After exploring the Stockyards, it was time to board the train for the Trinity River excursion, a 45-minute ride that leaves from the Historic Stockyard Station and goes to Trinity Park in Fort Worth and back, crossing the Trinity River, passing Henderson St. Bazaar, Montgomery Plaza, the Will Rogers Memorial Arena and Tower, and stopping in Trinity Park before returning to the Stockyards.
Grapevine Vintage Railroad Trinity River Run 12/30/2006At 3:12 PM the train was opened for boarding and I chose the same seat I had on the run from Grapevine. We departed from the Stockyards station promptly at 3:30 and started our run to the 8th Avenue Yard, our turn-around point.
At the switch to the wye, we went right this time, curved and headed southwest toward downtown Fort Worth.
We crossed US Highway 287 and had our first good look at the Fort Worth skyline.
The west fork of the Trinity River in Heritage Park.
The skyline of downtown Fort Worth from this crossing of the West Fork of the Trinity River.
Coming off the bridge.
After curving in Heritage Park, we crossed 7th Street where there was a large shopping center and a few minutes later, went over Lancaster Avenue.
The floodplain of the Clear Fork of the Trinity River in Trinity Park.
Below us were the tracks of the Trinity Park Railroad.
Traversing the Clear Fork of the Trinity River.
The bridge across the Clear Fork of the Trinity River as we exited it.
Downtown Fort Worth.
We passed under the former Missouri Pacific mainline to El Paso, now the Union Pacific then continued through a semi-industrial area to 8th Avenue, where we entered a small yard where Grapevine Vintage Railroad 2199 cut off to run around.
Interior of coach 209.
Interior of coach 1818.
Interior of coach 206.
Interior of coach 1808.
Interior of coach 208.
A happy family aboard the Grapevine Vintage Railroad.
The locomotive ran by us and we were now ready to return to the Stockyards station.
The bridge across the Clear Fork of the Trinity River in Trinity Park.
The Clear Fork of the Trinity River.
Trinity Park.
Curving off the wooden trestle.
Downtown Fort Worth from the west end of Heritage Park.
The West Fork of the Trinity River in Heritage Park.
The route back to Grapevine. The train returned to the Stockyards station where passengers returning to Grapevine were told to stay on the train while all the Trinity River passengers detrained and our Grapevine passengers returned. Chris Parker returned after having a fantastic time at the Stockyards and I told him about the fun train trip he missed; we both did our own thing and each of us had a great experience. The train departed Stockyards Stations for Grapevine on time.
Curving onto the mainline and crossing Marine Creek.
We had to wait for two freights at the BNSF crossing.
Later, a Fort Worth and Western freight, with Fort Worth and Wstern GP38-3 2002, ex. Omnitrax Leasing GP35 2007, exx. Longhorn Railway 2007, nee Denver and Rio Grande Western 3035 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1965, departed their yard for points south.
Are these real or fake cows? Actually, fake, but it made a good picture. As the sun set and this trip became an early evening journey, I sat back and relaxed since it had been a fantastic trip on the Grapevine Vintage Railroad and one I would recommend to anyone who loves trains!
The Grapevine station. After returning to the car, we departed, taking Texas 114 East to Interstate 35 East to Interstate 30 East to Texas 134, which we took southeast to Athens then checked in at the Best Western Inn on the Hill. We had dinner at the Ole West Steakhouse where I enjoyed an excellent top sirloin that was twice as big as any I had had in California then visited Walmart before returning to the hotel for the night.
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