To Shiny Rails

Another fantastic day (the 7th) at Bitter Creek Western Railroad: http://BCWRR.org/120707.html

The Friends of the Santa Maria Valley Railroad met this evening for the first time in its new quarterly format. The meeting was held in Shepard Hall at the Santa Maria Public Library (McClelland Street). Our speaker this evening was Tom Murray, a career railroader who most recently writes his own railroad newsletter: Rail StockWatch. Photos: http://www.friends-smvrr.org/120627.html

Lynn and I thoroughly enjoyed a Wine Rail Excursion put on by the Central Coast Railroad Festival. We took the Coast Starlight from SLO, over the grade, to Paso Robles where but a few feet away from the train was our destination winery, D’Anbino. The CCRRF offers these excursions every 2nd Sunday of the month; check their website <CCRRF.com>. Check out this web page for photos and more info: http://ccrrf.com/120512.html

We had a great day at the Guadalupe Amtrak Station. People were flowing steadily through the caboose, enjoying the displays in the station, and waiting patiently for the Pacific Surfliners to come through.

All the photos: http://www.friends-smvrr.org/120512.html

The San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum held a fundraising event at the Pacific Coast Railroad (Santa Margarita Ranch) that featured rides on the Disney coaches as well as a multi-media presentation by Michael Campbell, President of the Carolwood Pacific Historical Society. Michael spoke about the development of the Disney railroad and Walt’s love for trains. Train rides were available both before and after the presentation on the historic former Santa Fe and Disneyland Railroad “Retlaw1” passenger cars that were built in the Disney Burbank Studios and operated at Disneyland from 1955 to the early 1970’s. Proceeds from the event were for continued work on the San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum in the old freight house near the SLO Amtrak station.

All the photos: http://www.jamie-foster-photography.com/Trains/120414-PCRR-Disney-Event/

I managed to get up there Sunday afternoon for these photos: http://BCWRR.org/120219.html