-- From inside cover of the Amtrak System Timetable, Winter-Spring 2016   

I.  Train Travelogues, Conference Reports, and Photo Essays in the United States: 

  April 2023 - Trains of Del Mar, California: Photos & Text by Carl Morrison. Each year, for 40 years, my wife and I have spent a week around Easter at Wave Crest Resort next to Seagrove Park in Del Mar, California. During the week I like to photograph North County Transit District Coaster commuter trains, Amtrak Surfliner passenger service and BNSF Railway freight trains that... Read More>>






 2023 - ALL ABOARD: The Romance of California's Railroads: Photos & Text by Carl Morrison. A Showcase of Artwork from the Hilbert Museum of California Art of Chapman University At Hilbert Temporary Museum, 216 E. Chapman Avenue, Orange, California, through May 6, 2023. The Museum posted the promotion above which I saw in a local paper. Rail friends Don Roe, Gary Hess and I decided to make an outing to the Hilbert Museum to see this excellent show plus have lunch afterwards. We met at the opening hour on March 17, 2023. I gave my business card to... Read More>>











*     White Pass & Yukon Route Railway  "The Scenic Railway of the World, Skagway, Alaska"  With Rainbow Glacier Adventures Tours in Skagway and Haines, Alaska  July 29 - August 5, 2019

•   150th Anniversary of the driving of the golden spike joining of the rails at Promontory Summit on May 10, 1869.  An Amtrak/automobile trip from Fullerton, California, to the Golden Spike National Historical Park, Promontory, Utah.  May 6 - 13, 2019,

•   The 2019 California Passenger Rail Summit sessions will feature: Innovative technologies to improve the passenger's experience; Transformative megaprojects in the Northern and Southern California Megaregions: Latest developments in new passenger rail vehicles: Sustainability initiatives to reduce passenger rail's carbon footprint.  April 24-25, 2019.

•   Imperial Western Beer Co. and The Streamliner at LA Union Station Exclusive Preview. October 3, 2018 Click Here

•  Amtrak Pacific Surfliner Siemens Charger Locomotive Unveiling Los Angeles Union Station, California October 1, 2018.  Click Here.

•  2018 California Passenger Rail Summit - Extensive photos from this 6th annual Summit including equipment displays, reception in the historic Los Angeles Union Station ticket area, and the Patrick Henry Private Railcars. Photos also included from the tour of the LA Metro Regional Connector Transit Project and Los Angeles Union Station Tour.  Slideshow of photos at the Summit:  Click Here.

•   Notes about traveling to the 2018 California Passenger Rail Summit with an assistance scooter on Amtrak Pacific Surfliner, Metro light-rail, Uber, LAUS Station Tour, Regional Connector Tour, the Metro Board Room, and the conference hotel:  DoubleTree by Hilton Los Angeles Downtown.


•  Amtrak Surfliner Round Trip Fullerton - Santa Barbara for Lunch, Friday, November 18, 2017  By Carl Morrison with Gary Hess.   Often, when folks know I ride trains quite a bit, they ask me what train ride to start with, perhaps with their children or grandchildren.  For a turn-around trip in one day, with ocean views, I suggest going from Orange County, California, to Santa Barbara and back.

•  2017 California Passenger Rail Summit  Speakers discussed funding, development, and strategic approaches to the growth of passenger rail in the state.  Joining us at this event were state and federal representatives, passenger rail agencies, and other leaders working together to shape the future of passenger rail. 

•  Amtrak Coast Starlight  Round trip Fullerton - Sacramento  Monday, April 17, 2017 - Return - Thursday, April 20, 2017  Those who travel the highways see America's front yards;  those who travel the railways see the back yards, vineyards, and barn yards.  The purpose of this trip was to photograph and report on the 2017 California Passenger Rail Summit held in Sacramento. This route is the longest ocean view train ride in America and is more of a tourist train than a business or commuter train.  The ocean view portion is between Ventura and San Luis Obispo. It is popular with foreign visitors to the US and vacationing Americans. 

•  "America By Amtrak" A train trip of a lifetime, covering 25 states on 6 Amtrak Long Distance Trains and 7,638 rail miles by a 74 year old dad and 42 year old son, Matthew Morrison, July 5 - 22, 2016.  Trains ridden:  Coast Starlight, Empire Builder, Capitol Limited, Carolinian, Crescent, and Sunset Limited.  Cities visted:  Seattle; Chicago; Washington, DC; Charlotte, NC; New Orleans and Los Angeles.

•    A great place to research Tourist, Amtrak, and VIA trains is the LA Travel and Adventure Show at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Take an Amtrak Surfliner to the Los Angeles Union Station, then a Metro line to within a block of the Convention Center.  The show is also held in these cities:  San Diego, Chicago, Dallas, Washington, D.C., San Francisco/Bay Area, Philadelphia, and Denver.  Notes from speakers Pauline Frommer and Rick Steves who will probably appear at each city.

•    Orange Empire Railway Museum, Perris, California   A photo essay of "Behind the Scenes" Day, January 21, 2017. OERM 2201 South "A" Street, Perris, California (951) 943-3020.

•    Nethercutt Collection, Sylmar, California.  1937 Canadian Pacific Royal Hudson Locomotive #2839, 1912 Pullman Private Car #100 California, and approx. 30 of the finest automoblies of the 1910s, 20s, and 30s era. Duesenbergs, Cadillacs, Isotta-Fraschini, Delahaye, Minvera, Renault, Maybach, many other European and American built automoblies.

•    Amtrak  California Zephyr Destination City - Reno, Nevada for Hot August Nights classic car show.

•    Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus Train and "Out of this World" Blue Unit 2016 Performance.

•    A Taste of Silver Rails Country 2016 The inaugural "A Taste of Silver Rails" event with local winery tastings of their finest wines and local eateries offering up samples. Admission included wine tasting and a commemorative wine glass at the beautiful Silver Rails Event Center in La Plata, Missouri.
    Report includes photos and report from a 4,000 mile Southwest Chief roundtrip Fullerton, California, to La Plata, Missouri including photos from Marceline, Swan Lake National Wildlife Reserve and Silver Rails Vineyard.

•    2016 California Passenger Rail Summit  Annual summit of passenger rail agencies of California held in the Los Angeles Union Station Historic Ticket Office. Includes photos of trains on display (3751, Amtrak, and Metrolink) and tour of the Regional Connector Transit Project.
 
•    Travel & Adventure Show at the Long Beach Convention Center 2016.  How to Meet with Several Train Companies in One Day.  February 27, 2016

•     Amtrak Pacific Surfliner Fullerton to Oceanside and NCTD Sprinter to Escondido, California.  With Jack Turner September 17, 2015

•    Don Drummer -  March 23, 1942 - April 23, 2015, Railfan, Memorial Page.  August 29, 2015

•    Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Baily Red Unit Circus Train comes to Southern California  July 9 - August 9, 2015.

•     The Circus Moves By Rail book summary by Carl Morrison

•    Patrick Henry Private Rail Car, Fullerton, California  July 27, 2015

•     2015 California Passenger Rail Summit, Sacramento, California  April 28 and 29, 2015.

•     Knott's Berry Farm Steam Train, Buena Park, California  A Photo Essay with Photo Tips April 1, 2015

•    The 2015 Los Angeles Travel & Adventure Show  February 21 and 22, 2015 Long Beach Convention Center, 300 E. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach, CA 90802 with five railroads represented at the show. 

•    Pasadena, California via Amtrak Pacific Surfliner, Metro, and Metrolink from Fullerton, California Including the Metropolitan Lounge in Los Angeles Union Station, La Grande Orange Cafe, and Castle Green Hotel in Pasadena   February 27, 2014

•    Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center – ARTIC  Photos at the first day of operation December 6, 2014, Night photos December 7, Ribbon Cutting December 8, Grand Opening December 13, 2014.

•      A Rail destination report about Verde Canyon Railroad - Clarkdale, Arizona;  Jerome Grand Hotel - Jerome, Arizona;  Blazin' M Ranch - Cottonwood, Arizona.  Photos include:  Verde Canyon Railroad, Blazin' M Ranch, Jerome Grand Hotel and the town of Jerome.  September 17 - 18, 2014.

•       An Adventure by Train to Wild West Towns including Flagstaff, Clarkdale, Cottonwood, Jerome and Williams, Arizona, and not a shot was fired (except with a camera).  Photos include:   Grand Canyon National Park, Grand Canyon Railway and Amtrak Southwest Chief.  September 17 - 18, 2014.

•    Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Blue Unit Circus Train in Southern California, July - August, 2014.
This report includes photos of the Circus Train, "The Longest Private Train in the World," in Anaheim; a video of the train enroute along the Southern California Coast; and photos of the Circus Opening Night Performance in Anaheim.

•    Training Mission - Amtrak Southwest Chief from Fullerton, California, to Naperville, Illinois, Round Trip   May 12 - 28, 2014  Including Photos of:  Illinois Railway Museum; Milwaukee Lighthouses; Oconomowoc, Wisconsin Depot; Jack Delano's Railroad Photography Exhibit;  and  Silver Rails Country, La Plata, Missouri

•    California Passenger Rail Summit 2014, April 2-3, 2014 at the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) headquarters, adjacent to Los Angeles Union Station.

•    RailPAC - NARP Annual Steel Wheels Conference Los Angeles Metro Board Room at Union Station, Los Angeles  Saturday February 1, 2014

•    Los Angeles Times Travel Show - Using a Train, Subway, and Light Rail to get there. January 18 and 19, 2014.

•    Glenwood Springs, Colorado, via Amtrak California Zephyr - Destination:  Hotel Denver - A Railfan's Dream Hotel with station and track view rooms.  September 16 - 22, 2013

•    Portland Vino Train June 4 - 9, 2013. "You will not find a better value, better staff, nor a better route, in America for a 6-day, 5-night round trip private vintage railcar vacation than the Portland Vino Train."

•     The Circus Train is Coming to Town!  July 10 - August 4, 2013.  Press Releases from Ringling, Interview with the Trainmaster, Lonnie Sullivan, Performance Photos, and chasing the circus train along the California Coast.

•    National Train Day, May 11, 2013, Los Angeles, California.

•    Fullerton Railroad Days, May 4 - 5, 2013.  Includes photos of the Amtrak Exhibit Train, Disneyland No. 4, Southwest Chief with LARail's  cars passing through Fullerton, California, just starting their Grand Central Terminal Limited Tour May 5th - May 20th 2013.


•    The Iron Horse Wood Relief Carvings of Jackie Hadnot.  His Promontory Point Golden Spike Commemorative 13' x 43" piece on display at the American Passenger Rail Heritage Foundation (APRHF) booth in Fullerton, California, May 4 - 5, 2013 and National Train Day, Los Angeles, May 11, 2013.

•    American Passenger Rail Heritage Foundation (APRHF) organizational conference at the Depot Inn & Suites in La Plata, Missouri.  See the APRHF's Mission, and many Venues already established.  Join the APRHF and learn more about Passenger Train History in the USA and world-wide.

•    Where to Learn About Several Rail Adventures in One Day:  LA Travel & Adventure Show and LA Times Travel Show  January 12, 2013

•    Super Chief, “The Train of the Stars” Inaugural roundtrip from Los Angeles - San Diego, December 29, 2012, on the restored first lightweight Santa Fe Super Chief car, ACOMA, December 29, 2012.  

•    Silver Rails Country  October 17 - 27, 2012  Another Round Trip on the Southwest Chief from Fullerton, California, to La Plata, Missouri, and Silver Rails Country, the home of American Passenger Rail Heritage Foundation (APRHF).

•    Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Blue Unit Circus in Southern California:  Chasing it; Interviewing the Trainmaster, Joe Colossa; Loading and Unloading the Elephants and Horses; A Performance of the DRAGONS Show; and a RIDE on the Longest Private Train in the World!  July 9 - August 27, 2012

•    Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal (LAUPT) Walking Tour by the LA Conservancy August 18, 2012

•    Izaak Walton Inn, Essex, Montana   Traveling on the Amtrak Coast Starlight and Empire Builder for a Spring, 2012, Visit to Glacier National Park.  May 19 - 26, 2012

•    Trains of San Diego County, California - April, 2012

•    Hotel Santa Barbara on "The American Riviera" and the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner - March 29 - 30, 2012 

•    Vino Train - A Santa Barbara Wine Tasting Adventure, free from driving, aboard the Vino Train from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara round trip. Saturday, March 17, 2012

•    Amtrak Southwest Chief from Fullerton, CA, to Albuquerque, NM  Including photos of  Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Preserve, Old Town Albuquerque, Unser Racing Museum, Santa Fe Southern Railway, Classical Gas Museum - Embudo, and Taos Pueblo.  January 17 - 22, 2012

•    Silver Rails Country - A Photographer's Paradise in Middle America  Located in Northeast Missouri (NEMO)
at the La Plata stop on the route of the Amtrak Southwest Chief.  A Photo Essay featuring the Depot Inn & Suites, Silver Rails Gallery and Event Center, La Plata Amtrak Station, Santa Fe Espresso, Grandma's, West Winery, and five other photo essays around La Plata.

•    Columbia Star Dinner Train, October 15, 2011.  Put on your Sunday Best, pick a special occasion and enjoy a gourmet dinner while riding a vintage classic train through rural Missouri near Columbia.  Learn about the "Cornfield Bandit" and his effect on this dinner train experience.

•    "Rail Travel Writing and Photography Workshop" October 16 - 20, 2011 Presented by Henry Kisor and Carl Morrison - Reasons for holding your next small conference in the center of Silver Rails Country at the rail-friendly Depot Inn & Suites in La Plata, Missouri, on the route of the Southwest Chief.

•    A "Car Free" Week Along the Central Coast of California.  Traveling by Amtrak Pacific Surfliner and Amtrak Bus to San Luis Obispo, Solvang, Santa Barbara, and Ventura, California,..all without a car.  Including "The Longest Ocean view Train Ride in America".  August 15-20, 2011

•    Streamliner Lounge opens at the Orange, CA, Metrolink Depot.  1950s train decor inside and out with a Ruby's Diner adjacent.  Interior and Exterior photos.

•     Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Red Unit, July 25 & 28, 2011, Anaheim, CA.  Includes photos of the Circus Train, Animal Walk, Videos of the Animal Walk and some of the Performance and interesting Circus Train Facts.

•    National Train Day, May 7, 2011, at Los Angeles, California, with inside and outside photos of Amtrak Equipment, Private Rail Cars, Los Angeles Station, and other photos near the Station.

•    Coast Starlight round trip Fullerton, CA, to Seattle, WA,  with photos of the Parlour Car, Bedrooms, Diner, Coach, Tulip Festival, Boeing Museum, Seattle Space Needle, Pike Market, Mt. Vernon, La Conner, Anacortes, Port Townsend, Washington, and the Washington Ferry System.  April, 2011.

•    "The Railroad Revival Tour 2011" a report about the Tour Train at the San Pedro, CA, concert 4/22/11 (3 bands, 2,000 miles, 6 outdoor concerts, all by 14 private rail cars)

•   A slide show titled, How to Take Better Train Photos, by Carl Morrison.  My train photos are used to illustrate the different elements of composition. Use the >> button to advance to the next slide.  Use Command/- or Command/+ on your keyboard to decrease/increase the slides so they show on your monitor.

•    A Train for All Seasons  A Ride on the All-Season Verde Canyon Railroad, Clarkdale, Arizona

•    Blazin' M Ranch   A Scrumptious Chuckwagon Dinner and Cowboy Music Show after a ride on the Verde Canyon Railroad.

•    A Winter Ride on the Grand Canyon Railway, Williams, Arizona,  February 8, 2011.
 
•    Car Free San Diego, California - Where to Stay, What to Do, Where to Eat, and Where to Drink in San Diego without a car,
Using the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner, San Diego Coaster, and San Diego Red Trolley.  November 18 - 20, 2010

•    Train Riders Association of California (TRAC) 2010 Conference in Sacramento, CA, with excursion to Alstom in Vallejo, CA.

•    Vino Train - Los Angeles to Santa Barbara Round Trip, October 23, 2010.  Wining, Dining, and Training with a Pacific Ocean View.

•   Trains to Planes 2010:  Taking the Southwest Chief  to Silver Rails Country, La Plata, MO, for the Depot Inn & Suites Kirksville Air Festival  Sept. 12, 2010.

•   Los Angeles, Griffith Park, Travel Town - A Railfan Destination, August 15, 2010.

•   Railfan - Dan Dalke's Memorial Service, August 16, 2010.

•    Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus Train - 2010 Blue Unit Report and Photos from Commerce and Anaheim, California, July 13, 2010

•    Photo Essay:  Trains of Cajon Pass, California.  May 25, 2010.

•    "Spring Training" from Fullerton, CA, to Los Angeles to Essex, Montana  Amtrak:  Pacific Surfliner, Coast Starlight, and Empire Builder. May 12 - 13, 2010

•    National Train Day, May 8, 2010, Los Angeles

•    Photo Essay:  No. 3751 4-8-4 Steam Locomotive Trip LA to San Diego, May 1, 2010.

•    RailPAC/NARP Conference, Los Angeles, April 17, 2010

•    Photo Essay:  Union Pacific's 1904 Santa Ana River Bridge, Riverside, CA.

•     Luncheon by the Sea on the Silver Splendor, April 11, 2010.

•     Photo Essay:  Surfliner and Coaster Trains at Del Mar, California, April, 2010.  

•    VIEWS FROM A SUPERLINER:  Southwest Chief from Fullerton, California, to LaPlata, Missouri, March 8 - 14, 2010, for the Silver Rails Gallery Opening, and return to Fullerton.

•    Silver Rails Country Attractions:  LaPlata; Kirksville; Macon; Higbee, and Hannibal, Missouri.  Missouri Wineries and more.  March 8 - 14, 2010

•    Silver Rails Gallery, La Plata, MO, Grand Opening, March 13, 2010.  A new Art Gallery devoted exclusively to Railroad Art of nationally known artists.

•    Amtrak's Dark Side -- Southwest Chief from LA to Flagstaff, a Night Train.  Flagstaff well worth the visit.  Feb. 1 - 4, 2010.

•    The Name has changed, but it's the same Great Train ride on the Overland Trail private railcar: Santa Barbarbara Vino Lover's Train, revisited January 23, 2010, a seabird watcher's paradise.

•    A current listing of 5 rail trips to the Depot Inn & Suites in La Plata, MO, from California:

    a.    "Trains to Planes" Taking the Southwest Chief to the Depot Inn & Suites Kirksville, Missouri, Regional Air Festival, September 11 and 12, 2009:
http://trainweb.org/carl/TrainsToPlanes/
    b.    Heading to the Passenger Train Historical Society Meeting, Southwest Chief, Fullerton, CA, to La Plata, MO, August 7 - 10, 2008:
http://www.trainweb.org/carl/PTHS/
    c.    Chris Guenzler reaches One Million Miles Traveled on Amtrak, April 7, 2008:
http://trainweb.org/carl/GuenzlerAmtrakMillion/
    d.    La Plata, Missouri, Rail Events on February 23, 2008:
http://trainweb.org/carl/LaPlataFeb2008/
    e.    The 10th Anniversary of TrainWeb.com, December 9, 2006:
http://trainweb.org/carl/Anniversary/

•    California Rail 2020 Conference and Fillmore & Western Excursion  November 6 - 8, 2009
•    What's New with Santa Barbara Carfree in 2009?  October 19 - 21, 2009
•    Barstow Flyer   LA Rail and Pacific Railroad Society's Special Private Car Train -- LA - Barstow roundtrip  October 17, 2009.
•    Overland Trail Private Railcar "Santa Barbara Daylight Wine Lover's Train"   October 10, 2009
•    "Trains to Planes"  Taking the Southwest Chief to the  Depot Inn & Suites Kirksville, Missouri, Regional Air Festival  September 11 and 12, 2009
•    2009 Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey  Red Unit Circus Train in Anaheim and Ontario, CA, July, 2009
•    Central Coast Train Day 2009 in Santa Barbara, California, July 18, 2009
•    Traveling Back In Time - The 21st Annual Behind-the-Scenes Tour at the California State Railroad Museum and Railtown 1897 State Historic Park
•    "Steel Wheels in California,"  RailPAC Annual Meeting, NARP Member Meeting, Los Angeles, May 2, 2009.
•    National Train Day, May 9, 2009, Los Angeles Union Station.
•    The History of Sleeping Cars 150th Anniversary Symposium and Passenger Train Historical Society's Conference, April 23 - 26, 2009
•    Loco Vino - The Railroad Winery, offers the first railroad inspired wines for train lovers and wine lovers, with collector series railroad photographs on the labels.  March, 2009
•    GrandLuxe Sale - End of an Era - December 3, 2008
•    Rails to the Rim - Grand Canyon Railway Hotel and Train Package - October 16-18, 2008.

IV.  Travelouges from South of the Border:

•  The Maya Route by Rail:  Tabasco, Chiapas, Campeche and Yucatan, Mexico, Offered by Sue Stilwell at S&S Tours
•  The Copper Canyon, Mexico, Offered by Sue Stillwell at S&STours.