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Sep 4, 2023 - A Great Train Journey - Chapter 6: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. NRHS 2023 Annual Convention in Deerfield Beach, Florida. Today started as days everlastingly have started with the sun rising up from the Atlantic Ocean here in the deep south. The weather was going to be a repeat of the... Read More>> |
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Sep 3, 2023 - A Great Train Journey - Chapter 5: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. NRHS 2023 Annual Convention in Deerfield Beach, Florida. Brightline and Lighthouse. Today started early with the commencement of the 2023 convention field trips. I went downstairs to the Spotted Stag Gastropub for a breakfast of pancakes then later walked to the hotel's north entrance and joined the queue for our bus ride to West Palm Beach and Brightline's Running Repair Facility tour. Buses were schedule to start boarding at 8:00am and I was on the second one, leaving around 8:20am. Our trio of buses arrived at the maintenance facility near 10:00am but there was nobody to welcome us so we sat and waited to... Read More>> |
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Sep 2, 2023 - A Great Train Journey - Chapter 4: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. NRHS 2023 Annual Convention in Deerfield Beach, Florida. Seeing Miami on the Metro. Today we are going to Miami to ride their Metro line. Chris and I were up early for today's adventure and skipped breakfast at the hotel as it was... Read More>> |
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Sep 1, 2023 - A Great Train Journey - Chapter 3: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. NRHS 2023 Annual Convention in Deerfield Beach, Florida. Riding Tri-Rail end-to-end, welcoming Silver Meteor. This morning I was up and made it to The Spotted Stag in the lobby for breakfast around 8:00am. While eating my... Read More>> |
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Aug 31, 2023 - A Great Train Journey - Chapter 2: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. NRHS 2023 Annual Convention in Deerfield Beach, Florida. Train watching. This morning I slept in late after a long day yesterday and went down to lobby to see about getting breakfast only to learn that the... Read More>> |
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Aug 30, 2023 - A Great Train Journey - Prologue: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. NRHS 2023 Annual Convention in Deerfield Beach, Florida. Today begins a long-distance trip across this great country from sea to shining sea. My travel companions will be my former travel partner on... Read More>> |
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Dec 17, 2017 - The New Mile: Angels Flight, Metrolink San Bernardino Downtown Station Old - New: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. We decided to make a quick trip to ride Angels Flight. With your Metrolink ticket you can transfer to most connecting buses, shuttles or rail lines for free. After exiting the... Read More>> |
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May 6&7, 2017 - Railroad Days 2017 In Fullerton: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. We arrived on time in Fullerton at 9:37 am proceeded to use the bridge to cross over to Tracks 3 and 4 for pictures. As we were crossing on bridge, we saw our first train, a BNSF freight on Track 2... Read More>> |
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Oct 16, 2016 - Little Gems in Our Neighborhood Part Three: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers Griffith Park & Southern Railroad in Los Angeles, California. After a nice Sunday drive through the park we found our first train ride, although not a planned venue but an unexpected nice surprise... Read More>> |
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Oct 15, 2016 - Little Gems in Our Neighborhood Part Two: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. Tom's Farm in Corona, California, and also Orange County Model Engineers at Scarecros and Pumpkin Festival at Fairview Park, Costa Mesa, California... Read More>> |
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Oct 8, 2016 - Little Gems in Our Neighborhood Part One: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers Road Trip to Long Beach and La Canada Flintridge, CA. The seed for this trip started germinating several weeks back when Chris was lamenting the fact that this weekend there would be no passenger train service for Orange County so we were looking for a plan B to find a train to ride on the weekend... Read More>> |
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April 30 & May 1, 2016 - Fullerton Railroad Days: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers The annual Southern California Railway Plaza Association Railroad Days 2016, presented by Amtrak this year, held in the Metrolink commuter train parking lot at the Amtrak/Metrolink Fullerton Station... Read More>> |
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April 17, 2016 - Amtrak Pacific Surlfiner to Chinatown: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers Exploring Chinatown, Past and Present, Los Angeles Conservancy Tour. Spring was here again and time for another walking tour from the Los Angeles Conservancy. The Conservancy presents a tour in the spring and another in the autumn... Read More>> |
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Chapter 1 Wed Nov 13, 2019, Our First Steps. Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. Our day started not long after sunrise (the crack of dawn) and that found us packing the last of the luggage and making sure we were on schedule to be at the Santa Ana train station. At Santa Ana, we would board MetroLink # 685 bound for... Read More>> |
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Chapter 2 Day Nov 14, 2019, LATE, Late, Late and some more late. Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. The night passed into sunrise and a new day began in an unknown location until a look out the window showed that we haven't traveled a great distance. We were only at our next stop after Salinas, San Jose, but... Read More>> |
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Chapter 3 Day Nov 15, 2019, Sunrise in Seattle.. Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. "Portland in twenty minutes" was the shout that aroused me from a deep sleep. My goodness, it is still dark out but we knew the reason for this early call. We were to gather our belongings, leave the train, walk to and into... Read More>> |
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Chapter 4 Day Nov 16, 2019, Celebrating the BIG day in Seattle. Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. We both spent a restful night, our first in a not moving bed or seat since Tuesday night, waking wide eyed and bushy tailed. The morning was spent easy and slow, getting ready for our lunch with my good friends and... Read More>> |
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Chapter 5 Day Nov 17, 2019, Pike Place Market, Monorail and Space Needle. Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. Our day started after a restful sleep in downtown Seattle. Russell awoke feeling no after effects from last night's stroll and so was up for trying to go to Pike Place Market and try again to get breakfast for... Read More>> |
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Chapter 6 Day Nov 18, 2019, Returning home on southbound Coast Starlight. Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. Last evening Russell, returning from his fresh air break, stopped at the front desk to chat and finding more information about checking out and transportation to the train station in the... Read More>> |
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Chapter 7 Day Nov 19, 2019, Coming to a end of a journey. Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. After a restful night in room C on the southbound Coast Starlight, we awoke to start our day in Sacramento, CA our third capital city stop on Coast Starlight. One of the surprises traveling at night is where you will... Read More>> |
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Chapter 1 May 2, 2019, Afton Canyon Train, Nevada Southern Railway Museum, Bolder City, Drive the Northshore Road, Lake Mead National Recreation Area and Valley of Fire State Park, Report & Photos by Robin Bowers, Adventures in Utah for Spike 150, Promontory Summit - 150 years later... Read More>> |
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Chapter 2 May 3, 2019, Tooele Valley, Rio Tinto Kennecott Mine, Snow Covered Utah Mountain Ranges, Report & Photos by Robin Bowers, Adventures in Utah for Spike 150, Promontory Summit - 150 years later, A Sesquicentennial... Read More>> |
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Chapter 3 May 4, 2019, Riding the Heber Valley Railroad, Report & Photos by Robin Bowers, Adventures in Utah for Spike 150, Promontory Summit - 150 years later, A Sesquicentennial... Read More>> |
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Chapter 4 May 5, 2019, Lagoon Park, Promontory Summit, Spiral Jetty, Report & Photos by Robin Bowers, Adventures in Utah for Spike 150, Promontory Summit - 150 years later, A Sesquicentennial... Read More>> |
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Chapter 5 May 6, 2019, Big Boy at Evanston, WY, Echo Canyon, Solider Summit, Helper UT, Report & Photos by Robin Bowers, Adventures in Utah for Spike 150, Promontory Summit - 150 years later, A Sesquicentennial... Read More>> |
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Chapter 6 May 7, 2019, California Zephyr, Solider Summit, SLC rail, Report & Photos by Robin Bowers, Adventures in Utah for Spike 150, Promontory Summit - 150 years later, A Sesquicentennial... Read More>> |
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Chapter 7 May 8, 2019, Chasing Big Boy in Echo Canyon, Riding the FrontRange, Report & Photos by Robin Bowers, Adventures in Utah for Spike 150, Promontory Summit - 150 years later, A Sesquicentennial... Read More>> |
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Chapter 8 May 9, 2019, Big Boy meets 844 in Ogden, Tabernacle Choir rehearsal, Report & Photos by Robin Bowers, Adventures in Utah for Spike 150, Promontory Summit - 150 years later, A Sesquicentennial... Read More>> |
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Chapter 9 May 10, 2019, A Promontory Summit Celebration Day, Report & Photos by Robin Bowers, Adventures in Utah for Spike 150, Promontory Summit - 150 years later, A Sesquicentennial... Read More>> |
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Chapter 10 May 11, 2019, Heber Creeper, Ely, NV, Report & Photos by Robin Bowers, Adventures in Utah for Spike 150, Promontory Summit - 150 years later, A Sesquicentennial... Read More>> |
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Chapter 11 May 12, 2019, Nevada Northern, Caliente, Report & Photos by Robin Bowers, Adventures in Utah for Spike 150, Promontory Summit - 150 years later, A Sesquicentennial... Read More>> |
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Jul 22, 2018 NRHS 2018 Chapter 1 - - Beginning with first night on the Chief. Southwest Chief - Los Angeles to Chicago. This year Chris and I were to take the train to the NRHS 2018 Convention in Cumberland, MD. We would take the Southwest Chief to Chicago and then the... Read More>> |
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Jul 23, 2018 NRHS 2018 Chapter 2 - - First day on the Chief. Southwest Chief - Los Angeles to Chicago. Our first day on the Chief. My morning began with the Southwest Chief stopped at the Flagstaff, AZ Station. Looking out the window I spotted Chris getting a fresh... Read More>> |
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Jul 24, 2018 NRHS 2018 Chapter 3 - - Not Chicago but Indianapolis. Southwest Chief - Los Angeles to Indianapolis. Our second day on the Chief. I awoke only knowing that I should be somewhere in Kansas but with the train running late we could be anywhere in the... Read More>> |
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Jul 25, 2018 NRHS 2018 Chapter 4 - - The Cardinal Through Appalachian Mountains. My morning started on the Cardinal traveling through the hills of West Virginia after having slept through the 3:15am stop in Cincinnati. Leaving Indianapolis, we continued through Indiana, then the... Read More>> |
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Jul 26, 2018 NRHS 2018 Chapter 5 - - The Great White Way, Hotel Roanoke. Newark to Roanoke with a stop on Broadway. We awoke today after both having a restful sleep. We later learned that the Hotel Riviera has played a big part in the history and Black culture of Newark. It was... Read More>> |
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Jul 27, 2018 NRHS 2018 Chapter 6 - - VA Transportation, Winston Link, Clifton Forge Museums. Virginia Transportation Museum, O. Winston Link Museum, Driving through the Great Smoky Mountains. Today I awoke in the lap of luxury at The Hotel Roanoke. Climbing out of bed I threw open the... Read More>> |
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Jul 28, 2018 NRHS 2018 Chapter 7 - - Durbin Rocket, Princeton RR Museum, Elkhorn Inn. Durbin Rocket, Princeton Railroad Museum, NS freight train. The Durbin Rocket operates out of Durbin, WV, from May to October. During July and August, there are two daily services Thurs-Sun, one leaving at... Read More>> |
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Jul 29, 2018 NRHS 2018 Chapter 8 - - Tweetsie RR, NC Transportation Museum. Tweetsie RR, Souheastern Narrow Gauge Museum, North Carolina Transportation Museum. We left the Elkhorn Inn just before the crack of dawn. We had checked out last night so as to let people sleep. Both... Read More>> |
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Jul 30, 2018 NRHS 2018 Chapter 9 - - Aberdeen, Selma, Rocky Mount. Aberdeen, Carolina & Western. Fayetteville, Selma, Wilson, Rocky Mount. We left the Super 8 in Salisbury and headed to the grade crossing just north the Salisbury station. Here we waited for the Carolinian to... Read More>> |
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Jul 31, 2018 NRHS 2018 Chapter 10 - - Raleigh to Charlotte on Piedmont. Piedmont Train 73 to Charlotte. Piedmont Train 74 to Raleigh. The streets were dark and quiet when we left our motel room. We arrived at the new Raleigh Union Station, parked in the parking structure and... Read More>> |
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Aug 1, 2018 NRHS 2018 Chapter 11 - - Surrender. Crew Railroad Museum, Appomattox, Virginia Railway Roanoke Station. We left the Capital City's Knights Inn and headed up US 1 to Interstate 85 north with a stop to refuel the car for the final time and... Read More>> |
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Aug 2, 2018 NRHS 2018 Chapter 12 - - Northeast Regional 176, Amtrak shops. Northeast Regional to Wilmington, DE. Amtrak shop tour. We had a 5:00am wake-up call and with our clothes and boots set out, it was easy to get ready this morning. Chris went down to the lobby to... Read More>> |
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Aug 3, 2018 NRHS 2018 Chapter 13 - - Princeton Dinky, Pine Creek Railroad. After finishing my morning ablutions, Chris and I left for the short drive but long in duration due to the morning rush traffic for the Princeton Jct commuter station with fee parking. We then walked up to the... Read More>> |
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Aug 4, 2018 NRHS 2018 Chapter 14 - - Hagerstown, Walkersville Southern. Hagerstown Roundhouse and RR Park, Point of Rocks, Walkersville Southern Railroad, National Capital Trolley Museum. We woke up at the Days Inn and partook in their continental breakfast before we took... Read More>> |
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Aug 4, 2018 NRHS 2018 Chapter 15 - - B&O Museum, Baltimore Streetcar Museum, Havre de Grace Bridge. We drove from the National Capital Trolley Museum north on Interstate 95 to Baltimore and after figuring out Baltimore's one way streets, we arrived at the B&O Railroad Museum. The B&O Railroad Museum is... Read More>> |
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Aug 5, 2018 NRHS 2018 Chapter 16 - - Newton Square, West Chester RR. Newton Square RR Museum, National Iron and Steel Museum, West Chester Railroad. We left the Rodeway Inn and headed up Interstate 95 to Interstate 476 and we exited at Highway 3 and made our way to.. Read More>> |
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Aug 5, 2018 NRHS 2018 Chapter 17 - - RR Museum of Penn, Strasburg RR. Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, Strasburg Railroad. Our drive from West Chester to Strasburg took us through beautiful Pennsylvania Dutch Country with the locals doing some traveling on this nice... Read More>> |
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Aug 6, 2018 NRHS 2018 Chapter 18 - - Acela ride, Tour Washington Mall & Capitol Ltd trip. Acela Train to Washington, DC. Tour of Washington National Mall. Capital Limited to Cumberland. We checked out of the Rodeway Inn and stopped at McDonald's for breakfast. As it was Monday morning, we... Read More>> |
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Aug 7, 2018 NRHS 2018 Chapter 19 - - Cass Railroad to Bald Knob. Cass Bald Knob train trip. This morning started with breakfast in the dining room of The Ramada Cumberland. They put on a nice spread and it was good to see some familiar faces from past conventions. After... Read More>> |
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Aug 8, 2018 NRHS 2018 Chapter 20 - - Cass RR and Salamander trips. Cass ttip to Spruce, WV. Salamander trip to Elkins, WV. Breakfast was had again in the Ramada's dining room. Today it was very busy, being the first convention day and travel day with the buses leaving at... Read More>> |
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Aug 9, 2018 NRHS 2018 Chapter 21 - - Western Maryland Scenic RR to Frostburg. I had another good breakfast in the hotel dining room among fellow conventioneers. Chris got up earlier because he wanted to return the car rental now. After eating I went upstairs to do my laundry. The hotel... Read More>> |
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Aug 10, 2018 NRHS 2018 Chapter 22 - - Potomac River Eagle trip. Potomac Eagle to Petersburg, WV. Chris awoke me this morning so I would have time for breakfast in the dining room which was busy again with conventioneers anticipating another train excursion. Today the... Read More>> |
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Aug 11, 2018 NRHS 2018 Chapter 23 - - Everett Railroad to Martinsburg. Everett RR trip to Martinsburg, PA. Over night on the Capitol Limited to Chicago. At 6:00am, Chris awoke me to start my day. I proceeded downstairs for my last meal here at the hotel as this is our final day of... Read More>> |
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Aug 12, 2018 NRHS 2018 Chapter 24 - Chicago Metra, Southwest Chief overnight. Riding Chicago METRA to Elburn on Union Pacific West Line. First night on the Southwest Chief returning home. I awoke shortly after entering Indiana after having a good sleep while traveling through my buckeye state. After... Read More>> |
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Aug 13, 2018 NRHS 2018 Chapter 25 - Last day and night on the Southwest Chief. My day started somewhere near Lamar, CO when after my morning ablution I proceeded to have breakfast of eggs and bacon with coffee and orange juice. After the meal it wasn't long before we stopped in La Junta, which is... Read More>> |
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Chapter 1 Adventures in the Rockies Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. July 1, 2016: California & Arizona Road Trip. Today is the start of our great Rockies Adventure. We would be traveling around Colorado, parts of Wyoming, Nebraska, and South Dakota to see and ride as many tourist railroads and take pics of all... Read More>> |
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Chapter 2 Adventures in the Rockies Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. July 2, 2016: The rest of the way to Canyon Diablo and the railroad bridge was to follow a wide cow path. Our route was a rough trail to the tracks in the distance. The slow and bumpy ride north to the tracks and then west to the bridge was successful... Read More>> |
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Chapter 3 Adventures in the Rockies Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. July 3, 2016: Chasing the Durango & Silverton, Visit to Ridgway, Cimarron & Gunnison. Durango began as a railroad town with a mining and smelting center during the gold and silver booms. It is now a crossroads for... Read More>> |
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Chapter 4 Adventures in the Rockies Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. July 4, 2016: Riding the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad and a visit to the private Animas Valley Railroad. The Durango Depot is located at Mile Post 451.52 and Silverton Depot, near the end of the line, at MP 496.7. The number... Read More>> |
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Chapter 5 Adventures in the Rockies Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. July 5, 2016: Chama to Cumbres Chase and then on to Antonito, Monte Vista, Del Norte and South Fork. Hidden away in a little-known corner of the southern Rocky Mountains on the border of New Mexico and Colorado is a precious historic artifact of... Read More>> |
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Chapter 6 Adventures in the Rockies Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. July 6, 2016: Buena Vista, Breckenridge, Fairplay, Cripple Creek, Royal Gorge Bridge and Park, Canon City, Pueblo, Colorado Springs and The Broadmoor. It was a bright crisp summer morning when Chris G. and I left our motel in Salida to start our... Read More>> |
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Chapter 7 Adventures in the Rockies Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. July 7, 2016: Forney Museum, North Platte Cody Park, Golden Spike Tower. The Museum is off I-70 exit 275B near the Denver Coliseum. The museum features more than 100 antique and classic cars, carriages, bicycles and other... Read More>> |
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Chapter 8 Adventures in the Rockies Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. July 8, 2016: North Platte to Cheyenne & Laramie. Nebraska's Lincoln Highway History - The last stretch of Lincoln Highway in the United States to be paved was in North Platte, Neb, in 1935. Before that, the route across the state was anything from... Read More>> |
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Chapter 9 Adventures in the Rockies Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. July 9, 2016: Greeley, Fort Collins Municipal Railway, Terry Bison Ranch. Greeley was founded by a group of visionaries who responded to New York publisher Horace Greeley's renowned exhortation, " Go West, young man!" Greeley's dream... Read More>> |
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Chapter 10 Adventures in the Rockies Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. July 10, 2016: Strasburg, Limon, Kit Carson, Lamar, La Junta, Delhi and Pueblo. Near Strasburg on Aug 15, 1870, the Kansas Pacific Railroad completed laying tracks that formed part of a continuous chain of railways connecting the Atlantic and... Read More>> |
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Chapter 11 Adventures in the Rockies Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. July 11, 2016: Tiny Town, Georgetown Loop, Central City, Blackhawk, Idaho Springs. We left Pueblo early morning with clear sky and drove north on I-25 to Rt 470 and then west to Rt 285. Five miles west of the 470/285 interchange is... Read More>> |
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Chapter 12 Adventures in the Rockies Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. July 12, 2016: Denver airport, Cheyenne & Douglas, WY. Known as Tent Town at its founding in 1886, Douglas served as a supply post for cattlemen and a distribution point for railroad consignments. The town's history is typical of the... Read More>> |
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Chapter 13 Adventures in the Rockies Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. July 13, 2016: Powder River and Devils Tower, WY. The Powder River Basin is a geologic structural basin in southeast Montana and northeast Wyoming, about 120 miles east to west and 200 miles north to south, known for... Read More>> |
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Chapter 14 Adventures in the Rockies Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. July 14, 2016: Black Hills Central Railroad, Storybook Island, SD and Ponderosa Ranch, Crawford, NE. The109-mile-long George S. Mickelson Trail was originally the Burlington Northern line than took trains from Edgemont, SD to the... Read More>> |
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Chapter 15 Adventures in the Rockies Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. July 15, 2016: Crawford Hill tracks & Carhenge, NE. The Pine Ridge Area has often been referred to as the "last frontier", and for a good reason. It was a favorite Indian hunting and camping area for hundreds of years and the... Read More>> |
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Chapter 16 Adventures in the Rockies Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. July 16, 2016: Scottsbluff, Platte Valley Trolley, Pikes Peak Historical Trolley Museum, Walsenburg and Alamosa. In the fertile valley of the North Platte River, Scottsbluff is the major trading center for western Nebraska and... Read More>> |
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Chapter 17 Adventures in the Rockies Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. July 17, 2016: Riding the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad, from Antonito, CO - 64 miles - to Chama, NM. This station is the eastern terminus of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad (C&TS). None of the buildings and railroad... Read More>> |
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Chapter 18 Adventures in the Rockies Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. July 18, 2016: Cripple Creek & Victor Narrow Gauge RR and Garden of the Gods. The track (2 ft narrow gauge) system begins at Bennett Avenue/5th Street going south out of Cripple Creek, goes past the old Midland Terminal Wye, then... Read More>> |
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Chapter 19 Adventures in the Rockies Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. July 19, 2016: Riding through Colorado's Royal Gorge. The Royal Gorge Route Railroad is a heritage railroad located in Canon City, Colorado. The railroad transits the Royal Gorge on a 2-hour scenic and historic train ride along... Read More>> |
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Chapter 20 Adventures in the Rockies Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. July 20, 2016: Denver Light Rail. RTD's first light rail line, a 5.3-mile section of what is now the D Line, opened on Friday, October 7, 1994. It operated with free service for that half day and the first weekend, with revenue... Read More>> |
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Chapter 21 Adventures in the Rockies Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. July 21, 2016: ACT One, Georgetown Loop. The Georgetown Loop Railroad was one of Colorado's first visitor attractions. Completed in 1884, this spectacular stretch of three-foot narrow gauge railroad was considered an engineering... Read More>> |
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Chapter 22 Adventures in the Rockies Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. July 21, 2016: ACT Two, Colorado Railroad Museum, Golden. Golden was settled in 1859 among the glacial deposits on Clear Creek. Its name recalls an early miner and the local preoccupation with gold prospecting. Golden rivaled... Read More>> |
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Chapter 23 Adventures in the Rockies Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. July 22, 2016: Pikes Peak Cog Railway, U.S. Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel, 2016 NRHS Convention Banquet. In the late 1880's, one of the tourists who visited the Pikes Peak Region was Zalmon Simmons, inventor and founder of... Read More>> |
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Chapter 24 Adventures in the Rockies Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. July 23, 2016: Leadville to Climax on the Leadville, Colorado & Southern Railroad. After breakfast in my motel dining room, I walked next door to the Holiday Inn and waited for our buses to load and leave. We will be be traveling west out of... Read More>> |
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Chapter 25 Adventures in the Rockies Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. July 24, 2016: Chasing the Southwest Chief in Colorado and over the Raton Pass and splitting the semaphores. Heading south and west through Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona to California. Chasing the Southwest Chief in southern Colorado and into... Read More>> |
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Chapter 26 Adventures in the Rockies Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. July 25, 2016: Heading west through New Mexico and Arizona stopping to tour the Petrified Forest plus a stop to stand on corner in Winslow. Chris and I slept in a bit this morning in Grants due to gaining a hour on our westward trek. I had a good... Read More>> |
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Chapter 1 June 11, 2015 - Lift Off: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. After many months of looking at maps, train schedules and various tour books, the end has come. Stop !! Put the pencil down, raise your hands. Grading will now begin with final grade to be received in 27 days... Read More>> |
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Chapter 2 June 12, 2015 - Manhattan A: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. Nine Hours in Manhattan. I certainly can't remember the time on that early morning the first day in New York State that we stumbled out of our hotel room. But our parking receipt states that we made the purchase at 05.21 AM. The rate is $3.75 for 16 hours. So the expiration Time/Date is 09.21 PM on... Read More>> |
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Chapter 3 June 12, 2015 - Manhattan B: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. Going Uptown on the East Side. After a stroll around Battery Park and soaking in the great harbor views, I found my way back to the bus pick-up point. We would now be heading to Midtown Manhattan with several views of the East River... Read More>> |
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Chapter 4 June 13, 2015 - Walkway over the Hudson and trains in the Catskills: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. After loading the car and leaving the motel, our first stop was for breakfast at McDonald's which was an easy find because it was across the road from the Subway shop. Then we were headed west towards Poughkeepsie, Walkway bridge and Marist College... Read More>> |
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Chapter 5 June 14, 2015 - Rutland to Smithville Photo Freight: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. Our first morning in Vermont began shortly after 6:00 AM as we headed for the Day's Inn breakfast room; a cozy room with windows overlooking the front yard. There were the usual breakfast fixings to be had. The most popular spot was the do-it-yourself waffle iron... Read More>> |
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Chapter 6 June 14, 2015 - Vermont RR Depots and Covered Bridges road trip: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. After our train ride, Chris and I jumped into our car and head to Proctor, VT for our first stop at Wilson Castle. Wilson Castle is a three-story house, home to five generations of the Wilson family. Located on an... Read More>> |
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Chapter 7 June 15, 2015 - Saratoga Springs to North Creek Passenger Train: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. Today began with early breakfast in the motel's breakfast room. Today's adventure will begin at the Rutland VT Amtrak station with us boarding the Ethan Allen Express at 8:00 A.M. and arriving at Saratoga Springs at 9:37 A.M. After arriving in Saratoga Springs we... Read More>> |
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Chapter 8 June 16, 2015 - Green Mountain RR to Bellows Falls: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. Today started with a nice breakfast in the motel's dining room. Our train left at 10:00 A.M., so we were not rushed as much today. After breakfast, we drove to the Rutland Amtrak station(RUD). The reason for today's later start was a. the Ethan Allen Express departs at... Read More>> |
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Chapter 9 June 17, 2015 - Heritage Tour - Vermont Products and Parks: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. This morning started with breakfast in the motel's dining room. Then it was a short walk across S. Main Street ( US Rt 4) to the Holiday Inn to board the bus for today's tour. Heritage Tour - Vermont Products and Parks Tour was scheduled to leave the Holiday Inn at 7:45AM with... Read More>> |
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Chapter 10 Jun 18, 2015 - Rutland to Burlington Passenger Train: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. Today's train departs at 10:00 AM from Rutland. After breakfast, with a couple of hours free to explore, Chris and I drove to the locomotive yard, location of the former car shop building, to see what... Read More>> |
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Chapter 11 Jun 19, 2015 - Omya plant, Shelburne Museum & Covered Bridges: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. Rutland to Omya Passenger Train, Shelburne Museum and Covered Bridges. Today's train trip to the Omya plant will be broken into two parts This is due to lack of track space at the plant. Group One will depart Rutland by... Read More>> |
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Chapter 12 June 20, 2015 - Rutland to N Bennington & Hoosick Jct Passenger Train: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. Rutland to Hoosick Junction Passenger Train. Chris and I arrived at the station 9:00AM. and a little early for our scheduled 10:00AM departure for New York State. Hoosick Junction is just a few miles west... Read More>> |
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Chapter 13 June 21, 2015 - Winnipesaukee RR, Hobo RR & Cafe Lafayette Dinner Train: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. The crack of dawn was still ringing throughout the Green Mountains, when we skipped down the road out of Town Rutland. Our week's stay here was a once-in-a-lifetime... Read More>> |
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Chapter 14 June 22, 2015 - Mt Washington Cog Rwy, Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes RR: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. Today's journey began after a quick breakfast in Lincoln and then we headed north on US 3. We continued on US 3 to Twin Mountain and the junction with US 302. We continued east now on... Read More>> |
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Chapter 15 June 23, 2015 - Conway Scenic RR, Silver Lake RR: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. Conway Scenic Railroad, off SR 16 and US 302, offers nostalgic, narrated, round-trip train rides of varying duration. Excursions are powered by early diesel locomotives over tracks laid in the 1870's. Trains depart from... Read More>> |
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Chapter 16 June 24, 2015 - Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington R'y Co. / Boothbay Railway Village / Belfast & Moosehead Lake Railroad: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. The night passed with sporadic storms and showers. But sunrise brought blue skies and bright sunshine for our day's adventures. Chris and I were up early and on US 1 heading north to the village of... Read More>> |
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Chapter 17 June 24, 2015 - Penobscot Narrows Bridge, Fort Knox State Historic Site, Cole Land Transportation Museum, Augusta Capital Building, Gardiner, ME, and Bath, ME: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. Continuing our day in Northeastern Maine, we drove north on US 1 and saw great vistas of the shore line and Penobscot Bay. Heading toward... Read More>> |
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Chapter 18 June 25, 2015 - Amtrak Downeaster, Maine Narrow Gauge Museum, Seashore Trolley Museum, Lowell National Historic Park: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. Chris and I had the car loaded, checked out of Best Western and were headed north on US 1, while the crack of dawn was still reverberating in morning sky of Maine. Our first stop was... Read More>> |
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Chapter 19 June 26, 2015 - Freedom Train, Old Ironsides, Inner harbor & CapeFlyer: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. Last night, Chris and I had a nice dinner at the Outback Steakhouse in Lowell, MA, then returned to the motel. Afterwards, I went to find a laundromat close and once I had located it and started to do the laundry, there was a car accident... Read More>> |
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Chapter 20 June 27, 2015 - Connecticut Eastern RR Museum, Essex Steam Train, Shore Line Trolley Museum, New Haven Line, Metro North Railroad: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. After a good night's rest from our big day in Boston and a quick bit to eat, Chris and I were ready to start another day of adventure and exploring. We headed south to our first stop,.. Read More>> |
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Chapter 21 June 28, 2015 - Railroad Museum of New England, Connecticut Trolley Museum, Drive to Brattleboro, Shelburne Falls Trolley Museum: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. After a good restful sleep at the Waterbury Quality Inn, Chris and I had some extra time this morning to grab a nice breakfast at the hotel breakfast bar. After eating we packed the car and... Read More>> |
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Chapter 22 June 29, 2015 - Empire Service, Streets of New York, Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Virginia Service, Ride the Tide: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. Before it became Walkway State Park, this massive 1.28-mile steel structure was know as the Poughkeepise-Highland Railroad Bridge, an industrial Age Superstar! When trains began rumbling over the bridge in... Read More>> |
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Chapter 23 June 30, 2015 - A Day in Norfolk, Virginia: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. Riding the Tide, Visiting the Norfolk Southern RR Museum, Exploring the neighborhood and the Elizabeth River water front. Seeing the US Wisconsin and water front in twilight. Last night we checked into our room in the Tazewell Hotel and Suites, built in 1906 and a... Read More>> |
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Chapter 25 July 02, 2015 - Train Ride from Washington D.C. to New Orleans, Amtrak Train 19, Crescent: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. Man oh Man. What a way to start the day. Waking up and looking out your bedroom window and seeing our wonderful countryside passing by and very curious as to where you are located. After leaving DC and while having dinner in the... Read More>> |
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Chapter 26 July 01, 2015 - New Orleans Street Cars, Chalmette National Cemetery, Mardi Gras Fountain: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. After a good night's rest, I was ready to start my first day in New Orleans. Among the first things to do was to find the breakfast buffet, a featured amenity here at the... Read More>> |
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Chapter 27 July 04, 2015 - Garden District Walking Tour, Chalmette, Battlefield, New Orleans, LA: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. Happy Birthday, America. Leaving the hotel, I walked across Saint Charles Ave to the streetcar stop, bought my Jazzy one day pass and waited for the next car to leave for the Garden District and the Carrollton and Claiborne Aves junction... Read More>> |
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Chapter 28 July 05, 2015 - French Quarter, Mississippi River crossing & a visit to Algiers, New Orleans, Louisiana: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. This city lays claim to the oldest operating street railway line in the world, the oldest operation streetcars in North America, and an urban streetcar system that, in contrast to many other areas, has fought back from near extinction to expand along city streets that in some... Read More>> |
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Chapter 29 July 06, 2015 - Traveling west on the Sunset Limited, Day One: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. Today will be my last here in the Big Easy. Last night's rain made everything clean and bright in the clear morning sunlight. Repeating my past three mornings routine, I headed over to the hotel breakfast buffet for a last fill up. I didn't know where... Read More>> |
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Chapter 30 July 07, 2015 - Traveling west on the Sunset Limited, Day Two: Report & Photos by Robin Bowers. The Sunset Limited whisks you 1,995 miles from America's Most Interesting City, New Orleans, through the bayous of Louisiana, the huge Heart of Texas, the storied West and beyond - to the home of... Read More>> |
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Sep 13, 2013 - Auto, Train, Bus, and Plane. And Taxi too.. And so began my first day in the adventure of a life time. A one-time, never to be repeated exploring of a faraway land. A land much heard about, especially around a certain time of the year but with few visitors and scattered, sparsely populated residents... Read More>> |
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Sep 14, 2013 - Riverboat, Steam engine train and Stanley Steamer. It is the crack of dawn in the second largest city in the largest state in the Union that this day starts. Before falling asleep last night I perused the NRHS Schedule of Activities for Saturday September 14. The main first check point I needed to make was the bus shuttle operation from the Westmark to Riverboat Discovery. This was from 7:00 AM to 8:30 AM. I chose the time frame from 7:30 to 8:00 as the target. So near 6:45 AM as... Read More>> |
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Sep 14, 2013 - Fairbanks - Land of Midnight Sun. After boarding the bus the driver talked about the city of Fairbanks and our next stop Pioneer Park. The people who live along the rivers and coastline of northern Alaska are predominately Native American- Yup'ik, Inupiat, and Athabascan. For most of them, when they "come to town" they come to... Read More>> |
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Sep 14, 2013 - Antique Autos. Leaving Pioneer Park our bus made its way to our next venue and adventure. The driver was speaking about the country side we were passing by. She, the driver, explained we were passing what once was the biggest dairy farm in Alaska. Creamers Field is now part of a... Read More>> |
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Sep 15, 2013 - Train ride to North Pole. The second day in Fairbanks starts at the crack of dawn and this routine will continue thru the rest of week. The bus shuttle operation from Westmark to Fairbanks depot will be running from 6:00 AM - 8:00AM. An another great breakfast in the hotel dining room. The hostesses was... Read More>> |
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Sep 16, 2013 - Fairbanks to Denali. It was a bright sunrise this Monday morning in Fairbanks for my last day here. Shortly we would be starting our journey on the Alaska Railroad thru the middle of this the largest state in the Union. After checking my overnight bag to be sure I had what I needed for the next... Read More>> |
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Sep 17, 2013 - Denali to Anchorage via Talkeentna. Shrouded in the darkness before a gray dawn, the alarm goes off and a new day starts in Alaska. I gather my things and head out to my shuttle stop, "Bear Stop." The wait in the chilly darkness was short and no bears were heard or sighted. I boarded the shuttle to find... Read More>> |
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