.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Angel Delgadillo, famously known as one of the two men<br />
that got the Route 66 preservation movement started, is<br />
pictured here in the center with his nephew, Paul Alvarado<br />
on the left.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="border-image: none;">
Since we were now retracing our steps from our previous trip, we knew that a top at the Hackberry General store was in order to see if we could find our dollar bill. We did, and it was nice to see a number of others have been added since then.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVvj6KiPrC34oN0b82IQPzpHQIw_TVpydHCuqqgDVOJAYT-_mg9PGtaj4WIUHt7vlWxECnCVUb8tIu3d9oxkovZyQs9w_hahOnN3pIlOxONA8ymBb5xL3OagZ-nKCyArpNg_KE4bGA8g/s1600/DSCF3821.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVvj6KiPrC34oN0b82IQPzpHQIw_TVpydHCuqqgDVOJAYT-_mg9PGtaj4WIUHt7vlWxECnCVUb8tIu3d9oxkovZyQs9w_hahOnN3pIlOxONA8ymBb5xL3OagZ-nKCyArpNg_KE4bGA8g/s400/DSCF3821.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our dollar bill from the previous trip has been joined by a number of other<br />
bills from around the country and the world.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="border-image: none;">
We continued on our way and made Kingman in no time at all, where we had planned to spend the night before returning home. We checked into the El Trovatore, another classic Route 66 motel that has quite the history. One thing I like about this motel is that you don't have to leave the property to watch trains. The canyon behind the motel just so happens to have the Transcon running through it.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXZ7Pi3T-bFOeycKWwBfZ4BYVYVaGt2vtbAFDy86kcGWxmau2qgyodLqpKOkcoKtnrW0x0JvBV6aaCba1RnFZHz2ud5-x0xyFM6Byh0rFaqG-3W74FhO97gtvo8QbY58fX82sbwXfvSA/s1600/DSCF3825.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXZ7Pi3T-bFOeycKWwBfZ4BYVYVaGt2vtbAFDy86kcGWxmau2qgyodLqpKOkcoKtnrW0x0JvBV6aaCba1RnFZHz2ud5-x0xyFM6Byh0rFaqG-3W74FhO97gtvo8QbY58fX82sbwXfvSA/s400/DSCF3825.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was the door to our room.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2MmCNaXiqYX94VAX4MwtyAdikEyJaPgcnzplMVFMI3QOiD0iIlBQfK1U5nLg2CPDgFPwaTeJxFL7N2N8q1egun-TRbHPg7ACwTzNiPiWNsJEgrXXJeG5FJOdwEgGbwCik3iSdBv0pTQ/s1600/DSCF3833.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2MmCNaXiqYX94VAX4MwtyAdikEyJaPgcnzplMVFMI3QOiD0iIlBQfK1U5nLg2CPDgFPwaTeJxFL7N2N8q1egun-TRbHPg7ACwTzNiPiWNsJEgrXXJeG5FJOdwEgGbwCik3iSdBv0pTQ/s400/DSCF3833.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was painted on the building towards the back of the property. I love the<br />
eagle above it as well. To the left of the eagle is a large tower that has the name<br />
of the motel spelled out in neon lights. The pink Route 66 shield is a modern<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
addition.</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDMKhwWDwfGvTNrEXUpASIUCssSdUpEcJBjlP5j7eREnKeK5nxBVQ4lbInSo8r5Bw6GSxUMmxN3CFJchiqzQLhZ5X93CUFlouTJYAgGvfcqOx0ALtBqD0_VbLmmzsZk79ylcBTKnhT8w/s1600/DSCF3851a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1195" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDMKhwWDwfGvTNrEXUpASIUCssSdUpEcJBjlP5j7eREnKeK5nxBVQ4lbInSo8r5Bw6GSxUMmxN3CFJchiqzQLhZ5X93CUFlouTJYAgGvfcqOx0ALtBqD0_VbLmmzsZk79ylcBTKnhT8w/s400/DSCF3851a.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The mentioned in the previous photo at night.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGo2XEZrDoRWPpVtEfVP4Ss_CqzhxH410PtJpeAOMjV-LZrRYDvev7EIGaiV7dp9tnWpxUX8sDvkhsvBl1AKUSD0M8YiUlufe7r70t72CYI1k3d8aUqL3dJUzCBvHiRf2hSoNYxfHikQ/s1600/DSCF3836.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGo2XEZrDoRWPpVtEfVP4Ss_CqzhxH410PtJpeAOMjV-LZrRYDvev7EIGaiV7dp9tnWpxUX8sDvkhsvBl1AKUSD0M8YiUlufe7r70t72CYI1k3d8aUqL3dJUzCBvHiRf2hSoNYxfHikQ/s400/DSCF3836.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BNSF intermodal train hot-footing it to the port of Long Beach. This train<br />
happened to have some NS power, including the Barcode Unit (#1111).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
After we got checked in, we went to dinner at Dambar Steakhouse. If you are ever in Kingman, this restaurant is a must. The food is great and the prices are reasonable. In addition, the staff are very friendly.<br />
<br />
<br />
Of course, being in Kingman, I had to stop by the restored Santa Fe depot as well as pay a visit to the locomotive across from the Power House Museum.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFXqcipoogE76A3mHLHuV833o-e388Lok9VErrtT_e6_iFuav9SYYmpNEHz8rFhd2_0Yj13Yqlh9Q5ITP1N40fjAvMdTyRwa_C5CKVsICJQWu3Ju4n06vER1gbRNstYzzoyr7sZKt8-A/s1600/DSCF3882.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFXqcipoogE76A3mHLHuV833o-e388Lok9VErrtT_e6_iFuav9SYYmpNEHz8rFhd2_0Yj13Yqlh9Q5ITP1N40fjAvMdTyRwa_C5CKVsICJQWu3Ju4n06vER1gbRNstYzzoyr7sZKt8-A/s400/DSCF3882.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kingman Depot.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbKxCmmH0n8XI3CEB-U6n68FqIakLVBqHW6iRgl4j5NYQsFMeEkGNUEbm_SN4AfR8lOlvV9fzAW0VXFNGgwT6Lz20UDhjwnaCO-v3Onoqc7x4GdLkdJfsnrFkSP0M1kJgOf4QwEYOr6g/s1600/DSCF3883.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbKxCmmH0n8XI3CEB-U6n68FqIakLVBqHW6iRgl4j5NYQsFMeEkGNUEbm_SN4AfR8lOlvV9fzAW0VXFNGgwT6Lz20UDhjwnaCO-v3Onoqc7x4GdLkdJfsnrFkSP0M1kJgOf4QwEYOr6g/s400/DSCF3883.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was on the fence that Kingman installed during the restoration of the old<br />
Santa Fe depot. It is refreshing to see Kingman recognizing the historical<br />
significance of the depot and the railroad.<br />
and its history.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZKrhyob5XOqbptfS_HwauBXiV8hMED-4XBvQQsQyj_Z7LiQOQBKYEfryJqlgAMr2B8_Ek4kUU0I47G_rw_S-ikKg4zgmWhUB_bYkpTvb8i0jje55X9VRwJ6Pb4zeS2dbqSAVXmfJxOA/s1600/DSCF3886.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZKrhyob5XOqbptfS_HwauBXiV8hMED-4XBvQQsQyj_Z7LiQOQBKYEfryJqlgAMr2B8_Ek4kUU0I47G_rw_S-ikKg4zgmWhUB_bYkpTvb8i0jje55X9VRwJ6Pb4zeS2dbqSAVXmfJxOA/s400/DSCF3886.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Santa Fe 3759.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJQRjE1YUV3-kC4vHDDv01vHSxwZMTKJVnvG8GkAWdVl68WtsKu2R92uEHvkdTlz1YiArtYuD3P_uMUbTo6aiZwXK2zqxWQxo97i0cw7jsqNmQJnqc_Q_cZwPzLQxRQxJF4yoPhYD7yA/s1600/DSCF3887.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJQRjE1YUV3-kC4vHDDv01vHSxwZMTKJVnvG8GkAWdVl68WtsKu2R92uEHvkdTlz1YiArtYuD3P_uMUbTo6aiZwXK2zqxWQxo97i0cw7jsqNmQJnqc_Q_cZwPzLQxRQxJF4yoPhYD7yA/s400/DSCF3887.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Santa Fe 999520</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="border-image: none;">
This concludes my story about the ghosts of Route 66 and the Santa Fe Transcon. I hope that you enjoyed the trip as much as I did writing about it and encourage you to make a similar trip of your own. It is an experience that you will cherish while creating memories to last a lifetime.</div>
</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
- Matt Liverani</div>
Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04035810342144800113noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094173605070939347.post-90429028816070520152017-09-09T21:37:00.000-07:002017-09-09T21:37:55.002-07:00In Regards to our Previous Post about Ogden Union Station:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7EeLJKCmrghkrLmCyxxBGZ4JICo-dMvb4rIw3xDaIj0o_-JYmtmpIiZkz-6TM5n_kOLimkWgeqEaaVXIKnzDOW6WIVOe3wpW8wtYzwSdSbd5mEtKyFBpW-siuZeEAcJEUUpoD-7-dYXLj/s1600/IMG_5799.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7EeLJKCmrghkrLmCyxxBGZ4JICo-dMvb4rIw3xDaIj0o_-JYmtmpIiZkz-6TM5n_kOLimkWgeqEaaVXIKnzDOW6WIVOe3wpW8wtYzwSdSbd5mEtKyFBpW-siuZeEAcJEUUpoD-7-dYXLj/s400/IMG_5799.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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We wrote a recent post on the Desert Empire Project blog that reported on recent events at Ogden Union Station and previous plans to remove the rail center. While the information presented was dated, it is factual and was available to the public. We believed it was current information at the time of publishing. <div>
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Our intention was to raise awareness of the value of the depot and its outdoor collection of historic railway equipment. The post rapidly received wide spread coverage, and took off across many railroad related social media platforms. Furthermore we learned of some updated facts that we were not aware of and did not take into account in our original post. Because of the unintended reactions and conflict the post was causing online, we decided to delete it and took a brief break from the subject. We took time to refocus on what we love about the hobby and discuss internally how to avoid causing such conflict again in the future. We did not intend to create a problem were there wasn't any and for that we extend our deepest apologies. We did not wish to impede on the volunteer work being done by organizations such as the Union Station Foundation and Dynamic Rail Preservation and we extend our apologies to those who work with those organizations for the stress we have caused.</div>
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We will be returning to our normal focus in a few days on our railfanning trips and adventures. We are glad for those of you who bore with us during this, and hope to repair any burnt bridges our previous post has caused. Figuratively speaking, we hope to see you all trackside soon! </div>
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-Sincerely,</div>
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The Desert Empire Project Editors</div>
DEPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13520263088019846811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094173605070939347.post-73282300076158717332017-08-27T21:44:00.000-07:002017-09-09T15:07:09.528-07:00Ghosts of Arizona Route 66 and the Santa Fe Transcon - Part 2In my last installment, I briefly introduced you to Route 66 and my first real encounter with the famed highway. In this part, we will cover the stretch between Kingman and Seligman, Arizona.<br />
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On August 19, 2014, we woke up from our room at the Hilltop Motel in Kingman, AZ to embark on the next piece of Route 66. The Hilltop is typical of motels of the 1950s and 60s and really speaks to the essence of what travel was like before the advent of the interstate highway. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY1MM5Faya1czzzTjAqZciFp6t0Y0YASHd4B1fJ2Tia8vn9xXnpd0fYl2w0Sflm9VZ5kRVJWBZAlSbdg8U2X7fy5EfNv6cI-U4NGrMxzOakrky71JvRN621PDIHVePPxprNZgBEhTUnQ/s1600/DSCF3165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY1MM5Faya1czzzTjAqZciFp6t0Y0YASHd4B1fJ2Tia8vn9xXnpd0fYl2w0Sflm9VZ5kRVJWBZAlSbdg8U2X7fy5EfNv6cI-U4NGrMxzOakrky71JvRN621PDIHVePPxprNZgBEhTUnQ/s400/DSCF3165.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The main sign at the HillTop Motel. The motel is the very essence of post-<br />
World War II highway travel, simply constructed, minimally appointed but<br />
most importantly, easily accessible.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbQdDl1VATZmFFdH7LwuTOaPDJkibd_3EtjY3PhVpLBFGRMgJ0JksTlDcjwCvsLsYs9YAp82oyOuCtYyLrl02XerB6sqGqdCyX96Kff8H3imwutITYltSyNV8kxKRGNCsuO1oyVhg5jg/s1600/DSCF3168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbQdDl1VATZmFFdH7LwuTOaPDJkibd_3EtjY3PhVpLBFGRMgJ0JksTlDcjwCvsLsYs9YAp82oyOuCtYyLrl02XerB6sqGqdCyX96Kff8H3imwutITYltSyNV8kxKRGNCsuO1oyVhg5jg/s400/DSCF3168.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here we see part of the motel itself. That is my white Expedition in the corner<br />
since that is where our rooms were.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS6CLvmG5X16saFVNDPf6XUWJ1Ob75bTO1pfg0Jxyk0EdTtp-iCVE4bT3op9rmM7JswrNPQm88pdkoA7k94ZFIZGUZsHhFu_9sUR58aBVhleHY-XpNRFQsA2DY_RkvJxZS93NeBgPU4A/s1600/DSCF3171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS6CLvmG5X16saFVNDPf6XUWJ1Ob75bTO1pfg0Jxyk0EdTtp-iCVE4bT3op9rmM7JswrNPQm88pdkoA7k94ZFIZGUZsHhFu_9sUR58aBVhleHY-XpNRFQsA2DY_RkvJxZS93NeBgPU4A/s400/DSCF3171.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ours was the room on the left, while my dad's was on the right. Yes, there<br />
was a door between rooms on the inside as that was popular during the 1950s<br />
for travelers who took extended family along for the trip. One could visit<br />
between rooms without having to go outside during bad weather.</td></tr>
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Leaving the motel, our first stop was at the Power House Visitors Center and Route 66 Museum. The building began life as, you guessed it, a power plant. Built by Desert Power and Water Company in two phases between 1907 and 1911, it supplied power to a fledgling Kingman as well as a number of local mines and was powered by coal. There was a spur from the Santa Fe main on the north side of the building that ran to the south side of the building as seen in this photo inside the museum.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-rE-Y78L23uPALk4cA_SzvUtNly-jln-FXzkjJFpQQ0UGGEBrqkFISlZLpqSXcnLQoW8hpH6FZdzybIti_SNLwN3CDw1vRyOI2MBDhlQjIbh2qpcOhKi9Rvixj9EHlJzi8VRa5SUzHw/s1600/DSCF3175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-rE-Y78L23uPALk4cA_SzvUtNly-jln-FXzkjJFpQQ0UGGEBrqkFISlZLpqSXcnLQoW8hpH6FZdzybIti_SNLwN3CDw1vRyOI2MBDhlQjIbh2qpcOhKi9Rvixj9EHlJzi8VRa5SUzHw/s400/DSCF3175.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early photo of the Kingman Power House when it was still in service. It was<br />
closed in the late 1930s when the Hoover Dam was completed since hydro-<br />
electric power was so much cheaper to produce.</td></tr>
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It also provided power to the Boulder Dam project (most know it today as Hoover Dam). Upon completion of the dam, it was determined that the electricity from the dam was cheaper to produce so the Kingman power plant was deemed surplus and closed. The building was renovated and reopened as the museum/visitors center it is today in 2001 and is a must stop for anyone with a passing interest in Route 66 and Kingman. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinhGmOqZLXKRvKDZYbE4PhNuyePDs3n0VQv25dyO_BO1DBUVsjWjmx03D8cqVVQXiEZjyJkpRuekAUKS3hCfz9aDcxpY_apaD_uWbhHSAevw45Zbs03qnPMSBfsX-l5KK1pRep5quTJw/s1600/DSCF3172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinhGmOqZLXKRvKDZYbE4PhNuyePDs3n0VQv25dyO_BO1DBUVsjWjmx03D8cqVVQXiEZjyJkpRuekAUKS3hCfz9aDcxpY_apaD_uWbhHSAevw45Zbs03qnPMSBfsX-l5KK1pRep5quTJw/s400/DSCF3172.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's a lotta threes! As indicated by the sign, the bolt it points to has a curious<br />
claim to fame.</td></tr>
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Continuing on from Kingman, we don't have far to go before we stumble on our next roadside attraction, Giganticus Headicus, which was created in 2003 and 2004. Located at the old Kozy Corner Trailer Park, it has been a favorite of travelers who frequently stop to take pictures at this oddity in the Arizona desert.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivTRJk0ceszkqpPpU8x_91070J96gh_net-v8RpwMKtmYo_lwO_o6FP6yeW9HxMEcIq549M02CyMmSPy6Zez-ws9liiDaSsuGYHPmZkxj4rKJC3WTfJQq4OTgtHbl3QYQmBt_36zAwsA/s1600/DSCF3188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivTRJk0ceszkqpPpU8x_91070J96gh_net-v8RpwMKtmYo_lwO_o6FP6yeW9HxMEcIq549M02CyMmSPy6Zez-ws9liiDaSsuGYHPmZkxj4rKJC3WTfJQq4OTgtHbl3QYQmBt_36zAwsA/s400/DSCF3188.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and my family at Giganticus Headicus.</td></tr>
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We continue east headed for the old town of Hackberry. Just a couple of miles before the town, I spotted one of the old stone culverts that the Santa Fe built when they were laying the first rails through this area, with what I believe is the milepost location written on the arch.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1GGI4oPbStya68wYUzxJK5SGiNdqzbLotqk2UlvJSJRRa4I_RsVrAkgbnjQJbG9jkbksKef3qibT9UZbtU0NyYFVwdPmggFFtHpfHvJYw8dRU50LM9txh7TGN_MMIlP7-3q-4BoIIhQ/s1600/DSCF3191.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1GGI4oPbStya68wYUzxJK5SGiNdqzbLotqk2UlvJSJRRa4I_RsVrAkgbnjQJbG9jkbksKef3qibT9UZbtU0NyYFVwdPmggFFtHpfHvJYw8dRU50LM9txh7TGN_MMIlP7-3q-4BoIIhQ/s400/DSCF3191.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stone culvert dating from the original construction of the route through here.</td></tr>
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As we come into Hackberry proper, there really isn't much aside from the General Store which thrives as a rest stop and photo op for tourists. There is an eclectic mix of stuff around the property that makes for many an interesting photo.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE6kbY6pmmQ1NpfWfPbbYA4llbuOWqHGEZVpFvR1BODbeHBGZAwQvl0w716seJ641Y9WoPIU3q_um1IVEf9vzsh7rF64jcYSZczNQFe90FnauJm3s4cIgwuOIsIpp2rAezIVI3h8Hb7g/s1600/DSCF3194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE6kbY6pmmQ1NpfWfPbbYA4llbuOWqHGEZVpFvR1BODbeHBGZAwQvl0w716seJ641Y9WoPIU3q_um1IVEf9vzsh7rF64jcYSZczNQFe90FnauJm3s4cIgwuOIsIpp2rAezIVI3h8Hb7g/s400/DSCF3194.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hackberry General Store</td></tr>
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Across the road from the store, the old Santa Fe water tank still proudly displays it's heritage for all who care to notice while at the bottom of the hill from the store and just to the west sits a bridge over a wide dry wash also letting visitors know who put it here.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmCLRBeUgvljfxfZmSKm1406OAeZJuLjAv-sjDIxiie9B4ABh7nJ-66qEAXPVoYnzVfkeX-hI-x77yIKpYn9oElZ9xG9GJY-7zE-QGI_XR4uQZRzNG8z7wzgSGuNK3MwV20YKabjMtZA/s1600/DSCF3192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmCLRBeUgvljfxfZmSKm1406OAeZJuLjAv-sjDIxiie9B4ABh7nJ-66qEAXPVoYnzVfkeX-hI-x77yIKpYn9oElZ9xG9GJY-7zE-QGI_XR4uQZRzNG8z7wzgSGuNK3MwV20YKabjMtZA/s400/DSCF3192.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Santa Fe water tank across the road from the Hackberry General Store.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2CY690WTuDnp_nwD5uLAPHfYcqRrR-OelqjvzKJrAw9WO1XQEh0gLH7Qnv3uOeYxYq2cEhwaqaLbvaFnDhDePQaahSs0oS-X1CAqYkbz3iAKE6L5v_sMmDTf9i5By-qj2vD6ZuX1GWA/s1600/DSCF3219.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2CY690WTuDnp_nwD5uLAPHfYcqRrR-OelqjvzKJrAw9WO1XQEh0gLH7Qnv3uOeYxYq2cEhwaqaLbvaFnDhDePQaahSs0oS-X1CAqYkbz3iAKE6L5v_sMmDTf9i5By-qj2vD6ZuX1GWA/s400/DSCF3219.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I wandered down a dirt road to explore the railroad a little and found this<br />
bridge. Luckily, I wouldn't have to wait long to see a train as there was a<br />
westbound train coming just as I stopped to check things out. Here we see<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
the tail end passing by.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBFIQQKEWiD4WCqI2teyqo5X3VYZBulNp4AQEJTbyhpt7Mzk-_ltRxQdpAiRbNIA737FR-ui2nl7UZKQ_MqqnHU2vpcTAILF9yivObksxKC8CBKPNz0SvwUP8bISCR2TR899jQ5AA-iw/s1600/DSCF3222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBFIQQKEWiD4WCqI2teyqo5X3VYZBulNp4AQEJTbyhpt7Mzk-_ltRxQdpAiRbNIA737FR-ui2nl7UZKQ_MqqnHU2vpcTAILF9yivObksxKC8CBKPNz0SvwUP8bISCR2TR899jQ5AA-iw/s400/DSCF3222.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Better view of the bridge over the wash. Look at the pier and you can see the<br />
difference in the construction materials. I forget when this line had a second<br />
track built, but it is obvious that it was the closer one that was built later.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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After the train went by, it was time for us to move on as well. As we headed east, we came upon the near ghost town of Valentine. There was a two-story brick building here that was build as a school for the local Indian population. The school was opened in 1901 and only operated until 1937.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwf_NvaMBLHdK_UXx_vCiPTjXLQnR9oD0hnCf-JV9SdJdZddR73QwX0Q65rDoCUhxLT32dTRERnJqjCA5DL1B82LYD6okupl6oGvBOoCDU6SVpe7wfRaS6i2knu5uMyUNKVHGj0pqotg/s1600/DSCF3231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwf_NvaMBLHdK_UXx_vCiPTjXLQnR9oD0hnCf-JV9SdJdZddR73QwX0Q65rDoCUhxLT32dTRERnJqjCA5DL1B82LYD6okupl6oGvBOoCDU6SVpe7wfRaS6i2knu5uMyUNKVHGj0pqotg/s400/DSCF3231.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hualapai Indian Boarding School, Valentine, AZ</td></tr>
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Traces of the Santa Fe can be found here as well.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikIO3hIZP6oArtAYlCZv_4IoaaMg7JdBCjL0fkoe-SnIjmGR7uHPFcMuIKtQ3PJN10z-11WBslhFdhOXaJ2XcsjVvdOkRby6tLq3OVk1jceMjpQjcD76p_4V7yC7LdW6QgZ_V59fglFQ/s1600/DSCF3233.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikIO3hIZP6oArtAYlCZv_4IoaaMg7JdBCjL0fkoe-SnIjmGR7uHPFcMuIKtQ3PJN10z-11WBslhFdhOXaJ2XcsjVvdOkRby6tLq3OVk1jceMjpQjcD76p_4V7yC7LdW6QgZ_V59fglFQ/s400/DSCF3233.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just in case you thought that dirt road was the interstate.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaJ0azke-git3M5_yq-DTHkNdrJ12HqDtDXnJ5_cTudQwAl_xSQlUtlIARFRTLPC5Cx4ymbUQk7-XboQkNCkQRAQWbX1b6nFt3094S5QwGC7f88LdSRBn-WAT5QCJme2NdmqFS2BB1kA/s1600/DSCF3225.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaJ0azke-git3M5_yq-DTHkNdrJ12HqDtDXnJ5_cTudQwAl_xSQlUtlIARFRTLPC5Cx4ymbUQk7-XboQkNCkQRAQWbX1b6nFt3094S5QwGC7f88LdSRBn-WAT5QCJme2NdmqFS2BB1kA/s400/DSCF3225.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BNSF eastbound train waiting for a signal to proceed.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcSfqdizlDWoX2aN_TzaILeaDalSMsbOio5aoiaegpzIE13O8NWavt5UXiCqNkvl1o8vwCAIg2MQbsIm-p65qI-034V8YVGYl3p58Yq7jsZSF1QhaO7HXwXrjGqfLMzDYfLWXGJFvoQg/s1600/DSCF3224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcSfqdizlDWoX2aN_TzaILeaDalSMsbOio5aoiaegpzIE13O8NWavt5UXiCqNkvl1o8vwCAIg2MQbsIm-p65qI-034V8YVGYl3p58Yq7jsZSF1QhaO7HXwXrjGqfLMzDYfLWXGJFvoQg/s400/DSCF3224.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delivered to BNSF in Santa Fe Warbonnet dress, this was among the<br />
locomotives waiting to power their train east.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaGoQY2U-H_w9Um8GKMLKUHX-EVw3jKuV7MKwETso43btlKNhHeqCWWKUAUJTrUvlJALAg79SdICajE4nkvWRpNF5PuVS7ROejt_9rTg4IjMPYvpjtUq5V4jHi-VE0WCOS-ATiwXZeMQ/s1600/DSCF3235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaGoQY2U-H_w9Um8GKMLKUHX-EVw3jKuV7MKwETso43btlKNhHeqCWWKUAUJTrUvlJALAg79SdICajE4nkvWRpNF5PuVS7ROejt_9rTg4IjMPYvpjtUq5V4jHi-VE0WCOS-ATiwXZeMQ/s400/DSCF3235.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This westbound train was waiting for a new crew to finish taking the train to<br />
its destination.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="border-image: none;">
The railroad through Valentine follows the road pretty closely, but not for very long. Valentine, at least for the railroad, marks the western end of Crozier Canyon and it is only a couple of miles east of Valentine that the road and the railroad split. The old highway takes to the high ground into Truxton and Peach Springs, the headquarters of the Hualapai Indian Tribe. Here, the tracks and the highway briefly rejoin before splitting up again at the east end of town. Named for the abundance of peach trees surrounding the spring providing water for the locomotives, Peach Springs was established in 1883 as a division point on the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad (later absorbed by the Santa Fe Railway). By 1887, a post office was established and the town began to grow. By 1907, the Santa Fe moved the division point to Seligman and the town began to fade. That is until the push for better roads started in earnest around 1910. The town began to prosper once again and by 1926, the National Old Trails Road was incorporated into Route 66. The town enjoyed moderate prosperity until Interstate 40 bypassed this portion of the highway. While the town isn't totally abandoned today, the effects of the interstate can clearly be seen in the condition of many of the old buildings. There is somewhat of a third life for the town, however, as Peach Springs is now the gateway to the west rim of the Grand Canyon and as mentioned before, the operating center of the Hualapai Tribe.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR8NPY2-YSt1mxwz87o5zIm8GCjbDRwmUrjP0nfmIpqaVp1D-ByVpx4iTIXiFWQbsS7Dms_CWuEyN_hyhbw2zWkprQtW2xyesKf5vOyPW_nis2CJ02r6agWxuke1QjvOj5U3NIL7qY_g/s1600/DSCF3236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR8NPY2-YSt1mxwz87o5zIm8GCjbDRwmUrjP0nfmIpqaVp1D-ByVpx4iTIXiFWQbsS7Dms_CWuEyN_hyhbw2zWkprQtW2xyesKf5vOyPW_nis2CJ02r6agWxuke1QjvOj5U3NIL7qY_g/s400/DSCF3236.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The westbound signals in Peach Springs, AZ.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="border-image: none;">
After Peach Springs, the last major attraction before reaching Seligman is Grand Canyon Caverns. Anyone traveling old Route 66 really must stop here and tour the caverns. Outside, there is an old gas station and motel with several old vehicles on display. Go a little deeper into the property and you find yourself at the restaurant and gift shop. It is here that you can acess the caverns, but not without a ticket and tour guide. As for the caverns themselves, they are the largest dry caverns in the US and extend up to 300 feet below ground. The conditions in the caverns are so perfect, the US government stored emergency supplies here during the Cold War and remain unspoiled to this day. The temperature remains a constant 56 degrees and remains at 0% humidity year round. There is a mummified bobcat that is believed to have died around 1860 and the skeletal remains of a prehistoric giant ground sloth were found in the caverns. The sloth had apparently fallen in and tried to get out, but was unsuccessful. There are claw marks on the cavern walls and there is a life-sized replica of the sloth as it would have appeared at the spot it was discovered. There was even a piece of the sloth's claw found embedded in the cavern wall!</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPj_Vr1Dt0dI76ulSo4wN8SstwCPXMQWhJqtdiqfby9rW31dLpTJ8rJYCVyUZ_nBmN_CL9X2uhUTt2qeERIgO24TG6zbMEhtcsdvBHiQu49tCm4BI7M0dH5IngTcAKls6rwPB91cE_Ow/s1600/DSCF3237.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPj_Vr1Dt0dI76ulSo4wN8SstwCPXMQWhJqtdiqfby9rW31dLpTJ8rJYCVyUZ_nBmN_CL9X2uhUTt2qeERIgO24TG6zbMEhtcsdvBHiQu49tCm4BI7M0dH5IngTcAKls6rwPB91cE_Ow/s400/DSCF3237.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Herbie lives at Grand Canyon Caverns!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7c-Dup-LMoP5I6KMemphdr54r1JiAmiKqgOZA7OvR9F2BodRVgPI540qNLWUClLO6pwnJ2JKyhnR3keYwd41LD8ZQWO-5CkUZSksiqK3qBhsC5UgohWIt0GBnjRWZ0DNrWOy0gYZGVg/s1600/DSCF3245a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1195" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7c-Dup-LMoP5I6KMemphdr54r1JiAmiKqgOZA7OvR9F2BodRVgPI540qNLWUClLO6pwnJ2JKyhnR3keYwd41LD8ZQWO-5CkUZSksiqK3qBhsC5UgohWIt0GBnjRWZ0DNrWOy0gYZGVg/s400/DSCF3245a.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thermometer showing the constant, year round temperature<br />
in the caverns.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOUrgtBbdZ_GTzZOu2MiyrNZNiimTrEWduJ8TEsMbvlTCmMuwQbBkPCEAPadkdj32vuyRsniJpFL8TCB2BmduYoid7KApCi_Pu4Y_4shijsU3I_Es4hhOtnIffOmF7hfzX6xqZsHRCPA/s1600/DSCF3272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOUrgtBbdZ_GTzZOu2MiyrNZNiimTrEWduJ8TEsMbvlTCmMuwQbBkPCEAPadkdj32vuyRsniJpFL8TCB2BmduYoid7KApCi_Pu4Y_4shijsU3I_Es4hhOtnIffOmF7hfzX6xqZsHRCPA/s400/DSCF3272.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perfectly preserved in the location it was found. It is believed that the animal<br />
suffered a number of broken bones after falling into the cavern and that is why<br />
it died here.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRpBcOoJtJRm9z8LzQqRYq6J1RHct8yTPIje-y6I6CGUtxnzJ9xX9AVcxQFNAvhFH1sG6a2fUE0WklzhobqqXcsm8DDH0jLEu3fY_jEbuHtjJ8STayqrn0LNe26u22EFVbchaq_Wdv2g/s1600/DSCF3282a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRpBcOoJtJRm9z8LzQqRYq6J1RHct8yTPIje-y6I6CGUtxnzJ9xX9AVcxQFNAvhFH1sG6a2fUE0WklzhobqqXcsm8DDH0jLEu3fY_jEbuHtjJ8STayqrn0LNe26u22EFVbchaq_Wdv2g/s400/DSCF3282a.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Replica of the giant sloth based on the skeleton that was found at this spot.<br />
Look above the sloth to see the claw marks on the wall from the claws of this<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
beast.</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKYB3k3c_9KXZ_532UzSHIi1yC2dnFTpna1z-KKTbQ5moYy6lbI30p9It2dqn4p-9R_dE52mqC-E8eJnG9kscTw4GXAAsSmYFnsrw5JThZgQJVJ0TshQS_dPuO1GVXxpb-L0D0hsA4ow/s1600/DSCF3287.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKYB3k3c_9KXZ_532UzSHIi1yC2dnFTpna1z-KKTbQ5moYy6lbI30p9It2dqn4p-9R_dE52mqC-E8eJnG9kscTw4GXAAsSmYFnsrw5JThZgQJVJ0TshQS_dPuO1GVXxpb-L0D0hsA4ow/s400/DSCF3287.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just outside the restaurant/gift shop at Grand Canyon Caverns.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="border-image: none;">
Leaving the caverns, our next stop would be Seligman. Seligman was a division point on the Santa Fe beginning in 1907 and once featured a depot and a Harvey House. Harvey Houses were famous for their world class meals and accommodations. The Harvey House no longer exists, nor does the depot, but Route 66 runs through the town roughly two blocks from the tracks. Near the east end of town is a small eatery known as the Snow Cap Drive In. It is NOT your typical burger joint. You walk into the breezeway at the front of the building and the first thing you see is the walls and ceiling covered in business cards, credit cards, money, and all sorts of personal notes from those who have stopped. There is a window where you place your order and the staff are super friendly and are always looking to show you a good time. You have to visit to see for yourself the many antics and the all around good time. The food is pretty good and the menu is simple. After you walk out of the breezeway, you step out onto a covered patio where you wait for your order. While we waited, we checked out the grounds surrounding the place. There is a wide assortment of items that make you want to explore more. Also on the property are a number of vehicles that you would swear you've seen before. If you have ever watched Disney's Cars, then you'd be dead on. This was one of many places along Route 66 that inspired the movie.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh41O2If4hMoLxWOZYZWIQHIWJHMT4TqPtWS4ehPuXRlWs3roRYkJFy2APYRDz2laRXkYhJKPU70qP7RTidc7IV29n38N0VTkiQjMn4qiO-1iqECr6oPKgKoBlbVpvUcvoCdqW_RsTKjQ/s1600/DSCF3291.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh41O2If4hMoLxWOZYZWIQHIWJHMT4TqPtWS4ehPuXRlWs3roRYkJFy2APYRDz2laRXkYhJKPU70qP7RTidc7IV29n38N0VTkiQjMn4qiO-1iqECr6oPKgKoBlbVpvUcvoCdqW_RsTKjQ/s400/DSCF3291.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our first view of the Snow Cap when we pulled up and got out of the car.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3YN2bOXRHW1fs7Ca49V4McCPX1ABJsqqeizt-afbvKd6S9jasIE7QLcGPf3Tirq3GlOQJVHFggMbXpAbtxE9OwyzbrCqlGzMfcblpUulsiO9Xt3dSGTZgjSyGadrDc63m4Xwl5guOEQ/s1600/DSCF3292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3YN2bOXRHW1fs7Ca49V4McCPX1ABJsqqeizt-afbvKd6S9jasIE7QLcGPf3Tirq3GlOQJVHFggMbXpAbtxE9OwyzbrCqlGzMfcblpUulsiO9Xt3dSGTZgjSyGadrDc63m4Xwl5guOEQ/s400/DSCF3292.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ummmm.....</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQNp9xKeIU-0JTbVUoTM1unzwx8SNetV34fimPWbx42KQnv87rPMS3O7TQpcF1xSOOhQ9AaWDLDpPCjqHvxwaPBX3_VvRAVFlY2fc5hRv8V_qOhY9cP57RCuPudVaxFd0ykF9a6a__Gw/s1600/DSCF3295.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQNp9xKeIU-0JTbVUoTM1unzwx8SNetV34fimPWbx42KQnv87rPMS3O7TQpcF1xSOOhQ9AaWDLDpPCjqHvxwaPBX3_VvRAVFlY2fc5hRv8V_qOhY9cP57RCuPudVaxFd0ykF9a6a__Gw/s400/DSCF3295.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sheriff, I need directions please.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFQI1NNv_cbfFDH4dygFR7kPZm4EuDOs1wv270t5dg49lEKJ8YiI2rVMN7tVRjx97YtPYqHNxaZhDB4pjjTKH5mhNPcwhojk7g6FQz7Sf7Z4CiIXTOn1IkdwNDJdm-qgL0OOgEq6RgBw/s1600/DSCF3299.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFQI1NNv_cbfFDH4dygFR7kPZm4EuDOs1wv270t5dg49lEKJ8YiI2rVMN7tVRjx97YtPYqHNxaZhDB4pjjTKH5mhNPcwhojk7g6FQz7Sf7Z4CiIXTOn1IkdwNDJdm-qgL0OOgEq6RgBw/s400/DSCF3299.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Order up!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="border-image: none;">
While eating lunch, a brief rainstorm blew through that made the temperature drop quite a bit and quite fast, but was soon over. What a fitting end to a wonderful trip. Stay tuned for the third and final part of my Route 66 journey along the Santa Fe Transcon.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijreGsr6ij8cv2XJLi1rZhSJ-4rDgIDFRdPMsEV3a-tJQjHa4cCPCJeS2gkp-sJKOhJ7P_7307fjX5jbMFo8iolnug-xyEGD-lPJ7DGy-rIHet7ItEkTiK8LhduovWdldW9iTGedcTlQ/s1600/DSCF3303.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijreGsr6ij8cv2XJLi1rZhSJ-4rDgIDFRdPMsEV3a-tJQjHa4cCPCJeS2gkp-sJKOhJ7P_7307fjX5jbMFo8iolnug-xyEGD-lPJ7DGy-rIHet7ItEkTiK8LhduovWdldW9iTGedcTlQ/s400/DSCF3303.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Until next time!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="border-image: none;">
-Matt Liverani</div>
</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
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Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04035810342144800113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094173605070939347.post-10117657074844493452017-08-26T08:34:00.000-07:002017-08-27T19:17:11.064-07:00LUE46 "The Warner Local"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_bot8q8Gx8I74_FtEFtj8KrwIQJXKf1F4KmWz5oiFGZ2DBT6QmBqrBiM1rHQp2e0RO7t8MxuveiNwHKoJ5a7GClQPKINWr9Qv9_qvOOAHadHWIlJxxbnRR0CFjKfZp5EAbvBhArOD5rM/s1600/IMG_8556.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_bot8q8Gx8I74_FtEFtj8KrwIQJXKf1F4KmWz5oiFGZ2DBT6QmBqrBiM1rHQp2e0RO7t8MxuveiNwHKoJ5a7GClQPKINWr9Qv9_qvOOAHadHWIlJxxbnRR0CFjKfZp5EAbvBhArOD5rM/s400/IMG_8556.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>The LUE46 with two SD70M locomotives at Fassio Eggs in Erda, Utah this August.</i></div>
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There is for many railfans a favorite train or two to chase on the railroad. Often they are local trains; relatively small mixed freights which travel from major rail hubs to outlying industries along the way. In my case one of my favorite trains to see is the "LUE46" a freight which serves businesses in-between Salt Lake City's North Yard down to the Peterson Industrial Depot in Tooele, Utah. It is one of the first trains I learned to predict regularly, and one that I encounter on a regular basis.<br />
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<i>In May 2013 two SD40N units (UP 1684 and UP 1616) lead the LUE46 through Erda, Utah. UP 1684 was once SD40-2 UP 1896 one of the two special units used for the Atlanta Olympic games.</i></div>
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The history of local rail freight from Salt Lake to the Tooele area began in the late 1800's with a narrow gauge railroad known as the Utah Nevada Western Railroad. Building off the line already in place by the Salt Lake Sevier Valley, Pioche Railroad; the Utah Nevada Western extended through the valley to Bauer in 1883. The narrow gauge line was essential to serve the budding mining districts to the south in Stockton which sent wagon teams hauling ores up to the rail head in Bauer.<br />
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In 1903 standard gauge railroads came to the Tooele area with the Oregon Shortline (and shortly thereafter owned by the Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad) building the "Leamington Cut-Off." This Harriman-era mainline had smooth curves and gentle grades. Standard gauge rail opened up new traffic to the area, with the Tooele Valley Railway and St. John & Ophir shortlines connecting into the new mainline a few years after it was built. A mining mill grew in Bauer near the former Utah Nevada Western terminal, and local sugar beet farmers used the rails to feed their crops to the sugar refineries across the state. Further north, on the border of Tooele and Salt Lake, counties was the ASARCO Garfield Smelter which would eventually become part of the Kennecott Corporation.<br />
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Wartime brought the changes to the area which continue to affect local rail traffic to this day when the US Army placed two detachments of a new ordinance depot along the route. In Tooele at the Warner Jct. where the Tooele Valley Railway and Western Pacific fed into Union Pacific's inherited LA&SL mainline; the Army built what is now known as the Tooele Army Depot. Further south past the former St. John and Ophir interchange was built the Deseret Chemical Weapons Depot (currently known as the Tooele Army Depot South Area). The northern facility handled conventional weapons and vehicle repairs, while the southern area housed chemical weapons of mass destruction. Both of the military bases were rail served; and as the mines and smelter began to fade away the two bases remained a steady source of rail traffic.<br />
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<i>Heber Valley 1218 prior to its donation to the historic railroad, was a US Army switcher used at the Tooele Army Depot South Area/Deseret Chemical Depot. The military retired it in 1993 after years of sporadic use as the weapons depot near St. John saw less and less need for rail traffic. Shortly there after all rail-service at the southern depot came to an end. The primary Tooele Army Depot further north continues to see rail-service provided by the LUE46.</i></div>
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<i>In fact the very first chemical weapons to arrive on site at the depot came in 1942 through the new rail spur to the site. The drums loaded with mustard gas had been shipped from the Ogden army base to the new St. JohnDeseret Chemical/Tooele Army South area site. The decision to begin shipments was so rushed that construction of 200 yards of switch track in Rush Valley had to be built while the Mustard Gas was already in transit! (I learned this bit of history and obtained this historic government photo from Richard Trujillo on the Tooele History Facebook group)</i></div>
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Sometime the local train Union Pacific ran along the route became known as "The St. John Local." The chemical depot (and the way stations in St. John and Stockton) required that the locals make treks down that far south, although industry was sporadic on the line between Bauer and the chemical weapons depot. It should be noted that many of the freight stations even further south than the chemical depot's station such as Faust also accepted freight making it hard to determine just how far south the local train really traveled. Warner junction area in Tooele drew heavier traffic with its own Army depot and the Tooele Valley Railway's interchange.<br />
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When the volatile chemical weapons from South Area had to move on rail, it was unlikely they were placed in with the rest of the St. John local's regular freight mix. More likely special trains originated and terminated at the depot, with the local train providing more "regular" freight services per the base's needs. A detailed history of shipments of chemical weapons can be found in one of the links at the end of the article. Due to the name changes and base command adjustments during the life of the depot it can be identified as either "TEAD" or "Deseret" in the registry below. The rail service in the chemical depot even earned itself a proper railroad name, "The Beltline Railroad".<br />
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<i>May 2017, the LUE46 works the Garfield Yard where it interchanges traffic with Kennecott's smelter.</i></div>
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<i>May 2017, Later the same day as the previous photo, the LUE46 returns to downtown Salt Lake City having completed its trip out to the Tooele area and back.</i></div>
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Times have changed though. The stations in St. John, Stockton, and Warner vanished, some victim of fires. The resin plant in Bauer, the last rail customer in that area came to a close. The Tooele Valley Railway interchanged its last boxcar in the early 1980's with its rails pulled up a few years later. Finally a base realignment and closure action shuttered the repair portions of the Tooele Army Depot. By the 1990's the Chemical Weapons depot had severed its rail link, with its focus transferring to onsite incineration of the stockpile at hand. Kennecott's smelter and its neighboring industries, the occasional ammunition movement to Tooele's remaining base facilities, and a new feed silo in Erda would have kept the eventually re-christened "Warner Local" around but not very busy compared to its glory days in years past.<br />
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<i>September 2016, with a load almost entirely consisting of sulfuric acid cars and a classic GP on point; what appeared to be the LUE46 departs North Yard in a bright fall morning as a Frontrunner commuter train rolls past it.</i></div>
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Recently though, the LUE46 "Warner Local" has been finding a new surge of traffic. The base realignment which shut down a corner of the Army Depot opened up new industrial areas in Tooele City and business began to move into the buildings the Army vacated. Where there once was military repair shops there now rises lumber yards, asphalt dealerships, businesses which require outbound shipments of boxcars containing finished products, and now a railcar re-manufacturing and repair shop which voraciously draws in beaten railcars to it. Across the rails in Warner Yard, a plastic water tank manufacturer Norwesco opened business a few hundred yards from where the Tooele Valley Railway joined the Union Pacific, and with it came the demand for a small but steady need of plastic granules. Further up the line, Kennecott's upgraded smelter began producing sulfuric acid caught in its pollution filtration system, an operation which demands a large fleet of incoming and outgoing white tank cars.<br />
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<i>August 2017, on the edge of the Tooele Army Depot and the Peterson Industrial Depot the LUE46 with an interloping GE unit switch PID's rail yard.</i></div>
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In the modern day, the LUE46 leaves North Yard in Salt Lake City. It travels through the city limits, until it reaches the Garfield Smelter. In the interchange yard the job shuffles around boxcars of outbound copper anodes, inbound copper ore cars, and sulfuric acid tankers. Once done in Garfield, the train continues up the line and stops at a small warehouse on the edge of the Kennecott property. From there it heads down to Lake Point and into Erda, with grain for the Fassio Eggs feed silo. Once the train has reached Tooele it has several jobs to do, from servicing the Norwesco facility to dropping into the Peterson Industrial Park's former Army railyard to drop off cars for Peterson's own industrial switch engines to deliver to the myriad of business in the area park. It may also stop for loads from the Army depot itself, which still ships occasional ammunition cars. Then it heads back up north, picking up any outbound cars back in Garfield and returning late-afternoon in Salt Lake City. The train has regular appearances on Tuesday and Thursday; however the influx of traffic going into the Peterson Industrial Depot has meant the LUE46 often works jobs on all weekdays; Monday through Friday.<br />
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<i>August 2016, the mid train set of a westbound stack train roll by. In the distance though is two sets of headlights; the furthest belong to the LUE46 as it works Garfield. The other is Kennecott's in plant switcher service which is operated by Omaha Track.</i></div>
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<i>March 2017, the LUE46 to the left is working Garfield while an eastbound work train rolls by.</i></div>
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My first experiences chasing the LUE46 were in 2013, when I had figured out the regular tempo of the train. SD40N units have been the dominant locomotive on the run, although SD60, GP60, and SD70M units all have made regular appearances on the train. GE power is rare but does show up on occasion. Discovering this rhythm was one of my earlier railfan achievements, and something I remain happy to know in the present day.<br />
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The LUE46 is a great train to railfan, and its history is surprisingly deep below the surface level. Even if local trains no longer travel as far south into St. John; the spirit of the St. John local lives on in its present day incarnation.<br />
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-Jacob Lyman<br />
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Sources:<br />
<a href="http://utahrails.net/up/osl-1897-1936.php">Leamington Cutoff Construction History (UtahRails.net)</a><br />
<a href="https://donstrack.smugmug.com/UtahRails/Grant-Tower/i-FT4fCLL/A">St. John local in Salt Lake City meeting a DRGW train in 1973</a><br />
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/151089709@N08/33712806494/in/photolist-Tn5WQo-Sxufv4-UEpqpc-T7c76c-SFYxDg-StxZ2Y-S21pw5-RJJEm7-REMKVG">St. John Local in 1977</a><br />
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/151089709@N08/33270214461/in/photolist-Tn5WQo-Sxufv4-UEpqpc-T7c76c-SFYxDg-StxZ2Y-S21pw5-RJJEm7-REMKVG">St. John Local in 1977 (2)</a><br />
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/151089709@N08/36656059301/">St. John Local in 1993</a><br />
<a href="http://www.railpictures.net/photo/328404/">Warner Local in 2010</a><br />
<a href="http://www.railpictures.net/photo/366614/">Warner Local in 2011</a><br />
<a href="https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2014-03/documents/trianadoc21a.pdf">Chemical Weapons Shipping History</a><br />
<a href="http://utahrails.net/utah-rrs/utah-rrs-inc-1.php">Utah Rails Company List (Includes mention of the Beltline Railroad at the Chemical Depot)</a><br />
<i>Mining, Smelting and Railroading in Tooele County</i><br />
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See Also:<br />
<a href="http://desertempireproject.blogspot.com/2016/10/provos-ubiquitous-local-trains.html"><em>Provo's Ubiquitous Local Trains</em></a><em> </em>for more information on some local train action in Utah.<br />
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<i style="text-align: center;">A close up of UP 1616 on the LUE46 in March 2017. UP 1616 has been one of Utah's most prolific diesels having ran freights across the entire Wasatch Front. Its multiple appearances on the LUE46 over several years were what lead me to buy an HO scale model of this exact engine!</i>Jacob Lymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03836321845066754233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094173605070939347.post-20157593555110564862017-08-25T06:19:00.001-07:002017-08-25T06:19:03.522-07:00Ghosts of Arizona Route 66 and the Santa Fe Transcon - Part 1Through a series of fortuitous vacations, I was able to explore much of Historic Route 66 in Arizona and as a result, I was able to see first hand the famed Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Transcon. The Transcon and Route 66 were life partners from Illinois to Southern California, so much so, that images of the Mother Road often featured a train from the railroad that closely followed it for most of its length. In this three part series, starting in Oatman, Arizona, I want to take you on a tour of the stretch of old 66 that I had the pleasure of exploring. So grab some popcorn, sit back and enjoy the journey!<br />
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The first stretch of Route 66 that I had the pleasure of touring cemented the love affair I already had with the historic road. I always knew that the road was instrumental in the westward migration of the folks escaping the Dust Bowl of the Midwest, and that it became a primary artery of travelers in the post World War II economic boom. What I didn't know before hand was how much of the road still remained and was drivable. What is really heartbreaking is the lack of concern for the icons of the highway after it was supplanted by the Eisenhower Interstate System that was approved by Congress in the early 1950's. Thus began it's slow decline into the history books.<br />
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Fast forward to October 13, 1984. The last piece of the puzzle was completed in Williams, Arizona and Highway 66 was officially bypassed for the last time. Shortly thereafter, on June 26, 1985, the road was decommissioned and Route 66 became a memory. BUT, the story does not end there! On February 18, 1987, two brothers in Seligman, Arizona started a movement that has swept the nation - and the world - by storm. Juan and Angel Delgadillo and a small group of supporters founded the Arizona Route 66 Preservation Foundation and began preserving what was left of the old road. Seligman is a small town founded by the Santa Fe Railway that sits on the longest remaining contiguous stretch of the road in the country. This effort in turn started awareness across all 8 states to capture the potential tourist market for the road and each state now has at least one organization dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of this national treasure. Many of the old alignments are signed and some have been restored where practical. It is estimated that over 85% of the original route as it existed at its peak is passable by vehicle in some capacity. This is where I come in.<br />
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On August 21, 2013, my father took me and my family to the old mining town of Oatman, situated along the first alignment of Route 66 in western Arizona. Though not nearly as large, the town is much like Virginia City in that it is a time capsule frozen in the 1950s. It looks much like it did when this dangerous stretch of road was bypassed, having been nearly completely abandoned and then reborn as the tourist stop it has become today. The town is overrun by (mostly) friendly, but wild burros that you can feed as they roam the streets. These burros are directly descended from the pack mules that the miners brought into the area to work the mines.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjttBpTiw3cSUgPEPLBtKBd3aTs5AP0As-usEqW0mpU-4o9Ud_qKM9s6NulRjqmlMs312_HcnqgOoV-nIKFKABTNsMuv2FmYaqYRQzmZu5HZ0GxmKQ7yz7moxQLa-7mp-DmZpaMcNWJmw/s1600/DSCF0271.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjttBpTiw3cSUgPEPLBtKBd3aTs5AP0As-usEqW0mpU-4o9Ud_qKM9s6NulRjqmlMs312_HcnqgOoV-nIKFKABTNsMuv2FmYaqYRQzmZu5HZ0GxmKQ7yz7moxQLa-7mp-DmZpaMcNWJmw/s400/DSCF0271.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pavement marking found at the north end of Oatman. Arizona DOT puts these<br />
all along the route throughout the state in addition to a modified shield sign.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjW-I0lrxRYU9ZGlvMzSCpiP58cRQOfynYNB6dWiexbLABLzMtHH7C019NlIcP3TeHICi9ZQy_1-CDZPfqH3OsNuj1qZFY_78aKxQqJ9LDc11CoTlszMPjNBC7hJyqfltHBicTa0dKMQ/s1600/DSCF0279.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjW-I0lrxRYU9ZGlvMzSCpiP58cRQOfynYNB6dWiexbLABLzMtHH7C019NlIcP3TeHICi9ZQy_1-CDZPfqH3OsNuj1qZFY_78aKxQqJ9LDc11CoTlszMPjNBC7hJyqfltHBicTa0dKMQ/s400/DSCF0279.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The historic Oatman Hotel with one of the famous burros out front. This hotel<br />
is where Clark Gable and Carole Lombard spent their honeymoon. The hotel<br />
is not open, but the bar on the first floor is.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgccaCHsjnQ-5AcTM-6UMfojcqA3-RbQnhTPTvMPYLg2SbTfSps0ve7-MP9xvKZ7VW9aeYO8FxzhxR2PPvOqpQKEWWTOQ4mzDUoCl6AfQYq1YYSbO02nLT4rFW5oI9nJv3l-womdBKhwg/s1600/DSCF0286.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgccaCHsjnQ-5AcTM-6UMfojcqA3-RbQnhTPTvMPYLg2SbTfSps0ve7-MP9xvKZ7VW9aeYO8FxzhxR2PPvOqpQKEWWTOQ4mzDUoCl6AfQYq1YYSbO02nLT4rFW5oI9nJv3l-womdBKhwg/s400/DSCF0286.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of Oatman's famous residents poses for a photo on the main street.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwrHzG6q2FtTaW0L8GeYQMVf7BKTASE-qT48Tctl3zib3qJ_9k_3PhTkJpZYs26CXheJ9k4WEaUe6uX3ScCRIinutp-FiJ2kettU8CL-amls6MZ6NfkDwz0AXbH8trZxjWU9vL583lQg/s1600/IMG_2789.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwrHzG6q2FtTaW0L8GeYQMVf7BKTASE-qT48Tctl3zib3qJ_9k_3PhTkJpZYs26CXheJ9k4WEaUe6uX3ScCRIinutp-FiJ2kettU8CL-amls6MZ6NfkDwz0AXbH8trZxjWU9vL583lQg/s400/IMG_2789.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is my wife feeding one of the burros some carrots we brought along with<br />
us. You can clearly see she isn't quite sure about this whole thing!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq0WbuViABcGao2VprrTc9w-T5ndsrXNUWNK7lUOR2i7EjGARd4P66OSrHuMOVRutjjrV7cQMDEfd3Dcp25XKaiGgarAZKHw9hpK7Tm2KwWcAFhRo0YD9fQ3Ceg7IBfM5iLFqZA2ia_A/s1600/IMG_2794.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq0WbuViABcGao2VprrTc9w-T5ndsrXNUWNK7lUOR2i7EjGARd4P66OSrHuMOVRutjjrV7cQMDEfd3Dcp25XKaiGgarAZKHw9hpK7Tm2KwWcAFhRo0YD9fQ3Ceg7IBfM5iLFqZA2ia_A/s400/IMG_2794.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moments later, I am seen getting surrounded by the group when they realize<br />
I have the bag containing the yummy carrots.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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We leave Oatman and continue on to Kingman, where the Santa Fe Transcon cuts through town in a shallow canyon. Before we get there, we have to go over Sitgreave's Pass, which was the primary reason why this particular stretch was bypassed. The road is narrow with many sharp curves and nothing more than a short rock and cement curb keeping travelers from tumbling down the mountain.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzEx69PgtK2_OhyKS-D7OvAsq4DpOfuu6Thk3naElBXnUdgpDFiBp8q9w5Gvb95YEeclrtJliN8GaLey6jUlZLln8OiODO29YgZrjSdxQcML6L_5GAstMi1ng2u_JLNNDkVozXUhmMqw/s1600/DSCF0291.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzEx69PgtK2_OhyKS-D7OvAsq4DpOfuu6Thk3naElBXnUdgpDFiBp8q9w5Gvb95YEeclrtJliN8GaLey6jUlZLln8OiODO29YgZrjSdxQcML6L_5GAstMi1ng2u_JLNNDkVozXUhmMqw/s400/DSCF0291.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here from the bottom of a small wash, we see the road we just traveled down<br />
cut in the hillside. The narrow road has a lot of ups and downs as well as tight<br />
turns on the way to Sitgreaves Pass from Oatman. This is part of the original<br />
1926 alignment.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDTW6VBMKE3-uQNZSBr9vS4MZN_BYOa2mcDbup_ERLGctdyLYp8pHA-Pz47TS1P3g2tThTLrjh5Ms2OAJVRQD73kcmMqrksoqKTlALjGRxmqFM9IZrxl96poxcChlWh0HegCqFa8Umxw/s1600/DSCF0292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDTW6VBMKE3-uQNZSBr9vS4MZN_BYOa2mcDbup_ERLGctdyLYp8pHA-Pz47TS1P3g2tThTLrjh5Ms2OAJVRQD73kcmMqrksoqKTlALjGRxmqFM9IZrxl96poxcChlWh0HegCqFa8Umxw/s400/DSCF0292.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the route marker that Arizona uses along its potions of Route 66. These<br />
often accompany the pavement marking seen earlier.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzZCrXOcZi0sBYbcBp8fF0ikTTYDhHBQmDLriMdU59p3v5G7YQbiRmtuSLtfjenUk7dhIS0JrK5IhavXK2e0KgR16dkjpRIpYwBwdjyAT7AQ9gLSBx_CTtuvs5seA7o1NgCfjS5uE7wQ/s1600/DSCF0294.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzZCrXOcZi0sBYbcBp8fF0ikTTYDhHBQmDLriMdU59p3v5G7YQbiRmtuSLtfjenUk7dhIS0JrK5IhavXK2e0KgR16dkjpRIpYwBwdjyAT7AQ9gLSBx_CTtuvs5seA7o1NgCfjS5uE7wQ/s400/DSCF0294.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From the top of Sitgreaves Pass, we can see the road as it heads down the from<br />
the pass. There is a little bit more of this before the road finally straightens out<br />
at Cool Springs and makes its way to Kingman.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The rest of the trip into Kingman is fairly unremarkable and is made a leisurely pace. As the old road approaches I-40, it deviates slightly from the original roadbed and takes its place on the south side of the freeway and shortly regains it's original roadbed again. It is at this junction that the railroad first comes back into view after the road crossed into Arizona from California. There are several original Santa Fe bridges along the way into Kingman, but only a couple that you can photograph since there aren't many places through Kingman Canyon to pull off the road.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcINSUWMsw7WlwFEny1RzNuzdtFis42Tgj6WvNS2MgtJ2Ov7KNfR8qxwqT4ljjKFd_EsbonSuXnbb9fNvsvOIknFLKEIoc6UWceTpJGa2u_GxHxVn6kEX5wMOOjkwsk-iUyclZ2q89ow/s1600/DSCF0305.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcINSUWMsw7WlwFEny1RzNuzdtFis42Tgj6WvNS2MgtJ2Ov7KNfR8qxwqT4ljjKFd_EsbonSuXnbb9fNvsvOIknFLKEIoc6UWceTpJGa2u_GxHxVn6kEX5wMOOjkwsk-iUyclZ2q89ow/s400/DSCF0305.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Caught this eastbound train as it crosses one of many Santa Fe bridges in<br />
Kingman Canyon along the western approach into Kingman proper. The track<br />
in the foreground was built much later than the elevated track in the back.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Kingman, Arizona, like many cities and towns along the Transcon was initially settled by railroad workers. It was the ideal weather and the surrounding topography that made Kingman ideally suited as a major stop and the town has steadily grown since. The Santa Fe thought enough of Kingman that when the road started retiring its' 4-8-4 Northern's (think 3751), Kingman was one of the lucky recipients. The town also received a caboose with the locomotive and both are proudly display across from the historic Powerhouse Visitors Center and Route 66 Museum, right on Route 66.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghJH7byuw9jE0MCFy_6NAhUWOy10HBAeTaxnj3mjcpuVqj3Zq0FxdsH-7vnSlTDpKCP1qKwb1CZBURqW02LwA7V2E_h2ubN2dTmMc5SoAPHQYn2rSVGDH3OpiXCzwJCGzMZkenyLeJsA/s1600/DSCF0312.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghJH7byuw9jE0MCFy_6NAhUWOy10HBAeTaxnj3mjcpuVqj3Zq0FxdsH-7vnSlTDpKCP1qKwb1CZBURqW02LwA7V2E_h2ubN2dTmMc5SoAPHQYn2rSVGDH3OpiXCzwJCGzMZkenyLeJsA/s400/DSCF0312.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sister to famous Santa Fe 3751, 3759 sits quietly in Railroad Park with her<br />
faithful companion in tow as though ready to hit the high iron again. The<br />
city is proud of its railroad heritage and as is evidenced in this photo, they<br />
keep the engine quite sharply dressed. The person standing in front of the<br />
fourth driver is my dad and he is just shy of 6' tall.</td></tr>
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A few blocks east sits the beautifully restore Santa Fe station, which coincidentally is the third such building the city has had. The first two were constructed of wood in the early 1900s but sadly, both were lost to fire, so number three was constructed of concrete. After years sitting derelict and in disrepair, the city began a campaign to restore the building and have done a wonderful job. The station hosts the daily Southwest Chief and is home to a lovely railroad museum. There is no ticket agent in Kingman, and the train only stops for passengers without checked baggage, but that may change in the future if Kingman keeps experiencing the growth it has enjoyed over the last few years.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4tkA6M_WRp1AameRdvRUe8p0SWGMcR7ZATGAzCPwGlOHXuesTSa1lUqUlon_Kxa-WbMg8FsrZAJt2nvUx6ShtJ4LHDY5nGS76-_H-uNqPzxGyIOoSKawRdTA7rzAD2mqUR7AVO-KCFg/s1600/DSCF0322.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4tkA6M_WRp1AameRdvRUe8p0SWGMcR7ZATGAzCPwGlOHXuesTSa1lUqUlon_Kxa-WbMg8FsrZAJt2nvUx6ShtJ4LHDY5nGS76-_H-uNqPzxGyIOoSKawRdTA7rzAD2mqUR7AVO-KCFg/s400/DSCF0322.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The western end of the Kingman station.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlGvCnFPvcPULAClNiFzeFFhYFw7UUQWMzlIKPGbSv2iVqd3sGbLudGsUZGQuE-sjEEZR8SaBshL9joS-5MM3vX07CCXi7W_e8W9TfYakAWC6sJoiE5t0_YcJSFRsjS8fY7cB3CuVP8g/s1600/DSCF0321.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlGvCnFPvcPULAClNiFzeFFhYFw7UUQWMzlIKPGbSv2iVqd3sGbLudGsUZGQuE-sjEEZR8SaBshL9joS-5MM3vX07CCXi7W_e8W9TfYakAWC6sJoiE5t0_YcJSFRsjS8fY7cB3CuVP8g/s400/DSCF0321.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The eastern end.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Thus ends part one of my Route 66 adventure. In the next installment, I will take you along as I explore the stretch of road between Kingman and Seligman. Until next time!<br />
<br />
<br />
-Matt Liverani</div>
</div>
Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04035810342144800113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094173605070939347.post-86941530516817392162017-08-17T22:22:00.001-07:002017-08-17T22:22:43.816-07:00Railfanning the Yellowstone Branch / Eastern Idaho RailroadBy Josh Bernhard <br />
(Click on the links embedded in location names to see them on Google Maps.)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcGm1UqHrXFL0zgDXFPSuHt_vBgN2FMKxvtQfkT8cDU53Rk50NZbefG7oT2pBUqG7xOGYXN7iw5Yh4L6Zz3oGBDSCRjAdFRAyNkrjJdm__4-k_MUs2teRHxYTl6SlKSEM4RKBaBY0C4wc/s1600/IMG_0508.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcGm1UqHrXFL0zgDXFPSuHt_vBgN2FMKxvtQfkT8cDU53Rk50NZbefG7oT2pBUqG7xOGYXN7iw5Yh4L6Zz3oGBDSCRjAdFRAyNkrjJdm__4-k_MUs2teRHxYTl6SlKSEM4RKBaBY0C4wc/s400/IMG_0508.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Right at the border of Yellowstone National Park is this monument to the railroad's influence in the development of the park.</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
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Among all the states in the union, Idaho is one of the least represented states as far as railfanning. If you follow our Facebook page, the first photo I posted there of the Eastern Idaho Railroad received a slew of comments from Idaho natives who apparently took light-hearted offense at this idea. Apparently some thought that I meant that there are no trains in Idaho but I meant quite the opposite. It's true that there are great locations to photograph trains in Idaho but the state is on nobody's bucket list as far as places to visit, giving way to the Colorado narrow gauge, or Pennsylvania's East Broad Top, or California's dozens of excellent preserved lines. I think this is a shame considering Idaho has some amazing scenery and while daily traffic may not be on par with the Arizona Transcon, once you find a train, it is more than worth the effort. This is especially true of the old Oregon Short Line Yellowstone Branch, the line that opened the west side of Yellowstone National Park, established the town of West Yellowstone and brought thousands, if not millions, of people to enjoy the world's first national park before the age of the automobile.<br />
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The branch was built by the Oregon Short Line from 1905 to 1907 to tap into the growing tourist traffic that exploded in the late 1890s. Yellowstone National Park had railroad access via the north entrance from the Northern Pacific so the OSL sought to break open the NP monopoly and allow access for tourists from the southern half of the country. The west entrance and the town of West Yellowstone themselves are the direct product of the railroad and would probably have never existed without it - before the railroad began construction from Ashton, West Yellowstone was simply unsurveyed Forest Service land. Unfortunately Passenger traffic on the Yellowstone Branch ended in 1960 and the rails were torn up from West Yellowstone to Ashton. Today the remainder of the branch, from Idaho Falls to Ashton, is operated by the Eastern Idaho, a Wabtec company with the reporting mark WAMX. The line is fairly well known for its fleet of GP30s and safety cab Canadian GP40-2LWs, most of which are stationed on the western portion of the railroad. The northern portion, which operates the Yellowstone branch, uses mostly GP35s.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1JNPyLVeTV8d6BAVrmDFk4deFUk9K6belyc9zpT3QyWFBkiZmXw-CFaUqwDnOaTB_e8yXRKHM1NEG2_g79x31ORaff0cVfC0mkqZ5tCn3qMd0ClGeR2fNl00VIktmxc54zo8eLtdSz7M/s1600/IdahoFalls_EasternIdahoRailroad_lightpowermove.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1JNPyLVeTV8d6BAVrmDFk4deFUk9K6belyc9zpT3QyWFBkiZmXw-CFaUqwDnOaTB_e8yXRKHM1NEG2_g79x31ORaff0cVfC0mkqZ5tCn3qMd0ClGeR2fNl00VIktmxc54zo8eLtdSz7M/s400/IdahoFalls_EasternIdahoRailroad_lightpowermove.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">The Eastern Idaho Railroad operates the Yellowstone Branch using these smartly-painted black and yellow geeps.</span></div>
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If perchance you find your way to the old Yellowstone branch on the way to the park, the bad news is that trains are few and far between. In the four years that I worked in the Yellowstone area, I only saw one train on the branch, running North to Ashton in the late afternoon. Over the week that I was there in 2017 I saw two trains, one coming off the branch into the yard at Idaho Falls on a Friday afternoon and one leaving Idaho Falls on a Wednesday morning. In speaking to locals in some of the towns along the way they all agreed that trains run simply as needed, with no guarantee of when or how far they will run when they do. In addition the Yellowstone Branch has two smaller branches that break off, one at <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Idaho+Falls,+ID/@43.5301852,-112.0080544,1026a,35y,307.21h,8.36t/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x5354594e739512b5:0x2311c9fc094c49c9!8m2!3d43.4916514!4d-112.0339645" target="_blank">Orvin </a>on the north end of Idaho Falls going to Newdale, and the other at <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Idaho+Falls,+ID/@43.5901696,-111.9673504,1118a,35y,307.21h,8.36t/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x5354594e739512b5:0x2311c9fc094c49c9!8m2!3d43.4916514!4d-112.0339645" target="_blank">Ucon</a> going towards Menan. Neither of this smaller branches parallel a road for any good measure of distance apart from where they pass through towns so photographing a train on these lines is even more difficult.<br />
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The good news is that the main branch runs almost due north, so sunlight is good almost all day, depending on whether you take Highway 20 (afternoon) or the old Yellowstone Highway (morning). The downside to the Yellowstone Highway is that it is no longer an uninterrupted road but rather appears and disappears at random every few miles, so chasing a train will require hopping back and forth between it and Highway 20 where on ramps are available. Traffic on the Yellowstone Branch consists of three main commodities: grain, potatoes and fuel oils. Tank cars, hoppers and those white Union Pacific ARMN refrigerator cars are the staple rolling stock seen. Since agricultural traffic is largely seasonal, traffic levels fluctuate through the year as harvests wax and wane.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRm7ZJGcDitYcIF04zvmEDZD9QAelPPGLMsWg5qFHOOSgSluZGebWXpm8IzhXqdBFCBLqlsobIYOrvZYOPiP8SOohh1-AxJowJK3wSf3Xszm2MgcFP7jXOBpcxbbuuJxayidEFiCbdfFQ/s1600/IMG_0688.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRm7ZJGcDitYcIF04zvmEDZD9QAelPPGLMsWg5qFHOOSgSluZGebWXpm8IzhXqdBFCBLqlsobIYOrvZYOPiP8SOohh1-AxJowJK3wSf3Xszm2MgcFP7jXOBpcxbbuuJxayidEFiCbdfFQ/s400/IMG_0688.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Potato packing plants are equally as common as grain elevators on the branch, playing well with the Idaho stereotype. Cruddy, rusty ARMN reefers are used for this service.</span></div>
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Your tour begins at <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Idaho+Falls,+ID/@43.5033287,-112.0321279,3366a,35y,358.85h,1.59t/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x5354594e739512b5:0x2311c9fc094c49c9!8m2!3d43.4916514!4d-112.0339645" target="_blank">Idaho Falls</a>, where the Eastern Idaho Railroad interchanges with Union Pacific. A few daily UP locals from Pocatello terminate there and EIRR switching traffic is fairly constant throughout the day. The best time to see the yard is in the morning from the northern end, where a parking lot and street parallel it on a bluff giving a slightly elevated view. In the afternoons you can see the other side of the yard in sun from Centre Avenue (the Union Pacific end) and Emerson Avenue (the EIRR end).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4xBLsKlh1XcEcPfYqfKEkdgp7h6iev2VpiKfTosmZ6yZXjEmhi27QswGEeoe_OIkZBk6CIemFJu7yOiWzmKGWRSrjRp49R43nUPbYDF8qyVTMM1h2TetLcj4t0b1uTU0r1HyuH_C5Ixw/s1600/IdahoFalls_9August2017_EasternIdahoRailroad_YellowstoneTurninYard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4xBLsKlh1XcEcPfYqfKEkdgp7h6iev2VpiKfTosmZ6yZXjEmhi27QswGEeoe_OIkZBk6CIemFJu7yOiWzmKGWRSrjRp49R43nUPbYDF8qyVTMM1h2TetLcj4t0b1uTU0r1HyuH_C5Ixw/s400/IdahoFalls_9August2017_EasternIdahoRailroad_YellowstoneTurninYard.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">The Idaho Falls yard sees a lot of traffic as EIRR and UP trains switch local industries as well as prepare trains to head out on the Yellowstone Branch. Here the Yellowstone turn pulls out of the yard while another GP35 switches in the background and an SD24 rests near the yard office.</span></div>
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Between Idaho Falls and Rexburg the branch is pretty straightforward, literally. A clean straight shot north with a siding here and there for potato packers. After Rexburg the tracks get a bit more interesting, curving a bit with more sidings branching off at right angles for sawmills and fuel dealerships. However, they run at an angle through the city so there is no one road that parallels them. Following the tracks involves a zig-zag going from one block to another until the track reaches the other end. Just make sure to stop at every track because Rexburg is the only city I have been to where every single grade crossing is protected with a mandatory stop sign - it is easy to forget this when most non-gated crossings are protected only with crossbucks.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">This cluster of elevators in Rexburg looks like it may be built around the old freight depot. The building closest to the tracks looks very much like an OSL standard depot.</span></div>
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While in Rexburg, be sure to stop at Smith Park near the hospital to check out the steam tractor there. It is a monster of a machine.<br />
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At <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ashton,+ID+83420/@43.9587248,-111.6828128,689m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x5353dde126a83a69:0x721878c595fb23fd!8m2!3d44.0715807!4d-111.4482884" target="_blank">St. Anthony</a> the elevator districts start cropping up and at Ashton the tiny town is filled and surrounded with a maze of spurs, sidings and a wye servicing <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ashton,+ID+83420/@44.0731004,-111.4486968,1113m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x5353dde126a83a69:0x721878c595fb23fd!8m2!3d44.0715807!4d-111.4482884" target="_blank">Elevator Row</a> right on Main Street. Ashton is in my opinion the most interesting of the towns, being the current end-of-track and former junction with the Teton Valley Branch that ran to Victor Idaho.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Garry, Idaho is a typical example of the scenery seen along much of the Yellowstone Branch between Idaho Falls and Rexburg. A potato packer is served by a spur at this location.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5_ilwNGak3N-0n8MhYLgF3ov5ODew0jRxXZuxVc0SdYcsYKmXyv8HC8puF1VB6rSDWO-IlEIUnhgXklI9FxBnbhwkZYjwdeo98VMms3_jzDd9naCbIJVRI2ElIww4f23m0A0_TMsMrvo/s1600/IMG_0354.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5_ilwNGak3N-0n8MhYLgF3ov5ODew0jRxXZuxVc0SdYcsYKmXyv8HC8puF1VB6rSDWO-IlEIUnhgXklI9FxBnbhwkZYjwdeo98VMms3_jzDd9naCbIJVRI2ElIww4f23m0A0_TMsMrvo/s400/IMG_0354.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> The spurs at Thornton were being reballasted during my trip.</span></div>
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If you wish to continue from Ashton for a bit of ghost railfanning, the grade for the old Yellowstone Branch has been reclaimed by fields. However, it turns east to parallel the Henry's Fork River until it pops out as the Yellowstone Branch Line trail at the Warm River Campground <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ashton,+ID+83420/@44.1214706,-111.3099746,665m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x5353dde126a83a69:0x721878c595fb23fd!8m2!3d44.0715807!4d-111.4482884" target="_blank">just off the Mesa Falls Scenic Byway</a>. No roads parallel the trail for a long time but it can be hiked or biked through Island Park to West Yellowstone (more on that later). The Teton Valley Branch likewise runs far away from any parallel roads <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ashton,+ID+83420/@43.9726395,-111.2758199,219m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x5353dde126a83a69:0x721878c595fb23fd!8m2!3d44.0715807!4d-111.4482884" target="_blank">until France Idaho</a> where it more or less parallels the road to Tetonia. The abandoned elevators along this line are as interesting as the railroad grade itself. From appearances where it crosses roads it appears that it is an open access road, but I have not been able to confirm how much is driveable.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Ashton's elevators have their own trackmobile to switch cars when an EIRR locomotive isn't around.</span></div>
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Regardless of whether or not you decide to search out the abandoned grades, the best part of ghost railfanning this line is at the terminus at West Yellowstone. There, the Union Pacific depot, baggage building and Union Pacific Lodge still stand, donated to the City of West Yellowstone. The depot itself is an excellent museum (entry fee $6.00) with a short bit of track relaid along the platform and a car from the <a href="http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/montana-centennial-train-of-considered-state-s-biggest-publicity-stunt/article_e7a94dc0-968f-11e3-9ce3-0019bb2963f4.html" target="_blank">Montana Centennial Train</a> representing the once busy passenger traffic on the branch bringing tourists to the park.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ppcOTTibPMe3cGs9Rbpt9ak95VYPlsHV0FLu5jli21TNOYYfg6kNK139WXePuuMTHg5btqp_u1Y3dLfeEAILV9CbmpHHywwv8swW24uqHnqmgksrSqaNNjuN8kVlxcLKU8pzJ7FN9YE/s1600/IMG_0671.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ppcOTTibPMe3cGs9Rbpt9ak95VYPlsHV0FLu5jli21TNOYYfg6kNK139WXePuuMTHg5btqp_u1Y3dLfeEAILV9CbmpHHywwv8swW24uqHnqmgksrSqaNNjuN8kVlxcLKU8pzJ7FN9YE/s400/IMG_0671.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Just to the east of the depot are the baggage building, now used by the West Yellowstone Police Department, and the Union Pacific Lodge. Interestingly, the linens from this huge hotel were shipped by train to Ogden Utah where the world's only railroad-owned industrial laundry facility existed. The building still stands and is part of the Utah State Railroad Museum complex although it is closed to the public due to its poor structural condition.<br />
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This little stretch of track is a definite bonus to a vacation to the park, so next time you head to the Yellowstone/Teton area be sure to look for it. Maybe you'll be lucky and get some great shots.<br />
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<b>Links</b><br />
<a href="https://www.watcocompanies.com/services/rail/eastern-idaho-railroad-eirr/" target="_blank">Eastern Idaho Railroad website</a><br />
<a href="http://www.railpictures.net/showphotos.php?offset=0&where=%7C%7CEastern+Idaho+Railroad%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C1%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7CEastern+Idaho+Railroad%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C" target="_blank">Eastern Idaho Railroad on Railpictures.net </a>(check out Russell Watson's pictures of the Yellowstone Branch)Kipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15298088669147273518noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094173605070939347.post-76585153076812706012017-07-31T09:57:00.000-07:002017-07-31T09:57:24.388-07:00Winds of Change<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2tzKK-Vgig2xvE_BSel15z73mCKdcTQHZTQqemTuSKIsrcjcei0Wgex3huVZzdqwXUeL6XXFeGs8o9Fo86Bv_1TQfzWysNPdKnYZw1PJcAozM32b3nsWzIsjzhSSxasbO3nhkUThmC28/s1600/IMG_7163.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2tzKK-Vgig2xvE_BSel15z73mCKdcTQHZTQqemTuSKIsrcjcei0Wgex3huVZzdqwXUeL6XXFeGs8o9Fo86Bv_1TQfzWysNPdKnYZw1PJcAozM32b3nsWzIsjzhSSxasbO3nhkUThmC28/s400/IMG_7163.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>January 2017, this has been the last SP-patch unit I have photographed so far. Although I did see one patch up in Pocatello during the 844 trip I couldn't really get close to get a nice view. Since then I haven't seen any patch units. The last patch unit to enter the State of Utah a few days ago was as celebrated as the unpatched units were a few years back... Its a dying breed for sure.</i></div>
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It has been stated that there only certainty in life is "death and taxes." A world of constant change and flux definitely effects the world a railfan sees trackside, as favorite locomotives disappear, flags fall, and traffic patterns ebb and flow in the economic tide. <br />
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From a rather young railfan as myself, it seems rather strange to be complaining about changes. The only major American railroad mergers to happen in my lifetime were the UP-CNW-SP mergers, and the formation of BNSF; I was to young to notice any of them. I have never had the experience to go trackside and railfan a Class 1 railroad, only to come back and find that area completely changed due to mergers or abandonment. The only piece of railroad I have seen a train on to later have it go out of service was oddly enough the "Yrigoyen Branch" (officially known as Ramal C16) in the Ferrocarriles Argentinos rail system, a line I witnessed in action but never photographed a train on. The small branch which once extended to Oran before being scaled back to Yrigoyen, was dramatically cut in two by a flash flood on the Rio Colorado on March 6, 2015. However seeing that line is half a world away from where I am now, I have never had the chance to go back and assess the damages. For all I know that bridge has been rebuilt and trains still run the line to this day, yet considering the lack of railfans in rural north-western Argentina, I have found no sources on that line's fate. Furthermore considering that the branch had only one active customer, I find it likely the line was killed by the sudden flood.<br />
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<i>Photos of the Ramal C16 bridge fall in Argentina courtesy of Conner Thompson (used with permission). The dramatic collapse suspended operations on the line. It is the only line I have ever seen in action which was later abandoned due to natural disaster. I don't know if it will ever be rebuilt due to the lack of customers on the route.</i></div>
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<i>June 2016, I was pleasantly surprised to catch this ex-CNW unit in the consist of a westbound manifest passing through Tooele, Utah.</i></div>
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<i>I know Schon, myself, and several other local railfans speak ad-nausea about our encounter with SP 343 in April of 2016; but I hope our readers forgive our indulgence on the subject. SP 343 is the ONLY non-patched Southern Pacific unit I have photographed in my life outside of a museum. My brief chase of it from one end of Erda, Utah to another was my last chance to catch a memory of my childhood; when SP painted locomotives dominated the local railfan scene.</i><br />
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<i>UP 6379 (ex-SP 333) was on the outskirts of Pocatello in February 2016 on a waiting train.</i></div>
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Despite this I feel as if the SP, CNW, and DRGW were part of my life. There was a brief era in the early 1990's and 2000's where UP rostered a large fleet of post-merger locomotives that had not yet visited the paint booth. My parents have almost always lived in viewing range of the Lynndyl Subdivision, and I could see the trains in the distance climbing through the valley. UP's fleet was colorful and vibrant, new bright yellow engines decorated in the post 9-11 American Flag paint scheme; trailed by gray and black engines of SP/DRGW heritage. I was oblivious to the histories to the respective railroads, as a kid it seemed as if real life trains were as colorful as what I had seen in children's literature. If Thomas, Toby and Percy dominated my childhood thoughts, so too did their American diesel friends "Rio Grande","Southern Pacific" and his brother "Union Pacific." If it seems like a sweet and somewhat optimistic view, it is an appropriate description of how I felt as a child then.<br />
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<i>While on the subject of vanishing locomotive paint schemes; BNSF has taken a far more slow approach to repainting its pre-merger paint schemes. I just have the poor luck that every time I catch one of BNSF's predecessor schemes in action I am either in a moving car or there is some form of obstruction in the way blocking my view. The photos above seem to demonstrate my bad luck! While not nearly as endangered though as the SP units on the UP, BNSF is slowly but surely deadlining and retiring many of these ATSF/BN units.</i></div>
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By the time I began going trackside to railfan and was studying the real histories of American railroads, the vibrant era of post-merger paint schemes was already on the wane. Union Pacific's bright American Flag units had grown weathered, tired and beaten. DRGW 5371 had already retired, and the only patched DRGW unit left had been banished to switching service in Texas. The Southern Pacific and its fleet of General Electric units brought only a few years prior to the merger were the last bastion of color on the Union Pacific trains, with the occasional CNW unit popping in as an additional splash of color. By 2015 though that era began to close too. The subject of the disappearance of the remaining SP patch units was discussed in greater detail by <a href="http://desertempireproject.blogspot.com/2016/09/the-abolishment-of-railroad-heritage.html">Schon Norris on this blog last year.</a> Since his post was published I have only seen one or two patch units, a constant reminder of the fast work of Union Pacific's North Little Rock shops. Just like the DRGW, I fear my only chance to see a SP unit in the near future is to travel to a museum or a shortline such as the Kyle Railway which has delayed painting its units. <br />
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<i>Utah 5005 in October, 2016; in Provo Yard. This unit along with the other five MK50's are now on the Kyle Railway in Kansas and Colorado.</i></div>
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Speaking of the Kyle Railway is the remaining shock from the loss of Utah Railway's MK50-3's earlier this year. I had not intended to be caught unguarded with a lack of photos of the Utah Railway, like I had been years earlier with the loss of the DRGW units. So as <a href="http://desertempireproject.blogspot.com/2017/01/the-end-utah-railway-coal-in-its-final.html">previously recorded</a> in this blog, Josh and I went down to Helper to watch Utah Railway run one of their final coal trains. The snowy mountain scenery was a memorable trip, and I can't think of a more fitting place to watch the MK50-3's in their prime. In spring when rumors came that the MK's would soon be gone I remember sitting trackside until after dusk, to watch a duo of MK's run a Provo-Ogden freight through Salt Lake City. <br />
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As the MK50-3's left the Utah Railway, I spoke of my belief <a href="http://desertempireproject.blogspot.com/2017/03/debunked-myths-is-utah-railway-dead.html">the Utah Railway could survive</a> in a post-coal traffic market. I based my thoughts off watching the nearby Salt Lake Garfield and Western shortline revitalize itself and grow its traffic base despite a limited reach and a lack of resources. Many railroads could survive as a local traffic handler, and it had seemed the Utah Railway was prepared to do the same. In a way my original blog post on the topic was also deflecting some of the strange rumors coming from railfans from far out of state, many of whom were taking random guesses to the fate of the Utah Railway despite having no firsthand experience observing it. <br />
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<i>January 2017, a Utah Railway train works in the "Small Arms Industrial" park.</i></div>
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I wish I had the same optimistic attitude now. Rumors of great changes began to fly about the Utah Railway, but now they were in the closed circle of Utah railfans. Rumor has always been a part of the railfan community, and most rumors must be dismissed since plans for the future are always up in the air. But then in an embarrassing moment that seemed to validate the rumors, a Provo-Ogden train powered by two aging SD50S units died on the mainline shortly after the MK50's left the property. Since then the rails of Soldier Summit are now rarely graced by Utah Railway's presence. By summer Utah Railway retired two more units, this time a pair of the SD50S units; leaving only three of the aging units on property. Rumors suggest that Utah will receive ex-Norfolk Southern GP units to replace the two SD50S units; but the rumors have yet to materialize.Darker rumors put an ominous date, suggesting the Utah Railway might vanish on the eve of the Golden Spike celebration with BNSF taking over their remaining traffic. Only a year ago I felt assured Utah Railway would be a staple in the local railfan scene, only months ago I figured it could survive on what little luck it had left, and now I am not so sure. As I mentioned I have yet to see any railroad flag fall in my lifetime, so the potential that Utah Railway now rests on the brink has me unsettled. It is a strange prospect indeed, however it is another sign of my youth as surely many older railfans can tout their memories of the fall of the great railroads of their age too. Even if Utah Railway manages to limp along, it is clear the era of its "Cowboys on the Hill" hauling heavy coal over the summit in some of the world's most abused locomotives, is clearly at an end.<br />
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<i>A few of the Arrowedges I have seen over the last few months, including the a first and second generation version of the container.</i></div>
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Yet in a brighter thought, the future of railroading has many opportunities which excite me. Where it once seemed SP patch units were common on select trains, now I have begun to discover the same sensation with Union Pacific's newest experiment; the Arrowedge. These intermodal containers, chopped and shaped into a wedge are the newest advance in fuel saving technology for railroads. In the last month and a half I have seen three trains fitted with various Arrowedge models, and photos on Facebook suggest dozens more have passed through the area without my notice. Often leading the trains are the new Tier 4 units. The GE T4 is so abundant I see it now on a regular basis. I have yet to spot EMD's T4 units, but from the photos I have seen of them their high roofs and chiseled cabs remind me a bit of those MK50-3's which have wandered away from the roost... <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJTVFV4-t3How8jamxw-wE6qyRtgg3D0vBS1BcX3CPPW-KP-cyKvnGbE-IU8NPO-CZqcdTqCyL1IBm0IdSJMtdpCAoTZe89NU6RcmIIzyrfiIilEQ5BUXrWplZYDZPRQplAwItdWbikcI/s1600/IMG_6839.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJTVFV4-t3How8jamxw-wE6qyRtgg3D0vBS1BcX3CPPW-KP-cyKvnGbE-IU8NPO-CZqcdTqCyL1IBm0IdSJMtdpCAoTZe89NU6RcmIIzyrfiIilEQ5BUXrWplZYDZPRQplAwItdWbikcI/s400/IMG_6839.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>A new T4 locomotive leads an intermodal freight through the Tintic Junction last November. The large antenna behind it is for PTC, another change coming online which is affecting how railroads are operated across the nation.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh96Udpv44ysGXf3jcrW2ClAkS4C5mM7GCjIxLH0zuuXZegGITZPuNCiNb-Jok2eRo93u8PvYrNzOrfitt3PYJrJaGBi5LWlZc0_ifDz6p06DM0SAxdAKHyqfrEXp5A5H_9FDdwt4w7G60/s1600/036EDIT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1203" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh96Udpv44ysGXf3jcrW2ClAkS4C5mM7GCjIxLH0zuuXZegGITZPuNCiNb-Jok2eRo93u8PvYrNzOrfitt3PYJrJaGBi5LWlZc0_ifDz6p06DM0SAxdAKHyqfrEXp5A5H_9FDdwt4w7G60/s400/036EDIT.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Monorails like the "hyperloop" are a form of innovative rail transportation. Seen here is the "Monorail Red" gliding above guests at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. Despite the many promising aspects for rail commuting technology the monorail offered, it never gained much popularity in America beyond tourist heavy areas such as the Disney Parks, Las Vegas, and World Fairs such as the one in Seattle. This treatment of the concept as "an amusement park ride", the lack of a standardized gauge system across different Monorail manufactures (or lack of standardized parts), along with the heavy anti-commuter rail pushes made by automotive companies such as General Motors in the 1950's meant that the monorail never had much chance to catch on. The faster maglev monorail concept sees limited use due to the cost of construction (with no operating example in North America at all). The monorail though due to its brilliant elimination of grade crossing has caught on in congested cities in Asia. If the new "hyperloop" concept proves more successful has yet to be seen.</i></div>
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Then I read the news and hear things about Elon Musk's "hyperloop" concept. Although not rail transport in the traditional sense, I am taking notice all the same since it is reliant on a fixed guideway. Perhaps its impact will be nothing more than that of the Monorail; to be praised as innovative and unique to only be brushed aside by traditionalists and wary transportation planners... Sure Musk has a bit of a habit of promoting strange and innovative concepts which either stick or fade away, yet perhaps the loop will be the biggest advance in ground transportation since the automobile.<br />
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If <i>Futurama</i> like speed tubes between cities are a bit to far away from our blog's subject about railroads, I am also excited for future prospects in rail preservation for our historical equipment. In only a few years we will soon see a Big Boy rumbling down Union Pacific rails, taking back its rightful throne as king of Sherman Hill. Locally, it is only a matter of months (if not weeks) until UP 1011 a 1940's vintage EMD NW2 returns to service at Heber; joining the recently acquired GP on property as an accurate collection of the vintage early diesel age of the Union Pacific, and clearing up shop space for the neighboring UP 618 steam engine restoration in the same shop.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMdqRgWRPpVi6gEpHXsB7exYQlcHgfWVTZUBo7td9sgUXYWMQV1daluAtZcWk2HJHa4wOx-Y3fK9R1pnq2MZR45ACXwdfzVhEUSsKSrlb6vLV5RX3NITho__qgSY2r_Q3SL03mJmzedo0/s1600/July+2015+East+Coast+Trip+123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMdqRgWRPpVi6gEpHXsB7exYQlcHgfWVTZUBo7td9sgUXYWMQV1daluAtZcWk2HJHa4wOx-Y3fK9R1pnq2MZR45ACXwdfzVhEUSsKSrlb6vLV5RX3NITho__qgSY2r_Q3SL03mJmzedo0/s400/July+2015+East+Coast+Trip+123.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>July 2015, UP 4012 at rest at the Steamtown Museum in Scranton, PA. Hopefully in a few years its sister engine UP 4014 will be roaring down the tracks of the American West, bringing back what is arguably the steam age's most famous icon.</i></div>
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With changes abounding it is hopeful to look at the positive things we will see in the coming years. With that it would be remiss to omit the exciting prospects the 150th anniversary of the Golden Spike will bring in its 2019 celebration to Utah. Our local area will briefly enjoy the focus of the railfan community, as conventions and celebrations are held to celebrate the joining of the nation in the deserts of northern Utah so many years ago. As I look at all the changes that have occurred in the past few years I yearn to see the good that comes out it all too!<br />
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-Jacob LymanJacob Lymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03836321845066754233noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094173605070939347.post-15965270039161171172017-07-14T07:02:00.000-07:002017-07-19T15:17:08.748-07:00The Many Stations of Elko<u>A Brief Railroad History of Elko, Nevada</u><br />
Elko, Nevada is a community that was founded in 1868 when the transcontinental railroad was building across Nevada. The Central Pacific established a station there and soon a town sprung up. There was plentiful water in the nearby Humboldt River and the land was suitable for small farms and ranches to operate. Not long after the golden spike was driven in Utah, the Southern Pacific took out a long term lease on the Central Pacific and began operating the railroad as their own. It wasn't too much longer before the Western Pacific began it's push to the Pacific Ocean and they built their line roughly parallel to the SP from Humboldt Wells (later renamed to simply Wells) across the state to just west of Winnemucca. During the first World War, the US government created the United States Railroad Administration and took control of the railroads for the duration of the war. As a result, the parallel lines across Nevada were treated as one route and thus the paired trackage arrangement was born. After the war, the SP and WP voluntarily entered into a formal agreement that kept this arrangement in place right up until the merger of the WP into the Union Pacific. The UP after merging the WP continued to honor that agreement until they eventually merged with the SP. To this day, that arrangement is still used where the northern track (ex-SP) is operated westbound and the southern track (ex-WP) is the eastbound track. This arrangement meant that both passenger stations in Elko would remain standing and in use until a line change in the early 1980s relocated both tracks a few blocks to the south in order to remove them from the city streets. Only the Western Pacific depot survives today and is serving a second life as an office building.<br />
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<u>The Central Pacific Depot</u><br />
When the Central Pacific reached the area that is now Elko on December 29, 1868, work halted briefly and a station was established. It had rooms for 80, a dining room for 112, a billiard room, a bar, and a barbershop. From what I can find in my research, the station was known by several names: Cosmopolitan, then Chamberlain and finally Depot Hotel. It was located on the southwest corner of 4th Street and Railroad Street. The depot was completely demolished by July 1, 1903 and Southern Pacific erected a new depot on the same spot by mid-1904. The SP had acquired control of the CP effective April 1, 1885.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbLOLFupaqB8QB9R1Lw1sdFehIdgJdo8YKu4Gz8GwquU2PhmBlsRaaE-sPAzkQ4OJVoC_wA4-51Obl1hTXQpi4iTyJf9NiDBwW89M7lY40s_poK8VrBXeNbDt3wUHWGLyH31guGz8o2A/s1600/TWT_Lead_NVdepot-at-Elko.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbLOLFupaqB8QB9R1Lw1sdFehIdgJdo8YKu4Gz8GwquU2PhmBlsRaaE-sPAzkQ4OJVoC_wA4-51Obl1hTXQpi4iTyJf9NiDBwW89M7lY40s_poK8VrBXeNbDt3wUHWGLyH31guGz8o2A/s400/TWT_Lead_NVdepot-at-Elko.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Original Central Pacific depot at Elko in April 1869. It was a boarding house,<br />
restaurant, and bar, plus it had a billiard room and barbershop.</td></tr>
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<u>The Southern Pacific Depot</u><br />
When originally built, the Southern Pacific depot was a wood frame building built to one of SP's standard plans. The following photo shows it in 1912, a mere 43 years after the rails of the transcontinental railroad were laid through the area and only 8 years after it opened its doors.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaJcHaF1MSpIGDxDynYiRv6RtSuPzXOI2b82Dvl-2U0urs5FAKbUPCWNO7Vyn6TsUAkuWO9J5PPU6rTKvGuNJHwekpGwaz2P9ltq2Xn8WZJfS0o0MIGhQsm6CBaJGGD62E5hsSHmFGPQ/s1600/Elko+1912+WM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="896" data-original-width="1600" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaJcHaF1MSpIGDxDynYiRv6RtSuPzXOI2b82Dvl-2U0urs5FAKbUPCWNO7Vyn6TsUAkuWO9J5PPU6rTKvGuNJHwekpGwaz2P9ltq2Xn8WZJfS0o0MIGhQsm6CBaJGGD62E5hsSHmFGPQ/s400/Elko+1912+WM.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eight year old Southern Pacific depot which replaced the Central Pacific depot.<br />
Gone were all the amenities of the CP station since Elko had grown to a full<br />
service city by the time this depot was built and trains were now equipped with<br />
dining and sleeping cars.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqFc4hA13OGWiSJbZIShc23PA45fmsbmzHmpGCa_gyoGhX40YY9sz-4fMtvi1wQYMoEgiPSBlhB5L34h-MpMtoVjc7uZZO-9RTwhQYEyI1GKzargFSi32owH8g_d3mMomgTf20Ojr6SA/s1600/Elko+1930s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="904" data-original-width="1600" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqFc4hA13OGWiSJbZIShc23PA45fmsbmzHmpGCa_gyoGhX40YY9sz-4fMtvi1wQYMoEgiPSBlhB5L34h-MpMtoVjc7uZZO-9RTwhQYEyI1GKzargFSi32owH8g_d3mMomgTf20Ojr6SA/s400/Elko+1930s.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elko in the 1930s. A lot has changed in 18 years, but the depot still looked <br />
much the same as it did in 1912.</td></tr>
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Sometime between the 1930s and 1950, the depot was remodeled with a more modern art deco style. Here are two photos that show the remodeled depot. The first photo was taken in 1950 and the second photo is from 1955.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjli39b0qxjt-P36qeeTnTLGi969jCzw9qiUMH63pZMvv70GvHN0KEJPCdK2KiAclRoMuwHGeaZJSWGR5w3K2YZG1KkmdU2UeYVhDIF4FUIkktBDnISbn5jF87w704A9qzmzhmCKkZ0RA/s1600/Elko+3-11-50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="905" data-original-width="1600" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjli39b0qxjt-P36qeeTnTLGi969jCzw9qiUMH63pZMvv70GvHN0KEJPCdK2KiAclRoMuwHGeaZJSWGR5w3K2YZG1KkmdU2UeYVhDIF4FUIkktBDnISbn5jF87w704A9qzmzhmCKkZ0RA/s400/Elko+3-11-50.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-image: none;">
Elko March 11, 1950. The depot has been extensively remodeled, though</div>
retaining the original footprint. It's wood exterior has been covered with a <br />
stucco and brick façade and the station signs that were a signature of SP depots<br />
has given way to a modern art deco styled sign over the operator's bay. The<br />
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change in the Elko cityscape is remarkable to say the least.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhorPs6KfbFXG6BDV1EoD2CxC9-Bep7Q2Wt86cz_A7tGpGKWa2KTEgI_RAuN8Na7tnsCQ_XAkMbKAFWek_nZFdcwrdlR-zo8VmKUVroMqxSQiBhPdwSZqQlTzrgBpDm2eYniX7gZP3skA/s1600/Elko+1955+WM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="676" data-original-width="1600" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhorPs6KfbFXG6BDV1EoD2CxC9-Bep7Q2Wt86cz_A7tGpGKWa2KTEgI_RAuN8Na7tnsCQ_XAkMbKAFWek_nZFdcwrdlR-zo8VmKUVroMqxSQiBhPdwSZqQlTzrgBpDm2eYniX7gZP3skA/s400/Elko+1955+WM.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elko 1955. Very little has changed in 5 years with the depot, but there is a<br />
marked change with the Commercial Club behind it.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Then sometime between 1957 and 1962, the Southern Pacific moved the depot from it's original location to a spot roughly 3 blocks east for reasons unknown to this author. These two photos show the SP portion of the City of San Francisco and the WP portion of the California Zephyr on the night of April 11, 1969 at the new location (compare the background buildings to previous photos and you can see the difference).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis7xGTk4jzGPlTC1G08jgvuu-xaqSBaVZKjnCZz7lyyi4tmmuB2djfFXDKV0wF7H5Q2k5-IDt5iPCVhWF2WjCdE5hunmSuSpB6NiXaZ8LKS5Ysvki_bDR6t6Lag3En11Xr7zk9-749xQ/s1600/Elko+4-11-69+SP+COSF+MelPatrick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1025" data-original-width="1600" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis7xGTk4jzGPlTC1G08jgvuu-xaqSBaVZKjnCZz7lyyi4tmmuB2djfFXDKV0wF7H5Q2k5-IDt5iPCVhWF2WjCdE5hunmSuSpB6NiXaZ8LKS5Ysvki_bDR6t6Lag3En11Xr7zk9-749xQ/s400/Elko+4-11-69+SP+COSF+MelPatrick.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">City of San Francisco pauses at the SP depot in Elko. Mel Patrick photo<br />
courtesy of Bob McKeen.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpWdDDj2GMq2keaXATojsFz0UqCpjHjQK5F-zzq-3xDi8ZdcakJcvJjYC9Ge7JECv1_6wzzQXj3V7W4XzpS9H5sjoTZV-GEMmiLGHUwZrqU8tWPdNbB26Wj5CKV_SAIOgiyid4zZnWTw/s1600/Elko+4-11-69+WP+CZ+MelPatrick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="995" data-original-width="1600" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpWdDDj2GMq2keaXATojsFz0UqCpjHjQK5F-zzq-3xDi8ZdcakJcvJjYC9Ge7JECv1_6wzzQXj3V7W4XzpS9H5sjoTZV-GEMmiLGHUwZrqU8tWPdNbB26Wj5CKV_SAIOgiyid4zZnWTw/s400/Elko+4-11-69+WP+CZ+MelPatrick.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">California Zephyr pauses at the SP depot in Elko later that same night. Mel<br />
Patrick photo courtesy of Bob McKeen.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Visit this website to see several photos of the depot in the 1970s (post-Amtrak):<br />
<a href="http://www.trainweb.org/usarail/elko.htm">http://www.trainweb.org/usarail/elko.htm</a><br />
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<br />
<u>The Western Pacific Depot</u><br />
Like the Southern Pacific, the Western Pacific constructed a wood frame depot consistent with company standard plans. Since Elko was already a well established city by the time the WP arrived in later 1908, a large two story depot was constructed.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAxMdT04wzzufu1SbPH3jz3eG4bvEQah2sVpHfZF9tDuY5RuCSoMzcPqfrOgaECdAzGnWYROZ6UsIxYrvXMLDsP_ByHFg7c1qI2FqDUYKAQuyCU272-VPp2tZ2bekiG-B_cm3kbeTrsA/s1600/WP+Elko+Station+%2528Pre-1958%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="418" data-original-width="693" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAxMdT04wzzufu1SbPH3jz3eG4bvEQah2sVpHfZF9tDuY5RuCSoMzcPqfrOgaECdAzGnWYROZ6UsIxYrvXMLDsP_ByHFg7c1qI2FqDUYKAQuyCU272-VPp2tZ2bekiG-B_cm3kbeTrsA/s400/WP+Elko+Station+%2528Pre-1958%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Western Pacific Elko Depot as built. Probably 1930's to 1940's judging by the<br />
cars.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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In 1958, the Western Pacific looking to rehab the aging structure, removed the second story and installed a new roof and clad two of the four walls in brick, with the other two walls receiving stucco. This is how the building has remained to this day (with some minor changes to windows and doors).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwUHFjJjIKWaAVCoNxuSs8yHMsvJFoLDzzIEW91u6kYbBCOYUeSKZwPFj6R7nJp7gdu9XtzpLQFFQJzlMkgP6WgUz7VT6LTTqT-Wnhg4clpGyF3wpQis0W57Fu9UrgHm4Np7Cb6r8hMg/s1600/WP+Front+26Dec81+WM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="571" data-original-width="900" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwUHFjJjIKWaAVCoNxuSs8yHMsvJFoLDzzIEW91u6kYbBCOYUeSKZwPFj6R7nJp7gdu9XtzpLQFFQJzlMkgP6WgUz7VT6LTTqT-Wnhg4clpGyF3wpQis0W57Fu9UrgHm4Np7Cb6r8hMg/s400/WP+Front+26Dec81+WM.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Front of the WP passenger depot on December 26, 1981. Photo courtesy of<br />
Ken Rattenne. Used with permission.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJTQYThge60wyWjvO3sj__QMTzty2e2w2pOVXmuLwNJR4lwl9K2KF6isTTLBIU8Y-4SSXhoTsUM0yChkXqrC448Pc7Hm9sfBPzIfDBx9gtd2cBYKf2EIEWsVb0c_cwcPLEmrx25kNkdw/s1600/WP+Side+26Dec81+WM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="588" data-original-width="900" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJTQYThge60wyWjvO3sj__QMTzty2e2w2pOVXmuLwNJR4lwl9K2KF6isTTLBIU8Y-4SSXhoTsUM0yChkXqrC448Pc7Hm9sfBPzIfDBx9gtd2cBYKf2EIEWsVb0c_cwcPLEmrx25kNkdw/s400/WP+Side+26Dec81+WM.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trackside view of the WP depot on December 16, 1981. Photo courtesy ofKen Rattenne. Used with permission.</td></tr>
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After the depot was abandoned, a private developer bought the building and extensively remodeled the inside and converted to office space. I ran into the building owners son during a trip to Elko and learned that during the remodeling, it was discovered that when the second story was removed, the original flooring was left intact and roughly one foot of the walls remain from the second floor. As far as I know, the 'attic' has never been cleaned and all the original flooring is still in place. Another interesting note is that during the extensive remodeling, the building was widened by approximately 15'-20'. The building is largely original, in a sense, but so heavily rebuilt, you would never know it by just looking at it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzwn3_FrHyQcD__lkZjAFzmIiPAME16gHGHAPEsw1mu9B901hnfJX2dExCGVn3MFxmyPOK86BEWuYqBmgjUdsUspDjPoSA1Pmwnd37fddg81W1Gn6NCsHpJDeyx9TXBB6YYUbzA0XCxg/s1600/WP+Elko+12Feb06-01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1081" data-original-width="1600" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzwn3_FrHyQcD__lkZjAFzmIiPAME16gHGHAPEsw1mu9B901hnfJX2dExCGVn3MFxmyPOK86BEWuYqBmgjUdsUspDjPoSA1Pmwnd37fddg81W1Gn6NCsHpJDeyx9TXBB6YYUbzA0XCxg/s400/WP+Elko+12Feb06-01.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view of the front and trackside wall of the WP depot after it was<br />
converted to offices. February 2006</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDEIB_SgNSIAlmfnSNyT3rZKMtxyBH2ZXphFa6pInXeyKETF9lr96kCSfClk9B_09Rtfv-c3hchkVbg18DdpckXqqDtvo1LhPDWgtaSkFlCcpREXl6tfy86paEyEl8Gvkc9eo4OEtBuA/s1600/WP+Elko+12Feb06-02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1081" data-original-width="1600" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDEIB_SgNSIAlmfnSNyT3rZKMtxyBH2ZXphFa6pInXeyKETF9lr96kCSfClk9B_09Rtfv-c3hchkVbg18DdpckXqqDtvo1LhPDWgtaSkFlCcpREXl6tfy86paEyEl8Gvkc9eo4OEtBuA/s400/WP+Elko+12Feb06-02.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rear and north walls of the depot showing the stucco walls. February 2006</td></tr>
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<u>The Amtrak Shelters</u><br />
As mentioned before, in 1983, the two mainline tracks through downtown Elko were moved in order to alleviate traffic problems for both the railroad and the city. At that time, two structures were erected along the relocated tracks to service Amtrak passengers getting on and off at Elko. Since the station was to be unstaffed, simple shelters were erected to keep passengers out of the weather, reflecting the general decline of passenger service in America, and particularly in sparsely populated northeastern Nevada.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivgCtIsJklNQYP8wgmBmwO2s4rw9LYI8AVJsDnSKPaajAYNSJjQwOvTWmZl26wwPQv44LAzgh7j55sET2ncovoNQ7yhtRkc1VeUzVWW_3qWd5MLp_b_xSH0J0eT8JMJU-rRXLVJWOqdQ/s1600/Elko+Amtrak+Station+-+Oct+83.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1129" data-original-width="1600" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivgCtIsJklNQYP8wgmBmwO2s4rw9LYI8AVJsDnSKPaajAYNSJjQwOvTWmZl26wwPQv44LAzgh7j55sET2ncovoNQ7yhtRkc1VeUzVWW_3qWd5MLp_b_xSH0J0eT8JMJU-rRXLVJWOqdQ/s400/Elko+Amtrak+Station+-+Oct+83.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ribbon cutting celebrating the opening of the newly constructed bypass around<br />
Elko and the opening of the new Amtrak shelters. October 1983. Photo<br />
courtesy of Northeastern Nevada Museum. Used with permission.</td></tr>
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Sometime between February and November 2007, the shelters were removed due to vandalism and the occasional homeless person using the buildings as a makeshift home. In their place were installed bus stop style shelters and benches which is how it can still be seen.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8n96cVw7VXaK7eDE4vRpAhSBZCDgLIVslEjisopknQMVQOAib_dnfUSkngotRTcqXgJL_83kSqqASSnmVtAzq-RdUhKuuH0GNj00qv3K7dhSF7aEOhw2NSrUGS3BBbpSy7diVIQiG-w/s1600/Elko+Amtrak+Station+-+14Feb07.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8n96cVw7VXaK7eDE4vRpAhSBZCDgLIVslEjisopknQMVQOAib_dnfUSkngotRTcqXgJL_83kSqqASSnmVtAzq-RdUhKuuH0GNj00qv3K7dhSF7aEOhw2NSrUGS3BBbpSy7diVIQiG-w/s400/Elko+Amtrak+Station+-+14Feb07.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The last time I photographed these structures before being demolished.<br />
February 14, 2007</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4W6SE42pOdeBuDedqsDkO9hQ-KTlWUCnJ8_Y2Xc4wuQyzLh4Zyg8w7yPj0UNKJIcyJOvXGBFkagP8lN-QUlxPkVXmdXnk6A0lOd81yyQFHOaEt1I57T9zQhlyWGWsUzRYBizAwIRUdQ/s1600/Elko+Amtrak+Station+-+19Nov07.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4W6SE42pOdeBuDedqsDkO9hQ-KTlWUCnJ8_Y2Xc4wuQyzLh4Zyg8w7yPj0UNKJIcyJOvXGBFkagP8lN-QUlxPkVXmdXnk6A0lOd81yyQFHOaEt1I57T9zQhlyWGWsUzRYBizAwIRUdQ/s400/Elko+Amtrak+Station+-+19Nov07.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The replacements. Not very glamorous for a city that has had 4 different stations<br />
and hosted the world renowned California Zephyr in its life span.</td></tr>
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- Matt LiveraniMatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04035810342144800113noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094173605070939347.post-19443347627773282082017-07-13T15:28:00.000-07:002017-07-13T16:18:17.836-07:00Another Day of Sun: A Trip to California and Back<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglhIUDz9ZGXigsZMpCftKs09v7Kk9xQ5dnITUFwttd4qwP0fmEuz49pyX6c5BYAkzT_uYuCC3nE-vEFKH2ulaPPy0KGUZmOcY2sPzrFYplvstT8eQVNoXNilDfHb2-fU5EPA12gnn1_4g/s1600/IMG_8029Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglhIUDz9ZGXigsZMpCftKs09v7Kk9xQ5dnITUFwttd4qwP0fmEuz49pyX6c5BYAkzT_uYuCC3nE-vEFKH2ulaPPy0KGUZmOcY2sPzrFYplvstT8eQVNoXNilDfHb2-fU5EPA12gnn1_4g/s400/IMG_8029Edit.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>6/25/17 A southbound Amtrak train arrives at the historic Santa Fe station in Downtown San Diego, California.</i></div>
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California the Golden State. Few other states have the rich railroad history California has; as the state was the draw for many railroad companies who built across the west. As distant as California is, for us in the intermountain west the railroad history here is linked inseparably from that of the Golden State. The Central Pacific (later the Southern Pacific), the Los Angeles and Salt Lake (later Union Pacific), and the Western Pacific were all intermountain roads which linked from California back into the Great Basin region. As such the history and happenings of railroading in California must be understood to grasp the bigger picture of railroading in the western states.<br />
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Of course we here at DEP often joke about California's dominance in western railfan culture due to those factors (along with its absurdly large population in comparison to our home states of Utah and Nevada)! It doesn't take much effort to see that many western roads such as the Western Pacific and Southern Pacific were predominately railfanned and studied in California, leaving the rest of their routes in obscurity. Ironically though, this continues into rail preservation and it turns out many artifacts significantly related to Utah's rail history are in California railroad museums!<br />
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One of the other great opportunities of a trip like this is that I was able to see many historic rail lines on the drive alone. I passed the majority of the Los Angeles and Salt Lake route from point to point during the drive along I-15 and backroads. Driving through Cajon Pass is always a railfan spectacle, even if the camera is not used. Of course I have to make mention I even saw UP 1983 outside of Barstow on my final day of the trip! However much like a fisherman's story you'll have to believe me on that one, since it figuratively was "the one that got away" seeing as how I couldn't photograph it at the moment!</div>
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<b>Sunny San Diego</b><br />
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The main reason for this trip to California was my sister's wedding. Rather than get married locally with all the wedding traditions that seem to come in Utah (luncheon, mid-day photos, family dinner, reception, etc.); she figured a trip to the San Diego Zoo and some Mexican food in Old Town the day before her wedding would be far more interesting for everybody involved (it was). <br />
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San Diego is a beautiful city. I have not been there since 2005. However fellow DEP editor Schon seems to make it down there annually, and he answered many of my questions about area railfanning opportunities. It was all quite an interesting sight and change of pace from the desert highlands I frequent at home. Commuter trains raced through tracks above beachside cliffs through places such as Torrey Pines and Del Mar. The sound of the sea crashing on the shore, the throngs of tourists, and the smell of seafood in the air all mingled with the high powered grunts of EMD and GE motors at work. BNSF was king in San Diego, with Blue Bonnets and Heritage III's working local trains alongside a few G&W "Borg Orange" switchers. In all the excitement of the area, the only thing that felt familiar was the electric light rail system buzzing along San Diego's streets.<br />
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Even in downtown there was evidence of this coastal rail scene. As we walked the entrance up into the U.S.S. Midway museum, I could see beneath me in the pier the embedded remains of a rail spur to the docks. In the distance the Southern Pacific Railroad's ferry boat <em>Berkeley </em>was docked at the neighboring Maritime Museum, although time constraints prevented our family from visiting it. In much the same way a mountain railroad fan could wax on about the links railroads provided to the mines and the smelters; a coastal railfan could speak the same of an era when every pier had a rail head, when every boxcar was loaded from ship loads in a bay connecting into the great Pacific.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV_E_i4eOeTkySy8bEXrt5pbA0hyp9ehgWPt1jqbzV2dBLmsGcwSCWC-ughlwTO1FlbHLNGrTUPmiyQDMPmqRXoimglsQg3KjwcME-1rWXNHf4DLM2AM3t4S8f1IW-K_8-QPY4Z1zpcts/s1600/IMG_7980.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV_E_i4eOeTkySy8bEXrt5pbA0hyp9ehgWPt1jqbzV2dBLmsGcwSCWC-ughlwTO1FlbHLNGrTUPmiyQDMPmqRXoimglsQg3KjwcME-1rWXNHf4DLM2AM3t4S8f1IW-K_8-QPY4Z1zpcts/s400/IMG_7980.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>6/23/17 The Balboa Park Railroad is a minature railroad outside of the famed San Diego Zoo which loops around a corner of the park. Its consist is painted to look like Southern Pacific's famous Daylight scheme. My dad sits in the middle of the train waiting for me to take a seat.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDj4-PB965hrWlx2wRnigV7V4e92xH5sj9QsagV7A9cOz3xgy3h02uLn7rWjhKwsrTDUZkhzkOu41mqpxlCizVauNL_jwsZ9GbK6F8y_T02NwiM1SnftxU7OC1P7SwEnWCJCC-tFLXCZw/s1600/IMG_7995Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1216" data-original-width="1600" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDj4-PB965hrWlx2wRnigV7V4e92xH5sj9QsagV7A9cOz3xgy3h02uLn7rWjhKwsrTDUZkhzkOu41mqpxlCizVauNL_jwsZ9GbK6F8y_T02NwiM1SnftxU7OC1P7SwEnWCJCC-tFLXCZw/s400/IMG_7995Edit.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>6/24/17 A northbound Amtrak Surfliner train roars past Torrey Pines beach near San Diego, with a cab car at point and a Genesis engine on the rear.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcEqHQkZVIMOKAWZMdpDNIwWkHHDZ6T6OmEP6ueQ71fJvr78H6hwYhh9oquduMHMNr4hwsLoe3wOMauPplxPlsm1i33xDOVGdEQUpunK7oZV4slgvctVSLexIaQ3skDtXB9ZONEQfzERk/s1600/IMG_8006Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcEqHQkZVIMOKAWZMdpDNIwWkHHDZ6T6OmEP6ueQ71fJvr78H6hwYhh9oquduMHMNr4hwsLoe3wOMauPplxPlsm1i33xDOVGdEQUpunK7oZV4slgvctVSLexIaQ3skDtXB9ZONEQfzERk/s400/IMG_8006Edit.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>6/24/17 I have a confession to make, this is the first time I have photographed an F40 in active service... It seems strange to me that it took me this long to finally see the railfan popular unit in action, but I am glad to finally have gotten the chance with San Diego's Coaster unit 2104 leading northbound train through Torrey Pines.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoe4VtmHysIYM8DnnKAh4EXhGmxCs-DojPq50JIMme1ZuF5yrI7LwF3R1UFm1FSblt1eJZEutcO4ikrZZDgpyh1lFA8PtOVypjGBj4DsHiQnlVnHlkrV4ok2q3kCDq-9T_vDAWUlywEk8/s1600/IMG_8012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoe4VtmHysIYM8DnnKAh4EXhGmxCs-DojPq50JIMme1ZuF5yrI7LwF3R1UFm1FSblt1eJZEutcO4ikrZZDgpyh1lFA8PtOVypjGBj4DsHiQnlVnHlkrV4ok2q3kCDq-9T_vDAWUlywEk8/s400/IMG_8012.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>6/25/17 The highlight of La Mesa Model Railroad Club's display in Balboa Park is the large bi-level layout based on the Tehachapi Pass route. I considered this to be the most photogenic layout on display.</i></div>
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<i>6/25/17 Crossing the Coronado Bridge, I was able to look out the car window and snap this view of the railyards in downtown San Diego. The BNSF yard dominates the foreground, with its autorack off-loading area, a line of orange engines to the left, and a ATSF heritage Blue Bonnet in the far right! In the distance is the maintenance shop for San Diego's light rail system.</i></div>
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<i>6/25/17 I have another confession, these F59PHI 's are the first I have photographed period... I need to get out more! Anyways, the preserved ATSF Historic Station in downtown San Diego serves as a busy transit hub a short walking distance from the harbor front.</i></div>
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<b>Travel Town Museum</b></div>
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One of the quick visits we made Monday morning in Los Angeles was to the Travel Town Museum in Griffith Park. The museum is free to enter, and open regularly. Touring the museum site I was struck by how oddly familiar it was, the train around the border, the black steam engines needing a touch of paint, the limited track available, etc... It reminded me of the many small town museums I had visited beforehand, just with a much larger collection of rolling stock and located not far from the busy studios of Hollywood.</div>
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An observation of the engines and the wear and tear which comes from outdoor display, reminded me of the constant needs these museums have. With my experiences starting to help on the Columbia Steel #300 project it dawned on me the amount of elbow grease needed to get work done on these heavy machines. The most valuable resource of a place like Travel Town and countless other museums besides money, is volunteers who give their time.</div>
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Los Angeles has a rich and vibrant railroad scene, and I feel my brief stop at Travel Town only scratched the surface (I missed the opportunity to see the Rail Giants Museum in Pomoma to the east completely this trip too). Its an area I would like to return to someday to railfan further.</div>
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<i>6/26/17 I had the chance to see the California and Western a little bit in a vacation in Northern California several years ago, so I was pleasantly surprised to find another "Skunk Train"-alumni preserved in Los Angeles.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg18ibfg_OeL0FdzZwtl58wlE-2fJGxjZiPMwD3QXwNInAcWFHHsOLucWiOT0KibgJAit1PtoXIcBgycYUmpeDAw5cQliTzy3X3nbwryzcgaEHJSXgetMjE2PHDCjqg5yOQlZ_G_I8Hqtk/s1600/IMG_8060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg18ibfg_OeL0FdzZwtl58wlE-2fJGxjZiPMwD3QXwNInAcWFHHsOLucWiOT0KibgJAit1PtoXIcBgycYUmpeDAw5cQliTzy3X3nbwryzcgaEHJSXgetMjE2PHDCjqg5yOQlZ_G_I8Hqtk/s400/IMG_8060.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>6/26/17 The diminutive and rare EMD Model 40 switcher is a sight to behold. This unit "Travel Town 1 Charley Atkins" is the only operating standard gauge unit at the museum.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1e4X4Jf7455q-Q0CmuttB9qs__ZfxK_ygtLj4hFmuTCJjW1AWJtFXc-r7AVFYiu9c5zk2tcG9Zjt0MaaI7xVjY1m-D8ht12__KLXVJG1YDzPE7qlGrIO8NJWZMQFtcNBDfC998jg0700/s1600/IMG_8064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1e4X4Jf7455q-Q0CmuttB9qs__ZfxK_ygtLj4hFmuTCJjW1AWJtFXc-r7AVFYiu9c5zk2tcG9Zjt0MaaI7xVjY1m-D8ht12__KLXVJG1YDzPE7qlGrIO8NJWZMQFtcNBDfC998jg0700/s400/IMG_8064.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>6/26/17 Conrock #1 rests alongside Sharp and Fellows #7.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ_ekaTO-MyS6yeeODE-g3mS_RbAPDmUKqWcWIDA44CJcv-7IZDriOx85JsBvmDDcZBSpAOSPqxO4CkXzG7sDOtzkAdVmuE_KBcR3xCv2dbZRZuB_0GNhCr8Ih31eJeSi8OrxzjKIDgVg/s1600/IMG_8068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ_ekaTO-MyS6yeeODE-g3mS_RbAPDmUKqWcWIDA44CJcv-7IZDriOx85JsBvmDDcZBSpAOSPqxO4CkXzG7sDOtzkAdVmuE_KBcR3xCv2dbZRZuB_0GNhCr8Ih31eJeSi8OrxzjKIDgVg/s400/IMG_8068.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>6/26/17 WP 326, a 2-8-0 was the highlight of the steam collection at Travel Town for me. I can't help but wonder if this engine ever worked the WP branchlines in Utah, exchanging whistles with my own hometown engine Tooele Valley #11 at the Warner Interchange? I would have loved to have seen that happen.</i></div>
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<i>6/26/17 A broad view of the train shed at the park with WP #26 and Sharp and Fellows #7 at the entrance.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNoZwAY20_i05iOQoyCykAaIPBkGqCfcVXCl1Cka6DMFGDh3Mkokprv41hVCLO0Mct98Im7UT2qVdNGUUQZgNcwhFVxgmZgN7tweXbGmEt-fDD_aMichBpru-LP9Fbs1ScCeJmAZgPmxk/s1600/IMG_8084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNoZwAY20_i05iOQoyCykAaIPBkGqCfcVXCl1Cka6DMFGDh3Mkokprv41hVCLO0Mct98Im7UT2qVdNGUUQZgNcwhFVxgmZgN7tweXbGmEt-fDD_aMichBpru-LP9Fbs1ScCeJmAZgPmxk/s400/IMG_8084.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>6/26/17 Santa Maria Valley #1000 caught my eye due to remembering the history of one of its stable mates Santa Maria Valley #100 which worked the Heber Creeper in Utah in the early 1980's. #100 is now kept in Oregon. From what I have been able to read up on the Santa Maria Valley was a produce hauling line in California.</i></div>
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<i>6/26/17 The Travel Town minature train loops around the museum border.</i></div>
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<b>Hollywood Faux-totypes</b></div>
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In the heartland of the movie industry, it is no surprise fake train related props exist which have been used in film or displayed in theme parks. This form of "large scale modeling" is rather interesting to me. Especially considering that for many in the public these theme park displays or silver screen stars are the closest to railroading they might get.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijxOAF5fToKhK3CPQSeOXyIJ_ABFQvUNB3l_ZjiRCuS6usLmtA9VWUe4C_oBkyojY-zakGJQlGNGmeFKoOQKu3YvGZYXyf_fCSriRQvao-QU1HC9HHZ9GxVlyxR9_bFwDedH7jrEKL72A/s1600/IMG_8144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijxOAF5fToKhK3CPQSeOXyIJ_ABFQvUNB3l_ZjiRCuS6usLmtA9VWUe4C_oBkyojY-zakGJQlGNGmeFKoOQKu3YvGZYXyf_fCSriRQvao-QU1HC9HHZ9GxVlyxR9_bFwDedH7jrEKL72A/s400/IMG_8144.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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6/26/17 <i>This facade on the Warner Brothers Studio Tour caught me immediately as looking like an old train station. Perhaps it has been used as such in film and t.v. and a sharp eye could find it in their film collection... The grassy knoll to the right has been used as a filming set to represent Central Park in t.v. shows such as F.R.I.E.N.D.S.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9cPk-NGyxVK3ZDVoy-f7AjQEhvTO_htdu0-VbfyVv0K1eBVEM0c6htZT13G8AimSMhbJWDus1d14QseQbZFR05nL9wCUqf0xh9WhbqZUSwHZnWKUcGRkc_GNYxXMmixl1cm7JrrHrtgs/s1600/IMG_8273.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9cPk-NGyxVK3ZDVoy-f7AjQEhvTO_htdu0-VbfyVv0K1eBVEM0c6htZT13G8AimSMhbJWDus1d14QseQbZFR05nL9wCUqf0xh9WhbqZUSwHZnWKUcGRkc_GNYxXMmixl1cm7JrrHrtgs/s400/IMG_8273.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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6/27/17<i>Great Western Railway 5972 the "Olton Hall" was used in filming the Harry Potter series in Britain. What looks like a 1:1 scale (or really close to it) replica of the engine is displayed in Universal Studios Hollywood. The prototype Olton Hall is preserved at the Warner Brothers Studio in Britain after having been retired from use in excursion service.</i></div>
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<i>6/27/17 The regular steam whistles and smoke effects did help create the illusion this static display was ready to roll at moment's notice.</i></div>
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<b>On the Road Home</b></div>
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Wednesday my mother and I set out from Los Angeles early morning to travel back to our home in one day. While this travel arrangement meant I missed the chance to see UP 1983 when it rolled past us on I-15 out of Barstow, it did give us a few other moments to stop along the way. At the National Atomic Testing Museum in Las Vegas, Nevada; while we basked in the strange history of the nuclear age I also spotted a few ways the railroads played a part into that. On the final leg of the journey we found a Union Pacific train passing through the Tintic Valley near Eureka, Utah; where I got my first look at the new Arrowedge 2.0 (and only my second look at any type of Arrowedge period!)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGxy-zBHlUJS9qDh8-i3KGBH9ogz36eSFzx89a_qfs20u3LOeXUfsuBLb3c1UAz1J6VbMAA6OEJs-IF97E3tB3PEgBImzDETkGHB2DVEL-mkFJD-HFdksaj0SGtK3W4bRp-oz99mY_elA/s1600/IMG_20170628_100535723.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGxy-zBHlUJS9qDh8-i3KGBH9ogz36eSFzx89a_qfs20u3LOeXUfsuBLb3c1UAz1J6VbMAA6OEJs-IF97E3tB3PEgBImzDETkGHB2DVEL-mkFJD-HFdksaj0SGtK3W4bRp-oz99mY_elA/s400/IMG_20170628_100535723.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>6/28/17 One of the stops on the ride home was the National Atomic Testing Museum in Las Vegas, Nevada. While not a rail museum, it is not surprising to see that railroading was present during this strange, bizarre, eclectic and twisted era of American atomic history. The first sighting of railroading within the museum was in a replica of a housing/office unit in Mercury, Nevada with the vintage Union Pacific calendar placard to the wall.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY_D5DK0TouEcHaY7UkEYz-tgjMw30bpRCckUyH4YctURYoVXucKhS2uKeGn1BRi1gmMG8n8DTYt2F9nO3bDzv5_jbP8v3XXn9wfjKzQiVZiVdXLVJtMZWW9OpKvwwFQnzCGczxyWjxTo/s1600/IMG_20170628_103931489.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY_D5DK0TouEcHaY7UkEYz-tgjMw30bpRCckUyH4YctURYoVXucKhS2uKeGn1BRi1gmMG8n8DTYt2F9nO3bDzv5_jbP8v3XXn9wfjKzQiVZiVdXLVJtMZWW9OpKvwwFQnzCGczxyWjxTo/s400/IMG_20170628_103931489.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>6/28/17 Although the Union Pacific never was built to reach Mercury or the Nevada Proving Grounds (later Nevada Test Site then the Nevada National Security Site); the atomic testing complex was home to one of the nation's most bizarre and unique private shortline operations, the Jackass and Western.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBORD8gGKKcf9GoM698IuxfAXCUlo67vyFk1RKAtBKqwj19-Rae-siwzAwzumtKW8FKOM3i_P0bF5QDTyKKhGWDke5joMmRGVSnmvXzaz7__BbU81f3yIe3Vdou39KYpQbjoFIpSthqdQ/s1600/IMG_20170628_103942500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBORD8gGKKcf9GoM698IuxfAXCUlo67vyFk1RKAtBKqwj19-Rae-siwzAwzumtKW8FKOM3i_P0bF5QDTyKKhGWDke5joMmRGVSnmvXzaz7__BbU81f3yIe3Vdou39KYpQbjoFIpSthqdQ/s400/IMG_20170628_103942500.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>6/28/17 This N-scale (I think?) model layout was used to train employees of the Jackass and Western, featuring a rather condensed version of the route across Jackass Flats. There were no interchanges, no revenue freight cars.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUQm3_chvtqi9CZ0aSHvIiWDDdRZdLd7wPi5fI3LidygJn9HNhG0XCDT36AxnpDCzBIatHS-NGSS_VYCqu7gl0wWXuC_xYpJbb0RhnflMOgtf2XeVVdnr0ck9wD8p2q2bDQKcNYvZ1SBU/s1600/IMG_20170628_103937205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUQm3_chvtqi9CZ0aSHvIiWDDdRZdLd7wPi5fI3LidygJn9HNhG0XCDT36AxnpDCzBIatHS-NGSS_VYCqu7gl0wWXuC_xYpJbb0RhnflMOgtf2XeVVdnr0ck9wD8p2q2bDQKcNYvZ1SBU/s400/IMG_20170628_103937205.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>6/28/17 The cargo though was a bit, nuclear dare I say? The Jackass and Western was used to haul experimental nuclear rockets from their assembly building to their tower test stands, then retrieve them after testing for disassembly and decontamination. Despite the radioactive nature of the cargo, the two Jackass and Western locomotives are now preserved in Boulder City, Nevada where one of them is used in excursion service! The pressurized cab which was meant to keep radioactive particles out of the cab during testing was a unique feature used on at least one of the engines. Visiting the museum in Boulder City is something I will save for a future trip through the area.</i></div>
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<i>6/28/17 On the drive back home later in the day through the Tintic Valley in Utah; I ran across an eastbound stacker with an Arrowedge 2.0. This Arrowedge was developed by a team at BYU, and will be entering service across the UP system as more are made to increase fuel economy.</i></div>
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My sojourn to California turned out to be very exciting, not just for the trains I wrote about here; but the memories and family experiences. I wish my sister and her new husband happiness in their new relationship; and am glad their wedding plans offered the rest of us an excuse for a vacation! I am glad to have gotten to see and explore a bit of Southern California's rail treasures, although I feel I just barely scratched the surface! Hopefully I get the chance to get out and see it again!</div>
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-Jacob Lyman</div>
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<em>A Note on Museums and other attractions on the trip:</em></div>
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Although railroad museums are some of my favorite highlights on trips like this, I feel it is worth mentioning the full list of attractions and museums we saw on the trip. Getting out and exploring the area often requires more than an understanding of just the railroad history, and sometimes places devoted to other subjects such as the National Atomic Testing Museum do have a few railroad related nuggets in their collection. So without further delay, the full list:</div>
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<li>Cove Fort Historic Site</li>
<li>San Diego Zoo</li>
<li>Balboa Park Railroad</li>
<li>Mormon Battalion Historic Site</li>
<li>Old Town San Diego/Café Coyote Restaurant</li>
<li>Torrey Pines Beach State Park/Poseidon Restaurant</li>
<li>Del Mar, California</li>
<li>Coronado Island</li>
<li>U.S.S. Midway Museum</li>
<li>Travel Town Railroad Museum</li>
<li>Warner Brothers Studio Tour</li>
<li>Universal Studios Hollywood</li>
<li>National Atomic Bomb Testing Museum</li>
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Jacob Lymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03836321845066754233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094173605070939347.post-74881191536166782002017-06-14T13:24:00.000-07:002017-06-14T14:43:50.548-07:00Summer Days<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>DEP founder Josh Bernard and Jacob Morgan at work needle gun scaling old paint off the surface of Columbia Steel 300 at the Heber Valley Railroad.</i></div>
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For me the past few months of model railroading have been rather slow for me. Having recently finished the school semester; I am now back to working full time most weeks, keeping me behind a desk rather than out trackside admiring the trains. After the euphoric rush of excitement of chasing 844 through southern Idaho a few months back, it seems things are moving along slowly waiting for that next big railfan adventure. But to claim that nothing is happening in the railfan hobby the past few months would be remiss, and in this relatively short time I have had several memorable experiences! This is just a few of the interesting things that have kept myself and the other DEP editors busy the past few months as we ease into the summer season!</div>
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<i>The LUE 46 at work at Central Garfield on May 15, 2017</i></div>
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<b>The First Full Gathering of the DEP Editors</b></div>
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May 15, 2017 was the first time Josh Bernard, Schon Norris, Matt Liverani, and I were all able to get together to railfan. We had lunch at the Red Iguana 2 in Salt Lake City; and spent the remainder of the day watching freight traffic through Salt Lake City's Control Point 784 and North Yard. We had a blast and got to witness a lot of busy mainline action through the city that day!<br />
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<i>A westbound Union Pacific manifest pulls along North Yard on Main 1 with another cut of freight cars next to it in the yard tracks.</i></div>
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<i>UP 1208 a unique former Kennecott Copper Company high cab mine GP engine leads a returning freight through CP 784 into North Yard.</i></div>
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<i>A southbound Frontrunner slows down to approach the North Temple Bridge Station.</i></div>
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<i>Josh admires the UP track inspection car resting for a moment before continuing east into the Grant Tower wye track.</i></div>
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<b>A Jaunt Down Over to Wendover</b><br />
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On May 18, only a few days after our DEP meet; my Dad invited me to join him on a trip out to Wendover he had to do for work. It was the first time I had been to Wendover in years and I was interested to see what I could find there in this desolate desert border community. Wendover was founded by the Western Pacific and hosted a crew change point and a small roundhouse during the steam era. A local branchline operation the Deep Creek Railroad interchanged with the WP in Wendover until that line was abandoned during the Great Depression. WWII brought the US Army Air Force to Wendover with the new base in the town. The base gained notoriety with its use for training by the 509th Composite Group the first nuclear bomber group in world history which would be later lead the attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan.<br />
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Most Utah residents know the area now for its neighbor city West Wendover, Nevada and its casinos and concert halls. However rail activity remains an ever present part of the Wendover community, and it is one of the few places in Utah to embrace its connection to the Western Pacific Railroad. A potash operation and the Robinson Mine's copper ore loader keep the rails busy even though there is no longer an official crew change point in the city.<br />
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<i>This unique ex-Canadian National GMD-1 now works for the Robinson Mine's switching cuts of copper ore cars. Spiritually this operation is the successor to the famed Nevada Northern Railway, as the copper ore from the Robinson operation originates at the Ruth pit which was once served by the Nevada Northern.</i></div>
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<i>A scale test car at the copper loader operation. The frame suggests the car was built using recycled parts from retired freight cars; perhaps an old slag pot from a smelter or mill?</i></div>
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<i>Broken Arrow's GE center cab at the Robinson Mine operations with a trackmobile and the scale test car.</i></div>
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<i>Forgive this non-railroad related photo, but it seems inappropriate to mention Wendover without discussion about the area's history with the Air Force. This F86-D "Sabre Dog" is kept at the Wendover Airport. A massive restoration project on the same field is restoring the "Enola Gay Hangar" a large structure built for B-29 bombers used by the 509th Composite Group during its training regiment in Wendover.</i><br />
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<i>A westbound coal train (possibly heading to the North Valmy Power Plant in Nevada, although an export train heading to a west coast port is probably more likely), rolls through Wendover on its trek west. These coal trains always seem to be a place for grungy battle worn GE units to battle out on. After a long stretch of flat lands across the Salt Flats to reach Wendover, this coal train will soon be at the remote Arnold Loop in Nevada, climbing over the mountains separating the desert valleys.</i><br />
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<i>Two Union Pacific Automated Way boxcars in Wendover. One preserved and painted in Western Pacific tribute colors which is slowly fading off and revealing the UP yellow beneath. The other in a siding near the mainline, still in service to Union Pacific!</i></div>
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<b>Tequilla, Shi-Tzus, and TRAX: Random Day by Day Raifan Adventures</b></div>
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<i>On May 20, the private car "The Patron Tequila Express" had a layover in Salt Lake City having arrived on the California Zephyr. This gorgeous vintage passenger car looked wonderful even when admiring it from afar.</i><br />
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<i>A westbound BNSF Provo-Stockton trackage rights train at Stauffer on the former Western Pacific mainline in the late evening.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIjFcx5FCvLzQ3O1qdFkTruVXTsElU-G-dDwvzhXf3fZ6OAxdrgKyDA8n8mqCL3rWMaPKjTKPlRWl-MSFrzrjB1aA6-1OkBS68ua1MCXCmfC38AIltx2-ROtRilZGRf9Kld4nF1iuzQEQ/s1600/IMG_7896.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIjFcx5FCvLzQ3O1qdFkTruVXTsElU-G-dDwvzhXf3fZ6OAxdrgKyDA8n8mqCL3rWMaPKjTKPlRWl-MSFrzrjB1aA6-1OkBS68ua1MCXCmfC38AIltx2-ROtRilZGRf9Kld4nF1iuzQEQ/s400/IMG_7896.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>I decided to take my family dog Lucy out on a walk near Erda, Utah on May 27 which was a bright sunny morning. A passing SLC to Long Beach intermodal startled Lucy and she didn't seem to be happy to be there at all when a quartet of SD70M engines roared past.</i></div>
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<i>Despite her initial apprehension, it seemed Lucy was watching the train roll by after a minute or two of being near it! </i></div>
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<i>The Siemens SD-100/SD-160 models were once a common sight on the University extension on the TRAX system, but the Redline completion to Daybreak has meant they have been mostly replaced by the newer S70. Due to TRAX M.O.W. work and the resulting system delays, for a few weekends this year UTA has been running a special "Black Line" from Salt Lake Central to the University Hospital which uses the classic SD models once again. The photo was taken at the hill connecting 400S and 500S, one of the steepest grades (if not the steepest) on the UTA rail system.</i></div>
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<b>Museum Season and Restoration Work!</b><br />
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Summer is usually a busy season for both tourist railroads and railroad museums. Of note, many of the small town museums such as the Tooele Valley Railroad Museum operate on a scheduled summer season. I dropped by the Tooele Museum on its first day open on the Tuesday following memorial day.</div>
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<i>Among the small town local museums now open for summer is the Tooele Valley Railroad Museum. This photo was taken inside the former Tooele Station at the museum shortly after their opening day for the season. The museum's operating season lasts until Labor Day when the museum.</i></div>
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One of the most interesting things happening this summer is a volunteer effort organized at the Heber Valley Railroad to cosmetically restore Columbia Steel #300, an 0-6-0 steam engine. The effort was organized by Parker Wilson, a longtime volunteer at Heber. Cosmetic restoration had began on the engine in 2013 by a local youth group, but they abandoned the project shortly after starting it. The abandoned effort had done enough work to allow the Heber shop crew to paint the tender of the locomotive, but the rest of the engine was left bare. The following years #300 sat mostly neglected on the Heber property, as the available workers were focused on their other engines.</div>
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Parker began bouncing around the idea of getting a group of volunteers together to provide the man power needed to get #300 cosmetically restored. In an ultimate example of "if you want something done do it yourself" mentality he reached out over social media to find other people to join him working on the engine. Both Josh and I decided to join his efforts on the first day of work on June 3, 2017. We were joined by two other railfans Jacob Morgan and Mason McAllister. Both Josh and Jacob M. have experience working on DRGW 223 up in Ogden while Parker and Mason have done work at Heber before. </div>
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The five of us set off to paint stripping the running gear on the right side of the engine on our first day of work at the site. The Heber Valley Railroad had switched the #300 to the backside of their shop, where we could plug into their compressed air system and work in the shade the building offered. We got to tour around the shop a bit seeing the Heber's newest acquisition a heavyweight streamliner passenger car getting work done on it. We also got to take a look at Union Pacific 1011, a 1940 vintage NW2 switcher which should be returning to service at Heber in the coming months. </div>
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<i>Parker stripping paint off the running gear on Columbia Steel #300.</i></div>
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<i>My face covered in paint chips stripped off the #300 during our work on it. It was pretty messy!</i></div>
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<i>Another view of Parker paint stripping #300 during our first work session. Once paint is removed the metal surface is polished with a wire brush, and then it is ready for a new coat of paint.</i></div>
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In our few hours of work on the #300 we made swift progress, and Parker by the end of it had began testing the rotary wire brush on a few segments to see how easy they polished up. Decades of rust and grime came off under the force of the brush, and underneath the metal shined like new. We hope that paint will be able to start going on soon as teams strip off the old paint and the surfaces are polished. Parker even mentioned that part of the cab on the right side which was rotted out may be replaced by a newly fabricated piece of sheet metal by the shop crew. Hopefully before this summer season is finished Columbia Steel #300 will have returned to its former cosmetic glory!</div>
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-Jacob Lyman</div>
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Jacob Lymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03836321845066754233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094173605070939347.post-37964720138643221882017-05-28T13:08:00.000-07:002017-05-28T13:08:23.816-07:00Happy Memorial Day<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcsRsru0-wEdZg9g5lSOKIbkB9vd_p6vvO6TE_atZ7Cq7RWqutc5wnA2FGtVJDNudJI2P2P8P30vG3vgQstp9eDH2X9F3Si4FpzgYzj-xP6xNW55Ws06cGKzDCv9iPZgOihfXrl22FUQ/s1600/IMG_2526.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcsRsru0-wEdZg9g5lSOKIbkB9vd_p6vvO6TE_atZ7Cq7RWqutc5wnA2FGtVJDNudJI2P2P8P30vG3vgQstp9eDH2X9F3Si4FpzgYzj-xP6xNW55Ws06cGKzDCv9iPZgOihfXrl22FUQ/s400/IMG_2526.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nevada Northern Railway engine 40 is the undisputed queen of steam in<br />
Nevada. She is seen here along the Lincoln Highway (US 50) just west of Ely<br />
all decked out for Memorial Day with the same bowtie she wore in the 1950's.</td></tr>
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Memorial Day to some is a three day weekend away from work or school that they can grill, shop the Memorial Day sales, and generally kick start the summer season. Most have forgotten the real meaning behind the holiday. Memorial Day was established to honor those in uniform who have paid the ultimate price in order for those of us here at home to be able to enjoy the freedoms we have. For without those brave men and women putting their lives down in service to their country, we would not be where we are today. Sure, we have our problems, but we also have our successes. As a nation, we also enjoy more personal liberties that many people around the world only wish they could have a taste of. It was once said around the world that America was a new start, a new way of life. People of many nations traveled long distances, many of whom never made it, just to stand on our shores and begin that new life. This would never have happened were it not for our armed forces ensuring that the way of life our founding fathers envisioned was protected. As you prepare for the pool parties and barbeques, please take pause for a moment to remember those who are no longer here to celebrate with you so that you can. Happy Memorial Day!<br />
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- Matt Liverani<br />
Former US Air Force<br />
<br />Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04035810342144800113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094173605070939347.post-87830486511430951282017-05-15T06:51:00.000-07:002017-05-15T06:51:32.146-07:00Chasing Union Pacific 844: Ogden to Green River<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih7EqtXz1Th2SrlhhFiwJOBHonBnDV4U6qli95K-6dMLqWcJz5O8eCx5DPM3kOur5wahtCBNm2F6w-UsjZTgVY2elbUyq8q9M6BIyW1y4eFME7l2Zr2gS7hTAluA9fQoBcv5eAhSRO4C0/s1600/833and844.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="95" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih7EqtXz1Th2SrlhhFiwJOBHonBnDV4U6qli95K-6dMLqWcJz5O8eCx5DPM3kOur5wahtCBNm2F6w-UsjZTgVY2elbUyq8q9M6BIyW1y4eFME7l2Zr2gS7hTAluA9fQoBcv5eAhSRO4C0/s400/833and844.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">This is now the Desert Empire Project facebook banner, and for good reason - on one end we have an FEF-2, UP 833, and on the other an FEF-3, UP 844, two classic Union Pacific Northerns in preservation.</span></div>
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In case you haven't followed our recent articles, Jacob covered April 2017's "Boise Turn" from <a href="http://desertempireproject.blogspot.com/2017/04/union-pacific-844-april-2017-pocatello.html" target="_blank">Pocatello Idaho to Ogden Utah</a> in the last post; I took up the baton and followed the 844 on its return journey all the way to Green River, Wyoming. The journey began on Wednesday, April 26th while the 844 was still on display at the Utah State Railroad Museum in Ogden. A Union Pacific Engineer's Special was passing through over the ex-D&RGW Soldier Summit route (today's Provo Subdivision) so I had to chase it from Provo to the Red Narrows before heading north to meet up with Jacob and Schon for a Desert Empire Project party (having our four editors spread between four cities and two states means that we usually only coordinate via internet chat).<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">I met Schon and Jacob near Salt Lake City so we could drive to Ogden together; waiting for them gave an opportunity to photograph UTA's Trax system.</span></div>
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The reason for being in Ogden on Wednesday was that I, as a director for the <a href="http://www.trainweb.org/rlhs/" target="_blank">Golden Spike Chapter of the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society</a> (the group behind the restoration of D&RGW 223), was invited to the Steam Crew Banquet hosted by the Union Station Foundation to thank Union Pacific for bringing the 844 to Ogden. This is a tradition that stretches back decades, and in fact we have heard from several past and present Steam Team members that Ogden is their favorite place to stop because of the hospitality and friendliness. The banquet was attended by representatives of both government and rail preservation groups, including the Promontory Chapter NRHS, Golden Spike National Historic Site and <a href="http://dynarail.org/" target="_blank">Dynamic Rail Preservation</a>.<br />
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Then it was off to bed - after confirming that the crew would be up and preparing the locomotive at 5:00 am the next morning, I knew that if I wanted to beat the crowds and get some good early-morning shots I needed to be up by 4:00. Seeing the 844 alone, yet alive, in the post-rainstorm night really set the clock back. Replace the crew's reflective jackets with normal overalls and the scene could have been any day at the Junction City in 1955. Once the sun came up the people started pouring in so I hurried to stake out a spot at 26th Street where I hoped the bulk of the crowds would not be. There I met with Mitch Harvey, who is developing a digital simulation of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thewasatch/" target="_blank">the entire Salt Lake and Evanston Subdivisions</a> of the Union Pacific System for Railworks. He was my copilot and official out-the-window photographer for the trip; this was a good opportunity for him to perform field research for his project. Unfortunately, and perhaps it was because of the lack of sleep, I made several mistakes throughout the day that eventually struck me out from my plan of filming the entire trip.<br />
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After watching the 844 leave the Union Station (after minor problems with the electrical system) we raced to Peterson on the other side of Weber Canyon to catch it on the curve just before the highway bridge. I somehow messed up the settings on the video camera and overexposed the image there. It was also there that we realized the sheer magnitude of the crowds that also were chasing as I-84 became a parking lot within minutes of the locomotive passing us. Traffic was stop-and-go all the way to Emory and it was impossible to catch up. Here is an important lesson for photographers - NEVER PACE THE TRAIN ON A FREEWAY. The train was going 15 mph under the speed limit, and both lanes were trying to stay alongside, completely blocking traffic. Those idiots really made a lot of people angry (myself included) and the traffic was held up almost ten miles back until the I-80 junction where most of them jumped ship. Common courtesy is one commodity that is almost always absent from railroad related events.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Two shots of the traffic near Morgan.</span></div>
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Basically, the first four stops that we had carefully planned two weeks in advance were out of the question. Once past Emory the traffic cleared enough for us to arrive at Castle Rock with time to set up and wait as a westbound freight inched its way by before the 844 arrived. The canyon isn't called Echo for nothing, and the sound of the steam locomotive pounding the iron on an upgrade was incredible. Luckily the extra time there gave me the chance to find and fix the exposure problem for the remainder of the day.<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">This westbound freight entertained us and the dozens of other photographers perched on the edge of the bluff at Castle Rock. Spencer Peterson of UCrail.com was alongside us although we didn't recognize it until after we began posting our individual photos on our respective sites.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">The Boise Turn passes the freight at Castle Rock</span></div>
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Then the traffic held us up again, preventing a stop at Wahsatch and forcing us to arrive in Evanston at the same time as the 844. Union Pacific shut down both east and westbound mains for the duration of the 844's half-hour stay there, effectively holding back several freights.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjesh067wYiRlG4B132GW9Cvo2rfWoC_vE3Q1WG3nGGnHrC7J5goDWbZXKHPJ_0Kpu8Jy7d8VFZtF6MTlICiQz9t3xQ-RQCE3WoflK28QBFqxSqJ8hPCuV7WxUUWGXpAAMV9mlGQ5ItfbU/s1600/IMG_2213.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjesh067wYiRlG4B132GW9Cvo2rfWoC_vE3Q1WG3nGGnHrC7J5goDWbZXKHPJ_0Kpu8Jy7d8VFZtF6MTlICiQz9t3xQ-RQCE3WoflK28QBFqxSqJ8hPCuV7WxUUWGXpAAMV9mlGQ5ItfbU/s320/IMG_2213.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">The Evanston yard, with both mains shut down, was flooded with people, many of whom followed the train from Utah.</span></div>
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Mitch and I decided to continue on to find a good spot; after much thought, some confusion, and multiple last-minute decisions, we chose a spot called Leroy, the site of a now-demolished section house. Only the trees planted by the railroad and a small dugout mark the site as having once been inhabited. It was here as well that the wind really picked up, blowing over my tripod which luckily was caught by another photographer who Mitch had met a year ago in Salt Lake City.<br />
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From Leroy it was a mad dash down a muddy dirt road to reunite with the interstate and reach Granger before the train, which luckily we did. The gentleman at Leroy advised us to run straight through Granger to the bridge just west of town, which was some of the best advice I have ever received. We had the location all to ourselves as the 844 slowed from track speed to enter the town, where it stayed for another half hour. Unfortunately I set up the tripod on a stack of ties which turned out to be very unstable and with each gust of wind pushed the camera further and further to the side.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0LzUu2nfCAvA74YjFH7Bxh25LfRR_TqhHb7h94plzaX7U5FlWYFTu1M_5f-IKddwm7zc0CF5Lpb2oFRE5z0YHU54bnbuXXLqEg3oTHPnneKDIx33NKxmGoUulAerUT_f3zd-cHyb65NU/s1600/IMG_2244.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0LzUu2nfCAvA74YjFH7Bxh25LfRR_TqhHb7h94plzaX7U5FlWYFTu1M_5f-IKddwm7zc0CF5Lpb2oFRE5z0YHU54bnbuXXLqEg3oTHPnneKDIx33NKxmGoUulAerUT_f3zd-cHyb65NU/s320/IMG_2244.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">The bridge at Granger. Note I was not on the bridge or the track but took this photo from a distance with a zoom lens.</span></div>
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Then on to town to find a sudden and unexpected population explosion as the little town was invaded with people who were there to see it the 844 despite strong winds and alternating hail/snow/rain/sun that hit us every five minutes or so. Granger's existence depends on the junction between the Transcontinental mainline and the ex-Oregon Short Line Pocatello subdivision to Idaho so rail traffic is heavy through there. As temperatures dropped I realized I didn't bring a jacket, so the emergency raincoat was pulled from the back of my car to improvise. Two westbound freights passed through, one of them a Herzog ballast train, while we waited, and then it was on to Green River where the real party began.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">A westbound ballast train approaches Granger</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">UP 844 highball Granger!</span></div>
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Winds kept getting stronger the further we went until they exceeded 40 mph; when we reached Green River we thought the pedestrian overpass spanning the yard would be a great place to film the train coming in, but the wind was strong enough to sway the bridge enough to cause nausea and vertigo. In addition, a long line of freights and intermodal trains were backed up in the yard so the 844 was held for hours as one westbound after another pulled out.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">The 844 was held here for several hours while westbound freights poured through Green River. Dozens of people were crowded on the pedestrian overpass waiting for it to move which it never did.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">A yard job passes under the overpass. Extremely strong winds caused the bridge to sway back and forth, yet this tenacious crowd stuck to it for hours despite the 844's lack of activity during that time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">One of many freights that passed through while waiting for the 844.</span></div>
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After waiting for more than two hours we decided to head back to Ogden, where we caught one more freight in Echo Canyon before parting ways for the day.<br />
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This was a great chase. Upon returning to Utah, several friends remarked that we were crazy for going all the way to Green River. In a way we are, I guess. You need to be crazy to devote so much time and effort into following a steam locomotive.<br />
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You can watch the video from this trip here:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/wFqu0Ahqnps/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wFqu0Ahqnps?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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And my video from the last time UP 844 passed through Utah here: <br />
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-Josh<br />
<br />Kipperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15298088669147273518noreply@blogger.com0