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To Colorado via Wyoming 7/5-7/2009

I was sent an e-mail in February about the Union Pacific Historical Society convention holding this year's event in Cheyenne, Wyoming, which included an excursion to Yoder. This greatly interested me so I re-joined the group and two months, later my convention order arrived and I sent it off. My other travelling companions were unable to join me, so it would a solo trip. I booked Amtrak via Sacramento to visit my brother Bruce then would go into work with him and take a Capitol Corridor train to Emeryville and transfer to the California Zephyr for Denver. Coming back it would be the bus down to Raton, New Mexico where I would catch the Southwest Chief home.

The California Zephyr detour dates were announced later and it turned out that my trip fell on one of those dates. I contacted the Georgetown Loop Railroad, Leadville, Colorado and Southern Railroad, Cripple Creek & Victor Narrow Gauge Railroads and the Pikes Peak Cog Railroad, all with success, to write stories about their excursions. Would I finally get to both Yoder and the top of Pikes Peak? I would also be visiting the Colorado Railroad Museum twice, the first time to photographically document their full roster of equipment and the second time for their 50th birthday celebration. That day I would also be riding the Platte Valley Trolley. My excellent travel agent, Carole Walker, set up my hotel reservations and car rental in Denver for what promised to be an exciting series of rail adventures in Colorado and Wyoming.

I was up at 4:15 AM to prepare myself for the worst part of the trip, the Thruway Bus. My mother drove me to the Santa Ana station and the bus was waiting to make his left turn as we passed and she dropped me off. A few minutes later, the bus arrived and boarded its two passengers. At 5:30 AM, we were off to Fullerton where we picked up two more passengers and it was then a quick trip to Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal, arriving there at 6:18 AM. We sat until after 7:30 AM, when eight more passengers boarded then departed and drove over the big hill to Bakersfield. We arrived there at 9:32 AM and after I retrieved my luggage, waited to board the train when its doors opened at 9:40 AM.

The train consisted of F59PHI 2013, California baggage/coach 8206 "Humboldt River", coach 8026 "Mad River", cafe 8806 "Salinas Valley" and cab car 8305 "Mount Tamalpais". We departed Bakersfield on time for points north as I watched the Scorpions "Live at Wacken Open Air 2006".

BNSF 5490 East.

On the way to Wasco, I had a lunch of a hot dog and French fries which was excellent. At Angiola, our train took the siding for southbound San Joaquin 702 before it arrived into Corcoran then San Joaquin 712 was met on double tracks north of Bowles.

A part of the Circus Train at Calwa before we reached Fresno, where I took a fresh air break at a very hot afternoon. We departed on time and The Scorpions took me past Madera, after which I listened to Metallica's "Death Magnetic" which lasted almost to Stockton, while I worked on the September show for the Orange County Railway Historical Society. It was an early arrival into Stockton where I detrained.

The driver loaded all the luggage followed by the passengers and we soon departed Stockton for Elk Grove, which was a quick trip and soon we were at the Thruway Bus stop with my brother Bruce waiting. I would spend tonight at his house with his family and in the morning would go to work with him at Amtrak Sacramento.

Bruce drove me to the Amtrak station and I went inside to wait then bought a USA Today and walked out to the train and waited for the doors to open. This train's consist was P24DC 142, Superliner coach 34943 "Oak Grove", Pacific Surfliner-style coach 6464 "Stinson Beach", California cafe 8813 "San Fernando Valley", coach 8011 "Yuba River" and cab car 8307 "Mount Baldy". We departed Sacramento still under the cloak of darkness and made our way to Davis.

Later the hills caught my eye.

The oil refinery at Benicia.

Crossing the Carquinez Strait before Martinez. It was a beautiful and relaxing trip along the water's edge and San Pablo Bay and all too soon, we arrived at Emeryville.

I walked and sat down in the station then the station host asked me where I was going and confirmed that all my luggage had tags. After a few Sudoku puzzles, I went outside to take a picture of the Coast Starlight that I last saw in Sacramento when we arrived at 5:20 AM.

Capitol Corridor Train 527 arrived with Pacific Surfliner-style coach 6461 with "Blaze a Trail, Ride the Rails Kids Ride Free on Weekend Capitol Trains" slogan. I had seen this trainset leaving Sacramento so knew it would be seen again this morning.

Pacific Surfliner-style coach 6461.

The slogan.

Pacific Surfliner-style coach 6462 also carries the slogan.

The Coast Starlight then arrived a few minutes late.

It departed a few minutes late then I walked up the stairs of the pedestrian bridge to the first landing to wait for our train to come from the yard.

Capitol Corridor Train 529 arrived and a short while later, I saw a Superliner train approaching.

Capitol Corridor Train 529 then left for points south.

The California Zephyr in Emeryville which consisted of P42DCs 183 and 134, baggage 1247, transition 39013, sleepers 32077 "District of Columbia" and 32096 "Michigan", diner 38045, lounge 33038 and coaches 34055, 34016 and 31033. I had Room 4 in the 32077 with JR as my Sleeping Car Attendant. We departed a few minutes late due to heavy baggage loading then the sleeping car passengers were called to the dining car for a light breakfast, where I had Rice Krispies along with some bacon and a roll.

Mud flat along San Pablo Bay.

The oil refinery along San Pablo Bay.

The California Zephyr was about to cross the Carquinez Straits. We were delayed at Suisan Marsh by track work on our mainline and we had to wait for Capitol Corridor Train 533 before we could continue to Davis. I listened to Sweet "Blockbuster! the Best of Sweet" then it was back across the Yolo Causeway and into Sacramento, our first fresh air stop and crew change. We departed on time and proceeded to Roseville as I enjoyed the second Sweet CD which lasted into the Foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Union Pacific power at Roseville Yard.

Two visitors from Canada were here in the form of a pair of Canadian National locomotives, after which we made our Roseville station stop.

Southern Pacific 4-6-0 2252 is displayed in Roseville. The California Zephyr then made its way east into the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas and I relaxed across Donner Pass since I documented it on my last eastbound train which took me on a Wyoming detour in 2004 with Carl Morrison, then westbound on both of the Million Mile trips coming home from La Plata. So, just a few pictures of today's crossing.

The American River Canyon.

Union Pacific had a large tie replacement project occuring on Track 2 below Emigrant Gap.

The California Zephyr at Yuba Gap. I put on my first of the two DVD set of "Ultimate Gretzky" and the train later stopped at Truckee.

The train followed the Truckee River into Nevada.

Two waterfalls in Nevada before we reached Reno, our next fresh air stop and crew change. We departed here on time and continued east to Winnemucca, as the Zephyr no longer stops in Sparks.

The Truckee River east of Sparks.

Mountains east of Sparks. I watched the bonus DVD of Wayne Gretzky but had to stop it as I had a 5:30 PM dinner reservation as we sped. I had the Braised Flat Iron Bordelaise and ice cream with two gentlemen, one from San Francisco and the other from Denver. Back in the room, I finished the Gretzky DVD and at Winnemucca, another crew change and fresh air stop was made. My next DVD was ABBA "In Concert".

The Humboldt River on the way to Elko.

The Valmy coal-fired power plant photographed over an unloading Union Pacific coal train.

Mountains in Central Nevada.

The California Zephyr was nearing Palisade Canyon as night was beginning to take hold. Tired, I made up my room and called it a night.