SilverRails.net

 

If you enjoy steam locomotives, head for Coldwater, Michigan! The Little River Railroad will be celebrating the 100th birthday for one of their two steam engines on July 15, 16, and 17, 2011.

 

About Little River #110

Little River #110 is a handsome 4-6-2 built by Baldwin in 1911 for the original Little River Railroad in Townsend, Tennessee where it served in the logging industry. It was custom built to handle the tight curves commonly found in logging operations, including a “blind” middle drive wheel. This wheel does not have a flange, which allows the engine to negotiate difficult track curvature. It is also unique in being the smallest 4-6-2 built for standard gauge track.

 

A birthday party is no good without friends. Four steam locomotives will help Little River #110 celebrate, including “sister” #1, a tank engine which has been on the Little River property since 2004. Out of town friends include three more tank engines, Viscose #6, Flagg Coal #75, and making it’s first trip following restoration, Lehigh Valley Coal #126. 

 

All five engines will be steaming, and many short and long rides are scheduled during the three day celebration. If you want to see something that may never happen again, on Sunday July 15th the railroad is advertising a quintuple-header.

 

This little railroad is a gem, with lots of good photo possibilities. The railroad is all volunteer with the mission to keep steam alive for future generations. Coldwater is located in southern Michigan near the tops of Illinois and Indiana. 

 

More information about the celebration can be found at the Little River Railroad website http://www.littleriverrailroad.com/ 

By the way, they are looking for extra volunteers to help in many areas during the event. 

 

For those of you who would need to travel a long distance, make your trip even more worthwhile by heading to Rock Island, Illinois, where Train Festival 2011 starts on July 21. 

Be sure to read my blog recapping the celebration here!

Thanks, Steve Mitchell, Yard Goat Images

Comment (0)

 

In November, 2010, I enjoyed covering not one, but two long-distance steam excursions, involving two locomotives on two railroads. 

Two Trains West

 

The two events intersected at Golden Spike Park in Council Bluffs, Iowa, a fitting place for things to intersect. The original Golden Spike, which we all learned about in elementary school, was ceremoniously driven into a railroad tie in Promontory, Utah when the first transcontinental railroad was completed at the spot where Central Pacific and Union Pacific track-laying met. Two classic steam locomotives posed nose-to-nose, surrounded by workers, dignitaries, and the public as the historic spike was hit home, symbolizing the linking of east and west.

 

So why is there a Golden Spike Park in, of all places, Council Bluffs, Iowa? Well, Council Bluffs was the eastern terminus of the transcontinental railroad. It was where this new line across the prairies, mountains and deserts would join the established network of rails in the east. 

 

The 56 foot tall spike that dominates a neighborhood park was originally part of a promotional event for the 1939 Cecil B. De Mille movie classic Union Pacific, which premiered at three Omaha theaters. How it became a fixture in the park in nearby Council Bluffs is probably another interesting story.

 

Why the two trains excursions?

 Let’s start with the second one first since it attracted more publicity and interest because it marked something very special. On Saturday, November 13, 2010, Union Pacific commemorated the 50th anniversary of its steam program with an excursion across Nebraska from Omaha to North Platte, Nebraska. Leading the special train was number 844, which operated in freight service with Union Pacific until 1959. In 1960 the railroad placed it into service providing power for occasional business trains and special excursions across the huge UP network. This locomotive has worked for the Union Pacific continuously since it was delivered in 1944.

 

As a nod to Union Pacific’s 50th anniversary celebration, Iowa Interstate Railroad arranged a special train pulled by one of its two Chinese QJ steam locomotives from Newton, Iowa to Council Bluffs. At Golden Spike Park it was hoped that QJ 7081 and 844 could be displayed nose to nose. That would have made for a very interesting if not symbolic pose, but unfortunately did not happen. The two engines were indeed together at Golden Spike Park, but it was more like nose-to-tail, with 7081 at the far end of 844’s short train. 

 

At any rate, I was able to be with 7081 and her train as she covered the lovely Iowa countryside on a perfectly enjoyable November day. This was a Thursday so there was a smaller than usual number of chasers. Iowa Interstate operates over the former Rock Island across the state, and the train stopped in Des Moines to pick up members of the Rock Island Technical Society.  It was a classy trip and 7081 sported a new Southern 3 Chime Whistle There was even a runby at Atlantic, Iowa. The next day was the park display; a day when November turned colder and wetter, with nonstop drizzle and harsh winds.

 

On Saturday it was 844’s turn. Overnight, Omaha received a generous dump of wet snow. As the special pulled away, the cold temperature and snow made for some tremendous clouds of steam. As we sped west, skies turned sunny, however the bitter wind would be with us all day. The train wasted no time because the passengers and 20 car special needed to get to North Platte, turn around, and head back to Omaha for a late evening arrival. The return trip  was led by heritage diesels from the railroad’s collection.

 

On Sunday, 844 led a much shorter passenger consist back to its home in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and I was there to record as much as I could on this very fast moving trip.

 

These two specials took place in a compressed timeframe and were very worthwhile in terms of footage. I have created a tasty program called Two Trains West, which is featured on the Yard Goat Images DVD A Boatload of Steam!  

I have nothing but thanks and admiration for both Union Pacific and Iowa Interstate for their commitment to steam in the 21st century!

Thanks, Steve Mitchell, Yard Goat Images

Comment (0)

I was very impressed when I went to the Hoosier Valley Railroad in North Judson, Indiana to capture footage of NKP 765 www.765.org performing over Memorial Day Weekend, 2009. More about that another time.

About the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum

Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum, www.hvrm.railfan.net encompasses former yards of three railroads that passed through the town. The first railroad came to North Judson just before the Civil War, and later became part of the Pennsylvania Railroad. The next railroad came in the 1880’s, and became part of the New York Central. The third also arrived in the 1880’s, and became part of the C&O. As the railroad industry changed, and giant mergers occurred, duplicate routes were abandoned. In North Judson’s case, all that remains are two short lines, one of which connects to CSX in Lacrosse, IN.

 

With three railroads going through it, you can imagine what North Judson must have been like in the day.

                   

 

The museum dates to 1988 when C&O steam locomotive 2789 was relocated from a park in Peru, Indiana to North Judson, with the hope of restoring it. Since then the group has taken a donated building from its original site and reassembled it to create a backshop where restoration of 2789 can be performed. The building is large enough for other locomotives and cars to be worked on and kept out of the weather.

 

On the grounds, they have relaid tracks and switches, brought in historic structures, and created an environment that, well, feels historic. In fact, just before we made our visit, they had just completed moving Grasselli Tower from its former location in East Chicago, Indiana where it once controlled the interlocking for the B&O Chicago Terminal, EJ&E, and the Indiana Harbor Belt. The tower is to be restored and at least one switch will be controlled within, allowing visitors to get a feel of what interlocking towers did for the railroads.

 

The museum has over 30 pieces of rolling stock in varying degrees of restoration and operation. Many of the cars sport great looking paint jobs.

                   

 

The museum grounds are open to the public on Saturdays (free admission!) and operates diesel powered trains with reasonable fares mostly on Saturdays. It’s a great place to visit and support. The museum folks I met with were all very friendly and enthused about what they are doing. Be sure to visit them soon.

 

My experience at the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum

I’ll write about the 765 another time, but I must tell you what really moved me that weekend. The 765 has a great whistle, and it sounded wonderful when I was out in the woods by that river bridge. On Saturday & Sunday the whistle became familiar as the train went back and forth between North Judson and Lacrosse. 

 

But Monday....Memorial Day, they installed the 2789’s whistle on 765. That sent shivers up and down my spine the first time I heard it over the sound of the river and the early morning birds. I suspect there were long time Hoosier Valley Museum guys who were moved as well. Oh my! 

Yes, you can hear it on Midwest Steam 2009, Part 1. Turn up the volume.....and please say thanks to the guys who made it all possible.

Steve Mitchell

www.yardgoatimages.com

 

 

 

                  

 

Comment (0)

 

 

Royal Rajasthan on wheels is a fantastic luxury train which is modeled after the famous Palace on Wheels. The stellar success of Palace on Wheels prompted the Rajasthan tourism and Government of India to launch another luxury train on similar lines. It is a well-known fact that Indian royalty was obsessed with luxury trains. And Royal Rajasthan on wheels takes its inspiration from the former royals. The moment you would get on the train, you feel overwhelmed by the exquisite luxury and royal ambience.   Amidst royal extravaganza, you go on a trip which would let you explore the regal heritage of Rajasthan.

Abroad the Royal Rajasthan on Wheels train, you would discover various fabulous destinations like Mehrangarh, Amber Fort, Umaid Bhawan in Jodhpur, City palace and Saheliyon-ki –Bari in Udaipur,  etc. The journey presents you quintessential Indian way of life.

Royal Rajasthan on Wheels India offers remarkable facilities which are comparable to the best five star hotels. The fabulous restaurants offer you wide varieties of Rajasthan cuisines.  You can chill out at the fabulously appointed bars.  Savor the regal Rajasthan travel destinations sitting in the comfort of your train.     The train has a fantastic spa called Amatra where you can rejuvenate your body, mind and soul. The train was inaugurated on 11 Jan, 2009 and it is running wonderfully ever since.      

Welcome to an imperial journey, a journey across the magical world of Rajasthan aboard the Royal Rajasthan on Wheels. A trip across the princely state was never known to be as spectacular as it appears to the guests aboard this luxury train. And why not? With 3 fascinating itineraries, host of modern amenities and comfort, and a range of personalized services, what less can one expect other than sheer luxury and fun? While 2 journeys of this train are each for 7 nights and 8 days, a shorter sojourn of 4 days has successfully run across Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, and Bharatpur. The 3 distinct itineraries operate during different months so that guests could capture the different moods of the places, in the different seasons. The new itinerary of 7 nights and 8 days is an ethereal sojourn across the erstwhile lands of the Maharajas as well as central and eastern India. The destinations that this train traverses through include Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Udaipur, Chittorgarh, Bharatpur, Khajuraho, and Varanasi.
Royal Rajasthan on Wheels offers you a memorable experience to cherish forever. This luxury train is today a foremost travel alternative that is equipped with all the modern luxuries and comforts that are required by the contemporary traveler. A painstaking effort by the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation and Rajasthan Railways, this train truly facilitates its guests to feast on Rajputana heritage from very close quarters.
Besides the destinations and the services onboard, what also fascinates the guests aboard the Royal Rajasthan on Wheels is the classic interior décor. The 13 salons of this train are entirely air conditioned luxurious coaches, fully carpeted and adorned with rich silk and linen furnishings that bring alive the royalty and opulence. Gorgeous paintings and period furniture make the ambience all the more magnificent.
Royals Rajasthan on Wheels also houses two restro-bars namely Sheesh Mahal and the Swarn Mahal. Traditional Indian, Rajasthani, Continental and Chinese culinary delights are especially served in these in house eateries. A separate lounge is attached to each coach that offers passengers a cozy comfortable place to relax in. The lounge is also an ideal place from where one can admire the fascinating countryside of India passing by. 

 

 

 

Comment (1)

Is there a better way to travel the enchanting India than abroad the Palace on Wheels?   Needless to say, it is one of the best luxury tourist trains in India. You would discover the fantastic destinations in the royal Rajasthan sitting in the comfort of the train. Every care has been taken to render the experience of the tourists as regal as possible. The plush furnishings, period furniture, classic wall-paintings and many other royal trappings would make you feel like the Maharaja of yore.   The train takes its inspiration from the erstwhile royals of Gujarat and Rajasthan as everyone knows how enchanted Indian royalty was with the luxury trains. The tariff covers   monument fees, all meals, tours, etc. All you have to do is savor the majestic forts and palaces of Rajasthan.

The Palace on Wheels train was inaugurated in 1982 and ever since it has remained the most popular luxury train in India. The train is usually sold out one year in advance. If you want to embark abroad the train you would have start one year in advance. The train has bagged numerous international awards for its exceptional luxury and hospitality. No doubt, it is counted amongst the best luxury trains in the world.  Traveling abroad is like being transported back to the times of the royals and feeling the regal opulence with restrained awe.  It would traverse through the different cities of Rajasthan during night and you will have days to savor the regal grandeur.

The Palace on wheels India has world-class amenities and facilities. The train has 14 carriages with each of them named after a city of Rajasthan. The interiors are ravishingly beautiful and re patterned after the coaches once owned by the Maharajas of Rajasthan. Besides, the train has two well-appointed restaurants along with a lounge bar. Here, the tourists can chill out with friends while enjoying the scenic frames passing outside the window. The hand-crafted lights, Rajasthan art and draped curtains ad to the regal ambience of the train. The train usually runs from September to the end of April every year. It does not run during the humid rainy season. One should book as early as possible as the vacancies are limited because of its immense popularity.  The train departs every Wednesday from Delhi traversing through Rajasthan cities for seven nights.

 

Comment (0)

MOTOBIKE BACK-PACKER ADVENTURE TRIP

OPTION M 1: HUE TO HOI AN:

Ø        Pick Up At Hotel At 09h00 AM.

Guide Tour Take Visitor Discovery Landscape On The Way

v   ELEPHAHT SPRING.

v   LANG CO BEACH.

v  TOP OF HAI VAN UNIT PASS

v   CHAM MUSEUM.

v   CHINA BEACH.

v  MARBLE OF MOUNTAIN STONE MAKING VILLAGE.

v  CLOTHING'S MADE-TO-MEASURE AT BLUE SHOP IN HOI AN

OPTION M 2:  HUE BEAUTY LOCAL

SURROUNDING CITY TOUR.

Ø      Pick Up At Hotel.

Guide Tour Take Visitor Arrive Hue’s Countryside. &

Learn How To Do In Argricuture Farmer,

Traditional RicePaper,

Wedding Cakes, Conical Hat. Take Enjoying Production.

v THANH TOAN BRIGDE. Country Road Site

v  GOLDEN DRAGON VILLAGE.

v   LOCAL MARKET.

v  COUNTRY ROAD SIDE.

v  TU DUC ROYAL TOMB.

v THIEN MU PAGODA.

OPTION M 3:  HUE TO DMZ (VETERANT ) TRIP.

Ø   Pick Up At Hotel.

Guide Tour Take Visitor  Knowhow The Pass

War In Border Of

The North & The South

Of Vietnam With Famous Places. With Two Choice:

v    THE HIGHWAY 1:

    FRAME OF CHURCH.

   FRIGHTEN ROAD.

  DOC MIEU – CON TIEN COMBAT BASE.

   DONG HA TOWNSHIP.

  HIEN LUONG BRIDGE– BEN HAI RIVER.

  VINH MOC TUNNEL.

v     THE HIGHWAY 9:

   ROCK PILE COMBAT BASE.

    MACNAMARA E-RAMPART.

   HO CHI MINH TRAIL.

    

VIET CHARMING ONLINE TRAVEL GUIDE   Hue Central City, Vietnam.                                                                                                           Email:       hue.charmingtravel@gmail.com                     vietnamonlinetravel@gmail.com Hotline: +84.914.424.110 -  +84.935.905379. (Mr Danis Phuong Hoang) Window Messenger: alotourism Yahoo Messenger: alotourism. Skype: alotourism.

HO CHI MINH GRAVE YARD (VETERANT GRAVES).

    MINORITY VILLAGE BRU (VAN KIEU).

    KHE SANH COMBAT BASE .

(HELICOPTER TRANSPOTATION STATION).

OPTION M 4:  HUE TO A-LUOI - HAMBERGER HILL.

(VETERANT TRIP).

Ø       Pick Up At Hotel.

Guide Tour Take Visitor To the West Of Hue Province, With Up & Down

Mountain, Pass. Take Part In To normal Minority Culture Action.

v            BOT DO BASE.

v            HO CHI MINH TRAIL.

v            ASO PASS.

v            HAMBERGER HILL.

v            MINORITY DANCE W/WILD PIPE WINE PARTY.

Comment (0)

I fear Hanna, AB will be loosing the CNR line.  After many months of presentations to grain producers & municipal representatives, & to CN themselves, their proposals have been refused, 4 times.  Presently there are 3 flatdeck trailers loaded with rail lines on ties, apparently ready to "go" come the CN deadline Oct 18th, which is apparently the deadline for an accepted offer.

Pretty sad to think of all the manual labor which went into the installation around 1911-12, only to have it ripped out to be shipped south to the US to supposedly be installed for use into Mexico.  I think CN had plans to remove this track which stretches from Saskatoon through Hanna & Drumheller to Calgary, for over 20 years.  It appears every move made was to sabotage this line from failing to provide grain cars when elevators still operated in Hanna, to rerouting train traffic away from this line allowing it to deteriorate to the point repairs to the bridges along this line, are now extremely expensive. 

The Hanna Roundhouse Society Restoration Project 2010 has been trying to purchase the roundhouse property since June 2009, and restore the 1913 original 10 stall roundhouse to its original state as much as possible.  Once the property is in the name of our society, we can apply for grants & accept donations to continue with restoration.  There is also a functional turntable outside the roundhouse & in close proximity.

We have entered the Aviva Community Fund contest to try to win funds to jumpstart the restoration of one of the last CN roundhouses in Western Canada, if not all of Canada, at it's original site.

If you are interested in voting for our project, please go to www.avivacommunityfund.org & search using the keyword "roundhouse".  If you want to vote, you need to register your email addresses.  The next round for voting starts Oct 18, 2010 & goes until Nov 4, 2010.  The largest numbers will advance into the semi-final round for a final round of voting amongst the semi-finalists, then the top numbers will be judged based on community involvement.

We are trying to preserve the history we have in our town limits which is a building of significant historical value as Hanna had been designated a Divisional Point for servicing & repairing steam locomotives from 1913 - 1961.  Please help us preserve this piece of railroad history for our future generations!  Thank you!!

 

Comment (1)

Aviva Community Fund 2010 & the Hanna Roundhouse Society Restoration Project 2010

The 1^st round of “VOTING for community projects in the Aviva Community Fund 2010 has started, ending Oct 15^th.  The Hanna Roundhouse Society has entered for a chance to win $300,000 to go to our “Idea”, the Hanna Roundhouse Society (HRS) Roundhouse Restoration Project 2010!!”  Would you be interested in supporting our project?   If so, please check our idea to restore the 1913 Hanna Roundhouse; the last original roundhouse in Canada.  Hanna was the CN Divisional Point involved in maintenance & repairs of steam locomotives & train cars from 1913 – 1961 along the Gooselake rail line between Saskatoon & Calgary.  We want to preserve this part of railroad history by restoring this historical building. 

 To view our “Idea”:

1.       Go to www.avivacommunityfund.org.  You need to register each of your email addresses & passwords first.  Then once you’ve registered, just log in. 

2.       Click on “Advanced Search” which is in a yellow box above the pictures of the “ideas” entered into the contest.

3.       In this screen, enter “Roundhouse” as your Key Word search.  This will lead you to our submission into the contest & our plans for the project.

4.       You will see “VOTE NOW” in a yellow box.  Once you click on it, you have submitted your vote for the day.  If you wish to add a comment, scan to the bottom of the page & enter your comment in the white box.  The VOTES will help advance our project & our chance of advancing into the semi-finals & a chance of winning $300,000 for our community roundhouse restoration project.

5.       Please vote every day.  There is 1 vote in every email address.

 

Voting is split into Rounds:

Round 1: Oct 1 – 15, 2010

Round 2: Oct 18 - Nov 5

Round 3: Nov 8 – Nov 26

Semi-final voting round: Dec 2 – 15.

Judging: Dec 20 – Jan 24, 2011

Winners announced: Jan 25, 2011.

We have entered the Aviva contest again, requesting $300,000 to go to restore the historical Hanna Roundhouse.  I think this may be our last chance to enter this contest, so if we are able to advance in this first round I think we have a really good chance to advance to the semi-final round of voting Dec 2-15.

Aviva has put some restrictions on the registration process: an email is sent to the email you are registering & must be confirmed from that address to complete the registration.  Once you have registered, when you go to vote again, you need to sign in (located in small print at the top of the home page).  Keep in mind:  THE NUMBER OF VOTES WILL ADVANCE OUR COMMUNITY PROJECT. 

This Aviva money will go along way!  Please share this with all your friends & let’s see if small town Hanna can make it to the Semi-Finals competing against large centers across Canada!! 

Thank you for support! 

Sincerely,

Sandra Beaudoin

President/Founder of Hanna Roundhouse Society

www.sandra.beaudoin1@gmail.com

PO Box 1267, Hanna, AB  T0J 1P0

 

Comment (0)

Mountain top removal mining is where a coal company literally blows up a mountain to collect coal from underneath it. This practice needs to be stopped now for the reasons stated below. Mountain top removal is a major problem in the Appalachian Mountains.

Mountain Top Removal is really bad for the environment!! The material which is removed is often dumped into head-water streams. This dams them up and increases flooding. When the stuff isn't dumped into streams, the runoff from the area pollutes the streams. Also since there is no vegetation, there are mudslides and an even bigger problem with floods. Mountain top removal in the Appalachians damage one of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet. The removal of trees leaves fewer trees to provide oxygen and clean the atmosphere. The removal of trees hurts the logging industry. The blasting ejects rock which often hits houses. The force of some of the explosions damage the foundations of peoples houses.

Mountain top removal turns a place like this:

into a place like this: /2435/3990412740_8522756e64.jpg"

Copper, gold, lead, molybdenum, silver, tungsten, zinc coal, natural gas, oil shale, and petroleum are all mined from the Rocky Mountains. However, people don't blow the Rocky Mountains up. So why blow up the Appalachians?!

Please, if you live in the United States, write congress and the president to put an end to Mountain top removal!

Comment (0)

Hi everyone

I have recently started a wordpress hosted blog all about my passion for rail travel, indepedent travel and related cultural stuff.  It's called He Thought of Trains.

You can check it out at:

http://joolsstone.wordpress.com

Thanks

Jools

 

 

Comment (0)