woensdag 3 augustus 2011

English train report special for my American RR friends.

Hi guys,

Promised you some photo's of our trip! Well, here they are!

We started in LA with picking up our RV at Cruise America:


From there we drove to Barstow, Kingman and to Bob Adler in Peoria, Arizona. I promised him to visit while I was in the States. On our way we drove through Wickenburg, AZ and found this ATSF loco on display:



Me and Bob in his home:


We also saw his layout:



Then we drove to the Grand Canyon, the most beautiful piece of nature I ever seen:


From there we drove up to Northern California. On the way we found in Sonora this little piece of history; a 3 truck 3 cilinder Shay:


My goal in Sacramento was the Golden State Railway museum. They have 2 beautiful 4-4-0 , and also a restored Southern Pacific cab forward:


Cab Forward 4294:








4-4-0. They where beautiful restored!:



Some other good looking fellows:



A restored and operational E9A:


I had arranged a meeting with Dave Connery. He had a open day so we visited him for a good hour and a half. He was waiting outside with a English friend whom's name I forgot:


Entrance to his beautiful garden layout:


I have to say; Dave and Emma did a great job here!:



Dave owns a good deal of garden RR equipment, and also has a nice way to store them:


And a last picture together before I left:


From there we drove to SF. The Golden Gate bridge:


At Fisherman's Wharf there is a last remain from the time that railroads moved there trains with barges over water. It is called pier 43:


San Francisco at its best:


Off course we visited Alcatraz:


From SF we drove downwards back to LA. First we went to see the Pacific Ocean:


My next goal was the Roaring Camp and Big Trees RR. They still operate logging locos the whole year round. I knew they had running Shays and yes, we made a trip with 3-truck 3 cilinder Shay no. 7 that was under steam that day:



There is still a operating Heisler loco. To my knowledge this is one of the few left:


Also in the yard a desolated Shay and Climax in not that good state. The Climax is missing its boiler, that stood a few feet further packed in plastic:


We then drove over highway 1 to Bakersfield. I encountered on the way a Southern Pacific GP35. It has to be one of the last in SP livery:


In Monterey we found the old RR depot not in use anymore.:


Bakersfield gave me some cruel shots of modern big UP diesel power!:




I also got the change to ride a short piece on the main, the locos (7!) where placed on the head of a train. Here I sit in the cab of the head loco:


A caboose of the railroad police. I really like these things and thought the caboose was totally gone by now. Well, they are not:


The radio controlled switchers. Funny sight with a guy standing next to these things and operates them and the crossing they go over:


Here the 7 locos I rode!:


From Bakersfield I wanted to visit the Tehachapi loop. Just before we left the place I encounterd a BNSF yard there. Here we found this nice set of locos with still one in BN livery:



Along the main line to Barstow:



And the loop. Great to be there!:




The plaque's:



And then back home... here our bird is waiting in LA to bring us home to Europe:


We had a great time (in also seeing other stuff than trains!). Now stash some money for the next time!! Thanks for watching!

Greetz, Ronald.