DetroitDave
Train Attendant
*This is a very belated post because of "life" happening since the trip. Also TRIGGER WARNING there is a mention of a death on this trip*
This trip (part of my annual “Planes Trains Automobile” trip I take out to and from Star Trek Las Vegas) started following the Star Trek Convention on August 7th. The entire trip encompasses travel from Las Vegas, spending a few days in the Bay Area, then taking the California Zephyr back home.
1st Leg: Las Vegas, NV -> Emeryville, CA (LVT-BFD via Thru-way, BFD-EMY via San Joaquins)
I booked the Amtrak Thru-way from the South Strip Transfer Terminal to head into California. Usually, I rent a car to head to all points Cali, but I opted to try something different with the Thru-way bus.
The station personnel at the Transfer Terminal were friendly and directed me to wait outside at the corner for the bus (#5612). The bus arrived right on time and we were on our way on a journey that is supposed to take about 6 hours (notice I said “supposed to”. More on this later…) One of the sights along the route was the SCE Ivanpah Substation - concentrated thermal solar plants.
The main food/rest stop at Barstow was much needed after about 3.5 hours. Built in several rail cars, it's a busy waypoint for tourists, to be sure. I was surviving off of an early morning banana so I endured a satisfying, yet gut bomb of poutine which I was certain would put me to sleep in due time. No drinks needed since I had plenty of ice water (thanks to my hotel fridge freezing them all...actually, it helped this time).
A few hrs following Barstow, our bus lost a serpentine belt at 3:20pm PDT so we had to pull over on the side of the expressway! I had a connecting train at 4:12pm, as did others, but "fortune favors fools, little children, and good spirited bus passengers": luckily, we were only 20 min away from our stop and the driver expedited a rescue bus, plus the train was held for 30 min due to another bus having issues, too! Crisis averted.
And the bonus: While waiting outside of the broken bus, I met three awesome fellow con-goers still basking in the afterglow of Star Trek LV! On the San Joaquins (719), we held court in the lower level on the train which was SO much cooler and completely empty (I kept them out of the pic below, save for a leg, but they were all awesome people to meet!)
This trip (part of my annual “Planes Trains Automobile” trip I take out to and from Star Trek Las Vegas) started following the Star Trek Convention on August 7th. The entire trip encompasses travel from Las Vegas, spending a few days in the Bay Area, then taking the California Zephyr back home.
1st Leg: Las Vegas, NV -> Emeryville, CA (LVT-BFD via Thru-way, BFD-EMY via San Joaquins)
I booked the Amtrak Thru-way from the South Strip Transfer Terminal to head into California. Usually, I rent a car to head to all points Cali, but I opted to try something different with the Thru-way bus.
The station personnel at the Transfer Terminal were friendly and directed me to wait outside at the corner for the bus (#5612). The bus arrived right on time and we were on our way on a journey that is supposed to take about 6 hours (notice I said “supposed to”. More on this later…) One of the sights along the route was the SCE Ivanpah Substation - concentrated thermal solar plants.
The main food/rest stop at Barstow was much needed after about 3.5 hours. Built in several rail cars, it's a busy waypoint for tourists, to be sure. I was surviving off of an early morning banana so I endured a satisfying, yet gut bomb of poutine which I was certain would put me to sleep in due time. No drinks needed since I had plenty of ice water (thanks to my hotel fridge freezing them all...actually, it helped this time).
A few hrs following Barstow, our bus lost a serpentine belt at 3:20pm PDT so we had to pull over on the side of the expressway! I had a connecting train at 4:12pm, as did others, but "fortune favors fools, little children, and good spirited bus passengers": luckily, we were only 20 min away from our stop and the driver expedited a rescue bus, plus the train was held for 30 min due to another bus having issues, too! Crisis averted.
And the bonus: While waiting outside of the broken bus, I met three awesome fellow con-goers still basking in the afterglow of Star Trek LV! On the San Joaquins (719), we held court in the lower level on the train which was SO much cooler and completely empty (I kept them out of the pic below, save for a leg, but they were all awesome people to meet!)
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