Bob Riskie had contacted Chris Parker and I about chasing Union Pacific 844 from Yuma to West Colton on November 17, 2011. Chris reserved us a room with three beds in Yuma and Bob would do all the driving on this trip.
Union Pacific 4-8-4 844 made a long trip from Wyoming to California to celebrate Arizona's centennial of its statehood and made numerous stops in Colorado, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Southern California, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming and was display in several cities. The steam special would travel the entire Sunset Route from El Paso, Texas to West Colton, California and would be on display at West Colton on Friday, November 18th. It will arrive into Southern California via Indio and Beaumont Pass and when it departed West Colton on November 19th, would traverse Cajon Pass on its way to Las Vegas and its return to Wyoming.
11/16/2011 I worked an earlier shift at Saddelback High School and returned home in time for Bob and Chris to pick me up and off we went. We drove up Interstate 5 to California Highway 57 to California Highway 91, then out California Highway 60 to Interstate 10, pausing for petrol in Indio then took California Highway 111 along the Salton Sea.
The Salton Sea. We ran along this to Bertram siding where we found a train with an old friend.
Union Pacific 7875 West.
Union Pacific SD70M 2002, one of the two Salt Lake City Olympic Units. It then grew dark as we continued south on California Highway 111 to south of Niland, where we turned left on East McDonald Road, right on Wiest Road, which took us to California Highway 115. From here we entered Interstate 8 which we took into Yuma. First we filled the car before we went and found Union Pacific 844 for some night photography.
Union Pacific 4-8-4 844 at rest at Yuma.
Two rear views of Union Pacific 844.
One last shot of the steam engine sleeping under the stars. Here we met our old friend Tony Escarcega who was also doing some night photography. Tony then joined us for some photography of rail sites around Yuma.
Southern Pacific 2-8-0 2521 built by Burnham Williams in 1907 is on display at State Crossing Park.
Four views of Southern Pacific 2-8-0 2521.
Part of the display in Yuma is near the original bridge across the Colorado River. From here we went over to where the former Yuma Valley Railway equipment was on display, a joint operation between Yuma Live Steamers and the Yuma Chapter of the National Railway Historial Society.
The display site looks really nice all lit up.
The front of the display train.
Yuma Valley Railway 44 ton switcher D-3, nee United States Marine Corps switcher built by General Electric in 1943.
Yuma Valley Railway coach 2921 "Fugitive Snowbird", nee Long Island 2921 built by Pullman-Standard in 1955.
Yuma Valley Railway coach 2931 "Waldo E Forster", nee United States Army hospital car built by St. Louis Car Company in 1953.
Yuma Valley observation car 644 "Jersey Lil", exx. Apache Railway "Alchesay", exxx. White Mountain Scenic (McNary, Arizona), nee Missouri-Kansas-Texas coach, number unknown, built by American Car and Foundry in 1923. In 1969, the car had its vestibule removed, an open platform installed and the rear end converted to a parlour car. In 1972, it was used in the film "The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean".
From here we went to the Mad Chef where I had a hot dog and fries which hit the spot. We said good night to Tony before driving to the Rega Lodge for the night.
