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My Second Time To the Izaak Walton Inn In Essex, Montana 7/10-16/1987

After finishing my Physical Education duties and coaching at MacArthur Fundamental Intermediate as the 1986-1987 school year was coming to a close, it was time for another trip and a return visit to the Izaak Walton Inn in Essex, Montana was an easy choice. A quick phone call to brother Bruce, an Amtrak agent in Davis, California resulted in me using an All-Aboard America one region fare and I received the reservation number the next day. I then went to the Santa Ana station to pay for it and with tickets in hand, waited for the day to arrive.

The train arrived on time and I boarded the Amcafé car for the fast trip and on-time journey to Los Angeles. It was a beautiful July morning, a title of my favourite song by the band Uriah Heep and upon arrival, I detrained and made the connection with the Coast Starlight.

I chose a wide window seat on the left side of the train and while the coach filled, I remained with two seats. We departed on schedule and proceeded across the Los Angeles River before reaching Dayton Tower and the very impressive Southern Pacific Taylor Yard. After the stop in Glendale, I was sitting in the lounge car enjoying a few drinks and watching the San Fernando Valley fade into the Santa Susana Mountains through the tunnels and into the Simi Valley. After the usual hot dog lunch, we arrived at Oxnard and it was clear as could be so the Channel Islands were very visible before we passed through Ventura. The ride along the Pacific Ocean shoreline was extremely enjoyable and the offshore oil wells really stood out as we made our way to Santa Barbara.

It was a speedy trip west to Point Conception before we turned north towards Surf as we crossed Vandenberg Air Force Base. I returned to my seat and did some word search puzzles until the servicing stop at San Luis Obispo then went back to the lounge car for the crossing of the Cuesta Grade to Santa Margarita, where we passed a slightly tardy southbound Coast Starlight. I continued my puzzles as the train made its trek down the Salinas Valley to the town of Salinas. I had received the earliest dinner reservation so enjoyed a steak as the we travelled through Elkhorn Slough and into Watsonville. Following the journey through the Pajora Gap, we passed through Gilroy en route to San Jose and almost made it to Oakland in daylight. I went back to the lounge car for the last time as we rounded San Pablo Bay into Martinez then after crossing the drawbridge, I returned to my seat and curled up for the night.

7/11/1987 I arose early as the train arrived at Dunsmuir on time and enjoyed the trip around the Cantara Loop while having a pancake breakfast. Mount Shasta loomed outside the window then we passed Black Butte. It was another beautiful morning as we continued non-stop to Klamath Falls, Oregon, where we arrived thirty minutes early and I enjoyed a nice long walk before departure time. We then made our way to Chemult, passing Root Beer Falls and the summer crossing of Cascade Summit was enjoyable, although I do prefer the snow-covered views of this fabulous Southern Pacific line. We made our descent to Eugene then ran on time through the Willamette Valley to Portland, also arriving thirty minutes early, where I detrained to a nice warm Oregon afternoon.

I boarded the coach behind the Sightseer Lounge car and chose a window seat on the right as I was accustomed to doing. My ticket was taken while we were still in Portland so I was in the lounge car as the Empire Builder departed on time. We crossed the Willamette River and minutes later, the Columbia River to our first stop in Vancouver, Washington. I enjoyed my usual hot dog dinner then we turned east for the journey up the Columbia River Gorge. Freight trains were filling all the sidings and the lines on both sides of the river were equally busy, with Burlington Northern and Union Pacific putting on a great show. The wind was really blowing through the gorge and Mount Hood stood tall over Oregon. As we approached Wishram, there was a Burlington Northern train on the bridge, coming from the Inside Gateway, waiting for our train to clear. We continued our journey as the sun sank slowly in the western sky and I turned in after Pasco and slept into Montana.

7/12/1987 Waking up just east of the Libby Tunnel, I freshened up then went to the dining car for a French Toast breakfast before detraining for a few moments while the train was changing crews at Whitefish. Once on the move again, I enjoyed the trek to West Glacier on another beautiful morning and we travelled along the southern boundary of Glacier National Park. While the freight trains were plentiful, we had no delays climbing the grade. At about Red Eagle, I returned to my seat and minutes later, the conductor found me and we went downstairs, passing the Izaak Walton Inn and slowing as we rounded the curve to the platform and stopped, where I stepped off the train.

The Izaak Walton Inn symbolizes the difficulty of keeping the United States' northernmost transcontinental railroad open during Rocky Mountain winters. Each winter, sixty Great Northern Railway workers were stationed here to clear the rails of snow between Essex and East Glacier. Originally, their days of fighting snow and frequent avalanches ended with a return to abandoned railcars and wall tents, for Essex had only 150 permanent residents and nowhere for the workers to board. After numerous petitions, the Great Northern built this twenty-nine-bedroom structure in 1939, on its standard pattern for a division hotel. Railroad policy called for only a section house at a location other than division point, but the difficult winter maintenance of Marias Pass required changing the rule. The railroad also realized that the hostelry could serve summertime tourists, when fewer railhands needed lodging. The hotel was named after Sir Izaak Walton, a 16th century English author and sportsman, who has been the patron saint of fishermen for 400 years. Born on August 9, 1593 in Stafford, England, he authored the famous book about fly-fishing, "The Compleat Angler". A local resident who lived in the area in the early days is presumed to have named the hotel after Sir Izaak. This Craftsman-style inn has been in continuous use since its construction and, to this day, serves both railroad workers and tourists.

The rooms at the Izaak Walton Inn have been remodelled to offer modern amenities with a vintage charm and a true feel for Montana and The Inn is considered to offer the finest lodging experience in and around Glacier National Park. The hotel can accommodate up to 147 guests and thirty-three cozy rooms allow you to truly relax and get away.

I was picked up and taken to the Inn where I checked in, had my bags held and rented a car for a day.

I drove east in search of Amtrak and beat the Builder to Summit, with the thought that it was a rare event that a person can photograph the train on wich they were travelling miles from where they detrained.

I waited for several eastbounds and I followed the third onto the Two Medicine Bridge for a Big Sky Montana scene.

A westbound Burlington Northern freight stormed through and I started to chase, driving west to the snowshed where a grain train had derailed during the winter but it was decided to wait for the spring thaw to clear it up. All the grain had fermented which attracted the grizzly bears, who then started to eat the grain, thus producing drunken bears. Burlington Northern workers were cleaning it up and it was amusing to watch the men attempt to work around the bears, althought they were not the only bears to be acting strangely this early summer since there was one east of the snowshed at Essex who thought he owned the tracks. The freight trains made enough noise to scare it off but the helpers were having all sorts of problems.

As I was watching the cleanup, over the scanner came the news that the helpers had come out of the snowshed only to find the bear sitting on the tracks. The horns were blown and a broom was used to try to nudge him on his way, followed by a fire extinguisher, but all those methods were futile. The crew asked to dispatcher to allow them to reverse to the Essex crossover so they could go up the other main. Permission was given but they found that bear now sitting on that track. Luckily, a westbound freight arrived a few minutes later and that sent the bear on its way.

With the sun disappearing over the ridge, I drove back to Essex and returned the car then went outside the front of the hotel and here came Burlington Northern 3112 West. That was enough railroading for one day so I went for a fried chicken dinner then retrieved my bags and went to my room.

7/13/1987 Day two started with breakfast and then a walk to photograph the eastbound Empire Builder.

I decided to sit on top of the snowshed and watch the freight trains. Of course one always keeps an eye on the sky and when I saw the dark black clouds bearing down on me, I quickly returned to the Inn getting back under the porch as the sky let loose with rain and the sound of thunder echoing off the canyon walls, an incredible experience. The trains continued to roll through so once the rain stopped, I was back outside and a few more freights made their way through Essex, as did more showers so it was good to be near the Inn.

After an early dinner, I set up for the westbound Empire Builder passing the depot.

7/14/1987

My last day here started as usual with breakfast, a walk and a picture of the Empire Builder.

About an hour later came a westbound freight.

I hiked west down to the Essex crossover and was rewarded by this westbound train led by two Oakway SD60s.

The trains came and went throughout the afternoon and later Burlington Northern 1709 East entered the Essex Yard and stopped.

When I returned for dinner, I learned that the westbound Empire Builder was three hours late, so after an excellent steak dinner I spent the remainder of my stay at the Flagstop Bar. Larry Veilleux, the owner, came down and drove me to the platform to wait for the train, which arrived about twenty minutes later. I climbed aboard the Empire Builder, saying goodbye to Larry and thanking him for another excellent stay.

I found a pair of seats on the left side in the Portland Section and after the conductor took my ticket, I turned in for the night before we reached West Glacier, three hours and forty minutes late.

7/15/1987 I awoke at the crack of dawn to find the Baby Builder departing Spokane over four hours late. We crossed the Latah Bridge to leave town then proceeded down the canyon through Cheney then climbed to Sprague. I had often wished I couuld see this part of the line in daylight and now had the opportunity. We made our way through the rolling hills to Ritzville and at Lind, went under the former Milwaukee Road grade. Providence Hill came next, followed by Connell and Cactus, a name not normally associated with the State of Washington, but this was a very arid part of the state. Mesa lived up to its name before we dropped through Sagemoor and the grade to the Columbia River and on into Pasco.

The conductor came through to ask if I was connecting to the Coast Starlight and I told him I was doing that in Vancouver, and he assured me I would make my connection as we were scheduled to arrive there by 11:30 AM. It was a quick journey down the Columbia River Gorge with the freight trains staying out of our way and we arrived at Vancouver fifteen minutes earlier than promised. I detrained and enjoyed the cool late morning, turning into afternoon, as I waited in the sun for the Coast Starlight.

Upon this train's arrival, I boarded and found my usual large window seat on the right and curled up for a nap, sleeping through Portland and waking up near Salem to the sounds of the dining car steward asking people about dinner reservations. I chose the earliest seating and relaxed until after Eugene, when I was called, then enjoyed a steak dinner and spent the rest of the evening in the lounge car watching Cascade Summit fade from daylight into night. I managed to keep my eyes open until Chemult before I curled up over my two seats for the night.

7/16/1987 I awoke after Davis still feeling very tired and had breakfast along the Carquinez Straits to Oakland, where I detrained for some fresh air. The Starlight was running on time and continued that way through San Jose to Salinas. I napped as we made our way up the valley but was wide awake as we descended the Cuesta Grade to San Luis Obispo. I enjoyed a steak along the waters of the Pacific Ocean as our on-time running continued to Glendale then we arrived at Los Angeles Union Station forty minutes early.

My connecting San Diegan was waiting and the crew let the passengers straight on, then departed on time. Fifty minutes later, I stepped off at Santa Ana, ending another excellent trip to Essex, Montana and the Izaak Walton Inn.

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