For those interested the Private Car owners will gather in Seattle 9-24 & 25 and will depart early 9-26 over the Stampede Pass toward Yakima, overnighting at Kennewick. 9-27 traverse the Columbia River to Wishram & then south to Bend for overnight.
9-28 to Klamath Falls for another overnight. On 9-29 traverse the Inside Gateway Route of BNSF, connecting with the UP at Keddie Wye and to Oroville for overnight. 9-30 toward Sacremento and then ending in Napa for the three day Convention
Posted by smitty195 (Member # 5102) on :
It will look really cool when they come into Napa! I hope someone with "pull" was able to snag the Amtrak 42 for power!
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
P-42 #42 'Veterans' arrived CUS today on #4(20).
Today was my first sighting of the unit; it received a hand salute from me as it passed.
Posted by Geoff Mayo (Member # 153) on :
(Thanks RRChina - not my area but heads-up like these are always appreciated by myself)
Posted by TBlack (Member # 181) on :
Geoff, Wonderful photo in perfect conditions right down to the crisp, new ballast. Like a pair of newly shined shoes! Tom
Posted by Geoff Mayo (Member # 153) on :
Not my photos! But yes, it was well set up.
Posted by Vincent206 (Member # 15447) on :
I walked by King Street Station this morning and noticed 8 private cars on one of the station tracks. Sorry I didn't have pen or paper to write down their names, but I did notice 2 Milwaukee Road cars (Wisconsin, Montana) and from memory I also recall seeing Santa Fe, Canadian National and New York Central represented. Interestingly, one of the new Oregon Talgo trainsets was sitting on the next track over from the private cars. I'll bet that sparked a few conversations.
Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :
I scratched an itch last September by going along as a one-day rider on the AAPRCO Special from Asheville, NC to Chattanooga aboard Jack Deasy's 'Mt. Vernon'. It was a phenomenal experience but one that is a bit beyond my means for doing on a regular basis.
My primary motive was riding a passenger train from Asheville up the French Broad River to Newport, TN again...... something I had not done in 35 years at that time.
We really got spoiled for a time with the old Southern and later the early Norfolk Southern steam excursion program where there was some sort of excursion on that route at least a couple of weekends every year. It was easy to see the flyer, consider the trip, and then decide "I'll just do this next year" and then, suddenly, with only a few weeks notice in 1994, there were no more next years.
Perhaps with the new but comparitively limited Norfolk Southern 21st Century Steam program we'll see another opportunity to ride a passenger train along the French Broad River again in the near future. Maybe behind the 4501. That's one where I'll order my ticket right away without 'just waiting till next year'.
Posted by Vincent206 (Member # 15447) on :
YouTube video of the procession at Auburn WA. Looks like everybody got a pass through the Holgate Street carwash before the trip began.
Posted by RRRICH (Member # 1418) on :
Great video, Vincent!! Thanks for sharing! I especially liked the NP green Vista-Dome car -- it reminds of my first train trip in my "adult" life -- in 1969, when I rode the North Coast Ltd from Chicago to Livingston MT and back (I worked at Yellowstone Pk that summer) -- I also see that "Northern Sky" is in the lineup -- I have seen that car at several locations over the last several years.
Thanks again!!
RR Rich
Posted by yukon11 (Member # 2997) on :
I really enjoyed the video, Vincent. Thanks for posting.
I wonder why they chose Napa for the convention? Maybe so that they could take the Napa Wine Train?
Richard
Posted by RRCHINA (Member # 1514) on :
Richard, I think Napa was chosen for its many attractions, but probably the wine train is something many of them have done previously.
AAPRCO makes a substantial effort to operate their annual convention train over what they call "Rare Mileage" which means they are looking for destinations which have not seen a passenger train for many years, sometime never. The 2010 convention was held in Pueblo, CO. The train originated in Albuquerque and went north to Walsenburg, CO, then west over La Veta Pass to Alamosa where they took a separate train over the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic. Then back over La Veta Pass and north from Walsenburg to Pueblo where it tied up for the convention. A separate train with several conventioneers PV's was assembled and toured the Transportation Technology Center after being escorted through Pueblo Army Depot.
Following the Convention the train was assembled and went east to Las Animas Jct., then down through Springfield, CO, and Boise City, OK to Amarillo, TX. The next day the train went over the BNSF Transcon through Abo Canyon to Belen and then north to Albuquerque where it terminated.