Denver to Glenwood Springs

It is so frustrating. I’ve researched and checked all over the web and there is no real easy way to transport photos from my Macbook photos to Photobucket. There was a way under the old “I photos” app which Apple did away with. There is an export to Flicker, but… to link to photos on that account, you have to have a loop back to the Flicker account. I’m back to using my trusted memory stick to transfer these pictures.

It is hard to cull the best shots from the many pictures I snapped.These pictures cover only some six hours of travel!

This entry will cover from Denver, CO to Glenwood Springs, CO. Such beautiful scenery with the fall colours and pretty clear skies.

Denver Terminal, now a wonderful multi-use building:

The California Zephyr has nearly an hour layover in Denver to restock. There were two “private varnish” cars tacked to the end. These cars did not have priority for the end of the train and they approached Lovett to see if they could access the observation deck. There is only room for four to sit comfortably on the back. Steve who did the charter way back when to guarantee this spot said, “No.”

Zephyr getting “refreshed”.

Enjoyed a healthy breakfast prior to departing:

More “Private Varnish. We are to the right. The Zephyr will pull ahead and then back onto our track to couple us onto the train.”

Lining up the coupler:

Almost there:

Success:

Switch being thrown after leaving the station.

We are ready to roll now:

Good Bye Denver:


Horseshoe curves. I would wedge my foot under the railing, hang on to the side grab bar, and shoot away! It was like being a kid again when we used to climb on top of the freight cars in the RR yards near my house.

Windbreak planted in old coal cars on an abandoned siding.

The switchbacks are taking us higher and higher:


Enjoying the scenery:


If you look closely you can just make out a bit of white on the private car ahead of us. This was the car attendant who was also hanging out and taking pictures! We had a great time waving to each other!

Inside the Moffat tunnel, we had to leave the platform due to the fumes. This 6.2 mile tunnel cut 176 miles off the original route to the coast. It opened in 1928 and was the inspiration for the “Winston Tunnel” in Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged”.

On the other side:



At the Fraser-Winter Park station:

My friend from the car ahead!




How I loved hanging off the side of that car!









Passing the Eastbound Zephyr:





Break at Glenwood Springs:

Chicago to Denver

I don’t know how I managed to access the photos on my Mac and have them drag and drop to Photobucket the other day. I tried to repeat that process this morning with no luck. Had to instead use my G-Mail to transfer the images.

Back to Saturday the 1st of October in Chicago:

“Private Varnish” viewed from the bridge on the way to breakfast:

Crossovers outside the Station:

Varnish lined up:

Backed into the station:

Leaving the station:

Good bye Chicago:


Eastbound Zephyr passing us:

Had to get out of the misty rain. Joined Lucy, Steve, and Rick. Steve is so happy he got his Chicago popcorn!

Overcast sky trying to clear:


Starting to clear:

Crossing over water:


Hanging off the side to try and get an “engine shot”. Green lights on the sides of the cars means all is set to go:
Flatland:

Sunrise as we approach Denver:

Almost at Denver:

Onward to Chicago

It was pretty amazing to witness the change in topography as we left the mountains to the flatlands of North Dakota. My time was spent pretty much bundled up and on the platform soaking in the scenery. I took hundreds of photos. Such is the beauty of digital photography. I can’t imagine all the rolls of film I would have gone through and the aggravation of getting it all developed in the “olden days”.

Night shot at Minot, North Dakota

I awoke during the night and made a trip to the lounge. John was on the platform with the track lights on. I watched a bit from the lounge door. Did not feel like getting bundled up to join him. It was cloudy out so there were no stars visible.

Our morning stop was St. Paul, MN. John explained how he was working for the Burlington RR in Minneapolis at the time they merged with the Great Northern. His office had an unobstructed view on the Minneapolis RR yards. John explained how on the day the merger became official, the Empire Builder ceased using the Minneapolis station and shifted operations to St Paul. The reason was, Minneapolis was a “Union Station” and when it was incorporated the contract stated the last passenger RR using the station would bear the financial responsibility of the people working there. I relish learning this obscure information.

St. Paul station:

Leaving St. Paul:


Enjoying breakfast, Rick, Lovett, John, and Steve:

Headed to Chicago:


Love this station. Wish I could have gotten a close up view of the bricks!

Love crossing these bridges:

Wisconsin Dells, WI:

This was a fascinating “museum/shop” I wish I could have visited. Talked to a man who came running out and had to take pictures of the car. Have interacted with more fascinating people this trip:

Not sure of the station name… patterned bricks on the platform:

Pulled into Chicago:
View from the yard where we were parked:

Back on the Rails Again 9/29

We were due to leave Whitefish, MT on Thursday the 29th coupling onto the Empire Builder which has a scheduled 7:41 a.m. departure. It was fortunate the train was some 45 minutes late. John had overslept and needed to return his rental car. John has been crewing out with Lovett helping with the cooking and maintenance of the car. John is one of those people who fly by the seat of their pants with their lives always in upheaval. He was explaining to us his latest endeavor brokering road salt to communities and the pitfalls he has endured in that venture. He was just able to get the rental back before we departed. That kind of stuff drives me to distraction.

Empire Builder pulling into the station at Whitefish, MT.

On the way down the mainline:

Off the mainline to our siding:

Getting closer, looking close you can just make out the conductor in the upper doorway:

Almost there. There are the air lines to be connected as well as four electric cables which pretty much ensure a “fail safe” electric connection:

Getting ready to throw the switch from the siding to the main line:

Underway:

For the next half hour or so we were next to the highway Steve drove us yesterday.
We knew where to look for the sights!

Rock fence, you can see the shadow of the car along the wall:

View off the back:

Giving some folks at the Izaak Walton Inn a wave after tooting the whistle!:

Travelling through a “snow shed” which protects the tracks from bad snows:

Passing the westbound Empire Builder:

Sunset in North Dakota:

Spent pretty much the entire day on the platform. Not in a UItilikilt, but long johns, heavy camp pants, ragg wool sweater, cammo shirt to block the wind, watchmans cop, and a scarf around my neck. It got chilly outside!