Train Excursions

That' s hitting the old nail on the head Charlie!

Our family is talking about the things we would like to do this summer.  The Mrs. wants to go west to British Columbia to visit her family.  I'm tempted to agree right off because they are not too far from Kamloops BC, the home of the Kamloops Heritage Railway.

They have an excursion train that sounds like it would be a lot of fun.  Has anyone taken a ride on the Spirit Of Kamloops?  What did you think?

On the way, I'd like to stop in Revelstoke, BC and visit the Revelstoke Railway Museum

The White Pass and Yukon Route is one I have wanted to experience ever since seeing a video a few years back.  The scenery is fantastic from what I saw.

Great soapbox as usual.

Doldrums?

Not me.....warm sunny weather means warm sunny railroading in the backyard. I have an indoor (cold) railroad and an outdoor (warm) railroad. The difference between G and HO is substantial....and I learn in each scale from the other.

The only really bad thing about G is the cost of EVERYTHING. Nothing is inexpensive.

But fun! And everyone knows where to find me....

Rick

Shame on you! ;-}

Charlie,

I understand fully that your suggestion to visit historic railroads was not intended as an exhaustive list of narrow gauge tourist lines in the US.  But, how can you and your publisher, both Oregonians, allow yourselves to not list the Sumpter Valley RR, near Baker City, Oregon, as worthy of such a visit!?  For most folks in the US, the SVRy is a lot easier to get to than the WP&Y!  And, they could use the visitors (and their $$$) as much, or more, than the other lines you listed.

Of course, another option for summer rail travel is going out to bike or hike a trail converted from an abandoned rail line.  Sure, there may not be any operating equipment to see on these trips, but just getting out to see the scenery, and imagine you're seeing it from the POV of a train crew, can also help stimulate the the MRR juices.  Just a week ago, my son took a 50-mile bike trip with his scout troop on a trail converted from the former UP line across Lake Coeur d'Alene in Idaho.  And later this summer, I plan to bike the Trail of the Hiawathas, part of the former Milwaukee Road mainline in North Idaho, with my two daughters.

Tom Hillebrant

Colorado steam travel

Charlie, you seem to have omitted the really narrow gauge line between Cripple Creek and Victor. I saw the old Minera Mexicana articulated which Bob Brown's "Narrow Gauge and Short Line Gazette" featured several years ago, a product of Orenstein-Koppel in Germany; as well, there's the very strange double-bogey mini-monster from Beyer-Peacock,  not exactly a Garrett type, and a few other steaming dinkies. The area's worth visiting -- the Cripple Creek Mining District -- and in particular Victor.  The book _Cripple Creek Days_ by Mabel Barbee Lee mentions almost in passing one of the author's favorite students (she taught in the Victor School), Lowell Thomas. Then there are the feral burros all over the valley, descendants of the original miners' beasts of burden.

--

Nolan Hinshaw, native Californian since 1944

all steamed up since about 1950

The Doldrums Hi

The Doldrums

Hi Charlie,

Good editorial, but you missed one factor: older model railroaders.  I am 63 and live in Maryland.  The summers here are hot and humid and heat alerts are not uncommon.  I can no longer take the heat like I used to.  So I confine my outdoor activities to the Spring and Fall. Once the temperatures go above 80^o or so and/or the humidity is up, I turn on the A/C and head for the basement back shop (workbench) with a big mug of iced tea.

Of course there are plenty of other indoor projects.  Along with the modeling, they keep me from getting cabin fever.  It's also a good time to peruse the hobby shops. My recommendation to the "graybeards" of the hobby is stay out of the heat and cool off with some model railroading.  The "dog days" of summer need not be the doldrums days.

Stay frosty,
RioGrandeHombre

Modeling the RGS in On3 (poorly)

As I read this article in So California, I was thinking that if

I got the "summer doldrums" anytime the weather was nice, I would probably never do any model railroading.

Editors Soap box

Hello,

I really enjoy your tips and suggestions ! The White Pass and Yukon Railroad from Skagway, Alaska is a really fun and has great sights on the ride.  The train has been going out farther now from Skagway. The round trip is very enjoyable and worth the ride. August to September were a nice time to do the trip. I have been lucky to do this 2 times as far.