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The Trip Home from the Million Amtrak Miles Part 3

4/12/2008 I awoke at Weso, Nevada as our train was about to arrive at Winnemucca forty-eight minutes early, dressed and walked back to the coaches for a few pictures.

The Blue "W" on the mountain to the north signals that the California Zephyr was in Winnemucca.

Amtrak Train 5 in Winnemucca.

Members of our excellent California Zephyr crew.

Smokers took advantage of the enclosed passenger waiting area. I was in the dining car having French Toast and sausage patties as we departed on time and proceeded west towards Sparks.

The scenic beauty of central Nevada.

Later we ran by Rye Patch Reservoir to our north as made our way to Lovelock. I watched Asia "Fantasia, Live in Tokyo" DVD which took me to Sparks.

We passed the Humboldt River Sink, the terminus of the Humboldt River, an extensive river drainage system located in north-central Nevada. It extends in a general east-to-west direction from its headwaters in the Jarbidge, Independence and Ruby Mountains in Elko County, to its terminus, approximately 225 miles away in northwest Churchill County.

At Upsal, we took the siding for Union Pacific 8383 East then further west at Fernley, we ran around BNSF 983 West holding the mainline.

West of Fernley we started following the Truckee River west into the Sierra Nevada Mountains. I finished the Asia DVD and we departed Sparks on time and soon were proceeding down into the Reno Trench to the Amtrak station, where I called "Let's Talk Trains", the Internet Radio Show, to give them an update. We departed on time bound for California and Truckee, the first stop in my home state. I then watched "Peter Cetera, Live in Salt Lake City" to take me into the Sierras.

Truckee River leaving Reno.

Mountain peaks ahead of the train.

The Truckee River before we crossed the border into California.

Truckee River in California.

Interesting geology to the west.

Truckee River and the flume, along with Interstate 80, as the train continued into Truckee, from which we departed on time.

The California Zephyr climbed Coldstream Canyon.

The view looking back from where we had been.

Donner Lake.

A look to where the original line crossed Donner Pass but the tracks have been removed from that route.

The west end of Donner Lake.

Two last views of the orginal Central Pacific route across Donner Pass.

The train was about to enter the Big Hole, the nickname of the Donner Pass Summit tunnel.

A former opening to the snowshed at Norden.

Looking across the valley at Soda Springs.

Looking west near Shed Ten.

Looking back towards the summit ridge from near Shed 10.

A look across the valley.

Yuba Gap. The Peter Cetera DVD ended near Emigrant Gap where we passed an eastbound Union Pacific freight and then the eastbound California Zephyr. Our westbound Zephyr departed Colfax on time and I called my brother Bruce to make plans to meet him when we arrived at Sacramento. At CP Bowman, we were crossed over the newer line for our trip to Roseville and we passed plenty of blooming California Golden Poppies. At CP Newcastle, we were switched back over to the original Chinese-built route.

A few California Golden Poppies.

Southern Pacific 4-6-0 2252 built by American Locomotive Company in 1897 as we arrived in Roseville.

A former Southern Pacific rotary snowplough. We departed and I prepared our luggage for our arrival in Sacramento, where we arrived at 3:34 PM, 37 minutes early. Jeff and I detrained, two very happy Amtrak travellers.

The California Zephyr rested a few minutes after we detrained.

Jeff and I walked over to the Vagabond Inn and checked in. Jeff was tired so he did his own thing and I walked over to Old Sacramento to visit the California State Railroad Museum bookstore. My brother Bruce then picked me up and we met his son (my nephew) Eric at the Texas Roadhouse where I had an 11 ounce sirloin steak. We then went back to Bruce's home where I talked with my sister-in-law Karla before my other nephew Adam brought his new wife Shannon over to meet me. Bruce then returned me to the Vagabond Inn and I relaxed the night away.

4/13/2008 An early wake up call came at 5:30 AM and soon Jeff and I were at Denny's, where I had sausage and white toast. I cleared out my e-mail before we checked out and walked back over to the Sacramento Amtrak station to the waiting train for Bakersfield.

Jeff and I boarded state-owned Superliner coach 34953 "Pacific Grove" for the trip down the San Joaquin Valley this morning. This train had California cab car 6952 "Point Bonita" {Surfliner seats}, Café 8811 "Antelope Valley", coach 8020 "Feather River", state-owned Superliner coach 34953 "Pacific Grove" with F59PHI 2006 pushing. We departed on time with Jeff asleep for all of his new mileage down to Keddie Jct in Stockton and I would be watching DVD's all the way down the valley.

I watched the Charles Smiley presents "Union Pacific Scrapbook" as the train ran to Lodi, Stockton and Modesto. San Joaquin 711 was at the Turlock/Denair station so we had to take the siding by it then reverse down the mainline into the station to pick up our passengers. Before Merced, I switched to Charles Smiley presents "Santa Fe Scrapbook" which took me halfway to Hanford, where my I changed to on Charles Smiley presents "Milwaukee Road Scrapbook", which lasted through Hanford, Corcoran and Wasco. We arrived at Bakersfield a few minutes early, detrained and made our way to the Thruway Bus to Los Angeles.

Jeff and I boarded the bus then watched the comedy of people who did not have ticket trying to get on the bus that connected with Amtrak trains in Los Angeles. We finally left Bakersfield as I listened to Rush's "Snakes & Arrows" followed by Queensyche's "Empire" which took me to Burbank and really made the bus ride more enjoyable. We arrived at LAUPT at 2:12 PM and after everyone debussed, waited to get our bags with my one bag the last off then walked up to Track 12 to wait for the Surfliner train home.

Pacific Surfliner 1580 was really 580 but since the train was only going as far as Irvine, they added a '1' to the train number. The line was closed due to bridge replacement at the San Luis Rey River bridge and passengers were bussed south of Irvine. Since we were only going to Santa Ana, we had no problem. The train departed on time and we proceeded to Fullerton and Anaheim, where I heard CJ's voice on a crew member's radio. I detrained at Santa Ana and while Jeff watched the luggage, I ran to the engine and threw a Trip T-shirt up to her that flew into the locomotive cab. Jeff and I then went to his car on the third level of the parking structure and we loaded it, noting that the temperature was 40 degrees warmer than it was in La Plata when we left. Jeff drove me home, ending another great Amtrak trip and a very memorable experience.