After we picked up a few people in Cookeville, we departed and made our way for the hills which are between Cookeville and Monterey. Now enjoy some trees along our route as we ascended.
The trees were trying to change into autumn colours.
Rounding another large curve.
There was a small lake along our train's route.
We train continued to climb the grade.
Yet another curve.
The countryside opened up for a moment as we continued to climb.
The next curve.
More trees!
The bridge at the top of the hill is a popular photo location for train watchers.
Now we were descending into Monterey.
Rounding an additional curve.
We had reached the outskirts of Monterey.
Our arrival in Monterey, which was the first passenger train in forty-five years. Everyone had to detrain as the City of Monterey had sold tickets from here to the sand spur, where the power would run around the train before we returned so I proceeded to the front of the train.
Our train in Monterey. I then walked though town looking for something to eat and at the north end of town, at the Monterey Senior Citizen's Home, found what I needed.
Here I bought first a hamburger followed by a pork sandwich then made my way back to the train and saw it disappear around the corner as it headed towards the sand spur.
There were two other events going on today - a classic car show and a Civil War Re-enactment. I went to look for a good place from which to photograph the train returning from the spur and found one. We waited and finally moved into the shade. Later we learned that the passing track at spur was 1,200 feet but our train was 1,205 feet so the crew had to cut off the first two locomotives to make the train fit. They then cut off the other two engines then the first two pushed the train passed the fouling point. The other engines then ran around the train so they could be placed on the front. All of that took over an hour but when we finally heard an Amtrak horn, knew the train was returning and soon it came into view.
Our train had returned to Monterey. I walked back boarded my dome car for the return journey to Nashville and sat in the dome's front seat.
We departed at 3:00 after a very nice layover and started to climb the hill between here and Cookeville. Now let us enjoy the views.
Some autumn colours could be seen as the train crossed over the ridge between Monterey and Cookeville.
We passed under a traffic light in Cookeville as we dropped off two passengers there.
There was a little more colour in these trees.
Passing that barn again.
There was some interesting rock strata as we dropped down to the Caney Fork River.
Our crossing of the river on the bridge that was used in the hunting scene in the film "The Green Mile".
Climing the hill west of the Caney Fork River.
Rounding took a curve as we proceeded to Moss Bluff.
The Caney Fork River. Next we ran beneath Sebowisha Bluff.
Going through the Sebowisha Bluff.
Passing through the trees.
The sun had set on this great day of train riding in Tennessee.
After this large curve, I put the camera away and as darkness took hold, the dome car's lights were turned off so we could see. Randy and I played star games then chatted all the way back to Nashville, where we arrived at 7:50 PM, ending a great trip by the Tennessee Central Railway Museum. Randy drove me back to the Drake Inn and I called it a night.
On The Way Home 10/12/2008I awoke at 5:30 AM and went to the Drake Inn's office where the clerk printed my boarding pass. Rob arrived at 6:20 AM and soon we were off to the Nashville Airport, which took about 15 minutes. Soon I was going through Security and went to Gate A8 to wait for my flight then read "The Innocent Man" by John Grisham. Continental Airlines Flight 2043, an Embraer RJ145 airplane, boarded and we left the gate at 8:16 AM CDT and took off ten minutes later.
The City of Nashville after we took off and banked to the north to proceed southwest towards Houston.
The Mississippi River as I continued to read "The Innocent Man". We landed at Houston at 10:15 AM CDT and after getting some doughnuts, made my way to Terminal E.
I headed to Terminal E on the Tram then waited for Continental Airlines Flight 1620 to board and at 11:45 AM, I walked aboard the 737-700 airplane, which left the gate at 12:20 PM CDT and took off at 12:31 PM. The film shown was "Baby Mama" as we had to fly over the remains of that tropical storm that had hit the west coast of Mexico and was now drifting northeast over Texas and New Mexico. At one point, you could even see the eye of the storm. After the film finished, it was back to my book.
We landed at John Wayne Airport at 1:40 PM PDT and at 1:52 PM, I was in the Terminal and my mother picked me up and soon I was home. Another registered letter from the school district had arrived which offered me a four-hour position at Valley High School. I think they have lost their minds. I will stay at Jefferson and so much about this garbage about restoration of my job.
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