# I'm back!!!



## Steve4031 (Mar 3, 2003)

Amtrak's air rail program is excellent. As noted in my post on the other page, I took Friday off and flew to San Francisco. I decided to railfan in from the airport to my hotel in Oakland. This was about an hour long trip and involved a bus ride to the BART station at Colma. They are supposed to have a rail link opeining soon. The BART cars are luxurious compared to the subway cars in chicago and New York. The seats had cushions, and the cars and track guage seemed wider. The ride was quiet, quick and smooth.

The Courtyard in Oakland is ideally located for railfans. It is two blocks from the 12th street Oakland center station. It is also near Jack London Sqaure station where you could get a bus to Emeryville to connect with 6. It was easy and cheap to travel back to San Francisco on BART and then I caught a cab to Fishermans Wharf for lunch. I got lucky and caught the sunset tour of Alcatraz. This is really cool. One of the more interesting national park visits that I have had. After Alcatraz, I finished my days activity with a cable car ride back to Market Street to catch the BART back to the hotel.

On Saturday, I got up early and ate breakfast at the Marriott across the street from my hotel, and then cabbed it to Emeryville. Allow time if you do this, my driver was a little confused finding the station. The fare was about 15 dollars. I probablly should have reserached the bus service a little more carefully.

The Emeryville station is modern, and there are benches located outside to facilitate train watching. The southbound starlight passed through close to on-time, and I noted the Pacific Parlor car in the consist. No Freight on the back.

As 6 rolled into Emeryville moments later, I noticed that god and the Chicago yard was on my side, car 632 was the last passenger car on the train. Room 8 was on the right side for this trip, which gave me good views of the Colorado River on Sunday. Car 631 was the strangley reconditioned George M. Pullman. The economy bedrooms had blue seats, the deluxe had green, and the hall way had superliner II carpeting. However, in alot of ways, the superliner I lineage was obvious. It looked strange, but those seat cushions would have been nice to sit on. The ones in my room had dents in them from heavy use! The diner was a superliner II, and I never really ventured in to the sightseer enough to determine its lineage.

We left about 15 minutes late, due to a late arriving bus from San Francisco. Traffic? A pleasant ride along the bay, over the bridge at Martinez, and then across the flatlands to Sacremento. Then it was time for lunch in the diner. It was the same standard menue, but the clam chowder and cheeseburge was good. Throughout the trip the dining car crew was friendly. Gwendolyn was the friendliest, as she past through the lounge before on Sunday, she notice me reading and turned on the overhead light. Then patted me on the shoulder. Small gestures, but big steps in providing great service.

The trip over Donner pass highlights the subtle pleasures of mountain railroading. High bridges, sweeping vistas, reverse curves and a winding route that twists in nearly each direction on the compas before the afternoon is complete. I noticed a rotary plow in colfax, but it aparently was not needed at this time. Several locals commented that the snow fall had been much less than usual this year.

Throughout the afternoon and evening, the Zephyr nursed a 30 minute delay that grew to about 45 minutes someplace after Salt Lake City. The run over the Wasatch mountains was spectacular, with show falling at the top, and then the sun shining as the train pulled into Helper. Grand Junction has a good store that sells already popped microwave popcorn. I bough two bags. The afternoon ride along the colorado river was enhanced by ny scanner. The engineer and conductor teemed up to give passengers advance notice of wildlife. Thus, I got a picture of two Eagles sitting in a tree between Glenwood Springs and Bond. Later, I heard the engineer provided warnings that the conductor failed to relay to passengers. I photographed a herd of Elk, and later, a lone coyote. Between Granby and Winter Park, we were delayed by track work for an hour, thus we were about 90 minutes late into Denver.

I enjoyed a relaxing day reading and watching DVD's on my portable player as the Zephyr crossed Iowa into Illinois. There is alot of trackwork in easter Iowa. We received slow orders near Ottumwa. I saw them improving the bridges by fixing them so that they could lay balast on them. This should make for a smother ride in the future.

We pulled int o Chicago an hour late. Over all, I had a great trip. If I had the money, I would be booking another one right now!!


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## AlanB (Mar 3, 2003)

Glad you had a great trip.  

Thanks for the report!


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## Amfleet (Mar 3, 2003)

Glad you had a great trip!  I know what you mean about the re-condtioned sleepers. I had one on the Capitol Limited last summer and it was in good need of a scrub down and new upolstry (again). Did you find the train to be clean? This was one area that seemed to be lacking for a while. B)


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## tp49 (Mar 4, 2003)

I should have told you about both the bus service (I did learn about it before you left but it slipped my mind) and a way to take BART to the Emeryville station but I did not know how much baggage you would have had. If you go to SF again sometime in the future, LMK and I'll give you the MUNI rundown so you can skip the cab rides to the wharf, and if you need restaurant recommendations my gf is a major foodie and I've been to many SF restaurants. Glad you enjoyed your trip, and that the weather out here was good for you!


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## Steve4031 (Mar 4, 2003)

The trains were a little dirty, but not terribly so. To me, it was understandable because of the cutbacks. The crew seemed to have decent moral, and all tried to provide good service.

TP49, San Francisco is an awsesome place. I am planning to go back with my gf. We will fly both ways, she is not a railfan. However, we may stay in Oakland and use BART again. So your offer at info. will be useful. Thanks again.


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## Bill Haithcoat (Mar 4, 2003)

Glad you had a good trip. Though I have been on that route several times, I have yet to see as much wildlife as you saw. Perhaps I was not looking hard enough. Anyway, wish I had been there!


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## battalion51 (Mar 4, 2003)

Just out of curiostiy Steve, what engines were pulling your train?


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## Steve4031 (Mar 4, 2003)

I think they were the genesis 103's. Im not as knowledgeable about the new engines. They appeared to be the same as the engines used on all long distance trains. I did not that with all of these different phases, each of the three engines were painted in a different scheme. THAT did look kind of crappy. But as a railfan I just like being on the train.


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## Steve4031 (Mar 4, 2003)

Bill Haithcoat said:


> Glad you had a good trip. Though I have been on that route several times, I have yet to see as much wildlife as you saw. Perhaps I was not looking hard enough. Anyway, wish I had been there!


On this trip, my scanner was the key. But not every crew does this. I was lucky.


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## Viewliner (Mar 4, 2003)

Very Nice report, glad you enjoyed the trip, sounded like a nice ride, your good experiences on this trip makes me look forward to my upcoming trip even more.  B)

Just 2 Weeks and 2 Days to go (till my trip)!!!


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## battalion51 (Mar 4, 2003)

Steve, I was speaking of engine numbers (839, 836, etc.)



> Just 2 Weeks and 2 Days to go (till my trip)!!!


Hmm, only three til mine.


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## Steve4031 (Mar 4, 2003)

battalion51 said:


> Steve, I was speaking of engine numbers (839, 836, etc.) [


Ooops, didnt notice that either. Sorry.


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## Amfleet (Mar 4, 2003)

battalion51 said:


> Steve, I was speaking of engine numbers (839, 836, etc.)
> 
> 
> > Just 2 Weeks and 2 Days to go (till my trip)!!!
> ...


At least 5 months for mine (it's not even booked yet).  However, I have started my quest to cover all the MBTA routes.


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## Viewliner (Mar 4, 2003)

Amfleet said:


> battalion51 said:
> 
> 
> > Steve, I was speaking of engine numbers (839, 836, etc.)
> ...


Cool Jon, I'd like to do that with NJT/Metro-North (Port Jervis/Pascack Valley are partly M-N) when I'm older. See ya on the Rails Battalion.  B)


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## Steve4031 (Mar 4, 2003)

Hey Amfleet and Viewliner, when do you guys graduate from high school?

Maybe you can get your parents to allow you to go west for your high school graduation "present". That was my graduation present back in 85.

My dad looked at the cost of the prom, IE limo, tux, tickets, etc and it was more than an Amtrak promotional fare from chicago to the west coast. He gave me a choice. You all KNOW what my choice was! Go railroading.


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## Viewliner (Mar 4, 2003)

Amfleet graduates this year if I'm not mistaken.

I'm part of the Class of 2006 (I'm only a freshman) as good an Idea of a present as that is, I'm pretty sure I'm getting a laptop, which isn't that bad, heck I could use that on my train trips.  B)


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## Amfleet (Mar 4, 2003)

> Amfleet graduates this year if I'm not mistaken.


I wish. Next year I graduate with the Class of 2004. I'm actually suposed to get a laptop as well sometime during my senior year. I am going to do my best to get a job for Amtrak or the MBTA the summer after I graduate and I'm hoping 18 year-olds will be allowed to apply. B)


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## Steve4031 (Mar 5, 2003)

Laptops are pretty good presents for graduation. By that time there may be more options for wireless internet connections. Maybe you can reach these forums from the train.


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## Steve4031 (Mar 5, 2003)

Amfleet, viewliner, you both live on the east coast dont you. Did you two meet yet.

I was the only railfan at my high school. I beat the **** out of one guy who kept telling me "Amtrak sucks". (It was during football practice, so it was kinda legal). As a teacher now, I never advocate violence. But I envy you guys for having opportunities to meet other railfans your age. Hope you all get to meet some day.


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## Viewliner (Mar 5, 2003)

Steve4031 said:


> Laptops are pretty good presents for graduation.  By that time there may be more options for wireless internet connections.  Maybe you can reach these forums from the train.


Thats what I'm Hoping to do. B) 

As for meeting, no not yet, I haven't met anyone in person from the forums, although chances are I'll see Battalion on my return trip. I leave for Florida in 2 Weeks 1 Day.


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## Amfleet (Mar 5, 2003)

I do tell my friends I like to travel by Amtrak and have made it into a hobby. Some take interest in it, others just say "oh". It seems most people at my school spell Amtra"c"k with a "c" and pronounce Acela, A"k"ela. This was after I did a History report on the backround of Amtrak.

Maybe in the future, a get together can be planned, a "rail fest" of sorts. B)


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## Steve4031 (Mar 5, 2003)

You got off easy. I got in trouble when my English teacher kept calling individual train cars "trains". She seemed unable to distinquish this basic difference, and kept editing my paper incorrectly. So when I condenscendingly explained the difference, she was ready to send me to the office. Oops!


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## Bill Haithcoat (Mar 6, 2003)

Steve, I have known people to make that mistake also---kind of irritating.....but I think most people understand when corrected. Too bad your teacher was not one of them.


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## Steve4031 (Mar 6, 2003)

She was an idiot. Maybe she could be a dispatcher for the UP. She would fit right in.


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