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The Izaak Walton Inn in Essex, Montana 6/17-23/1988

Another school year at MacArthur Fundamental Intermediate was winding its way to a close and with summer around the corner, it was time to plan a trip. I decided to return to Essex, Montana and enjoy a three-night stay at the Izaak Walton Inn. A call to my brother Bruce, an Amtrak agent, resulted in my reservation using a All-Aboard America fare to Essex, as well as a a round-trip to both El Paso and Albuquerque the following two weekends. I went to the Santa Ana station to pay for my tickets then waited for my departure day to arrive, really looking forward to my return trip to the Treasure State.

My father drove me to the station where I waited in the June gloom then upon its on-time arrival, boarded the Amcafé. There were no problems encountered as we reached both Anaheim and Fullerton on time and once I arrived at Los Angeles Union Station, I detrained from one train onto the next.

I was now very familiar with the entire Coast Starlight route as we left Los Angeles on time. After my ticket was taken, I went to the lounge car and chose a seat on the left where I would spend my day and we made a fast pace through the San Fernando Valley and the tunnels into the Simi Valley. Once we reached Oxnard, I had my usual hot dogs, chips, cookies and a Coca-Cola for lunch then enjoyed the blue waters of the Pacific Ocean with the Channel Islands off shore from the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Sightseer Lounge car. Santa Barbara came and went as the Starlight travelled west by the state parks, over the trestle at Gaviota and left Highway 101 behind on our run for Point Conception, then turned north there to cross Vanderburg Air Force Base with a brief stop at Surf to obtain block clearance. It had been a wonderful journey along the Coast and once we turned inland, I switched sides to be ready for the climb over Cuesta Grade after San Luis Obispo, where we arrived 18 minutes early. Once on the move again, we climbed Cuesta meeting our waiting sister train at Santa Margarita.

I returned to my seat for the journey down the Salinas Valley and after Salinas, had an early steak dinner as we passed Moss Landing, Watsonville and went through the Pajora Gap. Back in the lounge car, I enjoyed the last of this long day all the way through San Jose, then on the Oakland, where we arrived twenty minutes early. I detrained for some air and most of the train's passengers departred here, leaving a very light passenger count going north. In fact, we were so light that our car attendant said everyone in our car could have their own seat including couples. We left Oakland on time and I enjoyed our now-night passage through the Carquinez Straits in the lounge car, then once passed Martinez and over the drawbridge, I called it a night stretching out over my two seats and slept the night away.

6/18/1988 Long days in June turn into short nights and all too soon, it was getting light again as we left Dunsmuir on time in the dawn. That was all it took to get me up and dressed before going to the lounge car for views of Mount Shasta. It was a beautiful clear morning as I enjoyed a light breakfast of cookies and I was the sole occupant in the lounge car this morning, something at which the conductor was amazed. By the time we reached Grass Lake, a few people joined me then we arrived at Klamath Falls early and I enjoyed a nice walk in the very cool air. Continuing north, Upper Klamath Lake looked fantastic and I enjoyed the views of the east face of the Cascades all the way to Chemult. I was impressed with the Starlight's crossing of Cascade Summit but prefer it with snow. We descended to Oakdale before running along Lookout Point Reservoir and arrived at Eugene early, where more fresh air was had. We made our way north up Oregon's Willamette Valley through Albany and Salem before arriving at Portland early as the southbound Coast Starlight was waiting for us to leave. I detrained and had an hour-and-a-half to wait inside Portland Union Station.

Boarding the "Baby Builder" commenced about ten minutes before departure and I was in the Sightseer Lounge car as we departed Portland. I enjoyed my usual hot dog lunch as a dinner and enjoyed the crossing of the Columbia River to our first stop in Vancouver, Washngton before going east into the Columbia River Gorge. Mount Hood was standing proudly in the southeast and wind surfers were having a great time on the river as we flew by. After we went through the Cape Horn tunnel, the 620 foot Multnomah Falls were seen across the river. We passed beneath Beacon Rock before going by Bonneville Dam, went under the Bridge of the Gods then left the rainforest for the near desert country further east. More falls could be seen across the river before we arrived at Bingen-White Salmon then Mount Hood became visible again as we neared The Dalles Dam. We ran along its lake to the railroad bridge that was the north end of the Inside Gateway line to Northern California prior to our arrival to Wishram. Minutes later, we ran beneath the US 97 bridge then the John Day Dam, turned north to travel to Pasco, where we arrived a few minutes early as the sun was getting ready to set. As we proceeded northwest, I called it a night.

6/19/1988 I awoke just east of Libby, Montana and enjoyed the trek through the Flathead Tunnel, the third longest in the United States. I went to the lounge car for my cookies and eye openers before we arrived at Whitefish then after a crew change, made our way towards the southern boundary of Glacier National Park. We arrived at Belton (West Glacier) then went east into that wonderful canyon that takes the Empire Builder to Nyack and double track where we met a westbound train. It was a clear Montana morning, yet the peaks were hidden in the shadows. Back to single track at Paola, the train passed through through the tunnels to Pinnacle and by this point, I had returned to my seat to collect my belongings and detrain at Essex. The conductor came by and we went downstairs just before the train rolled by the Izaak Walton Inn and pulled around the corner to the stop at Essex, where I detrained to co-owner Larry Vielleux welcoming me back.

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.

This time my trackside room was ready and after checking in, I went out to do some hiking and train photography, starting in front of the hotel then hiked east along the tracks past the snowshed.

Burlington Northern 8171 East.

After an eastbound helper, I walked back to Essex and caught eight more freights, including this one in front of the former Essex depot. Even though the sun was setting behind the mountains, the trains kept rolling through in both directions and it was an impressive showing bh the Burlington Northern Railroad. I enjoyed a chicken dinner before calling it a night.

6/20/1988 After a good breakfast, I picked up the keys to the rental car and drove east on US 2, easily beating the eastbound Empire Builder to Summit.

I did not see the front of the train in Essex, so imagine my surprise when a Burlington Northern SD40-2 was leading the train.

I sat at the Summit Overlook for a few minutes and was rewarded by a westbound freight then after he passed, I went to Bison where Amtrak had met yet another freight.

On the move again, I caught Amtrak on the Two Medicine Bridge from US 2 then followed him to Browning for one last picture. Seeing a westbound waiting in the siding meant I could get back to the Two Medicine Bridge.

Another westbound was on the first's tail, so I knew I could get well ahead of him and drove west of Essex towards West Glacier, scouting out photo locations along the way. I chose to catch Burlington Northern 6929 West along the way at Paola and Red Eagle before catching him one last time in the canyon between Nyack and West Glacier.

The scanner came alive with the dispatcher talking to a train right behind this one, so I went to West Glacier to wait then returned to Essex and enjoyed the late afternoon parade of trains. Once the sun was behind the mountains again, that ended a very a fullfilling day of photography and I enjoyed a steak dinner before retiring to my room.

6/21/1988 My last full day in Montana started later than normal as I slept in and Amtrak went by just I went to breakfast. My French Toast was the perfect start to this day of photography and after checking out, I drove east to Summit.

An eastbound Burlington Northern freight. After a few more trains over the scanner, I heard a work window being given for the next four hours over the single-track portion of the railroad, which meant no trains until later. By now, it was late enough in the day I could drive back to Essex and fill the car prior to returning it.

So that is what I did and about twenty minutes later, an eastbound came roaring through. That was followed by several more for the next hour and I called it a day just after the last rays of the sun passed over the peaks, then had one last fried chicken dinner. Larry came to tell me how much he enjoyed having me stay here again and that my Amtrak train was on time. It arrived in twilight and once again, I bid goodbye to Essex and the Izaak Walton Inn.

I boarded a nearly-empty Portland section coach and I was able to sit in any seat I wanted since only ten more passengers were boarding downline and just twelve travelling west of Spokane. I ventured to the lounge car and took in the longest twilight viewing of the year as it was the Summer Solstice. By the time we reached Whitefish in the dark, I was ready for bed.

6/22/1988 We arrived at Pasco early and I went into the station for a newspaper then breakfast as the Baby Builder made its way down the Columbia River Gorge. We left Wishram under clear skies but the clouds were prevalent in the gorge so I was glad of the clear trip east, although they did give a different feel to it. We arrived at Vancouver early, where I detrained to a very cloudy morning and said goodbye to my Baby Builder.

I chose Vancouver as the spot to transfer to the southbound Coast Starlight since I did not like the method by which trains are boarded in Portland, and there was a lot of freight train action which easily filled the gap until my train arrived. Moreover, I would be able to have a better selection of seats.

Union Pacific 6075 East passing through Vancouver.

As I boarded the Portland-bound coach, the attendant found me a nice window seat on the right and I settled in as the Coast Starlight crossed the Columbia River. At Portland, the car's passengers detrained, leaving just me and two others and indeed, there were twelve people. We departed on time and the dining car steward asked me my dinner time preference as while there was currently a light load, it was going to be busy south of Oakland. I chose the earliest one then went to the lounge car and enjoying the world passing outside the window. I was called to dinner after Eugene and finished it by the Office Covered Bridge west of Oakridge. We climbed Cascade Summit in the last light of day and finally escaped the clouds then called it a night at Chemult.

6/23/1988 Today was my brother Jon's birthday and I awoke just as we were departing Davis and proceeding west down the California Pacific main line towards Oakland. The United States Navy Mothball fleet looked very impressive in the morning light and we crossed the drawbridge and arrived at Martinez. The journey along the straits and San Pablo Bay was fantastic and we arrived Oakland early, where a large group of passengers boarded but did not fill up our coach. We made our way to San Jose then south to Salinas where I had a nap and awoke near Santa Margarita as we neared Cuesta Grade and I took pleasure in our descent. We arrived early at San Luis Obispo, but departed on time after the northbound Coast Starlight arrived.

The journey along the Coast was spectacular and I enjoyed a steak dinner with an oceanside table as we rounded Point Conception and went east to Santa Barbara, arriving there early. I enjoyed a few after dinner drinks as the train made its way to Oxnard and up the Simi Valley, then I returned to my seat as it was just starting to get dark and we were nearing Glendale. It was a quick run to Los Angeles Union Station and a twenty-seven minute early arrival at the train's teminus. I detrained and waited for San Diegan Train 586 to take me home to Santa Ana, thus ending another great Amtrak journey, plus a fun and fantastic stay at the Izaak Walton Inn in Essex.

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