Robin and I arose and I finished the Georgetown Loop story before we ate breakfast at the Super 8 in Westminster. We filled the car with petrol then drove out to where 88th Street goes under the new Denver Fastrack line to the Denver International Airport to wait for Chris Parker to call and tell us he landed. We would see trains cross 88th Street, so sit back and watch the show.
That was the new Denver Fastrack trains coming and going from the Denver International Airport. Chris Parker then called, said he had landed and would be out in front of the arrival area. We left eight minutes later and drove to the airport's arrival level but no Chris so we made a second pass and he was standing there so I pulled up. Robin went to the back seat and I helped Chris put his bag in the car. We left the airport and took the Toll Road to Interstate 25 on the way to Wyoming. We stopped at a Colorado Rest Area before driving by the Terry Bison Ranch and showed it to Chris from the freeway. We then stopped in Cheyenne and showed Chris the Merci Car then took him to Holiday Park to see the Union Pacific Big Boy. The three of us had lunch at Arby's before leaving Cheyenne and started the drive to Douglas then stopped at a rest area near Glenco before driving the rest of the way to Douglas and our only stop of the day.
Douglas Railroad Interpretive CenterThe Douglas Railroad Interpretive Center is a railway museum in the town of Douglas, in Converse County. The exhibition is located in the former railway station, the passenger and freight depot of the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad and in the outdoor area in front of it.
List of Exhibits:Steam locomotive CB&Q 4-8-4 5633 built in 1940.
Dining car CB&Q, Silver Salver 196 built in 1947.
Livestock Cart 48330D built in 1914.
Sleeping cars Empire Builder 1182 built in 1950.
Baggage car 1897 built in 1911.
Coach 1886 built in 1961.
Coach 1884 built in 1961.
Begleitwagen 14140 built in 1885.
Railcar 217980 built in 1960
The visit to the museum and the vehicles are free of charge, to the Museum a small shop attached. Parking and a picnic area are located right outside the building. Some railroad cars are open during the opening times of the museum and can be visited from the inside.
Our VisitI was here once before with Bill Compton on our Powder River Basin trip back in 1984.
The Chicago and North Western train and the Douglas Chicago and North Western station.
The Douglas Chicago and North Western station today, built in 1886
A jackalope.
Chicago & North Western coach 1886 built by St. Louis Car Company in 1884./P>
Chicago & North Western coach 1886 built by St. Louis Car Company in 1884.
Chris Parker and Robin Bowers meet the jackalope.
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy 4-8-4 5633 built by the railroad in 1940.
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy dining car 196 "Silver Salver" built by Budd in 1947.
The inside of "Silver Salver".
Union Pacific Railway Express Agency baggage car 1897 built by Pullman in 1911 as Oregon Short Line 331.
Union Pacific bi-level livestock car 483300 built in 1914 from a box car.
Great Northern Empire Builder sleeper 1182 "Agassiz Glacier" built by Pullman-Standard in 1950.
Museum scenes.
Fairmont motor car. I went into the office and was just signing their guest book when we heard a horn and missed the first part of this BNSF coal train.
The BNSF coal train eastbound through Douglas.
One last museum view and after a recommendation for dinner, we drove over to the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Douglas station now called the Depot Restaurant.
The CB&Q station built in 1886.
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy freight house.
A view of the Chicago and North Western freight house here. We had our dinner here with me enjoying a Pub Steak which was excellent. Afterwards, we drove over to the second freight house.
The Chicago and North Western freight house. We checked into the Super 8 where I wrote this story and called it an early night.
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