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The 25th Winterail in Stockton 3/7-9/2003

First held in Sacramento in 1978, Winterail is the original railroad photography exposition and railroadiana show & sale. Created by Dave Stanley, producer of the show from 1978 to 1993, we are proud to have pioneered the concept of multimedia slide presentations by the hobby's best photographers. In 1979, the show moved to its longtime home in Stockton (with two detours to Modesto). Produced by Vic & Annie Neves and our awesome team of roadies, including the multi-talented Evan Werkema (Associate Producer), every Winterail features an outstanding lineup of digital presentations from top rail photographers, plus a quality railroad collectibles show for the discerning railfan.

3/7/2003 I was up very early so Richard Elgenson, a fellow Trainweb.com writer, and I could leave for Stockton at 5:00 AM. We drove north on Interstate 5 but near Gorman where we stopped for breakfast, Richard's check engine light came on. We drove on to Ford dealership in Bakersfield and spent two hours there while the service department looked into the problem. It turned out it was something the dealer in Orange failed to correct during Richard's last service there. They gave the green light for the car to be driven to Stockton and we were off again. With the Union Pacific finishing a large track work project on the line over the Tehachapi Mountains, I did not expect to see many trains along their line as we proceeded up the San Joaquin Valley. However, we did see the San Joaquin Valley Railroad local and a pair of Union Pacific freights.

We pulled off in Tulare with a stop at J.D. Heiskell and Company grain elevator to catch JDHX RS3 1886, ex. Texas and Northern Railway 996, exx. Illinois Central Gulf 1522, nee Gulf, Mobile and Ohio 1522 built by American Locomotive Company in 1952. We continued through Fresno and Madera to Road 20 1/2, where we went over to the BNSF track.

We pulled off to the shoulder and former BNSF 199 train, the speediest freight on the system, blew by in a blaze of speed. Most impressive!

No sooner had he passed, we knew Amtrak San Joacquin 713 was due so waited and were rewarded.

We followed Santa Fe Road northwest to Planda where two BNSF locomotives went into the siding to wait for Amtrak San Joaquin 714 to pass then went into Merced, pacing the BNSF engines happily bouncing along on their way to Empire for their pickup. We made our way through Merced and out along J7, or Santa Fe Avenue, passed Castle Air Museum and stopped for petrol in Ballico. At Empire, we managed to get across the tracks at a crossing two blocks north of Yosemite Road as a BNSF freight was blocking that crossing. Continuing north through Riverbank and on to Escalon, it was an easy journey to Stockton, where we checked into the Best Western for our two-night stay.

Once checked in, I walked over to KFC to for some chicken strips which I enjoyed back in the room. After we stopped at a market, we went to Stockton Crossing and as we crossed the California Central Traction tracks, saw a train.

After Richard did some very good driving, we managed to catch Central California Traction GP18 1790, nee Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific 1343, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1960, on film.

After that, I gave Richard the railfan tour of Stockton as we arrived at Church Street in time for both Amtrak San Joaquin 704 and Altamont Commuter Express Train 02, then drove to the Winterail venue of the Scottish Rite Masonic Temple, for the Pentrex Pizza Party and a night of slide shows. I presented the long program called "Steam in my Life" after the break. There was a good variety of subjects shown and I really enjoyed the Steam in China portion. Overall, it was a great evening of slides and I want to thank Alan Barrett and all of Pentrex for another fantastic slide show. We drove back to the hotel and called it a night.

3/8/2003 I enjoyed breakfast in the restaurant before we returned to the Winterail venue.

We went by Stockton Terminal and Eastern and found one of their S1 locomotives outside the shops then drove over to the crossing and just when we were about to leave, a northbound Union Pacific freight out of the former Western Pacific Yard. After the long train had passed, we drove over to Winterail.

Once we pulled into the parking lot, I started to look for the person who was buying my extra ticket, since Richard Hamilton of Let's Talk Trains decided he could not go. I had posted about the extra ticket on Trainorders.com and within seventeen minutes, someone named Dave asked for it and a few e-mails later we were all set. So I waited for twenty-five minutes then after having a steak sandwich, decided to look around the swap meet, buying a Louisville and Nashville Employee Timetable 1 dated 9/10/1972, which included both of the lines I rode in Kentucky last December, as well as Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Timetable 93 dated 8/1/1981. I was talking to Ken Meeker when Daniel found me to tell me that Dave was outside and I exchanged a ticket for cash before joining the queue for the theater. Once we were in at 11:30 AM and Richard and I had found a seat, I went back to the swap meet to purchase Southern Pacific Historic Diesels Volume 9 - Alco PA/PB Passenger Locomotives by Joseph A. Strapac and Milwaukee Electric by Noel T. Holley. I was back in plenty of time for the start of the show along, with the other 1,000 people.

The show started with "Life with Winterail" by Vic Neves which was a light-hearted look at the first 25 years of Winterail and was a great blast from the past. After a short break was "Passenger Trains from the Past - Sight and Sounds around Memphis" by Phil Gosney, as well as a lesson on train horns. Up next was the "Reno Branch" by Bruce Blackadar, a look at the changes over the last thirty years years. The following program was called "The Road Less Travelled" -San Joaquin Valley Branchlines by John Ford, which was a really good insight into the lines around Fresno. After another break, it was time for the Winterail Shorts, which were "My Hometown Railroad" by Dick Dorn, a look at the Sacramento Northern line in Yuba City, then "Powder River Basin" by Chip Sherman and to round them out, the NWPWHY show by Phil Brahms and Christian Goepel, which was very entertaining. Following a twenty minute break, it was time for "Acquainted with the Night" by Brian Plant, an excellent program using night photography, then "A Railfan Primer" by Ken Rattenne which was a tongue-in-cheek look at railfans and was quite funny and before the dinner break, the audience's Three Favorite Slides.

Richard and I drove back to the hotel where I went to Subway for dinner and Richard went to a Mexican Restaurant for takeout then we returned to Stockton Crossing and caught a long Union Pacific freight on its way north. The check engine light went out, much to Richard's and my surprise. We drove back to the Winterail site and returned to a very warm auditorium and following the announcement of the photo contest winners, the Winterail Hall of Fame award was presented to the excellent photographer Ted Benson.

The shows resumed with "Changing Colors, Fallen Flags: 25 Years of Western Railroading" by Bill Meeker which was a great look over a very interesting period of time, followed by "One Last Look" - Erie Lackawanna Electrics by Bob Bahrs which showed New Jersey and the late period of their service there. Since I had visited that area I found it a fascinating look at that operation and I also saw a few cars I have since ridden on tourist lines. The final show was a two-part program called "Southern California Railroading" by Gordon Glattenburg, which was a true 'blast from the past'. Seeing a very undeveloped Southern California was an excellent way to end another outstanding Winterail. Special thanks to Vic Neves, his staff and all the hard working roadies for an excellent event. We drove back to the hotel where I called it a night and it had been a fun day of meeting old and making new friends.

Richard and I listened to the CD's I had brought with me and there were a few Union Pacific freights, although in the wrong places, and we made great time, stopping for petrol in Bakersfield. Near the top of the Ridge Route near Gorman, that check engine light came on again. We stopped at Santa Clarita for lunch at In and Out before driving the rest of the way to drop me off in Santa Ana, thus ending another great Winterail weekend.

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