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THREAD: I had to be in Salt Lake City on Friday, June 19. Assumed flying w/mask was the only way. Watching “Midnight Run,” thought hit me: What about a sleeping compartment on a train? Always wanted to do; never had time. Now I have time-I’m just reading to prep for an argument.
2/ Mute now if this bores you.
Stir-crazy family joined plan for socially-distanced vacation. Western trains are famous for scenery--& believe it or not, food. Planned to take California Zephyr to SLC & to return on northern route (Empire Builder) to avoid seeing things twice.
Stir-crazy family joined plan for socially-distanced vacation. Western trains are famous for scenery--& believe it or not, food. Planned to take California Zephyr to SLC & to return on northern route (Empire Builder) to avoid seeing things twice.
3/ Amtrak’s long-distance trains are double-deckers, with bathrooms, cafes, and some larger family rooms on the bottom, and sleeping compartments, and “roomettes” on top (or coach seating in non-sleeper cars). Gives riders fairly good views.
4/ The Capitol Limited from DC to Chicago is timed to get you Chicago about 8:45 am, as the business day begins. We left DC's Union Station about 4:05 pm on 6/16. Fairly quickly got up into the mountains. Some scenic stops along the way, including at Harper's Ferry.
5/Some nice views of the North Branch of the Potomac River. Sunset came near Cumberland, Maryland.
6/We pulled into Chicago via Gary Indiana and Chicago's South Side. Our next train didn't depart until 2 pm, leaving several hours for a quick bit of sightseeing and carry-out Chicago dogs.
7/Then began the real meat of the trip: The California Zephyr, leaving Chicago at 2 pm. The first leg took me across central Illinois, within an hour of where I grew up. This landscape is really gorgeous to me. These scene is near Princeton, IL.
8/ Our California Zephyr car was one of last made by Pullman, ~1979-1981; worn but nice. In response to question: intake for A/C appeared to be in hallway by door near A bedroom; low-traffic area. I'm told no circulation b/w bedrooms. We were only BR passengers for most of trip.
9/Sunset on Day two came in Creston, Iowa, in western part of state. We crossed Nebraska overnight and woke up outside Denver on the other side of the 100th meridian. What a contrast.
10/ After a 25-minute stop in Denver around 8 am -- long enough to pick up fresh breakfast and mug for photo outside client's office -- we got to the best part: the trip through the Rockies. Did some of this in observation car. (Note spotty mask use.)
11/ At the top was the Continental Divide. As pretty as the ride up was, the ride back down was even more scenic. Along the way, a total of 10 rafters mooned the train; the attendant told me they call this "Moon River."
12/ We came down into Ruby Canyon. The attendant said we spent more than 200 miles tracing the Colorado River.
13/ Sunset on day 3 came near the scenic, hipster-rich town of Helper, UT. I'd like to visit there in earnest some day.
We arrived in Salt Lake City about 11:35 pm on June 18, only about a half-hour late. Not bad given how much ground we'd covered.
We arrived in Salt Lake City about 11:35 pm on June 18, only about a half-hour late. Not bad given how much ground we'd covered.
14/ Tune in tomorrow for the weekend drive from Salt Lake City to Whitefish, Montana, where we caught our return train, the Empire Builder.
15/ It was Friday, June 19, & I had until Monday at 7:41 am to get to Whitefish. We spent morning touring SLC. Then I did something I've never done before: Pass up an opportunity to eat at In-N-Out Burger. Instead, had mitraillette ("machine gun") & frites outside by Pioneer Park
16/ We then sprinted to West Yellowstone to visit the park the next day. You don't need my camera-phone wildlife photos, so instead here is (a) a panorama of the valley in eastern Idaho we drove through; (b) a funny sign; and (c) a great mid-century motel sign in West Yellowstone
17/ During the dash across Montana, we stopped off in Butte, an old mining town with lots of great historic buildings. Once situated on "the richest hill on Earth," the place would be great for redevelopment.
18/ West of Butte, I spotted an enormous structure across the valley: The Anaconda Smelter Stack, the remaining part of an old copper smelter, at issue in Supreme Court case this term. The world's largest freestanding masonry structure; could fit the Washington Monument inside it
19/ As we drew closer to Whitefish, we came upon Flathead Lake. During a trip in which I saw a lot of spectacular scenery, Flathead Lake remains one of the prettiest places I've ever seen. The eastern shore (pictured) is lined with mile upon mile of small cherry orchards.
20/ We spent Sunday afternoon cooling our heels in Whitefish. Great views (Whitefish Lake below) and many great restaurants.
Wich Haus had a sandwich so weird sounding (smoked carrott?) I just had to try it. Absolutely superb.
Wich Haus had a sandwich so weird sounding (smoked carrott?) I just had to try it. Absolutely superb.
21/ Monday, June 22. We made the Empire Builder with 4 whole minutes to spare (it was on time, and I expected a delay). The first 90 minutes was an absurdly scenic trip through mountain valleys, followed by about another 30-40 minutes of distant snow-topped mountains.
22/ The terrain flattened out & turned to farmland, but was still scenic. We saw some fields of canola, which turn a pretty yellow when they're nearing harvest. We stopped long enough in Havre to step out and snap a photo of a steam locomotive that plied this route until 1955.
