The train left Malta Bend and headed to Blackwater.
Views on the way there. I went back to the "Challenger" and rode in the dome all the way to Boonville and before Blackwater, talked with a few of the contest winners before detrained there.
Views from the dome.
The unique Missouri countryside.
The steam train rounding a pair of curves.
Blackwater, Missouri.
Leaving Blackwater.
The replica Blackwater Missouri Pacific station built in 2007.
More views east of Blackwater on the way to Boonville.
Another curve and another view of Union Pacific 844.
More Missouri farmlands and we passed Lamine siding.
Here is where the Lamine River flows into the Missouri River as we approached Boonville.
The Missouri River.
Approaching the former Missouri-Kansas-Texas bridge in Boonville.
More views of the bridge.
Union Pacific 844 arriving in Boonville.
The crowd and railfans. After our stop, we proceeded to Jefferson City, our final stop of this trip.
The Missouri River.
A pond along our route.
A dry field after we had gone under Interstate 70.
Interesting placement of piles of soil.
Exposed bedrock across the Missouri River, after which we passed Woolbridge Siding.
Missouri River views.
After MP 150, the steam train stopped for a quick fireman's side inspection and a few minutes later we were back on the move, passing Sandy Hook siding.
Another stream heading to the Missouri River.
Two bends in the Missouri River.
Three more views of the Missouri River.
Lines of trees.
A barn along our route.
Another lone tree.
The train joined the Sedalia Subdivision at River Jct, where my new rail mileage ended for the rest of the trip into Jefferson City.
A dredge in the Missouri River.
The US Highway 63 bridge at Jefferson City before arrived at the Amtrak station.
Passing the area where the engine will be displayed for the rest of today and tomorrow.
The Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City.
Passing our last control point of the trip.
Union Pacific 844 took us to the Jefferson City station where we would detrain. A special thanks to the Union Pacific Railroad for having me on the Little Rock Express from Kansas City to Jefferson City so I could write about this very special trip.
Jefferson City
I photographed the rear of the train as I detrained then thanked the train crew and members of the Union Pacific Steam Crew for the excellent trip.
The view toward the front. I stashed my bags so I could look around because the state capital of Missouri did not have an Amtrak agent. I guess no one rides Amtrak trains here in Jefferson City.
They reversed the train down to in front of the Amtrak station to water and service the engine.
The crew started to work on the engine and I re-stashed my bags then walked down the track to the old station.
The Missouri Pacific station in Jefferson City built in 1890.
Union Pacific handles the local switching here.
Still working on the engine. I went inside the Amtrak waiting room and plugged in under the water fountain to work on the story. After that I went off to look for something to eat and after going to six different places that were not open in the afternoon, I found Coffee Zone where I not only bought a cinnamon roll, which was fantastic, they also had free wireless Internet. So I uploaded the story to this point then walked down the steep hill back to the station when I was done. There I met some railfans and spent some time talking trains.
A westbound Union Pacific coal train came into Jefferson City and changed crews.
Union Pacific 8571 then arrived and spent over an hour changing crews, moving just fifteen minutes after Amtrak was due into Jefferson City at 6:22 PM. The coal train pulled down to clear the crossover so Union Pacific 8751 could cross over to let Amtrak 313 get by.
Missouri River Runner 313 5/31/2010
I finally boarded the train, 25 minutes late, and would see how fast, and if, they could make time up by Kansas City. I had a hot dog and pretzels for dinner as the train sped along. I put on my CD of Metallica "Death Magnetic" to pass the miles away and was in my 'going home' mood. Just get me back to Kansas City where Nathan was going to meet and take me to the Best Western Airport Inn where I would spend the night, get up early and be taken to the airport to fly home via Salt Lake City. So I was just going to sit back and relax.
After our stop in Sedalia, the train played chase the sun into the sunset and I believed we were making up the lost time. We stopped in Warrensburg and Lee's Summit then just before Independence, I called Nathan so he could come to Kansas City Union Station to pick me up. The train arrived at 9:52 PM and I went out in front of the station and met Nathan, who drove me out to the Best Western Airport Inn and Suites. I thanked him for all he did for me on this trip then checked the Internet and called it a night.
6/1/2011 I was up at 4:15 AM and after checking the Internet, checked out after getting a little to eat and was driven to the Kansas City Airport. I went through security and then waited at the gate to board my plane, Delta Airlines Flight 3084 to Salt Lake City. The flight hit clouds the whole way from western Kansas to west of the Utah State Line. The Wasatch Mountains were very beautiful this morning as we descended for a landing in Salt Lake City. My next trip aboard Delta Airlines Flight 883 to John Wayne Airport boarded at the next gate, thank you. More clouds between Central Utah and below Las Vegas but we landed on time and my mother picked me and took me home, where I finished the story.
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