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The Trip East for the Connect the Dots Rare Mileage Trip

This trip began back in early November 2009 when I received an e-mail from Bart Jennings about his Connect the Dots Rare Mileage trips. My great friend Randy Jackson from Albuquerque suggested we should do the trips together and after some planning, decided we would meet in Albuquerque and ride to Albany. Besides Bart's trip, we would ride a Reading and Blue Mountain steam trip on May 15 and the next day, ride from Danbury to Grand Central Station and visit the Danbury Railroad Museum. Randy took care of getting the hotels and rental car and I bought us baseball tickets in Pittsburgh. The day to start the trip finally arrived and I did not ride a train that morning, instead doing some chores before packing then relaxing until my mother drove me to the Santa Ana station.

The train arrived early and I boarded Pacific Business Class for the trip to Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal. The train stopped at Anaheim and Fullerton before making a fast run to LAUPT, while I surfed the Web on the way. From there, I walked over to Track 11 to wait for my train to Chicago.

The Southwest Chief reversed in at 6:10 PM and had a consist of P42DCs 188 and 185, baggage 1237, transition 39014, sleepers 32060 and 32075 "Connecticut", diner 38027, lounge 33027 with coaches 34032, 31007 and 34082. My Sleeping Car Attendant was Hak To Hung. I accessed the Internet, piggybacking off the signal from my 583 Pacific Business Class Car on next track over until it left for the yard. The train departed LAUPT on time at the new departure time of 6:55 PM and proceeded to Fullerton, our first stop on the way to Chicago

I had a 7:30 PM dinner reservation and ate with James Linton of Carlsbad, enjoying the steak with mashed potatoes along with ice cream for dessert. I put on some music as we made our way to Riverside and San Bernardino then stayed up for the climb over Cajon Pass, made up my room and called it a night.

I woke up west of Winslow before James and I went to the dining car for breakfast. We were seated with a couple from Hemet going to Chicago before driving to very southern Illinois to see the wife's sister. I enjoyed French Toast and bacon this morning then after I freshened up, read USA Today before watching my DVDs of Milwaukee Road 261 by Richard Tubbesing just before Gallup. Our car got the nick name of Siberia because the air conditioning vents in the rooms could not be closed.

I came up with my own solution to this problem.

Later, a red mesa on the south side of the train as we ran towards Albuquerque, arriving there at 11:12 AM. I met Randy Jackson on the platform and he was in Room 6 in the car in front of me. I managed to get on-line again and took care of a few problems. We left sunny but cool Albuquerque at 12:45 PM, the new time and headed for Lamy. At 1:15 PM Randy and I went to the dining car and were seated with a gentlemen who works for Ford in Detroit. I had the Angus Beef Burger and a lemon sorbet, staying at the table for the passage through Apache Canyon then met Train 4, the westbound Southwest Chief, at Canyoncito before we climbed over Glorieta Pass. I put on my DVD of the "Cass 2006 Railfan Weekend" and after that program, met Randy in the lounge car with the maps and we went over the entire trip. The train stopped in Las Vegas before it left for Raton, after which I watched my "Aerosmith Live" DVD as the train rolled north.

Bridge pillars of the former Southern Pacific Railroad at French, New Mexico.

The clouds over the divide between New Mexico and Colorado. The train ran to Raton, our next fresh air stop of the trip then climbed Raton and after passing through Raton, entered a dark and cloudy Colorado and descended to our next station stop of Trinidad. Randy and I had a 6:45 PM dinner reservation and on this trip, we would be eating during the high-speed running to La Junta. We were seated at the end table and our waiter was serving his third table of his new Amtrak career. I enjoyed a steak and vanilla ice cream for dessert. Just after we returned to our rooms, the train early arrived at La Junta, our next fresh air stop. I accessed the Internet again and cleaned out my e-mail once more then checked things on the Web. The Southwest Chief departed on time and I made up my room before calling it a night.

I arose on a dark rainy morning at the BNSF Argentine fueling pads and enjoyed my Big Texas Cinnamon Roll and orange juice on the way to Kansas City Union Station, where I stepped off for a few minutes into a wet world. During the night, we lost time due to trees along the tracks being blown down by tornados, so we departed Kansas City at 8:27 AM {7:35 AM}, a little late. I put on my CD of Metallica "Master of Puppets" as we made our way to the crossing of the Missouri River at Sibley. The next CD this morning was "The Very Best of Mick Jaggar" as we rolled on the way towards La Plata and I finally spotted the old Wabash Railroad grade that ran once to St. Joseph before we reached Marceline. There were plenty of slow orders our along our route this morning. The next CD Deep Purple "Slaves and Masters" which took me past La Plata and it felt very odd to be getting off in La Plata and going to the Depot Inn & Suites. Instead, I would be waving at La Plata this morning from the train. However, I did step off there and talk to Bob Cox for a few minutes.

Back in the sleeping car, I showed Hak the Chris Guenzler Million Mile Lookout Point and then Santa Fe Lake then worked on the beginnings of the July Orange County Railway Historical Society show as the train made its way to Iowa and our next fresh air stop at Fort Madison. Well, that did not happen as planned. We stopped at Argyle due to water over the rails to the west of Fort Madison. All rail traffic was stopped and later it was announced that we would be moving by 2:00 PM. We had sat down to lunch with a very nice young lady who does film editing, going to New York and a lady going to Chicago. I had the Angus Beef Burger and vanilla ice cream. About 1:00 PM, they opened the forward sleeping car door for a fresh air break.

Passengers enjoying the fresh air at Argyle. At 1:12 PM the Conductor said "All aboard!" so we all reboarded and I listened to my CD of Alice Cooper "Dragontown" and hoped for the best I would not be sent there! I then started to play Solitaire on the computer and at 1:37 PM, the Southwest Chief crossed over at Argyle and we were once again on our trip east at track speed. However, that did not last long we came to another stop and the BNSF decided to run a freight train across it first to test the track before it would be our turn. I walked to the rear door as the train started slowly moving east.

Passing through West Fort Madison.

The offending stream causing the problems.

Crossing the bridge where the problem was.

Two views of workers before we arrived in Fort Madison, our next fresh air break.

The train departed at 2:16 PM {12:00 PM} and headed to our next stop at Galesburg and I put on the Scorpions CD "Eye to Eye" as we continued eastbound.

The Southwest Chief took the Cameron Connection as this BNSF stack train waited to access the old Chicago, Burlington and Quincy line before we arrived at Galesburg. We then stopped in Princeton and Mendota before reaching Aurora and had to get through the afternoon BNSF dinkies rush. The train stopped in Naperville before continuing the final miles to Chicago Union Station, arriving there at 6:33 PM {3:10 PM}, ending another adventure aboard the Southwest Chief.

Randy and I walked to the Metropolitan Lounge where I left my luggage before going up to the Food Court for a pair of Gold Coast Char Dogs for dinner.

This Lake Shore Limited had a consist of P42DCs 196 and 48, baggage 1703, Viewliner sleeper 22021, coaches 25021 and 82522, dinette 53511, coaches 25046, 25083, 25087 and 255114, diner 8532 and Viewliner sleepers 6208 "Palisade View" and 6202 "Harbor View", baggage 1757 with private car Southern 1 PPCX 800034. I settled into Room 3 in the 4811 car with Melanie as my Sleeping Car Attendant and started to write this story then relaxed until departure time. Melanie made up my room and I called it a night as soon as we left Chicago Union Station on time.

I slept soundly and awoke as the train was coming into Cleveland, where I went to the dining car and was seated with a couple from Rochester and then Randy joined us in our Heritage dining car 8532. I enjoyed French Toast and bacon was we rolled down the former New York Central Water Level Route east on this dark wet morning. Melanie made up my room then I relaxed heading down the railroad for Erie. On the way there, I saw the Conneaut Railroad Museum we would be visiting Wednesday afternoon. The trip entered Pennsylvania and soon stopped at Erie where I saw the General Electric Locomotive plant as we left town and headed for Buffalo.

Vineyards in Pennsylvania.

I liked this view. The train passed through North East, Pennsylvania before it entered the state of New York.

View of dining car 8532 as I walked up to the lounge car to stretch my legs before returning to my room to listen to some more music.

Our train curving by a train with Union Pacific and former Conrail power as the train headed for the Buffalo-Depew station.

The former Buffalo Terminal station before we had a fresh air break and crew change at Buffalo-Depew station then proceeded to Rochester.

Upper New York scenery as we sped east.

A New York Central cement milepost marker.

Our next stop was Rochester.

The historic Erie Canal. Randy and I had a noon lunch reservation so we went to the dining car when we were called and were seated with a gentleman from New Jersey. I enjoyed the Angus Beef Burger and chocolate ice cream. After hearing horror stories about dining car crews on the Lake Shore Limited, this crew is by far the best that I have ever had aboard this train. There was an extended stop at Syracuse then the train reversed out of the station west to the next crossover.

A view of Onondaga Lake during our reverse move, which occurred due to CSX trackwork on the mainline that we would have used. The train headed east to Utica.

Former New York Central coaling towers at Minoa. I realized that this was my first eastbound Lake Shore Limited trip in a Viewliner Sleeper, as well as my first room on the south side of the train. I spotted a few things coming into Utica.

Conrail caboose 20076, ex. Penn Central 22983, exx. Penn Central 19573, nee Pennsylvania Railroad 477594 built by the railroad in 1929, now on display at the Children's Museum.

New York Central 0-6-0 6721 1936, ex. display at Carillon Park in Dayton, Ohio by Music and Arts Foundation in 1981, exx. Mid-Continent Railway Historical Society 7 1963 (North Freedom, Wisconsin) exxx. Central Illinois Public Service Company 7 1953 (Hutsonville, Illinois), nee New York Central 621 built by American Locomotive Company in 1913. In 1997, it was sold to a group in Utica and is now on display at the Utica Station.

Also at the Children's Museum is a passenger car and ALCO diesel locomotive.

Adirondack Scenic Railroad coach 5401 "City of Utica" nee Canadian National 5401 built by Canadian Car and Foundry in 1947.

Adirondack Scenic F7A 1500, ex. Grafton and Upton 1501, exx. ex. Toledo, Peoria and Western 1500, nee Bessemer and Lake Erie 720A built by Electro-Motive Division in 1952.

Adirondack Scenic SW1 705, nee Louisville and Nashville 14 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1941 and painted New York Central.

Metro North FL9 2031. The train left Utica for Schenectady, following the Mohawk River east on its way there.

The Mohawk River east of Amsterdam, New York.

One more view of the Mohawk River before we reached Schenectady.

The train stopped at Schenectady and you can see one of the New York Central cement milepost markers. From here it was just down the grade to the Hudson River.

The Hudson River just before the station at Albany-Rensselaer, where we detrained from this wonderful trip aboard the Lake Shore Limited. The train arrived at 3:26 PM {2:50 PM} but everyone had to remain aboard until all the switching was complete then we said our goodbye to this most wonderful train as we went in search of a taxi.

Randy and I taxied out to the Albany Airport to pick up our Budget rental car. We drove Interstate 87 south to Interstate 90, which was a Tollway and took that to where it turned back into Interstate 88, but did not have to pay any toll. We exited in Sidney and picked up Subway to go then continued south to Exit 6, where we took New York Highway 79 south which became Penn Highway 92. We turned into Susquehanna and found the old Erie station.

The Erie Railroad station in Susquehanna built in 1863 and was the first brick passenger station in North America. A dining hall served passengers before advent of dining cars. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Buildings in 1978.

Former New Jersey Transit cars. From here we drove north to Lanesboro and soon found what we came here for, the Starrucca Viaduct.

The Starrucca Viaduct, a stone arch bridge that spans Starrucca Creek. Completed in 1848 at a cost of $320,000, it was at the time the world's largest stone railway viaduct and was thought to be the most expensive railway bridge as well. Still in use, the viaduct is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is designated as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.

The viaduct was designed by Julius W. Adams and James P. Kirkwood and built by the New York and Erie Railroad, of locally-quarried random ashlar bluestone, except for three brick interior longitudinal spandrel walls and the concrete bases of the piers. It was built to solve an engineering problem posed by the wide valley of Starrucca Creek. The railroad considered building an embankment, but abandoned the idea as impractical. The original single broad gauge track was replaced by two standard gauge tracks in 1886.

Two views up the road with the marker in the second picture.

The viaduct from various angles.

The old Erie Railroad highway bridge in Lanesboro. We headed back on Penn Highway 171 towards Interstate 81.

Erie Railrod's SR Tower on the way to Interstate 81. We took that highway south, stopping at the rest area before nearing Scranton then took US Highway 6 east to the Days Inn for the night. Tomorrow, the Reading and Northern 425 steam trip but tonight, a good night's rest!

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