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Final Winterail Trip to Stockton Part 3

We left Dell Osso Farm, crossed the San Joaquin River and pulled into a parking lot near it for some pictures of the bridge.

The Southern Pacific lift bridge across the San Joaquin River. From here we went to Interstate 5 and exited at CA Highway 4 in Stockton, stopping at the Jack In the Box for food for the boys. From here we went west of CA Highway 4 to Bacon Island Road out to the Middle River Bridge on the old Santa Fe Railroad.

The old Santa Fe Railroad Middle River bridge.

Amtrak San Joaquin 713 at the old Santa Fe Railroad Middle River Bridge.

All is peaceful here.

Amtrak San Joaquin 716 crossing the Middle River Bridge. From here we headed back to Stockton and after stopping at KFC for my dinner, we all checked in at the Clarion Inn. Chris Parker would head home at the dinner break tomorrow so he could attend Ken Ruben's graveside service at 10:00 AM on Sunday morning back home. That meant that Robin and I would do all of Winterail and the Loose Caboose boat trip on Sunday. We relaxed for a while before heading to the Winterail Railfan and Railroad Magazine Friday Night Pizza Party and Slide Show.

We arrived early for the third year in a row and I talked with friends as I enjoyed a Coca-Cola. Everyone else enjoyed pizza and we waited to go inside the hall. We found our seats and waited for the programs to start. Paul Jansson opened the night with his "Southern Pacific Coast Lines" program. Next David Dennick {Next picture please!} showed his "Welcome to Tehachapi" program. Otto Vondrak followed that with "New York Shortline Railroads". He was followed by Drew Jacksich showing "Southern Pacific, Electrics and Southern Pacific 4449". Bruce Blackadar shared his "Southern Pacific Searchlight Signals", Steve Crise showed "40 Years Minus 10 Years of Night Photography", Mike Pechner showed his "Memories of the American Freedom Train" and I finished off the evening with "A Year of Trains in the Life of Chris Guenzler 2014", after which we drove back to the Clarion for the night.

We woke up at the Clarion Inn and walked across the street to Perko's for breakfast then returned to our rooms and Robin put his luggage in my room as Chris Parker put his luggage in the trunk of the rental car. We headed over to the Winterail site and parked and met a friend of Chris Parker, Marco, who would spend the shows and dinner with us today. We joined the Eventbrite Ticket line and went inside the swap meet where I bought a Charlie Smiley DVD called "Tehachapi SP and Santa Fe Era". I went outside to the parking lot and called Let's Talk trains and informed them Ken Ruben's death.

I entered the Eventbrite Theater line and at 10:30 AM, found our seats then went back to the swap meet and looked around but did not buy anything. We returned to the theater where I caught up with old friends. At Noon we had the Winterail Announcements and at 12:15 PM, were treated to "Nomo's Northwest" by Randy Nelson. At 12:50 PM, everyone enjoyed "Inside Looking Out: A 14,000 mile Coast-to-Coast Railroad Observation" by SR Bush. This program was all about the journey and people of the American Freedom Train.

At 1:35 PM, we were treated to "All The Way Out Geary" by John Harder then at 2:10 PM, we had "Challenged by the Desert" by Kit Courter. That was followed at 2:45 PM by "Return of the Chiggen: A trilogy documenting the transport, unloading and shake-down run of Santa Cruz Portland Cement 2" by Chris Donhost. Next at 3:15 PM, we had "Down the Coast" by Jamie Schmid. After that it was Shorts featuring "Streamliners at Spencer" by Phil Gosney, "Two Years and Counting" by Ryan Clark and a movie of "The White Pass and Yukon Route" by Matthew Vurek. Next was the Three Favorites and that was the end of the afternoon shows.

At the car Chris left us for home while Marco joined Robin and I as we went to Sizzler for dinner. After that I took them down to Stockton Crossing showing them the Southern Pacific and Western Pacific stations in Stockton. I had left my camera battery in the charger back at the hotel so for once I just watched the trains. We saw San Joaquin 704 and then a Union Pacific freight, afer which I showed them the Santa Fe station and drove back to Winterail.

The evening began with the announcement of the Photo Contest winners followed by two Winterail Hall Of Fame Winners: Gordon Glattenberg and Evan Werkema. We were shown all the Winterail commercials that had ever been made. At 7:30 PM, everyone enjoyed "Southland: Southern California Railroading in the Golden Age of Kodachrome" by Dale Sanders. At 8:15 PM, "Japan in the Snow" by John Kirchner was shown. I like programs where I learn something and this one did it for me. At 8:55 PM was "Now and then in the Owens Valley" by Steve VanDenburgh then at 9:15 PM, the final program of the night "In Search of the Northwest" by Scott Lothes. With that, Winterail in Stockton was finished. See you in Corvallis next year. We returned to the Clarion Inn for our final night in Stockton.

After checking out of the Clarion Inn and having hot cakes and sausage at McDonald's, Robin and I drove over to Interstate 5 and then took CA Highway 12 into Suisan-Fairfield.

The Southern Pacific Suisan-Fairfield station built in 1913.

Amtrak Capitol Corridor train 720 at Suisan-Fairfield. From here we took CA Highway 12 to Interstate 80 to Interstate 760, which we took south to Exit 63 Parish Road, turned right on Goodyear Road then another right on Morrow Road, parking near the grade crossing at Bahia.

The US Navy Mothball Fleet could be seen from here.

The view looking northwest.

Amtrak Capitol Corridor train 724 at Bahia.

The view from Morrow Road.

Amtrak Capitol Corridor train 727 here.

Amtrak California Zephyr train 6 at Bahia. We headed back to Interstate 680 which we took south to Interstate 780 and exited to Benicia heading south into town and our next stop at the waterfront.

Amtrak San Joaquin 711 running along the Carquinez Straits west of Martinez.

The Benicia Southern Pacific station built in 1888 and was moved from Banta and re-assembled. We returned to the car and back west on Interstate 780 to Glen Cove Road to Glen Cove Marina, our last official stop on this great trip.

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