What route did this "government girl" take in 1942?

[joelkfla]

Some transport notes: the SP&S ran a commuter train from Union Station for the Vancouver Shipyards. Rolling stock came from Interurban Electric cars from the SF Bay Area.

That's funny ... old 3rd Ave. El cars were brought in from NYC to serve the Mare Island Shipyard in the SF Bay Area. I think it was Key System, but I'm not sure on that.

It's like railcar billiards.

Correction: It was Richmond Shipyard, and they were from the 2nd Av El. (My memory was a bit fuzzy from the days I volunteered at the Western Railway Museum in Rio Vista, CA, back in the 1980's.)

https://www.wrm.org/visit/car-roster/passenger-cars/interurban/item/66-key-system-561

 

[Willbridge]

That's funny ... old 3rd Ave. El cars were brought in from NYC to serve the Mare Island Shipyard in the SF Bay Area. I think it was Key System, but I'm not sure on that.

It's like railcar billiards.

Correction: It was Richmond Shipyard, and they were from the 2nd Av El. (My memory was a bit fuzzy from the days I volunteered at the Western Railway Museum in Rio Vista, CA, back in the 1980's.)

https://www.wrm.org/visit/car-roster/passenger-cars/interurban/item/66-key-system-561

The interurban route that preceded our W-Line LRT between Denver and Golden began operation with redundant coaches and locomotives from NYC when one of the El lines was electrified.

 

[Trollopian]

Update, three years later, and a query about the Grand Junction, Colorado (GJT) station:

My friend's mother, the "government girl" of this thread's subject line, died last weekend, six months after her 100th birthday. The last few years of her life were hard due to cognitive decline and having to leave the home where she'd lived since the 1950s (!), but the last weeks were peaceful and pain-free.

She'd like her ashes to be buried or scattered on the Western Slope* of her childhood.

When the time comes, I'd like to suggest to my friend that we make that trip by train. Essentially the reverse of his mother's intrepid journey in 1942. Maybe he'll nix it immediately. But just in case: what's the rental-car situation at Grand Junction? The Zephyr arrives at 4:30 p.m.

* Come, labor on.
No time for rest, till glows the western sky,
till the long shadows o'er our pathway lie,
and a glad sound comes with the setting sun,
"Well done, well done!"

 

[BlackDiamond]

what's the rental-car situation at Grand Junction? The Zephyr arrives at 4:30 p.m.

There is an Enterprise about 4 blocks from the station. We used it to drop off a car before boarding the Eastbound CZ.
Might be tough though as the office closes at 5 PM on weekdays so you would just make it assuming the CZ was on time.
https://www.enterprise.com/en/car-rental-locations/us/co/grand-junction-1228.html

 

[Trollopian]

There is an Enterprise about 4 blocks from the station. We used it to drop off a car before boarding the Eastbound CZ.
Might be tough though as the office closes at 5 PM on weekdays so you would just make it assuming the CZ was on time.
https://www.enterprise.com/en/car-rental-locations/us/co/grand-junction-1228.html

Thank you, member formerly known as Amtrak Maineiac. That's good to know. I expect that Grand Junction is an interesting place to spend a night before showing up at the Enterprise bright and early (or late and leisurely) next morning. I know about as much about the Western Slope of CO as my friend's mum knew about Washington, DC back in 1942. Meaning, nothing.

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

Make sure to go to the Enstrom's Toffee factory! It's right downtown GJ.

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

Also, be sure to try some of the local restaurants. The place at the station - kind of a greasy spoon type place - is good value and good.. There is also a good dinner place downtown - upstairs in a commercial building which has good food and drinks with a kind of dim, supper club kind of vibe. Also, brewery outlet/tasting room (not sure of right descriptor for it) - kind of a permanent pop-up - in an old school on the north side of downtown (plugging family affiliated/associated businesses here).

There really is a lot to see there - to the west is the Colorado National Monument which is very pretty and kind of fun to visit, further west is Moab with Canyonlands and Arches National Parks. To the immediate east is the Mesa, the largest flat topped mountain in the world. And further east and south are, of course, the Rocky Mountains.

 

[basketmaker]

Also, be sure to try some of the local restaurants. The place at the station - kind of a greasy spoon type place - is good value and good.. There is also a good dinner place downtown - upstairs in a commercial building which has good food and drinks with a kind of dim, supper club kind of vibe. Also, brewery outlet/tasting room (not sure of right descriptor for it) - kind of a permanent pop-up - in an old school on the north side of downtown (plugging family affiliated/associated businesses here).

There really is a lot to see there - to the west is the Colorado National Monument which is very pretty and kind of fun to visit, further west is Moab with Canyonlands and Arches National Parks. To the immediate east is the Mesa, the largest flat topped mountain in the world. And further east and south are, of course, the Rocky Mountains.

The Mesa is really nice. Been camping up there a few times. During the hot summer it is about 25º cooler up there than down in GJT. And if you're into snow during the winter the snowmobile areas are everywhere. The ride along Colorado Hwy 65 is beautiful. Palisades, CO on I-70 east of GJT has the best peaches in the world beats Georgia hands down. So much to see and do in Colorado east, west, north and south.

 

[BlackDiamond]

Palisades, CO on I-70 east of GJT has the best peaches in the world beats Georgia hands down. So much to see and do in Colorado east, west, north and south.

On our trip we stayed in Palisades at the Wine Country Inn which was very nice. We went on a horse drawn wine tasting tour to a number of wineries in the area some of which were pretty good (although I do not claim to be a wine expert).