Alice's Road Trip

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July 21

Still on the way to Rochelle, I stop in Kearney, NE, for the night. I'm out of town before the Trails and Rails Museum opens, but see a little through the fence. #481 is a 2-8-0 1903 Baldwin. Recall #480 is in Memorial Park in North Platte, and looks the same. The museum doesn't have that much rolling stock, but does include quite a few historical building besides the depot, and some work vehicles.

Photos: Kearney

July 22

The Rochelle Railroad Park is a viewing paradise. The gift shop has old time tables, headrest covers, and safety award mugs from a variety of freight and passenger lines (as some examples of unusual merchandise), aside from the usual T-shirts and water bottles.

Outside between the tracks is a covered viewing area. Signs give scanner information, but you do not need to bring your own scanner if you stay in the platform area because the feed is piped in ... much more interesting than music.

This is where UP's double tracks cross BNSF's double tracks. As you can imagine, there is a lot of traffic through here, 120 trains per day in a good year.

UP's route was first built in 1854 by Chicago & North Western and was part of the Overland Route between Chicago and San Francisco. BNSF's route was built in 1857 between Chicago and Twin Cities. Both lines are controlled by dispatchers, UP in Omaha and BNSF in Fort Worth. There used to be an operator in a tower here, but now the crossing is automatic, first-come first-served. Most UP traffic is coal and intermodal. BNSF is mostly intermodal. Both also haul auto-racks. Passenger trains have not come through here since 1971 (when Amtrak started).

Inside of the gift shop is a display that tells what dispatch is doing. This is the same idea as what dispatchers have, but is not a professional system so is not as accurate. However, if you are in the gift shop, keeping an eye on the display will let you know when to get outside for the next train.

Trains magazine has a webcam at Rochelle (registered viewers only).

Rochelle Diamond Lodge is catty-corner across the street and tracks from the viewing park.

Photos: Rochelle Railroad Park
 
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July 23

I signed up for the all-day ride behind the Daylight on Thursday, the first day of the Owosso (MI) Steam Festival. I kept track along the way of the various spectating locations, because I planned on chasing the train Friday. The ones that were harder to get to had fewer people. The train was sold out, with around 600 passengers.

Police were at many intersections keeping people off the tracks. They did not enforce posted parking regulations or otherwise harass spectators except for safety.

The coach cars were quite comfortable. We were assigned to a car but were free to choose our own seats. The vestibule window was left open and many people stayed there instead of in their seats. People were uncommonly courteous and voluntarily yielded prime spots to others after their turn at viewing and photographing. There are only a couple of curves on the route between Owosso and Alma, and they are obstructed by trees and buildings.

We had a layover in Alma, less than 50 miles from Owosso.

I stayed aboard for the three photo run-bys. The engineer built up a nice head of steam for the photographers. This was the fastest we went on the entire trip, around 30 mph.

After the excursion, there is still plenty of light so I wander around the area. In Corunna, I find a pretty fancy courthouse. There were a lot of public buildings on this trip dating to when each area was wealthier. As was very common this year, many downtown areas and residences showed signs of financial struggles such as vacancies, boarded windows, and deferred maintenance. Hopefully, these wonderful historic buildings can be saved.

In Durand, I find a Knights Templar memorial in honor of those who died or were injured during a 1923 train derailment in Durand. Four members died on their way to a Masonic convention. A 1929 4-6-2 Baldwin is near the Knights Templar memorial and has a ladder for people to enter during open hours.

Durand still has Amtrak service in their historic depot. The patio outside the depot is popular with railfans at all times of the day and night, as is a lawn area with bleachers across the tracks from the depot. The station has plenty of short and long-term free parking. It appeared that the same people come every night after school or work to hang out and talk trains.

There were fireflies on the lawn by the bleachers but they wouldn't hold still for pictures. We do not have them in California.

Photos: Daylight trip, #110 from Coldwater on turntable, #5632 permanently parked behind Durand fire station, Durand Union Station (with Amtrak).
 
July 24

Over the four festival days, I stay in a different city every night in order to see more.

As yesterday, police were out in force at crossings keeping people off the tracks. At a crossing in Owosso maybe a half-mile from the festival grounds, the officer also told a kid with a skateboard to get further away from the tracks so he'd be out of our pictures.

As yesterday, I searched for rail-oriented features in the area. The Flushing Area Museum is in The Flushing Depot. The 1888 Depot provided passenger service until 1971. It was restored in 1997. Inside displays include model trains. The depot is ready for additional work.

Downtown Flushing is a nice place to spend some time. A river adjoins the downtown area. The riverfront has been improved with a bike/pedestrian path, picnic shelters, and restrooms. Most of the historic buildings are occupied.

Another museum in a depot is in Clio. The 1873 depot is not as fancy as some. The Flint Pere Marquette Railroad ran freight starting in 1862, and up to 8 passenger trains a day around the turn of the century.

I finish the day back at the Durand Union Depot in search of fireflies (still uncooperative) and because it is a nice place to have dinner in the warm night.

Photos: Daylight, Flushing Depot, Clio Depot, Durand Union Station

Video later of Daylight
 
Thanks for sharing your joy with us,great pics/great reports,Ive never met you(hope to someday soon!)

but know you are a fantastic person just from what you share in these wonderful trip reports!More!More!
 
This video and these pics wouldn't quite cut the mustard (or the tomato of the current Coast Starlight collision thread) as a stand alone trip report, but they work pretty well as an account of the final stages of the Patrick & Alice RailRiot 2009 Executive Assistant's road trip.

Back on the Correct Coast and in the home stretch, the Executive Assistant stopped by for a couple days of penultimate RailRiot coordination and general goofing off. Pressed and harassed to dream up entertaining activities, I hit on the bright idea of going a bit north of my usual stomping grounds to catch the Coast Starlight passing at a location so scenic that Amtrak has made postcards of it.

Since I'm in no position to hire a helicopter for aerial postcard shots, the next best thing was to groundpound the location for something completely different. So I proposed, and the Executive Assistant agreed, that we should do a Starlight stakeout at Gaviota State Beach. The results:

Coast Starlight At Gaviota, the pictures.

, the video.
Following the Starlight stakeout we took a back road (Hwy 154) through Solvang for the return to Highway 101 at Santa Barbara. The route includes a bridge that's a landmark of civil engineering. Because I have a thing for bridges of all kinds we turned off to explore further, and the photos of that side excursion comprise the latter portion of the Picasa album.

EDIT: During the course of the visit a number of videos from Alice's major meander were transferred to my custody for hosting & posting; they'll be here soon.
 
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Aloha

These reports and pictures show just hw beautiful this country is and just how little of It I have seen myself, Who needs Europe, Give me an Amtrak Unlimited Pass, Traveler watch out. :lol: :rolleyes: :lol:
 
This batch of windnoisy videos goes with the report on Alice's July 20 visit to UP's Bailey Yard (posted 8-3-09):



More - not of Bailey - on the way. She took a BUNCH!
 
WhoozOn1st said:
These videos are companions to the report for July 19 at Fort Collins, CO (posted above 8-2-09):

Click to expand...
As always great pics and videos!Thanks!Wonder why Amtrak cant beg,borrow or steal a few of those UP dome cars to run on the EB and CZ! Could it be that UP Loves Amtrak so much?If UP could afford to maintain/operate them for expensive revenue trips why not Amtrak? :D
 
Whooz is making me feel guilty. Here he didn't even take the trip, but he is being kind enough to sort, caption, tag, and whatever else he does to get my videos available. Thanks Patrick!

Here are a couple more days of photos, from the Owosso Steam Festival. Most of my comments are with the photos instead of here.

July 25 Owosso Steam Festival, day 3

Photos

Owosso Steam Festival 2009

Click on Event Attractions for brief info on most of the trains.

Day 3 of the festival I spent some time on the actual grounds instead of running around the county all day. Most everything was open for inside tours, and engineers and mechanics were happy to answer questions about their equipment. In the evening I went out to North Star for video of Nickel Plate #765's excursion back from Alma.

Those of you interested in the history of locomotive development probably know the importance of this design already. If not, you'll want to read about Lima Locomotive Works and their engineer William Woodward, Berkshire-type 2-8-2 vs 2-8-4, Nickel Plate vs Fort Wayne in the 40s and 50s that sound similar to high-speed rail routing arguments now, and the 1955 track elevation completion.

July 26 Owosso Steam Festival, last day

Photos

Before entering the festival grounds for the last day, I look around the downtown area a bit. I also visit the Owosso depot, now an Elks club, for a cheap meal serving a good cause.

Owosso really did a fine job of welcoming everyone. In this terrible economy, especially for Michigan, they were happy to see the tourists, resisted gouging for things like parking and meals, put on a fine show, and made sure they are on my map for a visit anytime I'm back in that part of the country.

Next stop is the Montrose Depot, a museum now. It dates to 1888 and served the Grand Trunk Westerner Railroad. Montrose also has the Historical and Telephone Pioneer Museum, well worth a couple of hours.

I swing through Saginaw and also spot a caboose in someone's front yard on my way to Cadillac, MI for tomorrow's touristing.
 
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Mahalo Alice for sharing your trip with us, an a "Ataboy" for Whooz hellping you. :)

Aloha

Eric
 
July 27 Driving from Cadillac to Sault Ste Marie, MI

I came to Cadillac for the budget motels on my way north, and stayed for the listing in the front of the yellow pages that said there was a Shay Steam Locomotive in City Park.

Across from the park is a former train depot. The tracks by the station remain and trains still use them. Grand Lakes Central RR currently runs freight but has plans to add passenger and commuter rail service, at least according to their website.

Besides City Park, Cadillac has a lakefront park across the street and tracks.

Ephriam Shay lived and logged near Cadillac and designed a locomotive to run on temporary wood tracks without tearing them up, so as to be able to log all year. Cadillac-Soo Lumber #1 was built in 1898 and restored in 1985.

Photos: Cadillac City Park, Shay locomotive

I might have stopped in the Oden State fish Hatchery for its 1920 building, but the railcar sitting out front with steps on one end and wheelchair ramp on the other cinched it. Why would the Department of Conservation of Michigan have a Pullman?

This car replicates the "Wolverine," Michigan's last fish car. The fish rode in adapted milk cans kept cool with ice. Much of the car was left in its original luxurious state, with detailed cabinets and ceiling.

Photos: Oden State Fish Hatchery building and grounds, and Wolverine

The historical society has a museum in the former Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad depot at Pellston.

Photos: Pellston depot

The Mackinac Bridge between Mackinaw City and St. Ignace is the third longest suspension bridge in the world, 8,614 feet for the suspension part, nearly 7 miles including approaches. Although a bridge was originally proposed in 1884, this bridge wasn't completed and opened to traffic until 1957.

Photos: Mackinac Bridge
 
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