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Decided to return from OKJ going first class. Now sitting in the parlour car enjoying the scenery and using the Coast Starlights WIFI. Trip report to follow.
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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Wise choice; presume you are being "fortified' with your Private Stock when in your room.
smitty195 Member # 5102
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Beautiful day for a ride on the Coast Starlight.....especially in the Parlour Car.
Railroad Bob Member # 3508
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Not to mention the Cubs deconstruction of the Padres-well done! Oops, thread creep to a baseball topic; now back to the discussion of the meandering Starlight. Saw the consist of #14 (14/28) yesterday on a trip to LA; a beautifully restored Milwaukee Road private varnish in tow to PDX. I'd guess traveling in this car trumps even the Pacific Parlor!
sbalax Member # 2801
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We saw that same #14 go through Carpinteria yesterday. When you saw it was there a second car behind the beautiful Milwaukee Road car? There were people on the observation platform of the Milwaukee car but their view to the rear was obstructed by this second car. I didn't catch the name on that car -- it was, I believe, a fluted side stainless steel observation car.
All of this was while enjoying lunch at The Spot. We discovered that they make a pretty good grilled cheese sandwich on sour dough. Next time I'm having Mexican though.
Frank is finally cooling SBA. (It was 106 downtown on Monday.)
notelvis Member # 3071
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Details about the Milwaukee PV?
Was it perhaps the Super Dome car #53.......
Or the totally unique Skytop Observation?
smitty195 Member # 5102
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Frank....I'm glad it's cooling down there finally. Only slightly cooler today---currently 101 degrees.
I have a good friend who just moved to SBA. She was my catsitter, but I helped her in the testing process for becoming a 911 dispatcher, and she was hired by Santa Barbara PD. She's been there a few weeks now, and I'm quite surprised by the things she is learning about that town. I had no idea that 70% of police calls are for transients and drunks. I guess that's typical of many beach towns, but 70% sure sounds high. Her trainer sent her out on a ride-along for a shift, and she said that almost every call they responded to involved a transient and/or drunk (panhandling, harassing tourists, passed out in the middle of the street, drunk, trespassing, etc). I never would have known that, seeing as the only thing I've ever known about the city is what I see from 11 and 14.
sbalax Member # 2801
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David--
Nope, not the Super Dome of the Skytop. It had a conventional open platform on the rear. I don't know enough about the Milwaukee Road to ID it but I do know it was a very attractive paint job.
Smitty--
70% seems a bit high but you have to remember that we are also a college town (Actually, three colleges -- UCSB, Westmont, and SBCC) and an attractive place to live if one must be homeless.
Frank in still warm SBA
Ocala Mike Member # 4657
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quote:Originally posted by Railroad Bob: [QB] Not to mention the Cubs deconstruction of the Padres-well done! Oops, thread creep to a baseball topic; {/QB]
I love thread creep, Bob. Anyway, the "deconstruction" of the Padres was done by the Padres, not the Cubbies. San Diego was a fraud and ran out of smoke and mirrors in September.
The next team to be exposed (early in the playoffs) will be the Reds who appear satisfied just to have come this far.
RRCHINA Member # 1514
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The two PV's are returning after attending the annual convention of the American Association of Private Car Owners in Pueblo, Colorado.
The car in Milwaukee colors is currently named WISCONSIN. It was built in 1948 for the Milwaukee Railroad and has had several owners prior to its acquisition and restoration.
The second car, with fluted stainless steel sides, is probably the Silver Iris and is based in Reno, NV. It was built by the Budd Company in 1952 for the CB&Q.
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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Here's the Wisconsin, which is how it was liveried during "my day" at the MILW.
Here's the Milwaukee. Note the "porthole" windows.
Additionally, there is one open-platform car in MILW "Hiawatha" livery named "Milwaukee"; while I'm sure is a fine car in which its owner has put much pride and $$$ into its upkeep, it is not ex-MILW. I observed the car heading WW on #3 (13SEP) apparently en route to Pueblo, CO as Mr. China immediately notes.
palmland Member # 4344
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RR Bob - many thanks for the decline of the Padres. My beat up Braves (down for the count: 2 all star infielders, 2 starting pitchers) need all the help they can get.
Good excuse to ride the Crescent - Atlanta - Philadelphia (except I'll be heading back to AZ)
notelvis Member # 3071
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quote:Originally posted by palmland: RR Bob - many thanks for the decline of the Padres. My beat up Braves (down for the count: 2 all star infielders, 2 starting pitchers) need all the help they can get.
Good excuse to ride the Crescent - Atlanta - Philadelphia (except I'll be heading back to AZ)
Just as well.....
Getting a room on the Crescent on short notice these days is a pretty rare thing.
Southwest Chief Member # 1227
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Cubs hurting the Padres chances of the post season is a slight payback for 84.
Railroad Bob Member # 3508
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Yes, yes and yes to those comments above! I like these multi-topic threads that occasionally appear at the Railforum.com. About the private cars, the one on the rear that obstructed the MW car's view- that one was to be dropped at Oakland, and then the MW people would have an unobstructed view from the Bay Area to PDX- at least it must have been fantastic going from Klamath Falls over the Cascades on the rear platform, while sipping hot coffee or even an "adult" beverage out there in the crisp mountain air!
And even though my geographic tag says San Diego, I'm far from a Padres or Chargers fan- my allegiances lie with Dodgers/Raiders/Lakers--who I predict will "three-peat" this season, no matter what the crying Celtics say- "we would have won if Kendrick Perkins was at full strength," or along those lines. Sorry, no "asterisk" for the Lakers championship! But I like the Boston guys who post here; nuttin' personal!
And about that 70% police calls going to homeless/drunk/disorderly calls in SBA...I have to accept that number as correct from my experiences in Frank's beautiful town. It reminds me of Santa Monica; another erstwhile beautiful beach city with an outsized homeless problem. Sorry to see it, but perhaps a sign of our times in this current era/political climate? If I recall a while back, we even had a dedicated thread discussing the homeless situation in SBA--
sbalax Member # 2801
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Bob--
I think you are right about that thread. Mostly it had to do with the homeless who choose to live near the tracks and use them as a sidewalk. And sometimes get hit.
Most recently we had two teens (reported to be "good kids") try to run across the 101 at Castillo Street very near the station. One made it but the other is in critical condition in Cottage Hospital.
The driver who hit the injured teen was held blameless but I can't imagine what living with that memory must be like.
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