Cheyenne or bust

[UP4014]

Now checked into the Doubletree at Durango Co.

The waitress at the Doubletree was apologetic for the delay in my meal arriving, 15 minutes for a rib-eye. I hate to consider what Yankees are thinking when they visit Australia.

 

[jastel]

Saw the Roswell museum on a previous trip...interesting enough for a couple of hours...cant recall much else about the place...

Was there anything to see behind the fence at White Sands? I thought they had a open day once a year or something...

 

[UP4014]

Saw the Roswell museum on a previous trip...interesting enough for a couple of hours...cant recall much else about the place...

Was there anything to see behind the fence at White Sands? I thought they had a open day once a year or something...

They have an open day twice per year and you can drive your own car in convoy to the trinity site itself, also they have a missile park which is presently being rebuilt and opens in about month. It’s inside Holloman base itself so you park outside and walk in in unless you’re a US citizen in which case you can drive. It’s about 300m inside.

 

[UP4014]

Breakfast in Durango.

Then a walk on the ice to the D&SNGRR Depot.

 

[UP4014]

A short 2 block walk to the Depot (railway station) and jump aboard the train to Cascade Canyon, about half the line as the remainder closed due to snow, wash ours and avalanche risk. Spring sees services resume to Silverton.

It’s about a 5 hour return trip through the San Juan mountains along the Animas River.

 

[OATEK]

Love the end platform carriages. Shame none of ours seem to get an outing these days.

 

[Scarlett]

Picked up the ‘small’ SUV and checked into the Palm Springs Hilton. They staff were very accommodating (as many customer services people are in the US) and handed me the room key at 11am.

The hotel is one block from the ye olde town centre tourist shops.

I’ve flown over Palm Springs a number of times into/out of LAX, but never visited. As a golfist, I definitely will in the future, because it looks like this:



What was it like from the ground @BAM1748?

 

[UP4014]

I’ve flown over Palm Springs a number of times into/out of LAX, but never visited. As a golfist, I definitely will in the future, because it looks like this:

View attachment 316955

What was it like from the ground @BAM1748?

There is a lot of golf, spring and autumn are probably best as it is the high desert.

You don’t notice them driving around as it’s pretty flat with the mountains as a backdrop.

 

[UP4014]

The rental.

I used Alamo for this trip. I subscribed to 3 car rental company mailing lists and I’ve found I get some good deals and codes as they are trying to get you hooked for that first rental. Once I booked I unsubscribed from all 3.

Went for a modest SUV, you book a class of car and then after doing the paper work you are shown a row of cars to choose from. In this case they had 4 or 5 makes, chose a Hyundai Santa Fe which had AWD, being LA they weren’t all AWD, I did nearly choose a 4 Runner but went for the more car like ride.

Worked out at USD65 per day all up.

 

[UP4014]

Driven over to the front range Colorado Springs. Spent a day visiting the workshop and riding a train through Royal Gorge, previously part of the Denver Rio Grande Western now own by Union Pacific and the first 30 miles Is leased to a small short line operator. The remainder of the line is disused and runs over Tennessee Pass behind the ski fields of Breckenridge and Vail.

 

[UP4014]

After the train a visit to the local brew pub, Worlds End, where they presented this beer looking like it had come from an image from the Hubble Telescope. Glitter suspended in the beer.

 

[UP4014]

Minute Man missile display, Canon City

 

[Townsend]

I am really enjoying your reports. Thanks

 

[UP4014]

Had a ride to Pikes Peak by train of course, winds high winds at the summit made it about -25c.

They run Swiss built equipment from two generations, powered by coughmins. My own experience with coughmins diesels in a rail application is they are rubbish but that’s with the big power units not the small underfloor stuff.

The staff at all the railways I’ve visited have been most hospitable and always willing to give me a workshop tour.

We rode the new train but I would have preferred the old to climb the highest and longest cog line.

 

[UP4014]

They had ploughed the line that morning using this, the plough itself has engines that turn the blades only and it can’t move under its own power so loco attached.

I did wonder if by the time you were close enough to see the warning sign in the lower photo it would be all to late.

 

[UP4014]

Spent today on the joint line south of Denver on the front range, a shared trackage between Union Pacific and BNSF the old Burlington Northern Santa Fe. (Previously the route of three railroads, UP, BNSF and my favourite the Denver and Rio Grande Western.

 

[UP4014]

And it was 15 below. Gloves off only to adjust the camera and back on within 3 minutes or fingers started going red at the tips.

 

[UP4014]

Today was slightly cooler at -21

It was off to grab a shot of the west bound California Zephyr and see some street shunting on the Denver and Rock Island, photos of that operation will be when I get home as on the proper camera.

After that was a visit to the Forney Museum in Denver which has planes, trains, cars and motor bikes.

Here is a helicopter they had on display.

 

[UP4014]

A few days around Denver and a ride to Winter Park and return on the Ski Train which is run by Amtrak. There is plenty to do if you’re not a skier.

The chairlifts come down to the platform which is heated concrete at Winter Park, there is accommodation and eateries within a 5 min walk of the station. The train runs up the front the range along the old Denver & Rio Grande Western line now owned by Union Pacific.

The train was 5 Superliner cars including a lounge car hauled by 2 GE P42 4000hp locos.

 

[UP4014]

Couple of Denver Station.