We left Peoria and drove across Illinois to East Peoria, going to Subway for lunch. After that we tried to get near the railroad yard but had no luck so continued south towards Pekin, but had to make a stop on the way.
BNSF 6075 East at Pekin.
BNSF SD70MAC 9811 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1997.
BNSF SD70ACe 9233 built by Electro-Motive Division in 2008 .
Chicago and Illinois Midland Railroad Depot in Pekin which is now called the Antonini Depot.
Chicago and Illinois Midland caboose 75 painted as 275.
Former Pullman 8-1-2 sleeper, painted as Chicago and Illinois Midland, built by the company, year unknown.
Chicago and Illinois Midland gondola.
Chicago and Illinois Midland combine.
Chicago and Illinois Midland box car, which housed Varsity Publications.
Chicago and Illinois Midland box car.
The Pekin station sign.
Another view of the Pekin station sign.
IC Jct. From here we took Illinois Highway 9 across the Illinois River and would head west on this road to beyond La Harpe. We made our first stop in Canton where we found another surprise.
Canton Railroad 45 ton switcher 1998, nee Barber Asphalt Company 50010 built by Whitcomb. It was sold to the United Electric Coal Company and donated for display. Note that "1998" is on one side and "1997" is on the other.
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy station in Canton built in 1914 and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993..
There were separate doors for the women's and men's waiting rooms. We proceeded west where outside of Bushnell, we found a BNSF coal train.
BNSF 6200 North just north of Bushnell. We continued into town and found the station.
BNSF caboose 750, nee Santa Fe 999750 built by International Car in 1981.
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy wooden freight house in Bushnell. We drove west and as we came into Good Hope, saw a Peoria & Western train slowing moving east. We drove back to the next grade crossing east and set up but the train stopped to switch and as we could not wait, kept going west.
After La Harpe, we turned on Illinois Highway 94 south to US Highway 136, crossed the Mississippi River into Iowa, then drove south into Missouri. As we crossed over the BNSF bridge at Medill, we saw an eastbound train coming so drove into Medill and set up.
BNSF 5349 East came to a stop.
Medill, Missouri. From here we headed back to the bridge west of Wyaconda to show Bob and Elizabeth.
The view both ways from the bridge.
Our group coming up the road towards the bridge.
Elizabeth, Bob and Nathan on the bridge. We drove straight to the Depot Inn & Suites in Plata Plata, cleaned out the rental van and loaded the hotel van. I put my luggage in the Pullman Suite then let Bob and Elizabeth wait there while Nathan returned the rental van to Enterprise in Kirksville and I followed to pick him up. We returned to the Depot Inn & Suites, picked up Bob and Elizabeth and all went to the Silver Rails Gallery so they could see it.
After that dinner was enjoyed at the Red Rooster before we returned to the Pullman Suite and watched most of the Revelation Video "Amtrak 40 1971-2011" before it was time to take Bob, Elizabeth and Nathan to the Amtrak La Plata station to catch the over-an-hour late Southwest Chief. It was sad for me to say goodbye to my good friends but everything must have an end.
My good friends boarded after Dutch Meyers arrived for his week-long stay and it was very good to see him back in La Plata. The two of us returned to the hotel where I went back to the Pullman Suite and watched the rest of that Amtrak DVD. After that I enjoyed a sauna tub bath before calling it a night.
7/26/2011 I slept in after a good night's rest, had a good breakfast then met Dutch, agreeing on going out to the Chris Guenzler Million Mile Lookout Point, so I obtained the keys to the golf cart, took my computer and we went out there. It was already 91 degrees on the Depot Inn & Suites marquee.
BNSF 5189 East was our first train through La Plata this morning.
BNSF 6672 West was next.
Next came BNSF 7334 East.
Dutch Meyers enjoying the Chris Guenzler Million Mile Lookout Point.
BNSF 7334 East DPU's.
BNSF 5339 West on an ethanol train. Now we waited for Amtrak Train 4, which would arrive with a surprise.
Amtrak's Southwest Chief with Amtrak P42 184 in Phase Four Heritage paint scheme met BNSF 7322 West as it departed this morning. We returned to the Depot Inn & Suites where I did my laundry whle watching the Revelation Video DVD "Northern California Explorer". At noon I attended a pre-retirement party for Sally, one of the hotel's employees.
A view of the party. We had lunch and plenty of good conversation.
The new La Plata Tourist Info Center.
Two of my favorite people, Sally and Maria, of the Depot Inn & Suites. I returned to my room and wrote this story before having a sauna bath then Dutch and I went to Colton's Steakhouse in Kirksville for dinner. Upon my return, I watched a Kiss concert DVD and called it a night.
7/27/2011 Following another fantastic night's sleep, I started my final La Plata day with breakfast in the lobby then obtained the keys to the golf cart and drove out to the Chris Guenzler Million Mile Lookout Point for a morning of trains until Amtrak arrived. There was a cooling breeze blowing this morning but the heat index was forecast to be 105 degrees this afternoon, so I planned to be inside during the afternoon.
BNSF 5455 East.
BNSF 5425 West.
BNSF 7569 East.
Union Pacific 4678 East.
BNSF 7253 West with DPUs on the rear.
Holland Company Track Strength Analysis & Recording Hi-Rail truck.
BNSF 5152 East.
BNSF 7489 East with brand new BNSF 7453 was slowed by a work gang near the grade crossing next to the La Plata station.
BNSF 7460 West.
BNSF 7515 West.
BNSF 7863 West.
Union Pacific 8415 West came through La Plata just before Amtrak.
Amtrak's Southwest Chief running almost two hours late this morning. I returned to the hotel where I watched my DVD of Blackmore's Night "Castles & Dreams" and then relaxed until 5:00 PM when I walked over to the Red Rooster for my final dinner here. Following a final sauna tub bath, I would be taken down to the station by my good friend Dutch to wait for my first of two trains for home.
Southwest Chief 7/27/2011
The train arrived with Amtrak P42 184 on the point. I boarded the 330 Car, taking Room 13 for my trip to Los Angeles then walked the train to obtain the consist, which was Engines P42 184 and P42 115, baggage 1855, transition 39041, sleepers 32082 "Indiana" and 32027, diner 38056, lounge 32036 with coaches 34093, 34000, 31004 and 31014. My sleeping car attendant was Fred. On the way back through the dining car, the steward offered me a cream puff for dessert which hit the spot. I watched the Missouri countryside pass by my darkened room before I made up my room and called it a night.
7/28/2011 I woke just before Baldwin City, Kansas and made my way to the dining car for French Toast and crispy bacon then napped until just before La Junta where I made up my room then changed into fresh clothes. Upon arrival, I had pictures to take.
The Southwest Chief at rest at La Junta.
Amtrak P42 184 in Phase Four heritage paint scheme, which was in use from 1994 to 2000. We departed on time and I put together the September show for the Orange County Railway Historical Society as we made our way west to Trinidad and finished as the train was climbing the north slope of Raton Pass.
The Southwest Chief climbing Raton Pass. I put on my CD of Rush "All the World is a Stage" for the climb over the rest of the Pass, crossing into New Mexico, the trip through Raton Tunnel and our descent into Raton, our next fresh air stop. I went and asked the conductor if I would have time to get a good picture of Amtrak 184 and he said sure just be quick. I detrained in the transition car and ran down to the front, crossed the tracks with extreme care and started my quick picture-taking.
The Southwest Chief at Raton.
Three views of this new engine. I returned to the train and thanked the conductor before returning to my room with four minutes to spare. The train left Raton and headed towards Las Vegas and at noon, I went to the dining car for lunch, enjoying the Angus Beef burger and vanilla ice cream for dessert. I then watched my DVD of "Iron Man" which took me through several major thunderstorms to almost Lamy where I switched to Alice Cooper's "Brutally Live" DVD. We came in via the siding and met the eastbound Southwest Chief as we departed, running over an hour late.
From here we headed to Albuquerque, our next fresh air stop and after accessing the Internet, I updated the story to that point. The train departed there on time and at 5:30 PM, I had the steak and with a cream puff for dessert, which was the worst steak I have ever had on Amtrak. I ordered it medium and it came to me raw. I sent it back and it returned in the same shape, only juices flowed out of it when I cut into it. Where is Gordon Ramsey when I need him?
Following a shower, I watched another DVD before calling it a night.
7/29/2011 I awoke just after San Bernardino and Fred made up the room before I started writing again. I put on a Yes Live CD to pass the final miles on this train, stopping at Riverside then Fullerton, where I detrained at 7:09 AM after we waited for an Orange County Metrolink train to clear. The Southwest Chief would arrive early at LAUPT today.
I waited for Pacific Surfliner 564 which was a low-level train, much to my disliking for loading my luggage aboard to take me back to Santa Ana. This ended yet another excellent adventure aboard Amtrak, along with everything else I experienced on this fantastic trip to La Plata, The Depot Inn & Suites, the La Plata Railfan Event and Train Festival 2011.
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