Originally posted by Green Bay Paddlers [ Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub Reply spbed Member sinceDecember 2001 From: Austin TX 4,941 posts Posted by spbed on Tuesday, June 21, 2005 2:55 PM Oh yes if you want to see the trains coming or going over the GSL causeway here are the instructions. West on 12th Ave until you approach a sign for the National Salt Company sign. I15 connects with 12th Ave. About 100 feet after the sign hang a left onto a dirt road. Follow that road to the tracks. Make a right at the tracks until you reach the causeway. [:o)][8D] Originally posted by Green Bay Paddlers Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub Reply gbrewer Member sinceAugust 2001 From: US 240 posts Posted by gbrewer on Tuesday, June 21, 2005 2:58 PM I suggest the Durango & Silverton,, the Cumbres & Toltec, the Colorado Railroad Museum, the Nevada Railroad Museum and the Nevada Northern. Reply miniwyo Member sinceJanuary 2003 From: Rock Springs Wy. 1,967 posts Posted by miniwyo on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 12:01 AM What is your route back east? If you hapen to be swinging through Rock Springs I'd be happy to show you some grea places to watch, and also be able to show you our local Model RR club layout, the Bitter Creek and Western MRY. 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/ Reply Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 1:16 AM With your itinerary in mind, I would suggest after Promontory, Utah you may consider the Nevada Northern Railway at Ely, NV. This is truly a gem and worth the extra miles. Here are two web sites to check out, these should help with your planning: http://www.nevadanorthernrailway.net/ and http://nn.railfan.net/ Jim - Lawton, NV MP 236 Reply Edit nanaimo73 Member sinceApril 2005 From: Nanaimo BC Canada 4,117 posts Posted by nanaimo73 on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 1:37 AM If you like the Milwaukee Road, E70 is in Deer Lodge and E57B is in Harlowtown. If you google "helmutw" you can find out which of the CMSP&P structures are still around. Some of the substations are still there. Don't forget the big bridge over the Columbia at Beverly. www.izaakwaltoninn.com Dale Reply passengerfan Member sinceMarch 2004 From: Central Valley California 2,841 posts Posted by passengerfan on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 6:30 AM Don't miss the Ogden Station they have some interesting equipment on display and the group behind this beautiful dispaly have more to come. Well worth stopping to see. Reply Green Bay Paddlers Member sinceJuly 2002 From: Green Bay, WI 197 posts Posted by Green Bay Paddlers on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 6:58 AM Thanks miniwyo - unfortunately, we won't be coming through Rock Springs. Appreciate all of the thoughts. None of these suggestions are falling on deaf ears - I'm jotting them all down in a notebook. I really appreciate all of your help! Reply CShaveRR Member sinceJune 2001 From: Lombard (west of Chicago), Illinois 13,681 posts Posted by CShaveRR on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 12:18 PM By all means, stick with old U.S. 30 in Nebraska, instead of I-80--at least between North Platte and Grand Island. UP will definitely put on a show for you. You may find the UP Museum in Council Bluffs, Iowa, worthwhile. http://www.uprr.com/aboutup/history/museum/index.shtml 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) Reply spbed Member sinceDecember 2001 From: Austin TX 4,941 posts Posted by spbed on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 12:28 PM You can extend that all the way to outside Fremont. For sure you have to take in Gibbon Jct if you make the R-30 trek. [:o)][:D] Originally posted by CShaveRR [ Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub Reply PNWRMNM Member sinceMay 2003 From: US 2,593 posts Posted by PNWRMNM on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 11:00 PM I would modify part of Mark Hemphill's intinerary to aviod Snoqaulmie Pass and take Stevens. Snoqualmie is all freeway, the Milwaukee is long gone and you never could see a lot of it in the Pass. Stevens Pass is two lane road and mostly parallels the ex GN main line. Wenatchee is the biggest town in the area if you are looking for a place to stop. Your wife might like Levenworth, which is a fake Bavarian town. Was one of the first and they did a pretty good job of it. In Seattle area might check out Puget Sound Railway Historical Assn which operates excursions, mostly steam I think, from the Snoqualmie Depot which is 25 miles of so East of Seattle just off I-90. The ex MILW bridge at Beverly is an impressive structure. Track is gone. If you go to Beverly just head north to Quincy and turn left. You will be following the ex GN at that point. There is a full horseshoe curve West of Quincy . It is on a fill with generally open views. Westbound you drop about half the distance to the Columbia River in about 4 miles. If you want to see the curve, turn right up the coulee near the bottom of this first drop. If you go under the railroad you have gone too far west. The curve is 5 miles or so up. If you want to hike to the track, would be wise to wear boots as it is rattlesnake country. I grew up in Weantchee and hunted the area of the curve, walking from the top of the Columbia Plateau down. Mac Reply nanaimo73 Member sinceApril 2005 From: Nanaimo BC Canada 4,117 posts Posted by nanaimo73 on Thursday, June 23, 2005 9:39 AM www.brian894x4.com/IdahoRRTrip2004.html Make sure you read the Portland trackside guide in the Dec 2002 Trains. Big Boys-4004 Cheyenne, 4005 Denver, 4023 Omaha DDA40X-6900 Omaha, 6901 Pocatello, 6916 Ogden, 6922 North Platte Dale Reply spbed Member sinceDecember 2001 From: Austin TX 4,941 posts Posted by spbed on Friday, June 24, 2005 11:03 AM There is a 6900 in Portola & a 6900 + a big boy in Dallas[:o)][:)][:p] If you want the # of the 6900 in Portola I can get it for you. [:o)][:D][:p] I think if you look up railroad museum in Dallas they have pix of the engines they have [:o)][:I] Originally posted by nanaimo73 www.brian894x4.com/IdahoRRTrip2004.html Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub Reply miniwyo Member sinceJanuary 2003 From: Rock Springs Wy. 1,967 posts Posted by miniwyo on Saturday, June 25, 2005 12:08 AM While you are in Cheyenne you can call down to the steam shop and let them know you are coming and they will take you around the shop, show you the 3985, 844, and the 6936. I will look for the card that I got the phone # off of and post it for ya. 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/ Reply william6 Member sinceDecember 2001 From: Southern Iowa, near BNSF double track mainline 111 posts Posted by william6 on Saturday, June 25, 2005 10:08 AM Does anyone know if there is a way for railfans to view the action at UP's Bailey Yard at North Platte? Seems like I remember some news item a couple of years back that they were going to build a viewing tower, or something similar for railfans. Or am I just dreaming this? Wm. 1st train ride was at 18 months old...and still riding the rails! Reply VerMontanan Member sinceSeptember 2003 From: NotIn, TX 617 posts Posted by VerMontanan on Saturday, June 25, 2005 11:52 AM QUOTE: Originally posted by Green Bay Paddlers Greetings folks - The highlight for me is going to see Promontory Point, UT. However, are there other museums, railfain spots, hobby shops, model railroad layouts, etc. that we should add to our list? Any help would be appreciated! Jeff In my opinion, the Izaak Walton Inn (they have a website) at Essex, Montana is the quintessential railroader's paradise. Located in a hotel built for helper train crews in 1939, the hotel has modern conveniences but still retains its rustic charm and right outside the door about 45 trains daily pass by, including Amtrak's Empire Builder, which stops at Essex specifically to access the hotel. All this with Glacier National Park in the background. Mark Meyer Reply gacuster Member sinceApril 2004 142 posts Posted by gacuster on Saturday, June 25, 2005 7:45 PM If you go through California the RR museum in Sacramento is excellent, everything from a cab forward to narrow guage wood burners and passenger cars. Reply arbfbe Member sinceFebruary 2002 910 posts Posted by arbfbe on Sunday, June 26, 2005 2:32 AM Depending upon how widely your local area ranges, the ex-Soo Line tracks in Wisconsin and North Dakota migh be good routes to follow. Glenwood on the Soo and on to Minot. Check out the crossing and tower there. Valley City with the high trestle and lower Soo Line route. Your choice, the GN Highline to Havre or drop south to the NP line through Dickinson and Medora, ND. Medora has the badlands, Teddy Roosevelt history and the NP/BNSF through Sully Springs. Gas will be 10 to 15 cents per gallon cheaper in ND than MT so plan on gassing up in Beach, ND before crossing into MT. NP line on to Glendive, Miles City and Billings. GN line across ND and MT through many small communities to Shelby. From Billings (visit Jim's Junction is the hobby shop of choice and worth a stop), north to Great Falls after checking out the MRL yard at Laurel. or continue on to Livingston following the MRL. Bozeman Pass, Helena, Mullan Pass and Missoula. Willamette loco on display at Ft. Missoula and NP 4-6-0 downtown. Classic brich MILW and NP depots to see. From Missoula, (The Treasure Chest for hobby supplies) I-90 with a stop in Wallace for the NP depot or Hwy 93/200 following the MRL to Sandpoint. If you elect the GN way, spend a night at the Izaak Walton at Essex or even more time if you want to see Glacier Park. Visit the GN motels at East Glacier and West Glacier (Belton). Restored GN NW-3 on display at the Whitefish depot. Small Shay locos at Columbia Falls and Libby. GN line via Libby and Try to Sandpoint. Spokane (Sunset Junction for trains in multiple scales) is next west from either route, the "funnel" is a busy mainline with good scenics between Sandpoint and Athol, ID. West of Spokane the choice is NP via Pasco (PF&S is a legendary discount hobby shop a few miles east of town, plan on spending lots of $$$ there) or GN via Wenatchee. If you are Seattle bound the northern route is probably the best choice. what it lacks in traffic it makes up in scenery. There is an open model railroad layout in the museum in Wenatchee. Leavenworth is touristy and difficult to find lodging without early reservations. Lots of railfanning in the hills east of Wenatchee and a dramatic bridge across the Columbia @ Rock Island, WA near the aluminum plant. If you end up in Pasco then route via Yakima and Stevens Pass to Seattle. If you route GN to Seattle, consider Stevens Pass to Pasco if not Vancouver or Portland and either shore of the Columbia (UP south side, BNSF north side) to Pasco for great river views. From Pasco drop south to Hinkle and the Blue Mountains in northern OR. You will either have to drop south away from the RR to get into Utah and Promontory or follow the UP into ID east of Salt Lake. Leaving SLC follow the UP east towards Green River, Rock Springs, Laramie and Cheyenne or go south and pick up the Utah Ry/D&RGW to Helper, Glenwood Springs and on to Denver. Denver north to Cheyenne. From Cheyenne US 20 to North Platte along the mainline or plan on time in Bridgeport, NE, Guernsey, WY, Alliance, NE, Crawford, NE, Gillette, WY to see coal trains until you don't want to look at another one. From North Platte the rest is your choice, that is not my regular travel area. Lincoln in nice and if in Omaha stop in Scale Rail on the west side of town and see Frank's complete little hobby shop. Before you leave get a full set of the Altamont Press Railfan timetables for anywhere you think you MIGHT be. These list all the stations, detectors and railroad frequencies you will find. DeLorme Gazetteers can be found for most of the states you have experssed and interest in. Find them in Wal-Mart or Barnes & Noble. Have fun, enjoy the trip. There is lots to see, railroad oriented and otherwise. Reply Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, June 26, 2005 2:50 AM Since you're on a northern trajectory anyway, why not enter Canada? The CP's main line runs from Regina to Calgary, but you needn't go that far north if you don't want to (though you'll surely be entertained with LOTS of runs on the CP mainline). You could instead go south and follow the branch lines. In the prairie provinces, you'll know a railroad is near when the colorful grain elevators start to appear on the horizon. Enjoy your trip! [:)] Reply Edit spbed Member sinceDecember 2001 From: Austin TX 4,941 posts Posted by spbed on Sunday, June 26, 2005 8:22 AM The Colombia River Gorge is also both scenic & has mainline trains. A good place is the overlook in Hood River OR where you have the UPRR below you then the river then the BNSF on the other bank then the mountains. About 30 miles east of Portland you can get shots of the UPRR mainline with the 5th highest waterfall in the USA in back of the train. Makes for some pretty photo shots [:o)][:p][:)] Further east of the waterfall in Hinckle is the the UPRR loco maintanence facility in the PNW. [:p][:D][8D] Still further east is La Grange OR where you can get ground level shots of the UPRR[:o)][:I][:D] Originally posted by Green Bay Paddlers Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub Reply Join our Community! Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account. Login » Register » Search the Community Newsletter Sign-Up By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy More great sites from Kalmbach Media Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy
Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub
Originally posted by Green Bay Paddlers Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub Reply gbrewer Member sinceAugust 2001 From: US 240 posts Posted by gbrewer on Tuesday, June 21, 2005 2:58 PM I suggest the Durango & Silverton,, the Cumbres & Toltec, the Colorado Railroad Museum, the Nevada Railroad Museum and the Nevada Northern. Reply miniwyo Member sinceJanuary 2003 From: Rock Springs Wy. 1,967 posts Posted by miniwyo on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 12:01 AM What is your route back east? If you hapen to be swinging through Rock Springs I'd be happy to show you some grea places to watch, and also be able to show you our local Model RR club layout, the Bitter Creek and Western MRY. 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/ Reply Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 1:16 AM With your itinerary in mind, I would suggest after Promontory, Utah you may consider the Nevada Northern Railway at Ely, NV. This is truly a gem and worth the extra miles. Here are two web sites to check out, these should help with your planning: http://www.nevadanorthernrailway.net/ and http://nn.railfan.net/ Jim - Lawton, NV MP 236 Reply Edit nanaimo73 Member sinceApril 2005 From: Nanaimo BC Canada 4,117 posts Posted by nanaimo73 on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 1:37 AM If you like the Milwaukee Road, E70 is in Deer Lodge and E57B is in Harlowtown. If you google "helmutw" you can find out which of the CMSP&P structures are still around. Some of the substations are still there. Don't forget the big bridge over the Columbia at Beverly. www.izaakwaltoninn.com Dale Reply passengerfan Member sinceMarch 2004 From: Central Valley California 2,841 posts Posted by passengerfan on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 6:30 AM Don't miss the Ogden Station they have some interesting equipment on display and the group behind this beautiful dispaly have more to come. Well worth stopping to see. Reply Green Bay Paddlers Member sinceJuly 2002 From: Green Bay, WI 197 posts Posted by Green Bay Paddlers on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 6:58 AM Thanks miniwyo - unfortunately, we won't be coming through Rock Springs. Appreciate all of the thoughts. None of these suggestions are falling on deaf ears - I'm jotting them all down in a notebook. I really appreciate all of your help! Reply CShaveRR Member sinceJune 2001 From: Lombard (west of Chicago), Illinois 13,681 posts Posted by CShaveRR on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 12:18 PM By all means, stick with old U.S. 30 in Nebraska, instead of I-80--at least between North Platte and Grand Island. UP will definitely put on a show for you. You may find the UP Museum in Council Bluffs, Iowa, worthwhile. http://www.uprr.com/aboutup/history/museum/index.shtml 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) Reply spbed Member sinceDecember 2001 From: Austin TX 4,941 posts Posted by spbed on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 12:28 PM You can extend that all the way to outside Fremont. For sure you have to take in Gibbon Jct if you make the R-30 trek. [:o)][:D] Originally posted by CShaveRR [ Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub Reply PNWRMNM Member sinceMay 2003 From: US 2,593 posts Posted by PNWRMNM on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 11:00 PM I would modify part of Mark Hemphill's intinerary to aviod Snoqaulmie Pass and take Stevens. Snoqualmie is all freeway, the Milwaukee is long gone and you never could see a lot of it in the Pass. Stevens Pass is two lane road and mostly parallels the ex GN main line. Wenatchee is the biggest town in the area if you are looking for a place to stop. Your wife might like Levenworth, which is a fake Bavarian town. Was one of the first and they did a pretty good job of it. In Seattle area might check out Puget Sound Railway Historical Assn which operates excursions, mostly steam I think, from the Snoqualmie Depot which is 25 miles of so East of Seattle just off I-90. The ex MILW bridge at Beverly is an impressive structure. Track is gone. If you go to Beverly just head north to Quincy and turn left. You will be following the ex GN at that point. There is a full horseshoe curve West of Quincy . It is on a fill with generally open views. Westbound you drop about half the distance to the Columbia River in about 4 miles. If you want to see the curve, turn right up the coulee near the bottom of this first drop. If you go under the railroad you have gone too far west. The curve is 5 miles or so up. If you want to hike to the track, would be wise to wear boots as it is rattlesnake country. I grew up in Weantchee and hunted the area of the curve, walking from the top of the Columbia Plateau down. Mac Reply nanaimo73 Member sinceApril 2005 From: Nanaimo BC Canada 4,117 posts Posted by nanaimo73 on Thursday, June 23, 2005 9:39 AM www.brian894x4.com/IdahoRRTrip2004.html Make sure you read the Portland trackside guide in the Dec 2002 Trains. Big Boys-4004 Cheyenne, 4005 Denver, 4023 Omaha DDA40X-6900 Omaha, 6901 Pocatello, 6916 Ogden, 6922 North Platte Dale Reply spbed Member sinceDecember 2001 From: Austin TX 4,941 posts Posted by spbed on Friday, June 24, 2005 11:03 AM There is a 6900 in Portola & a 6900 + a big boy in Dallas[:o)][:)][:p] If you want the # of the 6900 in Portola I can get it for you. [:o)][:D][:p] I think if you look up railroad museum in Dallas they have pix of the engines they have [:o)][:I] Originally posted by nanaimo73 www.brian894x4.com/IdahoRRTrip2004.html Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub Reply miniwyo Member sinceJanuary 2003 From: Rock Springs Wy. 1,967 posts Posted by miniwyo on Saturday, June 25, 2005 12:08 AM While you are in Cheyenne you can call down to the steam shop and let them know you are coming and they will take you around the shop, show you the 3985, 844, and the 6936. I will look for the card that I got the phone # off of and post it for ya. 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/ Reply william6 Member sinceDecember 2001 From: Southern Iowa, near BNSF double track mainline 111 posts Posted by william6 on Saturday, June 25, 2005 10:08 AM Does anyone know if there is a way for railfans to view the action at UP's Bailey Yard at North Platte? Seems like I remember some news item a couple of years back that they were going to build a viewing tower, or something similar for railfans. Or am I just dreaming this? Wm. 1st train ride was at 18 months old...and still riding the rails! Reply VerMontanan Member sinceSeptember 2003 From: NotIn, TX 617 posts Posted by VerMontanan on Saturday, June 25, 2005 11:52 AM QUOTE: Originally posted by Green Bay Paddlers Greetings folks - The highlight for me is going to see Promontory Point, UT. However, are there other museums, railfain spots, hobby shops, model railroad layouts, etc. that we should add to our list? Any help would be appreciated! Jeff In my opinion, the Izaak Walton Inn (they have a website) at Essex, Montana is the quintessential railroader's paradise. Located in a hotel built for helper train crews in 1939, the hotel has modern conveniences but still retains its rustic charm and right outside the door about 45 trains daily pass by, including Amtrak's Empire Builder, which stops at Essex specifically to access the hotel. All this with Glacier National Park in the background. Mark Meyer Reply gacuster Member sinceApril 2004 142 posts Posted by gacuster on Saturday, June 25, 2005 7:45 PM If you go through California the RR museum in Sacramento is excellent, everything from a cab forward to narrow guage wood burners and passenger cars. Reply arbfbe Member sinceFebruary 2002 910 posts Posted by arbfbe on Sunday, June 26, 2005 2:32 AM Depending upon how widely your local area ranges, the ex-Soo Line tracks in Wisconsin and North Dakota migh be good routes to follow. Glenwood on the Soo and on to Minot. Check out the crossing and tower there. Valley City with the high trestle and lower Soo Line route. Your choice, the GN Highline to Havre or drop south to the NP line through Dickinson and Medora, ND. Medora has the badlands, Teddy Roosevelt history and the NP/BNSF through Sully Springs. Gas will be 10 to 15 cents per gallon cheaper in ND than MT so plan on gassing up in Beach, ND before crossing into MT. NP line on to Glendive, Miles City and Billings. GN line across ND and MT through many small communities to Shelby. From Billings (visit Jim's Junction is the hobby shop of choice and worth a stop), north to Great Falls after checking out the MRL yard at Laurel. or continue on to Livingston following the MRL. Bozeman Pass, Helena, Mullan Pass and Missoula. Willamette loco on display at Ft. Missoula and NP 4-6-0 downtown. Classic brich MILW and NP depots to see. From Missoula, (The Treasure Chest for hobby supplies) I-90 with a stop in Wallace for the NP depot or Hwy 93/200 following the MRL to Sandpoint. If you elect the GN way, spend a night at the Izaak Walton at Essex or even more time if you want to see Glacier Park. Visit the GN motels at East Glacier and West Glacier (Belton). Restored GN NW-3 on display at the Whitefish depot. Small Shay locos at Columbia Falls and Libby. GN line via Libby and Try to Sandpoint. Spokane (Sunset Junction for trains in multiple scales) is next west from either route, the "funnel" is a busy mainline with good scenics between Sandpoint and Athol, ID. West of Spokane the choice is NP via Pasco (PF&S is a legendary discount hobby shop a few miles east of town, plan on spending lots of $$$ there) or GN via Wenatchee. If you are Seattle bound the northern route is probably the best choice. what it lacks in traffic it makes up in scenery. There is an open model railroad layout in the museum in Wenatchee. Leavenworth is touristy and difficult to find lodging without early reservations. Lots of railfanning in the hills east of Wenatchee and a dramatic bridge across the Columbia @ Rock Island, WA near the aluminum plant. If you end up in Pasco then route via Yakima and Stevens Pass to Seattle. If you route GN to Seattle, consider Stevens Pass to Pasco if not Vancouver or Portland and either shore of the Columbia (UP south side, BNSF north side) to Pasco for great river views. From Pasco drop south to Hinkle and the Blue Mountains in northern OR. You will either have to drop south away from the RR to get into Utah and Promontory or follow the UP into ID east of Salt Lake. Leaving SLC follow the UP east towards Green River, Rock Springs, Laramie and Cheyenne or go south and pick up the Utah Ry/D&RGW to Helper, Glenwood Springs and on to Denver. Denver north to Cheyenne. From Cheyenne US 20 to North Platte along the mainline or plan on time in Bridgeport, NE, Guernsey, WY, Alliance, NE, Crawford, NE, Gillette, WY to see coal trains until you don't want to look at another one. From North Platte the rest is your choice, that is not my regular travel area. Lincoln in nice and if in Omaha stop in Scale Rail on the west side of town and see Frank's complete little hobby shop. Before you leave get a full set of the Altamont Press Railfan timetables for anywhere you think you MIGHT be. These list all the stations, detectors and railroad frequencies you will find. DeLorme Gazetteers can be found for most of the states you have experssed and interest in. Find them in Wal-Mart or Barnes & Noble. Have fun, enjoy the trip. There is lots to see, railroad oriented and otherwise. Reply Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, June 26, 2005 2:50 AM Since you're on a northern trajectory anyway, why not enter Canada? The CP's main line runs from Regina to Calgary, but you needn't go that far north if you don't want to (though you'll surely be entertained with LOTS of runs on the CP mainline). You could instead go south and follow the branch lines. In the prairie provinces, you'll know a railroad is near when the colorful grain elevators start to appear on the horizon. Enjoy your trip! [:)] Reply Edit spbed Member sinceDecember 2001 From: Austin TX 4,941 posts Posted by spbed on Sunday, June 26, 2005 8:22 AM The Colombia River Gorge is also both scenic & has mainline trains. A good place is the overlook in Hood River OR where you have the UPRR below you then the river then the BNSF on the other bank then the mountains. About 30 miles east of Portland you can get shots of the UPRR mainline with the 5th highest waterfall in the USA in back of the train. Makes for some pretty photo shots [:o)][:p][:)] Further east of the waterfall in Hinckle is the the UPRR loco maintanence facility in the PNW. [:p][:D][8D] Still further east is La Grange OR where you can get ground level shots of the UPRR[:o)][:I][:D] Originally posted by Green Bay Paddlers Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub Reply Join our Community! Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account. Login » Register » Search the Community Newsletter Sign-Up By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy More great sites from Kalmbach Media Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy
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/
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)
Originally posted by CShaveRR [ Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub Reply PNWRMNM Member sinceMay 2003 From: US 2,593 posts Posted by PNWRMNM on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 11:00 PM I would modify part of Mark Hemphill's intinerary to aviod Snoqaulmie Pass and take Stevens. Snoqualmie is all freeway, the Milwaukee is long gone and you never could see a lot of it in the Pass. Stevens Pass is two lane road and mostly parallels the ex GN main line. Wenatchee is the biggest town in the area if you are looking for a place to stop. Your wife might like Levenworth, which is a fake Bavarian town. Was one of the first and they did a pretty good job of it. In Seattle area might check out Puget Sound Railway Historical Assn which operates excursions, mostly steam I think, from the Snoqualmie Depot which is 25 miles of so East of Seattle just off I-90. The ex MILW bridge at Beverly is an impressive structure. Track is gone. If you go to Beverly just head north to Quincy and turn left. You will be following the ex GN at that point. There is a full horseshoe curve West of Quincy . It is on a fill with generally open views. Westbound you drop about half the distance to the Columbia River in about 4 miles. If you want to see the curve, turn right up the coulee near the bottom of this first drop. If you go under the railroad you have gone too far west. The curve is 5 miles or so up. If you want to hike to the track, would be wise to wear boots as it is rattlesnake country. I grew up in Weantchee and hunted the area of the curve, walking from the top of the Columbia Plateau down. Mac Reply nanaimo73 Member sinceApril 2005 From: Nanaimo BC Canada 4,117 posts Posted by nanaimo73 on Thursday, June 23, 2005 9:39 AM www.brian894x4.com/IdahoRRTrip2004.html Make sure you read the Portland trackside guide in the Dec 2002 Trains. Big Boys-4004 Cheyenne, 4005 Denver, 4023 Omaha DDA40X-6900 Omaha, 6901 Pocatello, 6916 Ogden, 6922 North Platte Dale Reply spbed Member sinceDecember 2001 From: Austin TX 4,941 posts Posted by spbed on Friday, June 24, 2005 11:03 AM There is a 6900 in Portola & a 6900 + a big boy in Dallas[:o)][:)][:p] If you want the # of the 6900 in Portola I can get it for you. [:o)][:D][:p] I think if you look up railroad museum in Dallas they have pix of the engines they have [:o)][:I] Originally posted by nanaimo73 www.brian894x4.com/IdahoRRTrip2004.html Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub Reply miniwyo Member sinceJanuary 2003 From: Rock Springs Wy. 1,967 posts Posted by miniwyo on Saturday, June 25, 2005 12:08 AM While you are in Cheyenne you can call down to the steam shop and let them know you are coming and they will take you around the shop, show you the 3985, 844, and the 6936. I will look for the card that I got the phone # off of and post it for ya. 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/ Reply william6 Member sinceDecember 2001 From: Southern Iowa, near BNSF double track mainline 111 posts Posted by william6 on Saturday, June 25, 2005 10:08 AM Does anyone know if there is a way for railfans to view the action at UP's Bailey Yard at North Platte? Seems like I remember some news item a couple of years back that they were going to build a viewing tower, or something similar for railfans. Or am I just dreaming this? Wm. 1st train ride was at 18 months old...and still riding the rails! Reply VerMontanan Member sinceSeptember 2003 From: NotIn, TX 617 posts Posted by VerMontanan on Saturday, June 25, 2005 11:52 AM QUOTE: Originally posted by Green Bay Paddlers Greetings folks - The highlight for me is going to see Promontory Point, UT. However, are there other museums, railfain spots, hobby shops, model railroad layouts, etc. that we should add to our list? Any help would be appreciated! Jeff In my opinion, the Izaak Walton Inn (they have a website) at Essex, Montana is the quintessential railroader's paradise. Located in a hotel built for helper train crews in 1939, the hotel has modern conveniences but still retains its rustic charm and right outside the door about 45 trains daily pass by, including Amtrak's Empire Builder, which stops at Essex specifically to access the hotel. All this with Glacier National Park in the background. Mark Meyer Reply gacuster Member sinceApril 2004 142 posts Posted by gacuster on Saturday, June 25, 2005 7:45 PM If you go through California the RR museum in Sacramento is excellent, everything from a cab forward to narrow guage wood burners and passenger cars. Reply arbfbe Member sinceFebruary 2002 910 posts Posted by arbfbe on Sunday, June 26, 2005 2:32 AM Depending upon how widely your local area ranges, the ex-Soo Line tracks in Wisconsin and North Dakota migh be good routes to follow. Glenwood on the Soo and on to Minot. Check out the crossing and tower there. Valley City with the high trestle and lower Soo Line route. Your choice, the GN Highline to Havre or drop south to the NP line through Dickinson and Medora, ND. Medora has the badlands, Teddy Roosevelt history and the NP/BNSF through Sully Springs. Gas will be 10 to 15 cents per gallon cheaper in ND than MT so plan on gassing up in Beach, ND before crossing into MT. NP line on to Glendive, Miles City and Billings. GN line across ND and MT through many small communities to Shelby. From Billings (visit Jim's Junction is the hobby shop of choice and worth a stop), north to Great Falls after checking out the MRL yard at Laurel. or continue on to Livingston following the MRL. Bozeman Pass, Helena, Mullan Pass and Missoula. Willamette loco on display at Ft. Missoula and NP 4-6-0 downtown. Classic brich MILW and NP depots to see. From Missoula, (The Treasure Chest for hobby supplies) I-90 with a stop in Wallace for the NP depot or Hwy 93/200 following the MRL to Sandpoint. If you elect the GN way, spend a night at the Izaak Walton at Essex or even more time if you want to see Glacier Park. Visit the GN motels at East Glacier and West Glacier (Belton). Restored GN NW-3 on display at the Whitefish depot. Small Shay locos at Columbia Falls and Libby. GN line via Libby and Try to Sandpoint. Spokane (Sunset Junction for trains in multiple scales) is next west from either route, the "funnel" is a busy mainline with good scenics between Sandpoint and Athol, ID. West of Spokane the choice is NP via Pasco (PF&S is a legendary discount hobby shop a few miles east of town, plan on spending lots of $$$ there) or GN via Wenatchee. If you are Seattle bound the northern route is probably the best choice. what it lacks in traffic it makes up in scenery. There is an open model railroad layout in the museum in Wenatchee. Leavenworth is touristy and difficult to find lodging without early reservations. Lots of railfanning in the hills east of Wenatchee and a dramatic bridge across the Columbia @ Rock Island, WA near the aluminum plant. If you end up in Pasco then route via Yakima and Stevens Pass to Seattle. If you route GN to Seattle, consider Stevens Pass to Pasco if not Vancouver or Portland and either shore of the Columbia (UP south side, BNSF north side) to Pasco for great river views. From Pasco drop south to Hinkle and the Blue Mountains in northern OR. You will either have to drop south away from the RR to get into Utah and Promontory or follow the UP into ID east of Salt Lake. Leaving SLC follow the UP east towards Green River, Rock Springs, Laramie and Cheyenne or go south and pick up the Utah Ry/D&RGW to Helper, Glenwood Springs and on to Denver. Denver north to Cheyenne. From Cheyenne US 20 to North Platte along the mainline or plan on time in Bridgeport, NE, Guernsey, WY, Alliance, NE, Crawford, NE, Gillette, WY to see coal trains until you don't want to look at another one. From North Platte the rest is your choice, that is not my regular travel area. Lincoln in nice and if in Omaha stop in Scale Rail on the west side of town and see Frank's complete little hobby shop. Before you leave get a full set of the Altamont Press Railfan timetables for anywhere you think you MIGHT be. These list all the stations, detectors and railroad frequencies you will find. DeLorme Gazetteers can be found for most of the states you have experssed and interest in. Find them in Wal-Mart or Barnes & Noble. Have fun, enjoy the trip. There is lots to see, railroad oriented and otherwise. Reply Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, June 26, 2005 2:50 AM Since you're on a northern trajectory anyway, why not enter Canada? The CP's main line runs from Regina to Calgary, but you needn't go that far north if you don't want to (though you'll surely be entertained with LOTS of runs on the CP mainline). You could instead go south and follow the branch lines. In the prairie provinces, you'll know a railroad is near when the colorful grain elevators start to appear on the horizon. Enjoy your trip! [:)] Reply Edit spbed Member sinceDecember 2001 From: Austin TX 4,941 posts Posted by spbed on Sunday, June 26, 2005 8:22 AM The Colombia River Gorge is also both scenic & has mainline trains. A good place is the overlook in Hood River OR where you have the UPRR below you then the river then the BNSF on the other bank then the mountains. About 30 miles east of Portland you can get shots of the UPRR mainline with the 5th highest waterfall in the USA in back of the train. Makes for some pretty photo shots [:o)][:p][:)] Further east of the waterfall in Hinckle is the the UPRR loco maintanence facility in the PNW. [:p][:D][8D] Still further east is La Grange OR where you can get ground level shots of the UPRR[:o)][:I][:D] Originally posted by Green Bay Paddlers Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub Reply Join our Community! Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account. Login » Register » Search the Community Newsletter Sign-Up By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy More great sites from Kalmbach Media Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy
Originally posted by nanaimo73 www.brian894x4.com/IdahoRRTrip2004.html Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub Reply miniwyo Member sinceJanuary 2003 From: Rock Springs Wy. 1,967 posts Posted by miniwyo on Saturday, June 25, 2005 12:08 AM While you are in Cheyenne you can call down to the steam shop and let them know you are coming and they will take you around the shop, show you the 3985, 844, and the 6936. I will look for the card that I got the phone # off of and post it for ya. 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/ Reply william6 Member sinceDecember 2001 From: Southern Iowa, near BNSF double track mainline 111 posts Posted by william6 on Saturday, June 25, 2005 10:08 AM Does anyone know if there is a way for railfans to view the action at UP's Bailey Yard at North Platte? Seems like I remember some news item a couple of years back that they were going to build a viewing tower, or something similar for railfans. Or am I just dreaming this? Wm. 1st train ride was at 18 months old...and still riding the rails! Reply VerMontanan Member sinceSeptember 2003 From: NotIn, TX 617 posts Posted by VerMontanan on Saturday, June 25, 2005 11:52 AM QUOTE: Originally posted by Green Bay Paddlers Greetings folks - The highlight for me is going to see Promontory Point, UT. However, are there other museums, railfain spots, hobby shops, model railroad layouts, etc. that we should add to our list? Any help would be appreciated! Jeff In my opinion, the Izaak Walton Inn (they have a website) at Essex, Montana is the quintessential railroader's paradise. Located in a hotel built for helper train crews in 1939, the hotel has modern conveniences but still retains its rustic charm and right outside the door about 45 trains daily pass by, including Amtrak's Empire Builder, which stops at Essex specifically to access the hotel. All this with Glacier National Park in the background. Mark Meyer Reply gacuster Member sinceApril 2004 142 posts Posted by gacuster on Saturday, June 25, 2005 7:45 PM If you go through California the RR museum in Sacramento is excellent, everything from a cab forward to narrow guage wood burners and passenger cars. Reply arbfbe Member sinceFebruary 2002 910 posts Posted by arbfbe on Sunday, June 26, 2005 2:32 AM Depending upon how widely your local area ranges, the ex-Soo Line tracks in Wisconsin and North Dakota migh be good routes to follow. Glenwood on the Soo and on to Minot. Check out the crossing and tower there. Valley City with the high trestle and lower Soo Line route. Your choice, the GN Highline to Havre or drop south to the NP line through Dickinson and Medora, ND. Medora has the badlands, Teddy Roosevelt history and the NP/BNSF through Sully Springs. Gas will be 10 to 15 cents per gallon cheaper in ND than MT so plan on gassing up in Beach, ND before crossing into MT. NP line on to Glendive, Miles City and Billings. GN line across ND and MT through many small communities to Shelby. From Billings (visit Jim's Junction is the hobby shop of choice and worth a stop), north to Great Falls after checking out the MRL yard at Laurel. or continue on to Livingston following the MRL. Bozeman Pass, Helena, Mullan Pass and Missoula. Willamette loco on display at Ft. Missoula and NP 4-6-0 downtown. Classic brich MILW and NP depots to see. From Missoula, (The Treasure Chest for hobby supplies) I-90 with a stop in Wallace for the NP depot or Hwy 93/200 following the MRL to Sandpoint. If you elect the GN way, spend a night at the Izaak Walton at Essex or even more time if you want to see Glacier Park. Visit the GN motels at East Glacier and West Glacier (Belton). Restored GN NW-3 on display at the Whitefish depot. Small Shay locos at Columbia Falls and Libby. GN line via Libby and Try to Sandpoint. Spokane (Sunset Junction for trains in multiple scales) is next west from either route, the "funnel" is a busy mainline with good scenics between Sandpoint and Athol, ID. West of Spokane the choice is NP via Pasco (PF&S is a legendary discount hobby shop a few miles east of town, plan on spending lots of $$$ there) or GN via Wenatchee. If you are Seattle bound the northern route is probably the best choice. what it lacks in traffic it makes up in scenery. There is an open model railroad layout in the museum in Wenatchee. Leavenworth is touristy and difficult to find lodging without early reservations. Lots of railfanning in the hills east of Wenatchee and a dramatic bridge across the Columbia @ Rock Island, WA near the aluminum plant. If you end up in Pasco then route via Yakima and Stevens Pass to Seattle. If you route GN to Seattle, consider Stevens Pass to Pasco if not Vancouver or Portland and either shore of the Columbia (UP south side, BNSF north side) to Pasco for great river views. From Pasco drop south to Hinkle and the Blue Mountains in northern OR. You will either have to drop south away from the RR to get into Utah and Promontory or follow the UP into ID east of Salt Lake. Leaving SLC follow the UP east towards Green River, Rock Springs, Laramie and Cheyenne or go south and pick up the Utah Ry/D&RGW to Helper, Glenwood Springs and on to Denver. Denver north to Cheyenne. From Cheyenne US 20 to North Platte along the mainline or plan on time in Bridgeport, NE, Guernsey, WY, Alliance, NE, Crawford, NE, Gillette, WY to see coal trains until you don't want to look at another one. From North Platte the rest is your choice, that is not my regular travel area. Lincoln in nice and if in Omaha stop in Scale Rail on the west side of town and see Frank's complete little hobby shop. Before you leave get a full set of the Altamont Press Railfan timetables for anywhere you think you MIGHT be. These list all the stations, detectors and railroad frequencies you will find. DeLorme Gazetteers can be found for most of the states you have experssed and interest in. Find them in Wal-Mart or Barnes & Noble. Have fun, enjoy the trip. There is lots to see, railroad oriented and otherwise. Reply Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, June 26, 2005 2:50 AM Since you're on a northern trajectory anyway, why not enter Canada? The CP's main line runs from Regina to Calgary, but you needn't go that far north if you don't want to (though you'll surely be entertained with LOTS of runs on the CP mainline). You could instead go south and follow the branch lines. In the prairie provinces, you'll know a railroad is near when the colorful grain elevators start to appear on the horizon. Enjoy your trip! [:)] Reply Edit spbed Member sinceDecember 2001 From: Austin TX 4,941 posts Posted by spbed on Sunday, June 26, 2005 8:22 AM The Colombia River Gorge is also both scenic & has mainline trains. A good place is the overlook in Hood River OR where you have the UPRR below you then the river then the BNSF on the other bank then the mountains. About 30 miles east of Portland you can get shots of the UPRR mainline with the 5th highest waterfall in the USA in back of the train. Makes for some pretty photo shots [:o)][:p][:)] Further east of the waterfall in Hinckle is the the UPRR loco maintanence facility in the PNW. [:p][:D][8D] Still further east is La Grange OR where you can get ground level shots of the UPRR[:o)][:I][:D] Originally posted by Green Bay Paddlers Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub Reply Join our Community! Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account. Login » Register » Search the Community Newsletter Sign-Up By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy More great sites from Kalmbach Media Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy
QUOTE: Originally posted by Green Bay Paddlers Greetings folks - The highlight for me is going to see Promontory Point, UT. However, are there other museums, railfain spots, hobby shops, model railroad layouts, etc. that we should add to our list? Any help would be appreciated! Jeff
Mark Meyer
Originally posted by Green Bay Paddlers Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub Reply Join our Community! Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account. Login » Register » Search the Community Newsletter Sign-Up By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy More great sites from Kalmbach Media Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.