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Steam Doubleheader Trip with the 261/2816 9/15/2007

I worked five of the seven periods at McFadden Intermediate School before I came home to grab my luggage. I drove to the Santa Ana Train Station this time to take Surfliner 775 to LAUPT and the Flyaway Bus to LAX. My wait was short as the train was on time.

Surfliner 774 came into Santa Ana and this was the first picture I took with my new Canon EOS 35 MM Camera. This train had Surfliner Cab Car 6905, Superliner Baggage Coach 31018, Coaches 6410, 6413 and 6451, Coach/Cafe 6351, Pacific Business Class 6803 with engine 451. I boarded Business Class and the train made the stops at Anaheim and Fullerton. We made the final sprint to LAUPT. We arrived on time and I walked to the Flyaway Kiosk where I bought my round trip ticket to LAX for eight dollars. We departed late at 3:04 PM and avoided the bumper to bumper traffic on the 101 Freeway by taking surface streets. Once on the 110 Freeway more bumper to bumper traffic until we reached the Car Pool Lane which then allowed a smooth ride to LAX. I was dropped off at Terminal 2 and got into the Security Line. I then heard "Northwest Airline Flight 310 for Minneapolis" and a TSA Agent walked me to a very short security line. I checked Gate 24A for Anton then went to the LA Roundhouse 66 Diner for some Crispy Chicken Wings and some Coca-Cola. I then relaxed at the Gate until my boarding time.

I was on board at 5 PM taking Seat 14F on this A319 Aircraft. Anton made this flight right before the door closed. We took off at 5:32 PM PDT and I had two young women who talked all the way to the Twin Cities without stopping next to me. I did Sudoku Puzzles and read my Canadian Trackside Guide. The plane landed at MSP at 10:21 PM CDT. We retrieved Anton's bag then learned Chris Parker's plane was due in at 12:10 AM. I took Anton on the Hiawatha Light Rail Line from the Lindbergh Terminal to the Humphrey Terminal and back. We both enjoyed the blast of cold thirty degree air as that stop was outside. We returned on the next train and waited for Chris Parker to show up which he did at 12:30 AM. He got the Alamo Rental Car and soon we were on I484 which we took to Plymouth. There we checked into the Best Western Kelly Inn for our two night stay. It took a while for me to fall asleep but I got a solid five and a half hours of sleep.

9/15/2007 We got up at 6:30 AM and meet Anton at 6:50 AM before we went to McDonalds for breakfast. We drove to Minneapolis Jct to board the Doubleheader Steam Trip using the Milwaukee Road 261 and Canadian Pacific 2816. We parked the car and went to get some pictures before boarding.

The Canadian Pacific polishing up the 2816 on the point with the Milwaukee Road 261 behind.

The Cedar Rapids at the rear of our train today. This train had the Canadian Pacific 4-6-4 2816, Milwaukee Road 4-8-4 261, Tool Car CP 29114, Generator Car CP 96, Sleeper CP 110 HR Bowen, PPCX 5534, Coaches Dominion CP 101, Ernest "Smokey" Smith, VC CP 102, Baggage NS 9107 {in CP colors}, RPCX 5534, St. Paul Pass 800798, Nokomis NS 203 and Wenonah, Baggage NS X 2450, Minnesota River NRHS 31, Wisconsin Valley NRHS 3103 800757, Super Dome 800862 and the Cedar Rapids 800040. Anton and I then found our seats in the Nokomis and then I went to find Chris to tell him where we are sitting.

I found Chris at the front end of the train still taking pictures. I reboarded then walked to the concession car and ran into Cary and Michelle from Alabama who had driven up here for this trip. It is always a fantastic thing to meet my friends I've meet over the years of riding trains on trips like these. The train left Minneapolis Jct at 8:30 AM. I found Chris Parker and Bob Riskie in the open door baggage concession car. The train headed towards St Paul and right before we got to Westminster Hill we went through the tunnel at the top of the hill giving me a new route into town. We went down the hill and at the bottom we started our running along the Mississippi River.

The Mississippi River.

A look back at the St. Paul Skyline. You got a got great view of the St. Paul Skyline. The train made its way by the Canadian Pacific St. Paul Yard and by the BNSF Dayton's Bluff Yard. We steamed through Newport before we ran to St. Croix where I saw Lock and Dam 1 where we shot our last pictures of the 2004 Doubleheader Trip. We turned to the southeast to cross the 320 foot lift bridge across the Mississippi River just before Hastings.

The train crossed the Mississippi River Bridge at Hastings. The train rolled through Hastings then by Vermillion and Blackbird.

The train ran along Mississippi River. The train ran through Duke before we came into Red Wing and a servicing stop for our pair of steam engines. We were in Red Wing for about thirty minutes.

The train ran under the highway bridge at Red Wing was run by as we were left town. The line now leaves the river to head towards Lake City.

There were interesting rocks near the top of this bluff.

The chasers were getting ready to continue their mad dash for another picture.

Later we start our trek along Lake Pepin down by the water side.

Down by the water side.

The very wide Mississippi River at Lake Pepin.

We ran below the Palisades along the Minnesota side of the Mississippi River.

I am sure we surprised a few fishermen as our doubleheaded steam train blasted by their fishing locations.

We ran by some sand bars built up in the river forming islands.

Another fishing boat as we rolled by.

Lilly pads add to this beautiful scene.

There are great views abound along this most scenic route.

Our train ran along the wide and deep Mississippi River as the beauty continues.

The beauty continues.

We came into the Winona Station used by Amtrak.

A look down the river.

There are interesting hills in Wisconsin.

Another view.

There are rock formations over in Wisconsin.

The train ran by Lock and Dam 7 as we neared La Crescent where we would turn east to cross the Mississippi River to reach La Crosse, Wisconsin our destination for this steam trip today.

The train headed out onto the drawbridge across the Mississippi River.

Coming off the Mississippi River Bridge the train came into Wisconsin.

The train made the crossing of the Black River and soon after we pulled into the La Crosse Station. I detrained and got in line to pick up my lunch which I paid for on the train. They had announced that we would do a Photo Runby after the CP 2816 was watered. I decided to find the best location that I could.

The La Crosse Station.

The Cedar Rapids looking beautiful in this bright late summer afternoon.

The rear of our train.

From up on the first bridge near the station provided this view which would be limited for the runby as this side only had the sidewalk. I decided to try the other bridge further west. Once I got there, we waited. Soon we heard a horn of a CP Rail westbound.

CP 8756 West passed through La Crosse passing the Cedar Rapids. I saw paramedics down by the engines and soon it was announced that our Photo Runby was canceled. A gentleman had tripped over the water hose and injured his head. I returned to the train to wait for the start of our trip back to the Twin Cities.