To Shiny Rails

April 12, 2024

https://ccrrf.com/ccrrf-announcements-email-240412.html

Content:

2024 Festival Participants/Sponsors
First Sunset Wine/Rail Excursion in May
Model Rail Days at Oceano Depot
Friends of SMVRR Gala May 18
Norgrove Ry Hosts Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Rys
Pacific Coast Railroad #2 Restored by Norgrove
Jellybean Junction at SLO Children’s Museum
Vintage Traditions
North SLO County Museums
PCR Convention Offers Virtual Attendance
Amtrak to the CA Strawberry Festival
“Big Boy” in Roseville, CA July 12-13
Regional Garden RR Meet, San Diego, Aug 10-15
Railtown History Train April/May
Local Railroaders Visited Reedley Railfest
Red Wagon Cafe in Shafter
Dreamstar Lines: SF-LA Overnight Rail?
Area Railroading Opportunities
Want Your News/Event Promoted? (It’s free)
Want to Subscribe? (It’s free)

AJ told me about this guy a couple of days ago, and today I finished the last 3 episodes of his trip across America from the southernmost rail station in the country to the northernmost rail station in the country. It was a 10-week odyssey that he documented in 10 episodes on his channel (15 to 25 minutes in length each, roughly). Though I’ve never met him, I’m convinced Michael Downie is a kindred spirit! I highly recommend this series to any rail fan, particularly those of you who like traveling by rail, any kind of rail. He started at Dadeland Station in Miami and ended up at the Fairbanks, Alaska train station ten weeks later (or so). And he hit several iconic, historic, and unique trains along the way. It turns out he hit a few I’ve had the pleasure to ride: the California Zephyr, the Cog Railway at Pikes Peak, the Grand Canyon Railway, and the Alaska Railroad. My next-up bucket list items that Mike’s trip covers are the Rocky Mountaineer Denver to Moab and the Durango and Silverton, both within “easy” reach of Colorado Springs. Mike’s trip starts here on YouTube.

“All Aboard!” Just so I’d have a photo on this post, I threw in the image above of my Dad on our Zephyr trip from Chicago, IL to Emeryville, CA in 2005. This was shot at the Glenwood Springs, CO station. It is pretty hard to beat a train trip across the Rockies in a snow storm!

This was today’s Parlor Car Chat for the San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum.

Karl sent me a photo today of our two ex-PBJRR switches in place at Bitter Creek. Pretty cool, huh!

The Huskie is all spiffed up and out and about. Mike Massee caught this photo of Paul running the Huskie at Bitter Creek Western’s Presidents Day Meet this past weekend. Click here for more on the Huskie story.

You may recall that the 7.5″ gauge division of the PB&J Railroad was abandoned in May of 2018 (story/pics). All of the physical assets were donated to the Bitter Creek Western Railroad. Here’s the rest of the story for the Huskie… Paul Deis bought it from the BCWRR and has just finished getting it all back up to snuff and added to the livery of the D&P Mountain Railroad. The D&P is a g-scale layout at his place. The g-scale D&P has been on the model layout tour of the Central Coast Railroad Festival, for example, here. The Huskie, however, is going to be running at Bitter Creek and perhaps other 7.5″ gauge railroads.

Part of the story of Trevor and the initial build of the Huskie in 2007 for the PB&J is here and here. It first ran on the PB&J on the occasion of Fina’s first birthday party.

Below are a couple photos of the Huskie today as part of the D&P. Lookin’ good!

To Shiny Rails!