Planning a vacation in the Rockies and Yellowstone with a stop in Cheyenne. What sort / volume of trafic am I likley to see at Cheyenne, and any tips on the best places round there to spot trains? Any feedback on the Cheyenne depot museum?
Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub
to the forum!
If you get out to West Yellowstone, check out the old depot...
In the Union Pacific Railroad Depot 104 Yellowstone Avenue West Yellowstone, MT 59758 Phone: (406) 646-1100 or (406) 646-7461 Web :www.yellowstonehistoriccenter.org Walk through the historic Union Pacific Depot building and discover the wonders of the world's first national park. View historical displays, wildlife exhibits, vintage Park transportation. See the raging fires of 1988 and the terrifying earthquake of 1959. Interactive activities for all ages. Walking tours of the Historic District and other programs. Now under new management!
Here are a few suggestions about railfanning in and around Cheyenne ....
Both BNSF and UP have lines through town, but the latter has far and away many more trains. The BNSF yard may be viewed from either 24th or 27th Sts., west of Snyder Ave.
ARCHER is located along I-80 about eight miles east of downtown Cheyenne. Take the "Archer" exit off I-80, drive onto the north service road and head about three quarters of a mile west of the Sapp Bros. Truck Stop to Pershing Blvd. Turn north on Pershing and you'll cross the double track Overland Route mainline on a narrow highway bridge. Just west of that bridge is a nice reverse curve that's a favorite spot for photo lines.
"TOWER A" is a universal crossover plant located on the west side of town. Its formal name is CPW 511 and there you'll find some complicated trackwork that affords U.P. trains the capability of switching among any of the four main tracks. Immediately above this crossover plant in a large steel bridge that carries the BNSF mainline. At the west end of this crossover plant is the Southwest Drive road crossing, and on just about any day in the summertime, there are one or more railfans parked there watching trains, snapping still photos, or capturing video of the action.
Continuing west on West Lincolnway west of Tower A, you'll pass underneath I-25, you'll drive by the Little America resort, and then slip underneath I-80. Continue west on the old highway, now known as Otto Road, and pass the Dyno-Nobel fertilizer plant. About two or three miles beyond Dyno-Nobel you'll see a wooden bridge that spans the Union Pacific mainline. That's another nice vantage point from which to do a little photography.
Lastly, if you need some convenient nourishment here are two recommendations:
Good luck with your travels, and above all BE CAREFUL!
Carl
Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)
CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)
CShaveRR wrote:There is also a restaurant/watering hole in the depot at Cheyenne. Our (my wife and I) advice--go to that place across the street instead! We had inexcusable lousy service there. Slow, wrong orders, insolence. It may have been only one person, but it almost ruined the experience. Thankfully, we were by a window with plenty of opportunity (and time!) to watch crew changes, arrivals, and departures.
"...that place across the street...." is the Albany restaurant. The proprietors Gus and George Kallas really do run a tight ship - and serve good food to boot!
RJ
"Something hidden, Go and find it. Go and look behind the ranges, Something lost behind the ranges. Lost and waiting for you. Go." The Explorers - Rudyard Kipling
http://sweetwater-photography.com/
Just some shots taken around various points in Cheyenne:
The first four were taken on the bridge over the yard. The next shot was taken near the crossing just west of where the C&S crosses the UP transcon. The last two were taken where Terry Ranch Rd. crosses the UP Greeley Sub.
I also have some nice shots taken around the Steam Shops. However, those were taken during Frontier Days, and railfans were allowed on the property. I wouldn't go there on a "regular" day unless you were invited. Might be worth trying to phone/e-mail/whatever to see if you can get permission to go on the property.
No matter what you do, you won't have to worry about a lack of trains on the transcon, and there are some great spots to watch from. Good luck!
-ChrisWest Chicago, ILChristopher May Fine Art Photography"In wisdom gathered over time I have found that every experience is a form of exploration." ~Ansel Adams
spbed wrote:Better hurry as winter comes real early to WY
And hard.
If you have not done so.. PAY ATTENTION to NOAA weather reports for that state. It might be worth your life.
Now that I have scared you away, I tell you that Wyoming is a great place to be in the spring, summer time.
Wintertime it's time to get deadly serious about travel; they can and DO close the roads at will your travel plans is never gauranteed. You might say you are going to point B later on this afternoon up there but nature might strand you in a motel (If yer lucky) for 2 days along the way.
By the way Chain season is about October 15 to April 1st. You are probably required to have a set in your vehicle.
This little fella was going WAY too fast and I saw it coming when it passed a double tanker a mile to my rear and got the camera ready. I have been keeping an eye on that double tanker as we both were on split ice at 10 mph with interlock in. The car was doing roughly 60 at least.
http://img238.imageshack.us/my.php?image=wyomingwipeout1im5.jpg
Anyhow it overcorrected and went into the 2 foot deep snow off to the right... it would definately need a tow wrecker to get it back onto the interstate. That hard snow being piled onto the windshield probably kept it wheels down and not get flipped side over side throwing the people out.
http://img518.imageshack.us/my.php?image=wyomingwipeout2co2.jpg
I recall the nearest source of anything was Sheridan, still an hour distant (15 miles or so away)
It was a beautiful day temps down in the teens and that sun was strong enough to liquify the top layer of ice and make it even more slippery if such a thing makes sense.
The pictures were scanned out of a print set from a disposible camera that I keep handy for accidents... either about to happen or after the fact. I like to catch it before it makes contact as it does alot to eliminate "He said she said" in the courthouse.
I don't remember ever seeing gates to close off a stretch of Interstate highway before we encountered I-80 in Wyoming and western Nebraska.
As it was, we followed a fairly heavy snow east in early April when we were out there.
I was out there once - Sept 1978 and winter was coming on fast! I believe it was Sept 9th or so and it snowed quite a bit. I remember being in a bar having lunch and my buddy and I were the only two in there that didnt have on a cowboy hat and boots. "you guys arent from around here are you?" The little bargal then went on to tell us that winter would be around the corner. We just looked at her and each other like "huh?" A couple days later 10" of snow. Time to head back to Hoosier land...in a hurry.
Spent a little time in Laramie, what a wonderful town, before heading up to Yellowstone.
ed
Carl:Arent there gates on I94 in Wisconsin north of the Illinois state line?
miniwyo wrote:When are you Planning on coming out out here to Wyoming? because Time of year will play a role in where the good spots are. Its only 4 days until the 1st of winter! :P
Actually, the first of winter is offically 21 DEC. 21 Sept or so is the end of summer/beginning of Autumn...
JSGreen wrote: Actually, the first of winter is offically 21 DEC. 21 Sept or so is the end of summer/beginning of Autumn...
Not in parts of Wyoming. 'Tis but two seasons there: August and Winter.
Dan
Hi All,
Just a weather comment, about 6 years ago, mid September, my wife and I were on our way to the Custer Battlefield and Yellowstone Park via Red Lodge, Montana. We were on our way out of the Black Hills and wound up in a small town south of Sheridan, WY. There, we got the first news of a Winter Weather Watch. By morning it was a Warning. We headed west for Cody and the East gate of the park across the Bighorns. We saw the ranchers rounding up their stock by mid morning. Luckily, the snow didn't start until we were at the park. By the next morning some areas of the park had 18 in. of snow. We made it all the way to West Yellowstone, MT for the night. It was a bit scary crossing the mountains and not knowing how far away the snow was though we had a good guess and a 4X4.
Best,
Rob
MP173 wrote: Carl:Arent there gates on I94 in Wisconsin north of the Illinois state line?ed
Those? They're on the ramps to keep us flatlanders out of Goodness-knows-what!
The museum at the old depot is worth the time spent to get a feel as to how big the yard was in its hay day. A viewing platform has recently been added to the west end of the depot.
The bridge over the tracks at Archer will give you a good feel of the power needed to pull the hill going east. You will also hear the units going to dynamic braking shortly after the cross overs as the hill down though not as steep goes all the way to PIne Bluff.
There is some switching in the yard by road crews and a couple of remote jobs.
The Albany House is an ok place to eat, the Snake River Pub is the eatery in the depot. Never ate there but sure smelled good after 12 hours on the road.
If you have a few minutes get off of I80 at the Vedauwoo exit and go south. A few miles south is a granite pyramid that is 65 fet high and 60 feet on a side. It was built by the U. P. to commemorate the Ames brothers who was involved with the early days of the railroad.
If you are going through to Laramie, take a few minutes and walk over the bridge over the tracks. U.P.'s welding shop is there to make welded rail.
Have a great trip and yes the winter comes early.
CShaveRR wrote: MP173 wrote: Carl:Arent there gates on I94 in Wisconsin north of the Illinois state line?ed Those? They're on the ramps to keep us flatlanders out of Goodness-knows-what!
If they get past the salt trucks busily creating ice to slip on.
CShaveRR wrote: I don't remember ever seeing gates to close off a stretch of Interstate highway before we encountered I-80 in Wyoming and western Nebraska.
We have them in SD also. When we use them, the message is intended to be that conditions are so bad that no one is going to come out to rescue you until things improve, if you get into trouble you are on your own.
YES
JSGreen wrote: miniwyo wrote:When are you Planning on coming out out here to Wyoming? because Time of year will play a role in where the good spots are. Its only 4 days until the 1st of winter! :PActually, the first of winter is offically 21 DEC. 21 Sept or so is the end of summer/beginning of Autumn...
Lets see, in May we had a snowstorm that shut down almost all the major roads in the state. about 3 years ago the second week of September we had 18 inches in 8 hours. In 1994, we had 4 inches on the 4th of July. Over night last friday night it was 34 degrees at the compressor station I work at. We had soem really nasty rainstorms about 3 weeks ago, and in the mornings when we could see the mountians we actually saw somw white on the peaks, about halfway to the timberline..... Winter is coming, Soon.......
tellthetruthHi Robert, thank you for your amazingly detailed review. would you be able to give me more details?
You've almost certainly resurrected the wrong thread.
Since you're new here -- it's almost always a good idea to start a new topic or thread rather than resurrect something almost a decade old. And be specific about what it is you're asking!
Having lived in Cheyenne, for 8 years, until 1985, believe what people say about the weather.
I have seen snow in Hanna, on the 4th of July.
Do not go around closed gates, you will get a ticket and be charged what it cost to rescue you.
If I-8o is closed between Laramie and Rawlins, old US 30 via Medicine Bow, is a good choice.
Even if 80 isn't closed US 30 is a good choice as it follows the UP most of the way.
Do not let your gas tank go below 1/2 especially in the winter.
Take winter gear along from the 1st of Sept thru the end of May. Also take shelf stable food along with a way to melt snow for drinking water and to make hot drinks. A sterno stove kit is also a good idea. I had this stuff in my car every winter. You should also have a small claspable shovel, to move snow. Good insulated boots could come in handy.
On roads passing thru open range, watch for livestock resting on the road, for the heat off road.
If you are going off well traveled routes make sure someone knows where you are going and when to expect you back.
During winter you can get into trouble very fast.
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