Blown Away By White Powder Paul Redford reports on his recent trip to North America
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| Blown Away By White Powder
Paul Redford reports on his recent trip to North America. This year’s trip continues my efforts clear the Amtrak network, aiming for the required track west of the Mississippi, excluding California. I am limited to June 11th to 23rd, so have to cram things in a bit. Sunday 11th June Travel to Gatwick Airport for an early departure the next day, staying in a hotel at Horley. Monday 12th June Fly with Delta from Gatwick to Atlanta and on to Oklahoma City. This puts me in place for the first piece of required track from Oklahoma City to Fort Worth the following morning, on Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer. Both flights prove uneventful and I stay at a cheap Motel 6 near to the airport for my first night. Tuesday 13th June Oklahoma City Amtrak station has limited facilities, which does not include a ticket office or Quik-Trak ticket machine. This means that it is not possible to use a railpass to obtain tickets and a single must be purchased on the train to Fort Worth. Despite having a railpass Amtrak will not refund tickets purchased for travel from a station without a ticket office and there is no mechanism whereby tickets can be pre purchased before leaving the UK. This is something of an inconvenience and appears to be an attempt by Amtrak to over complicate everything that they do. First locomotive is dud, which was always a possibility. I realise that I have time for a leap on Trinity Rail Express in Fort Worth, whilst waiting for the Texas Eagle. I have not done TRE before but have had a couple of their F59’s in Toronto. The first TRE train is dud but the return move is new as is the locomotive on the Texas Eagle which finally departs Fort Worth three hours late due to freight congestion on the UP route from San Antonio. Train 821 8.25am Oklahoma City to Fort Worth AMT 5 Train 2928 1.33pm Fort Worth to Hurst/Bell TRE 566 Train 2923 2.09pm Hurst/Bell to Fort Worth TRE 568 Train 22 3.20pm Fort Worth to St. Louis AMT 22 Wednesday 14th June It had been my intention to travel through to Springfield, IL for the one hour connection onto the Chicago to Kansas City train which would cover my next new piece of track from St. Louis to Kansas City, however being three hours late on the Eagle I opted for a break in St. Louis. The station staff allowed me to leave my rucksack, as had the staff at Fort Worth. The left luggage service on Amtrak is hit and miss with some locations not allowing storage at all. Many do charge for the service and charges vary considerably. My next train is Amtrak 313 which has had the timings padded considerably to take account of track work on the UP. The train runs very close to time. Train 313 2.30pm St. Louis to Kansas City AMT 179 Thursday 15th June Start the day with a triple winner on the Southwest Chief, which is on time. The leg stretch/smoke break at Fort Madison becomes a photo stop of the double stack train on the adjacent track with warbonnet 613 on the front. Train 4 7.45am Kansas City to Chicago Union AMT 58+167+90 Train 2225 4.05pm Chicago Union to Western Avenue METRA 121 Train 2242 4.37pm Western Avenue to Chicago Union METRA 112
Taxi Cicero to Chicago Train 2251 8.40pm Chicago Union to Elgin METRA 426
Train 2218 7.13am Bartlett to Wood Dale METRA 121 Train 2220 7.47am Wood Dale to Franklin Park METRA 414 Train 2224 8.10am Franklin Park to Chicago Union METRA 418 Train 2221 9.30am Chicago Union to Western Avenue METRA 108 Train 2111 9.44am Western Avenue to Grayland METRA 214 Train 2128 9.59am Grayland to Chicago Union METRA 413 Train 7 2.15pm Chicago Union to Spokane AMT 169+204 Saturday 17th June A relaxing day watching North Dakota and Montana roll by. Sunday 18th June I awake about 5.30am at Pasco, so stay up to view my new track along the scenic Columbia River gorge. Spot some UP freights over the river as the train rolls along. Train 27 2.45am Spokane to Portland AMT 204 Arriving Portland at 9.45am, about 40 minutes early, I pick up a pre-arranged hire car and drive the 30 or so miles to McMinnville, to visit the Evergreen Aviation Museum. My main interest here is the collection of war birds (Spitfire, Mustang, Flying Fortress, Messerschmitt 109 etc.) but the museum is the new home of the Hughes H4 Hercules, better known as the Spruce Goose. An excellent museum with something for anyone with an interest in aviation. I return to Portland intending to do an evening move on the Cascades, but they are all sold out because it’s Fathers Day. Does anyone else see a connection? Me neither. I make do with an exploration of the Bridgeport Brewery and Bakery, one of several Brew Pubs, around Portland, worth a try. Monday 19th June Off to another air museum, first thing. This time about 100 miles west of Portland, at Tillamook. Another good collection of war birds, the museum building also being of note as it is the largest wood structure in the world (or so they claim!). The museum is on the former Tillamook Naval Air Station, a World War 2 base for air ships used to monitor shipping. The museum building is a former air ship hanger over 1000 feet long by 200 feet wide and nearly 200 feet high. All wood! I return to Portland and return the car, then take a Cascades to Seattle. I had intended to take the Coast Starlight to Seattle but was told that this is no longer available between Portland and Seattle as the service is so unreliable. Train 508 6.15pm Portland to Seattle AMT 461 I check into a city centre hotel, check local gen and then go out for a meal, finding the Rock Bottom Brewery about 5 blocks away. It is one of a chain of Brew Pubs. How America has changed for the better. Tuesday 20th June Third air museum in three days, the Museum Of Flight at Boeing Field. This is one of the world’s major collections, important enough to get a Concorde when they were retired. Need I say more. I had hoped to do a whale watching trip but found that they run from towns further north, so the idea proved impractical. Maybe next time. Another scratch fest on Sounder, having not done this system before. I have had two of their engines on Virginia Rail Express and as they are still on loan it is winners all the way. It is possible to do an express bus and get back from Tacoma about 2 hours earlier. I opt for the Amtrak Cascades in the vain hope of winning an F59. Train 1501 4.20pm Seattle to Tukwila Sounder 905 Train 1503 5.01pm Tukwila to Auburn Sounder 907 Train 1505 5.40pm Auburn to Puyallup Sounder 908 Train 1507 6.23pm Puyallup to Tacoma Dome Sounder 902 Train 508 8.41pm Tacoma to Seattle AMT 465
Train 513 9.55am Everett to Seattle AMT 461 Train 509 5.25pm Seattle to Portland AMT 470 Back at Seattle station, I am in time to view the first three Sounders as if required there is time to do one to Tukwila for the Cascades service forward, but they are all repeats of yesterday. While on the Cascades south I enjoy a couple of micro brews and whilst doing so I witness an American evaluation/revaluation. Three passengers from business class come to the café car for food and drink (one a babe in a pin stripe suit) and all order micro brews. The national blands are losing the taste test. I end the day at the locally recommended McMenamins, a brew pub chain based in Portland. Their beers are worth the praise they were given. Thursday 22nd June A lazy morning then out to the airport for the flights home, again via Atlanta, where I manage to get a window seat for the trans-Atlantic flight. In flight entertainment is provided by mother nature, watching an electrical storm to the west. The flight follows the East coast of the U.S. but further East than the outward flight to avoid the storm. Friday 23rd June Arrive back in the U.K. about 45 minutes late but still with enough time to get to Kings Cross for the train home. Observations Oklahoma City – the Amtrak timetable has a footnote that the overnight bus from Kansas City waits at the bus station until the train station opens. This could be interpreted as the station is in a rundown area of town, but this is not the case. It is only about 5 or 6 blocks from the downtown area but there is nothing there, no hotels, nowhere to eat, no newsagent. All the nearby buildings appear to be official or industrial. Fort Worth/Dallas/Hurst-Bell – Didn’t view any hotels/motels close to Fort Worth or Hurst-Bell stations but there should be some close to Fort Worth as it is near to the city centre. At Dallas there is a Hyatt overlooking the station (looks expensive) and others in the city centre. Cheaper options may be available at the airport which is served by Trinity Rail Express. Trinity Rail Express – A round trip or return is the same fare as a day pass with no time restriction that I noticed, therefore I think it is possible to have the freedom of the TRE system all day for (I think it was) $8. St. Louis – Several city centre hotels close to the Amtrak station on the edge of the city centre. Light rail near by with a free zone at set hours. Kansas City – I booked a cheap motel about 50 blocks (5 miles) from Union station which is on the perimeter of the city centre. In the past this has proved cheaper than city centre hotels even with taxi fares to/from them. Taxi fares have gone up reflecting the increases in U.S. pump prices (don’t start me on that subject). I will be rethinking this idea as it may not be cheaper anymore. Didn’t notice any hotels near to the station. Chicago – MP36’s mainly working on the lines to Big Timber Road and Fox Lake. One or two in other pools, none on UP lines. I didn’t go to LaSalle Street but I believe some work from there too. Portland – Plenty of city centre hotels to choose from, there is a light rail system with a free ride zone in the city centre. Nearest stop is about 5 blocks from Union station. Seattle – Again plenty of city centre hotels nearby and again a free ride zone on city centre buses (no light rail yet). Don’t know if there are any time restrictions. Sounder – Now the service has started it seems to increase with every timetable change. Currently it is rush hour flows only, into Seattle in the morning and outbound in the evening. 4 trains run from/to Tacoma and 2 trains run from/to Everett. The trains stay out at Tacoma/Everett at night so what goes out in the afternoon comes back the following morning. There are express buses to/from Seattle to both Tacoma and Everett although it is not possible to get out for the morning trains. It is possible to return to Seattle from the afternoon trains. I viewed the trains on two consecutive days but noted no changes of locomotive. Everett and Edmonds stations are shared with Amtrak. Everett has two hotels close to the station. Holiday Inn is out of station then turn right up ramp to road bridge over the railroad. Look over railroad and hotel can be seen. Travelodge is out of station up hill in front, 2 blocks then turn right on to main road and hotel is two blocks on left. Tukwila station is shared with Amtrak. There is a hotel (Hilton I think) visible from the platforms. Tacoma has separate station for both Amtrak and Sounder, about 6 or 8 blocks apart with the bus station between them. The light rail line serves the Sounder station running to the city centre where I guess most hotels are. The stations are in an industrial part of town and there is an old style motel about three blocks past the Amtrak station. It looks basic, matching the area and it appears not to be part of a chain. Amtrak – South West Chief viewed three times – 3 x P42B Empire Builder viewed five times – 2 x P42B. Train viewed twice at Seattle with 2 x P42B, how that works with the Portland portion I don’t know as I had a P42B throughout from Chicago to Portland. Texas Eagle viewed three times – 1 x P42B Coast Starlight viewed twice – 2 x P42B Cascades viewed numerous times with regular loco swaps at Seattle, on terminating trains. The diagrams appear to be based on giving me the same dud loco’s all the time, bastards!!!! Beer – Micro brews are available most places and brew pubs are in all the big cities, and many smaller ones too. The Pacific Northwest seems to be a good area for brewery’s and brew pubs in general, Oregon has more brewery’s than any other state. America has its faults but beer can no longer be considered to be one of them, if you only look/ask you can find good beer most places. The national blands are losing the taste test, long may it continue. Download 26.77 Kb. Share with your friends:
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