Backing up to Sacramento, CA for a moment While in Sacramento taking a few shots around the platform including of Amtrak California, the train departed. Well, I didn't have my video camera with me; but, my little point and shot also has video capability so I took advantage of that feature. [video=youtube;uA78cnGfJSc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uA78cnGfJSc[/video] YouTube - Amtrak California Duration: 40 Seconds
Emeryville, CA So, here we are finally in Emeryville, CA which was scheduled to arrive at 5:10PM but we pull in several hours late. Grabbed a few shots of the GE P42DC Engines (#181 & #11) at ground level before we head for the hotel; which requires us to use the overhead walkway you see and took a few photographs as we passed over the engines. - - -
Amtrak California From our hotel balcony, I catch Amtrak California being lead by CDTX GE P32-8BWH - #2009... [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] - [/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] [/FONT]
California Zephyr Train #5 ... and here is the last view of California Zephyr Train #5 at the Emeryville Station as the sun sets and we get ready to call it a night. [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] - [/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] - [/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] [/FONT]
End of Day #2 Hope you enjoyed the ride from Denver, CO to Emeryville, CA on the California Zephyr [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica][/FONT]
So, we spend the night at the hotel next to the station and get up the next morning to start the second half of our trip, riding Train #6 back to Denver. Are you ready?
Day#3 It's the next morning and we depart out hotel room to cross back over the bridge to the Emeryville Station to await Train #6 to arrive. As you can see, the tracks are currently empty in both directions but it's a bright and beautiful day. [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] - [/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] - [/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] - [/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] [/FONT]
Emeryville, CA Being such a beautiful day, we wait outside the station since inside is nothing special from my point of view. Here we see our Hotel and Balcony I took the shots from the night before. Also at the station I found these two plaques... [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] - [/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] - [/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] - [/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] [/FONT]
Train #6 Arrives Good thing my little camera was video, Train #6 arrives and I don't have the camcorder ready. [video=youtube;3wyZLwsuA_g]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wyZLwsuA_g[/video] YouTube - Amtrak Zephyr Duration: 1:17 Minutes Better if you use the HQ Viewer What the heck is on the end of our train today???
WOW - Wouldn't be nice to travel on those cars!!!!!!! http://www.phcp.com/creativeincentives.htm Yes, we will have two additional private cars traveling with us; the "[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Evelyn Henry[/FONT]" sleeper car that is just luxurious and the "[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Warren R. Henry[/FONT]" Dome car that is equally as nice. Oh well, I can only dream right now as it's time to get on board but enough time to grab a few quick shots as I walk by... [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] - [/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] - [/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] [/FONT]
Video #16 - Emeryville, CA to Roseville, CA We are now on board California Zephyr Train #6 leaving Emeryville Station right on time. We pass by the Berkley Aquatic Park before catch the Gold Gate Bridge in the distance. I will be riding backwards most the trip so there will be clips showing our Patrick Henry Charter cars that are tagging along with us. We will pass through a tunnel before the Carquinez Strait Bridge comes into view as well as the old C&H Pure Cane Sugar plant. We are suprised with a nice breakfest as we look out over the water wit the George Miller Jr. Memorial Bridges in the distance. As we pull into Martinez Station, Amtrak California is there with #2052 doing the honors. Near the station is Shoreline Regional Park where SP#1258 rests with ATSF Boxcar #40922 and Caboose #999390. We cross over the George Miller Jr. Memorial Bridge and pull past the Suisun-Fairfield depot. I catch Dixon station before we pull into Davis Station about 30 minutes late where I will also catch the RV076 Tower. As we pull into Sacramento over the Swing Bridge where the Delta King Paddlewheeler sitting in dock. While at the station, I sneak back to out private cars to find "Georgia" being on the door. You can partially see the UP Shops over the platform cover. We reach Roseville where I search to see if the D&H Hopper is still there but no where in sight. This is one big yard that I'm sure has seen lots of history over the years of operation. The Am-Shack people board the train from is a sad replacement from the old Roseville station that I catch out the window as well... [video=youtube;WDLCUOJrYys]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDLCUOJrYys[/video] YouTube - Amtrak #6 - Part 16 Duration: 9:36 Minutes
Video #17 - Roseville, CA to Summit Tunnel (#41) As we depart Roseville, we are hearing news of a major rain storm in the Midwest that is disrupting service, Train#5 behind us is over 13 hours behind schedule!!!! This storm would turn out to cause massive flood damage and cancel service on this line until July 5th. We are lucky that it won't impact the rest of our trip since we are getting off in Denver as this train will not make Chicago now... The eastbound route takes a slightly different route then the westbound train does in this area. We will now enter the TUNNEL DISTRICT which was constructed by SP between 1907 and 1920 with 18 tunnels ahead of us. I won't catch shots of all of them since LUNCH will occur in the middle of this which makes eating interesting as you go in and out of tunnels. Going eastbound I will catch better shots of the Balloon Track in Blue Canyon. The mountain and valley views in this area today are wonderful; just wish the trees along the tracks weren't there blocking the view. If you have noticed yet, I riding backwards this time in our cabin so I will get more shots of our "Private Cars" on the rear then of the engines up front as we go through turns. As we get higher in elevation we start to once again pass through the Snow Sheds. I bet my buddy HEMI will enjoy second shot I will get of Tunnel 38 with the "Private Cars" coming out. We will soon enter Summit Tunnel (#41) and enter darkness for 2 miles... [video=youtube;_5ohM1zXK04]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5ohM1zXK04[/video] YouTube - Amtrak #6 - Part 17 Duration 9:24 Minutes Better if you use the HQ Viewer
Colfax, CA Having my new trusty point-n-shoot with me when we arrived in Colfax, I was able to take a few shots. The time stamp also tells me that we were running about 1.5 hours late when we arrived. [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] - [/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] - [/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] - [/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] [/FONT]
Tunnel Junkie I will also catch Tunnel #34 as we pass by with my little point-and-shoot... [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] [/FONT]
Wouldn't it be funny if either of us got a photograph of the other during this ride. I do know from past conversations we stood nearly in the same spot just a few hours apart, so it's possible we might have had seen each other and never knew it... Keep watch for you and/or your car in the video clips and see if by chance I did catch you someplace along the route and check you photographs from this timeframe and see if you caught my train passing you by too... Remember this post (Déjà vu #13), it will be coming up later in this topic too... :tb-cool: :tb-cool: :tb-cool: :tb-cool:
Video #18 - Summit Tunnel (#41) to Sparks, NV We now reach the end of the 2 mile long Summit Tunnel (#41) and it won't be long that I will catch the old CP route Tunnel #12 that is now part of a 4x4 route that I understand goes all the way through Tunnel #6. Might have to try to get to this road someday! From here we get some great views down the valley and of Donner Lake. I also got a nice shot of the Snow Shed this time since I'm riding backwards. We then enter Tunnel #13 (Twin Tunnels) and head around Emigrant Canyon making the 180 degree turn at Standford Curve to pass back out of this small canyon. Did you see the tracks on the other side as we head down this grade? I will also catch Tunnel #13's portal from the other side of the canyon too. We will then make Truckee (CP RV205 W-Truckee) and will once again get shots of the Passenger and Freight Stations. I also get shots of some MOW equipment that is station here at the other Balloon Track here in the yard. As we pass through Polaris, I catch a couple of shots of a building, is this their Station from days past? I will also catch a shot of part of the old town of Boca. As we travel along Truckee River there are some great views of this region. We cross now into Nevada and cross over a Trestle bring the Truckee River into view. We pass through Verdi and soon will catch the westbound trestle before we pass through Mogul. We pass the West Reno switch (MP 239) before entering the trench. Looks like we are running about 1 hour behind schedule now. Soon afterward, we reach Sparks which is a very active rail yard but I still get a shot of the Station as well as other builds from the window. Catch a few signs out the window as well... [video=youtube;3cHHXjL7S3I]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cHHXjL7S3I[/video] YouTube - Amtrak #6 - Part 18 Duration 8:33 Minutes
It would be funny especially since we have almost bumped into each other. Weren't you living the high life riding in the private car below? Ben
Reno, NV When we reach Reno, I got a chance to step out of the train for a bit and took advantage of being able to go forward up to the engines for a few shots... [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] - [/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] - [/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] - [/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] [/FONT]
