Fall 2016 Amtrak California Zephyr Adventure October 5-7 Three Days on the California Zephyr

Unexpected Snow in Fraser/Winter Park CO

Three Days Traveling on Amtrak's California Zephyr Chicago, Denver, Utah, Nevada and California to Emeryville(San Francisco)

Another great three days traveling on Amtrak from Chicago to Emeryville, CA. As you can see from the photo above, I was surprised by snow in the Winter Park area in Colorado just as we climbed up into the Rocky Mountains and we passed through Moffatt Tunnel under the Continental Divide. While the snow was a surprise in early October, it was greeted with glee by most of the passengers. After we passed Grandby, CO, the snow gave way to sunny and dry conditions in western Colorado, Utah, and Nevada. Even the Truckee, CA, and Sierras were snow free. Thankfully for this cold natured guy, it is warm and sunny in California - in the high 80's.  

The train ride was good and I met several couples traveling. Across the aisle in my neighbor roomette was couple from Wisconsin. That is them in one of the photos below. Another couple I met and shared a meal in the dining car was from Michigan. Every trip I take is a new adventure and I enjoy meeting lots of different people from all over the world. One of my dining mates was from New Zealand and I met another from Sweden on this trip. And, yes, I do share my personal Christian testimony and love for working with youth and children in Sunday School. 

There was one minor problem on this trip and seemed pretty major during the last night in the sleeping car. Apparently, Amtrak maintenance did not realize that we would pass through the snow and even through Utah and Nevada last night the outside temperature was near or just around freezing.  It was actually 38 degrees when we stopped in Reno this morning around 8:30 am. Our sleeping car had NO HEAT and the cool air conditioning was going full force. It was probably one of the coldest nights I have ever tried sleeping.  The blanket provided was inadequate for the job so I ended up sleeping with my jacket with hoody my nephew Mark gave me last Spring while visiting them in Shreveport, LA.  So, Mark, I continue to advertise and promote Owen Engineering while traveling.

All is well though now and I'll look forward to the "hot" California weather.  I'm headed back a couple hours to Sacramento tomorrow to visit the California State Railroad Museum in Ole Sacramento right adjacent to the Amtrak station.

Here are several photos following my journey on the California Zephyr in sequence as the trip progressed.  No "captions" so enjoy.

   
So here I am in Emeryville.  My room actually overlooks the scene in the last photo above.  I'll post another update tomorrow night.  Sunday will be day of rest and worship via the internet services of FBC Nashville and FHBC Nashville. Monday will be a day of travel on the Coast Starlight from here to Los Angeles and then by bus to the LAX airport area and my hotel. That will be a late night arrival for you folks back in the central and eastern time zones so I'll plan to do an update on Tuesday since I will be relaxing and waiting until Wednesday morning to fly home to Nashville.

You can click on any of the small photos in this blog to open a full size photo. 

All my photos are available to view on Reagan's Photo Galleries website.

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Fall RailTrip

Photos from Denver - will be snowing in mountains

Sorry for short post due to posting from IPhone.

Fall 2016 Amtrak California Zephyr Adventure Tuesday October 4 - Chicago's Union Station Metropolitan Lounge, Rail Day Trip to Galesburg, IL, Rail fanning back in Chicago

Chicago's Iconic Willis Tower and Union Station in Background as I overlook Amtrak's work yard

Union Station's Metropolitan Lounge, Rail Trip to Galesburg, IL, and Rail Fanning back in Chicago

Another day possibly overdoing it.  If you can identify with "bone tired" then you know how I feel tonight. If you get this update then you know I did not fall asleep while posting it. Nevertheless, it was a great day and probably can be divided into three parts.  

Union Station's Metropolitan Lounge - I was up early 5 am again today to get ready and go to Union Station for my 7:35 am departure to Galesburg. Since I was traveling business class, I got to do my first visit to the new Metropolitan Lounge for sleeping car and business class passengers. Being early there was only two of us at the lounge this early and the hostess was very friendly and explained to us all the new features and processes for priority boarding the trains from this relocated lounge.  One interesting fact I learned for all my fellow Amtrak traveling followers - Amtrak employees only manage the reception area.  Everything else including the free snack bars and keeping the new lounge clean including operating the TV's, etc. is contracted out to non Amtrak employees. The Amtrak hosts and hostesses are not allowed to restock or do mechanical maintenance as they did in the old lounge. Here are a few photos from the lounge.

Entrance to Metropolitan Lounge off the Great Hall

A view inside the lounge

There is even a children's lounge area

Lots of different room in the new lounge

The self serve snack bar area of the new lounge

Another lounge area on second floor of the lounge

Rail Trip to Galesburg, IL, on the Carl Sandburg and return on the Southwest Chief - Travel on the Carl Sandburg train to Galesburg to visit my friend Maury. While there he took me on a car tour of the BNSF(Burlington Northern Santa Fe) freight shops and staging area for freight trains.  From Galesburg these trains can head out in eight different directions. While I was there we saw quite a few oil tank cars from North Dakota which had to be inspected, etc. before they could go back to North Dakota. I arrived in Galesburg about 10:10 am and the Southwest Chief arrived about 12:45 pm to take me back to Chicago.  It was almost 5 pm before we arrived back in Chicago.  Here a a few photos covering this part of the trip.  Maury said he was not really suppose to be driving on the BNSF property so I did not take any photos while we visited there.  

Arriving Galesburg on the Carl Sandburg

Arriving Galesburg on the Carl Sandburg

Maury and I back at the station and Railroad Museum in Galesburg

Amtrak's Southwest Chief in Galesburg to take me back to Chicago

Amtrak's Southwest Chief in Galesburg to take me back to Chicago

On the Southwest Chief departing Galesburg

On the Southwest Chief in the Sightseer Lounge

On the Southwest Chief in the Sightseer Lounge

An Amtrak and a Metra train waiting to depart Chicago's Union Station as we arrive

That the lead engine on our Southwest Chief

Track Ramps Lead into Union Station

Rail-fanning Back in Chicago - Why I am bone tired?  After arriving back in Chicago after a fairly long full day from 6 am to 5 pm, I decided to walk about 5 very long blocks south on Canal Street to Roosevelt Ave bridge that is a favorite of rail fanners to watch Amtrak and Metra trains departing Union Station.  I did include a stop at Panera Bread for Chicken and Rice soup.  After taking a few photos I walked the five blocks back to catch the Blue Line train at Clinton Ave. back to near my hotel.  Now that I am back in the hotel, I am settled in and will be going "nighty night" soon after I finish this update. Here are a couple rail fanning photos taking from the Roosevelt Ave. bridge.  The lead photo above was also taken from this bridge.

An Amtrak train departing.

A very long Metra commuter train departing 

So this conclude my very full and very long day riding the rails. Tomorrow things actually slow down a little.  I'll make my way mid morning back over to Union Station and the Metropolitan Lounge where they serve a light lunch at 12:30 pm and then I board the California Zephyr for 2 pm departure. So I'll be "cruising" on Amtrak Wednesday, Thursday, and most of the day Friday on the way to Emeryville(San Francisco), CA.  Not a promise, but I will try to do a post from my Iphone during the day Thursday.  My next official update will be after checking in to the Hyatt House Hotel in Emeryville Friday night. While traveling on the train, I pack my laptop away and don't use it on the train.  

Thanks for keeping up with me.  

You can click on any of the small photos in this blog to open a full size photo. 

All my photos are available to view on Reagan's Photo Galleries website.

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Fall 2016 Amtrak California Zephyr Adventure Monday, October 3 - Chicago and Amtrak's Hiawatha

Chicago Theater on State Street and Wit Hotel Just Beyond

Arriving Chicago and Riding Amtrak's Hiawatha

Was up early this morning 3:30 am in Nashville and headed to Nashville International to catch a 7:36 am American Airlines flight to Chicago O'Hare. Everything operated smoothly and I was at The Wit Hotel in Chicago by just after 10 am and my room was ready for occupancy. Just as soon as I was settled in I took the Elevated Loop train to near Amtrak's Union Station. I changed my Hiawatha reservation from 3 pm to 1 pm.  Enjoyed the 1 and 1/2 hour train ride to Milwaukee and got right back on and was back in Chicago by 4:30 pm,  By the way, the Hiawatha is a 6 coach car train with engines at both ends so that the trip to and from Milwaukee is "push and pull".  

After getting back to Union Station I decided to walk back to my hotel and enjoyed the walk. The first part of my walk was pretty hectic facing the "mob' race walking to the station to catch Metra commuter trains. Ate dinner at The Noodle Shop on Michigan Avenue.

Below are photos taken on my train ride and of The Wit Hotel including the view from my sixteenth floor room of Chicago River and State Street North.

Amtrak's Hiawatha arriving Chicago

Me, Reagan, on board the Hiawatha

View from the Hiawatha in Milwaukee

Hiawatha in station in Milwaukee

 ca

And now Hiawatha back in Chicago

Entrance to The Wit Hotel on State Street

View from my room at The Wit of Chicago River and State Street

That's it for today.  Hope to get to bed early.  Getting up at 5 am tomorrow Tuesday to take the 7:35 am Amtrak Carl Sandburg to Galesburg to visit with my friend Maury and the Galesburg Railroad Museum.  Should arrive near scheduled time 10:08 am and will stay a couple hours or more if my train Amtrak's Southwest Chief is running late.  It's scheduled for 12:08 pm but it originates in Los Angeles two nights earlier.  

You can click on any of the small photos in this blog to open a full size photo. 

All my photos are available to view on Reagan's Photo Galleries website.

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