After an interesting look around the Stockyards, it was time to board the train for the Trinity River Trip.
Grapevine Vintage Railroad Trinity River Run 12/30/2006At 3:12 PM the train was opened for boarding and I took the same seat I had on the run from Grapevine. We departed from the Stockyards Station promptly at 3:30 and started our run to the 8th Avenue Yard, our turn-around point.
At the switch to the wye, this time we went right. The train took the turn and headed southwest toward downtown Fort Worth.
We crossed US Highway 287 and had our first good look at the Fort Worth skyline.
The train next crossed the west fork of the Trinity River in Heritage Park.
Great views of the skyline of downtown Fort Worth from this crossing of the West Fork of the Trinity River.
The train ran off the West Fork of the Trinity River bridge.
After we took a curve in Heritage Park, we crossed 7th Street where there was a large shopping center and a few minutes later we crossed Lancaster Avenue.
The train next crossed over the floodplain of the Clear Fork of the Trinity River in Trinity Park.
Below us were the tracks of the Trinity Park Railroad.
Then the train crossed the Clear Fork of the Trinity River.
A look back at the bridge across the Clear Fork of the Trinity River.
Another view of downtown Fort Worth.
The train went under the former Missouri Pacific mainline to El Paso, now the Union Pacific. We continued through a semi-industrial area to 8th Avenue, which we ran next to. Here we entered a small yard where GVR 2199 cut off to run around the train.
Inside Coach 209.
Inside Coach 1818.
Inside Coach 206.
Inside Coach 1808.
Inside Coach 208.
A happy family aboard the Grapevine Vintage Railroad.
The locomotive ran by us and we were now ready to return to the Stockyards Station.
The bridge across the Clear Fork of the Trinity River in Trinity Park.
The Clear Fork of the Trinity River.
Trinity Park.
Curving off the wooden trestle in Trinity Park.
Downtown Fort Worth from the west end of Heritage Park.
The West Fork of the Trinity River in Heritage Park.
Another view of Fort Worth.
The route back to Grapevine. The train returned to the Stockyards Station where passengers returning to Grapevine were told to stay on the train while all the Trinity River passengers detrained and our Grapevine passengers returned. I gave a passenger who was carrying his baby on the first train ride of its life my card so that the baby would be able to read about its trip sometime in the future. Chris Parker returned after having a fantastic time at the Stockyards and I told him about the fun train trip he missed. We both did our own thing and each of us had a great time. The train departed Stockyards Stations for Grapevine on time.
Our train curved onto the mainline and crossed Marine Creek.
At the BNSF crossing we had to wait for two freights.
Later a Fort Worth and Western freight left their yards for points south.
Are these real or fake? Try fake but it made a good picture. As the sun set and this trip became an early evening journey, I just sat back and relaxed. It had been a fantastic trip on the Grapevine Vintage Railroad and one I would recommend to anyone who loves trains!
The Grapevine Station. After returning to the car, we left, taking Texas 114 East to Interstate 35E to 30E to Texas 134, which we took southeast to Athens. We checked in at the Best Western Inn on the Hill and then went to the Ole West Steakhouse where I enjoyed a top sirloin that was twice as big as any I had had in California. That steak was really excellent. We visited Walmart before returning to the hotel for the night.
12/31/2006
After a better breakfast at the Inn on the Hill, we checked out and headed south down Texas 19 to Palestine on my 49th birthday and Day 4,365 of my sobriety.
The former Palestine station is now the Chamber of Commerce.
There is a Texas Historic Marker about the station.
Union Pacific power at Palestine.
A fuel car and caboose at the Palestine Car Shops.
On the way out of town a Missouri Pacific Caboose on display. We then took US 84 out of town east three miles where we found the entrance to our next train ride of this trip.
