[?]

Winterail 2012 Part 2

After lunch, we drove to Roeding Park in Fresno and once we arrived, we picked up our tickets and were ready a little train ride this afternoon. I asked our engineer if I could take a few pictures before we departed and received my favorite answer of "Yes!"

Take a ride through Storyland and Playland on the Willis B. Kyle Express Train. This historic train is named after Willis B. Kyle, 40-year Fresno resident, President of Kyle Railways, Inc., and railroad industry innovator. Climb aboard and enjoy a relaxing and scenic tour of the Parks.

Willis B. Kyle Express 1863.

The train was ready to take us on a ride. I boarded the rear seat.

The Canada geese crossed the track and this railroad has no switches, instead just uses a shared middle rail when going either way.

Our trip started with us heading around the north loop.

You see the Roeding Park Lake.

The birds were out on this late afternoon.

A clear view of that junction we would be running through in over a minute.

The train started the trip taking us around the north end loop.

More ducks.

Running along a canal of Roeding Park Lake.

A look back to where we had been.

We ran beside the wall along CA Highway 99.

Views along Roeding Park Lake.

We came to another junction where we made a small loop along Roeding Park Lake.

The train beside that small lake.

More birds along Roeding Park Lake.

We crossed this small bridge.

More views along Roeding Park Lake.

Curving around the south loop and turning towards the tunnel.

Entering the tunnel.

Exiting the tunnel.

Passing the south station.

Roeding Park Lake.

Going through the junction with the small lake loop.

The junction at the other end of that loop.

Roeding Park Lake.

Running along the canal of Roeding Park Lake.

Entering the north station.

We finished our trip on the Willis B. Kyle Express Train at Storyland in Roeding Park. We thanked our operator then headed to the car. As we were leaving, Tony and Larry, who had stopped for petrol in Visalia, arrived and went to ride the train while we headed north to Stockton on CA Highway 99.

We stopped for some\ petrol and had no problems with traffic arrived at the Scottish Rite Masonic Temple for Winterail site at 5:25 PM. I checked my show in with Evan Werkema and enjoyed a Coca-Cola while we waited. Ken Ruben and Bob Riskie were already here so we caught up on a few items.

The event started with the slide shows and Paul Jannson showing the Santa Fe line through Pasadena and its transformation into the Pasadena Gold Line. Next Drew Jacksich showed "Southern Pacific in the 1980's and early 1990's". The last of the slide shows was the American Freedom Train by Mike Pechner. The digital programs then started with Steve Crise's show "Pacific Electric Then and Now" and I was next with "A Year of Trains in the Life of Chris Guenzler 2011". Steve Barry talked briefly followed by Greg Molloy, President of the National Railway Historical Society, who spoke about the Heritage Grants program and the upcoming annual convention in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

That was followed by Otto Vondrak showing "It's All Over Now, the Delaware & Hudson {CP Rail} trackage right trains over CSX/Metro North Lines into the Bronx and into New York City from 2003 to 2010". Next Steve Barry presented "The Jim Boyd Tribute" which covered the Delaware and Hudson, Erie Lackawanna, Rock Island, Illinois Central and more. Mike Rogue followed with "People, Places and Trains" and Bruce Blackadar was next with a presentation on rotary snow plows from last winter and snowy trip across Nebraska and Wyoming, and another trip across Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.

A Pizza Party Short called "Nomo's Northwest Loggers" was shown before the final program of the night, a DVD by Edward de Salig on the Santa Fe RDCs. After a fine night of train programs, we headed to the Red Roof Inn and called it a night.

Once inside, I bought the new Western Pacific DVD by Charlie Smiley, a T-shirt from the San Bernardino Railroad Historical Society and Daylight Sales. I joined the line to enter the theatre and called Let's Talk Trains, the internet radio show. The doors were opened just before 11:00 AM and I saved four seats for our car of people. Once Chris Parker found me, it was time for my Tri-Tip sandwich and a Coca-Cola and we then went inside for the shows.

Vic Neves started us off with the pre-show announcements. The first show was "Randy's Texas Shorts - BNSF in Texas", followed by The Shorts which were "The NWP" by Mike Pechner, "Lisbon" by Bryan Bechtold, which showed streetcars there and "The Fillmore & Western" by Dave Wilkinson. Next was "Rotaries, Avalanche on the Mountain" by Brendan Compton and "Last of a Breed - A Rio Grande Finale in Helper". That was followed by "The Photography of Al Rose" by Stan Kistler before The Three Favorites by the various & sundry railfans.

The event broke for dinner and we returned to Perko's Cafe then drove over to Stockton Crossing, with only a distant Union Pacific power move switching at the north end of their Stockton Yard.

Back at Winterail 2012, the photo contest winners were announced then the Winterail Hall of Fame winner, who was Tom Gildersleeve from my hometown of Santa Ana. The first of the evening's programs was by Tom Gildersleeve called "The Last Great Steam Show in America", followed by Dick Dorn's "Dick's Southern Pacific Adventures". Next was "Madera Concerto" by Evan Werkema; Mel Patrick and Misko Kranjec gave us "TMV {Time - Motion - Vision}" and the final Winterail 2012 program was by Joel Jensen entitled "Steam - An Enduring Legacy: The Railroad Photography of Joel Jensen".

Conductor Larry and I drove Bob Riskie to the ACE Station so he could board San Joaquin 703 for Sacramento to catch the Coast Starlight to Chemult, and the Thruway Bus to his home in Bend. Chris Parker arrived and after we watched Bob leave, we drove back to the Red Roof Inn for the short night due to the time change from standard to daylight savings.

RETURN TO THE MAIN PAGE