Earlier this afternoon
(Saturday, March 5th) on the APRHF “Let’s Talk Trains Show”,
American Passenger Rail Heritage Foundation Rail Rangers Executive
Director Robert Tabern released the group’s 2016 preliminary schedule
exclusively to host Nathan Chidester, a.k.a. “Kansas City Nathan”.
Included in the schedule are plans for various events to be held on 12
separate dates during the course of this year; this includes three
outreach events at train shows, eight dates for on-board interpretive
programs to be presented on private railroad cars, and an all-day van
tour of La Plata, MO. The special highlight of the year, of course,
will be the first-ever private rail car excursion being offered between
Chicago Union Station and La Plata, Missouri (ticket sales are limited
to the first 10 people!!!). And remember, when you make your
reservations, mentioned “APRHF Rail Rangers” and the railroad
organizers will make a donation to our 501(c)(3) non-profit
organization.
Here is a quick overview of each event:
SUNDAY, APRIL 17, 2016 – 34TH ANNUAL CHICAGOLAND RAILROADIANA TRAIN SHOW
APRHF Rail Rangers volunteers will have a booth at the 34th annual
Chicagoland Railroadiana Train Show, which will be held from 9AM to 3PM
on Sunday, April 17, 2016 at Glenbard South High School in Glen Ellyn,
Illinois. This is one of the largest train shows in the Midwest that
focuses on railroad collectible items instead of just model
railroading. Browse through old timetables, signs, postcards, and other
goodies… and be sure to stop by and chat with the American Passenger
Rail Heritage Foundation volunteers to talk about their upcoming trips
during the new year. Rail Rangers will also be selling various “Outside
the Rails” railroad route guidebooks to help raise money for our
organization. It’s a great time to get your route guide – without
having to pay for shipping and handling – ahead of your spring or
summer long-distance train ride. Interpretive guides will include Kathy
Bruecker and Robert Neil.
SATURDAY, APRIL 23, 2016 – ON BOARD INTERPRETIVE PROGRAM: CHICAGO-ST. LOUIS
The APRHF Rail Rangers’ first on-board interpretive program of
2016 will take place on Saturday, April 23, 2016. A full-length dome
car will be placed on the back of Amtrak Train #303, The “Lincoln
Service”. Guests will enjoy on-going narration from our guides
for the entire 284-mile stretch and will have the chance to buy
the new 202-page book, “Outside the Rails: A Rail Route Guide
from Chicago to St. Louis”, written by Robert & Kandace Tabern.
Learn more about the historic I&M Canal, Route 66, coal mining in
Illinois, all the way down to the Mighty Mississippi and the St. Louis
Gateway Arch. This excursion is being operated by “Zephyr Route” of St.
Charles, Illinois. Tickets are being sold for $699.00 per person double
occupancy and includes a ride to St. Louis on this date and a return on
Sunday, April 24, 2016 (see below), plus one night lodging at the
Double Tree Union Station Hotel in St. Louis. Contact Mike at (630)
542-3607 for additional information, or visit,
www.zephyrroute.com. Interpretive guides include Robert Neil,
Kandace Tabern, and Robert Tabern.
SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 2016 – ON BOARD INTERPRETIVE PROGRAM: ST. LOUIS-CHICAGO
The APRHF Rail Rangers’ will also be onboard for the return trip
home on Sunday, April 24th, 2016. A full-length dome car will be placed
on the back of Amtrak Train #304, The “Lincoln Service”. Guests
will enjoy additional fun and educational stories from our guides for
the entire 284-mile stretch and will have another chance to buy
the new 202-page book, “Outside the Rails: A Rail Route Guide
from Chicago to St. Louis”, written by Robert & Kandace Tabern.
Learn more about the historic I&M Canal, Route 66, coal mining in
Illinois, all the way down to the Mighty Mississippi and the St. Louis
Gateway Arch. This excursion is being operated by “Zephyr Route” of St.
Charles, Illinois. Tickets are being sold for $699.00 per person double
occupancy and includes a ride to Chicago on this date and the trip down
the day before on Saturday, April 23, 2016 (see above), plus one night
lodging at the Double Tree Union Station Hotel in St. Louis. Contact
Mike at (630) 542-3607 for additional information, or visit,
www.zephyrroute.com. Interpretive guides include Robert Neil, Kandace
Tabern, and Robert Tabern.
Enjoy view of the St. Louis Gateway Arch from a full-length dome car the weekend of April 23rd and April 24th, 2016
FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2016 – ON BOARD INTERPRETIVE PROGRAM: CHICAGO-KANSAS CITY
APRHF Rail Rangers welcomes our
newest partner – American Rail Excursions, Inc. The private rail
car group is offering a trip that will take visitors on a “River Cities
Rail Tour”, visiting Saint Louis, Chicago, and Kansas City over the
course of five days and four nights. For a more detailed itinerary, you
can check out their website at www.americantraintrips.com.
Interpretive guides Dave Poole and Joe Kuczynski will be aboard for the
430-mile stretch of rail between Chicago and Kansas City on Friday,
June 3rd to tell passengers about what they are seeing out their window
in Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri.
Explore the "Iron Triangle" (St. Louis-Chicago-Kansas City) with American Rail Excursions and APRHF Rail Rangers
SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 2016 – ON BOARD INTERPRETIVE PROGRAM: CHICAGO-HANNIBAL
All Aboard for an interesting day-time roundtrip between Chicago,
Galesburg, and Quincy, Illinois… with a motorcoach extension to
Hannibal, Missouri. This trip leaves Chicago at 7:35AM and gets to
Quincy around NOON. APRHF Rail Rangers will be aboard to tell you
interesting tales of the west suburbs of Chicago, the Cherry Hill Coal
Mine, Galesburg, Macomb, and Mark Twain and the Mississippi River.
Guests will then board a motorcoach to spend the afternoon in Hannibal,
Missouri. APRHF Rail Rangers will greet passengers back aboard the
train in Quincy, IL and provide more narration for the return to
Chicago (estimated time back to the “Windy City” is just before
10PM). This excursion is being operated by “Zephyr Route” of St.
Charles, Illinois. Tickets are being sold for $349.00 per person —
which includes a gourmet breakfast and dinner onboard the upper level
of the dome car. Contact Mike at (630) 542-3607 for additional
information, or visit, www.zephyrroute.com. Special pricing might also
be available for those who wish to ride this excursion to Galesburg,
Illinois for the annual Galesburg Railroad Days Event. Interpretive
guides include Fred Glure, Kandace Tabern, and Robert Tabern.
APRHF Rail Rangers Executive
Director Robert Tabern (center) shares important historical information
during a Chicago to Hannibal excursion trip in the Great Dome
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016 – ON BOARD INTERPRETIVE PROGRAM: CHICAGO-LA PLATA
This is the “must do” excursion of the year for anyone who wants
to arrive in La Plata, MO the Santa Fe way — in a full-length dome
car! For the first time ever, a private rail excursion is being
offered between Union Station and La Plata, MO. Passengers will board
Amtrak Train #3 “Southwest Chief” and enjoy the afternoon scenery
through Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri. Passengers will enjoy narration
and route guides provided by the APRHF Rail Rangers docents. A hearty
welcome will greet you to La Plata, MO — and get ready for a weekend
packed with train action. This excursion is being operated
by “Zephyr Route” of St. Charles, Illinois. Pricing for tickets is
still to be determined — but will include two nights at the Depot Inn
& Suites and a guided tour of both railroad and non-railroad
related La Plata-area sites on Saturday, September 10th (see below) and
the return trip to Chicago on Sunday, September 11th (see below).
Contact Mike at (630) 542-3607 for additional information, or visit,
www.zephyrroute.com. This excursion will have a VERY LIMITED
number of seats available for $699.00 per person double hotel
occupancy. Travelers may also use this excursion to spend the weekend
in Kansas City, MO; pricing for that is $775.00 double occupancy.
Interpretive guides include Robert Neil, Kandace Tabern, and Robert
Tabern.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2016 – ON BOARD INTERPRETIVE PROGRAM: THE LA PLATA AREA
Guests who participate in the above excursion will be treated to
an all-day guided tour of the La Plata, Missouri area and the chance to
“rub elbows” with the President and Vice-President of the American
Passenger Rail Heritage Foundation… and the Executive Director and
Asst. Chicago Coordinator of the APRHF Rail Rangers program. This
guided tour will included the various railroad-related sites of La
Plata (Depot Inn, SilverRails Vineyards, Silver Rails Gallery &
Memorial Library, Silver Rails Events Center, the Overlook Cabin, the
Exhibition of Amtrak History, etc.) and various non-railroad related
sites (Amish Bakery and Store, Thousand Hills State Park, etc.).
This excursion is being operated by “Zephyr Route” of St. Charles,
Illinois. Pricing for tickets is still to be determined — but will
include two nights at the Depot Inn & Suites, the outbound trip to
La Plata, MO on Friday, September 9th (see above) and the return trip
to Chicago on Sunday, September 11th (see below). Contact Mike at (630)
542-3607 for additional information, or visit,
www.zephyrroute.com. This excursion will have a VERY LIMITED
number of seats available. Travelers may also use this excursion to
spend the weekend in Kansas City, MO; pricing for that is $775.00
double occupancy. Interpretive guides include Amy Cox and Bob Cox.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016 – ON BOARD INTERPRETIVE PROGRAM: LA PLATA-CHICAGO:
After the full-day guided tour of La Plata and two nights at the
Depot Inn & Suites (see above), passengers will leave La Plata, MO
in style — traveling back to Chicago on a full-length dome car. APRHF
Rail Rangers volunteers will be on-board the Southwest Chief, Train #4,
for the return back through Missouri, Iowa, and Illinois.
This excursion is being operated by “Zephyr Route” of St. Charles,
Illinois. Pricing for tickets is still to be determined — but will
include two nights at the Depot Inn & Suites, the trip outbound
from Chicago on Friday, September 9th (see above), and a guided tour
of both railroad and non-railroad related La Plata-area sites on
Saturday, September 10th (see above). Contact Mike at (630) 542-3607
for additional information, or visit, www.zephyrroute.com. This
excursion will have a VERY LIMITED number of seats available. Travelers
may also use this excursion to spend the weekend in Kansas City, MO;
pricing for that is $775.00 double occupancy. Interpretive guides
include Robert Neil, Kandace Tabern, and Robert Tabern.
Ten lucky passengers will be
part of La Plata history - as a private car excursion is coming to the
APRHF's hometown in September 2016
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2016 – ON BOARD INTERPRETIVE PROGRAM: MILWAUKEE-ST.PAUL:
What can beat the fall colors
along the Mississippi River? Join the APRHF Rail Rangers for a special
“leaf peeping” trip on the weekend of Friday, October 7, 2016. A
full-length dome car will be placed on the back of Amtrak Train #7 –
The “Empire Builder” – with passengers boarding in Chicago. APRHF Rail
Rangers docents will board in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and provide
commentary until sunset, and then remain onboard until the 10PM arrival
at St. Paul Union Depot to provide suggestions on what to see in the
Twin Cities. This excursion is being operated by “Zephyr Route” of St.
Charles, Illinois. Pricing for tickets is $799 per person double
occupancy — include two nights at the historic St. Paul Hotel and
the return trip to Chicago on Sunday, October 9th (see below). Contact
Mike at (630) 542-3607 for additional information, or visit,
www.zephyrroute.com. Interpretive guides include Dave Poole, Kandace
Tabern, and Robert Tabern.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2016 – ON BOARD INTERPRETIVE PROGRAM: ST. PAUL-MILWAUKEE:
APRHF Rail Rangers volunteers
will be onboard for the return trip home – as you ride in a full-length
dome car on the back of the Empire Builder – Train #8 – between St.
Paul Union Depot and Chicago Union Station. Docents will be aboard to
tell you about the scenic Mississippi River and Lake Pepin areas, the
“rolling hills” of Central Wisconsin, and the urban corridor between
Milwaukee and Chicago. This excursion is being operated by
“Zephyr Route” of St. Charles, Illinois. Pricing for tickets is $799
per person double occupancy — include two nights at the historic
St. Paul Hotel and the outbound trip to St. Paul on Friday, October 7th
(see above). Contact Mike at (630) 542-3607 for additional information,
or visit, www.zephyrroute.com. Interpretive guides include Dave
Poole, Kandace Tabern, and Robert Tabern.
Join APRHF Rail Rangers for a "fall colors" excursion along the Mississippi River in October 2016
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2016 – OUTREACH PROGRAM: TRAINFEST 2016 – MILWAUKEE, WI:
It’s the world’s largest train
show and the APRHF Rail Rangers will be back again for our second year!
Come out and participate in an informal “meet and greet” with American
Passenger Rail Heritage Foundation volunteers. If you’re looking for
that perfect Christmas gift — you will have your chance to buy various
route guides (minus the shipping and handling!) from the popular
“Outside the Rails” rail route guide series. A portion of the profits
will be donated to the APRHF Rail Rangers program. By then, our
volunteers might even be able to give you a sneak peek at some of the
2017 trips that we will have in the works. Oh, yeah, and don’t forget
to visit the countless vendors and model railroad displays.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2016 – OUTREACH PROGRAM: TRAINFEST 2016 – MILWAUKEE, WI:
It’s the world’s largest train
show and the APRHF Rail Rangers will be back again for our second year!
Come out and participate in an informal “meet and greet” with American
Passenger Rail Heritage Foundation volunteers for a second day of
action-packed fun. If you’re looking for that perfect Christmas gift —
you will have your chance to buy various route guides (minus the
shipping and handling!) from the popular “Outside the Rails” rail route
guide series. A portion of the profits will be donated to the APRHF
Rail Rangers program. By then, our volunteers might even be able to
give you a sneak peek at some of the 2017 trips that we will have in
the works. Oh, yeah, and don’t forget to visit the countless vendors
and model railroad displays.
