Western road trip to Seattle, San Francisco and Denver

Thanks John, the tower is really the only way to see Bailey. I'm pretty excited about that stop. When I get going on a road trip, my foot tends to get heavy. I should fit right in on I-80 and the wide open space of Nebraska. Actually, I lived in Denver for 7 years, so I've done that part of the drive many times.

Since you'll be in Reno be sure to check out the Virginia & Truckee railroad as it's not too far from there.

 

 

While in SF obviously you want to take a ride on the historic cable cars of course.     On the northeast side of the bay is Niles Canyon Railway, about 6 miles east of Fremont.  If you have time, take a trip further northeast of San Francisco you can check out the Western Railway museum near Rio Vista (great for trolley fans), and if you travel further northeast you can stop in Sacramento to see the California State Railroad Museum where the only remaining preserved Cab Forward steam engine resides along with a lot of other great historical engines, and they have railfan trips there on weekends.

Make sure you stop at the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento, CA when you are in the San Francisco Bay Area.  It is considered one of the finest railroad museums in the nation and displays  a SP Cab Forward.

 

Joe

In Washington state, I recommend crossing the mountains over Stevens Pass, Rt 2.  This was the Great Northern, currently the BNSF mainline. Research the Iron Goat Trail, Cascade Tunnel and Wellington avalanche. Be sure to turn off the highway and spend a few hours, if not the night, in Skykomish. The west end of the upper Cascade tunnel, which includes the east end of the concrete snow shed and the avalanche site, is worth the trip off the highway.  If you are interested in history, there is a lot to see here. In the SF Bay Area the Golden State Model Railroad Museum, which is in Point Richmond, is worth a stop.

Be sure to bring a good pair of binoculars to Bailey, I found they really enhanced my experience.  The yard is so big that you miss a lot with the naked eye.  The binoculars help in seeing what is going on at the extreme ends.  While I was only there for a couple of hours, I told my wife upon leaving that I could see spending the entire day there if I had a decent chair to sit in (like a director's chair), a good lunch to eat and beverages to wet my whistle.

 

Enjoy, it is a unique experience.

 

Dave

Don't forget the Challenger in Cheyenne

 

Another possibility when coming into CA from Reno:

 

If you have a pretty generous time cusion, you can take the 395 North from Reno to Interstate 70 West and that will allow you to be able to stop by the Portola Railroad Musuem, which is another great place to visit.  It will also allow you to make a stop to see the famous Keddie Wye on your way westward down to Sacramento Valley, where you can get back on I-80 to San Francisco either via the 89, Highway 49 through Nevada City & Grass Valley, or continue on Hwy 70 West to Hwy 99 and take that south to Sacramento.

Sounds like a fun trip.  If you decide to veer off I-80 and go to Hwy 2, lots of BNSF action.  Lincoln also has a lot of good watching points too.  Set your cruise to 78 on I-80 and you will be fine.  If you do go onto Hwy 2 a few things to remember, not a lot of cell phone or radio towers, and with harvest about to begin a lot of slow farm equipment is moving.   Toad stool is a out of sight area to go to.  Its like trains on the moon.  Lincoln and Alliance have some nice size yards for BNSF, Kearney and G.I. also have some good spots to look at UP stuff.  When you are on the Iowa side and about to cross into NE their is a Iowa Central train yard with loads of containers being loaded and off loaded.  You will be able to see it from the observation point on the Nebraska side when you visit the Big Boy and DD-40x.  Some day my son and I will make the hour excursion to visit the Iowa side.  Also a note if you are in North Omaha looking at the up lines, go during the day!!

There is a wonderful HO layout in Greeley, CO.  Here is the link to their website.

I don't know how far south you want to go, but don't forget the Cumbres and Toltec in Chama, NM and the Durango and Silverton in Durango, CO. In addition to the steamers, the scenery is outstanding.  A lot of abandoned mining towns if you want to take some jeep trails.

 

the Mount Rainier Scenic has a shay that operates, the Snoqualimie Railroad Museum is a worthy stop as is the Chehalis Railroad right off I-5.   

Lots of great ideas and tips guys! Thanks, keep them coming.

 

The hotels are all booked, so much like a train we have a schedule to keep. Some days have long drives, others much shorter. Those shorter days can have activities added. And of course, the cities in the topic title will have multiple days with no driving. There are also a bunch of non-train activities planned. My wife likes trains, but doesn't share my one track mind.

 

The California State Railroad Museum is a good fit because it is only about 3 hours drive time between San Francisco and Reno. It will take some work to catch the V&T that day. It would probably be for the short ride if we can squeeze it in. This leg happens to fall on a Sunday. Pure luck.

 

Sorry to say, I don't think Stevens Pass is going to fit. We are driving to Seattle all the way from Butte, MT, 8+ hours, with a 6 PM Mariners baseball game to cap things off.

 

In Cheyenne, we will get as close to the roundhouse as we can. Seeing 3985 again would be great, but I'm not holding my breath.

 

The binoculars are added to the packing list.

 

The big Southern Pacific 2472 will be running Labor Day weekend in Niles Canyon. Don

When you're in Denver, if you have time, you could stop by my shop and say hi to your old Downtown Hobbies co-worker.

Chuck

I will do that Chuck. You can catch me up on the last 25 years in the Denver train world.

Depending on how you are coming through Iowa, the Boone and Scenic Valley opened a new museum this year, well worth the stop.  If you have time in Seattle stop by Eastside Trains in Kirkland.  

Just a humble suggestion; give yourself more time from Butte to Seattle.  I've driven from Bozeman to Seattle numerous times with the average time just under 14 hours. Bozeman is about 2 hours further east of Butte.  You will be going over 3 mountain passes, plus depending on the time, Spokane traffic.  Additionally, you will be coming into Seattle via I-90 to make a 6:00 pm Mariners game, your gonna hit traffic miles before you get near the stadium.  If you want to make the 1st pitch, add 45 minute to an hour, just for that last segment.  BTW, sounds like a great trip, have a great time!!  Oh, if it's not already, I'd put the Oregon Rail Heritage Center on your list, it's where the the SP 4449, SP&S 700 and OR&N 197 locomotives call home. 

Be sure to take the 1st exit into Deer Lodge Montana, you can stop briefly and see the Joe, plus with a few extra minutes, go across the street into the Prison shops and take a gander at the horsehair belts for sale.  This is only a 15 minute detour not to be missed.  Everything is free too. 

I have spent a fair amount of time in several places along your proposed route. A couple of suggestions : While in Denver, a visit to the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden is well worth the time. From downtown Denver (Caboose Hobbies on Broadway) you would take "6th avenue" (it is a freeway) West to Golden. It is located close to Coors on the NW side of TableMesa. Lots of things to see there, including at least 3 RGS railcars (2 Galloping Geese and one MOW). From there you can continue on 6 up Clear Creek canyon into the mountains. Great scenery with lots of tunnels on that road, just watch out for drunks and tourbuses coming back from Central City. CC and Blackhawk are still interesting if you are interested in mining(or gambling or cheap Prime Rib dinners), although that place is mostly a gambling tourist trap now. This route is a lot more interesting than taking I-70 up to Georgetown. If you stay on 6 you eventually cut over to I-70, at which point you will see a little restaurant called "Kermits", which is a good place to eat if it is still there. From there it is maybe another 15 minutes on I-70 to Georgetown. I also concur about trying to visit the San Juans in the SW corner of the state. I lived in that area for several years and the scenery there is breathtaking. If you make it there "the" railroad item to experience is the Durango & Silverton NGRR. The Cumbres & Toltec is awesome too, but that area is not "on the way" to anywhere. It would actually cost you a couple days minimum to go down to the San Juans from Denver and then come back and head up to Cheyenne if that is your proposed route. I highly recommend it though if you have the time. Seeing that you are familiar with Denver you may be aware of some of these things, but if you are anything like me you may not have done the "touristy" things while you are there. I have spent a decade or so in the Denver area, including a couple years in Golden and never did do the Coors tour- for instance.

 

Galloping Geese in CRR museum. They gives rides on these most days in the summer.

 

My other suggestion is that when you are coming down the coast, you can catch a ride on the Roaring Camp RR in Fenton CA, which is in a patch of big trees just north of Santa Cruz (hour south of S.F.). You can actually park in Santa Cruz by the Boardwalk and take a train from there straight to Roaring Camp. Roaring Camp has several steam locos, including a Shay and a Heisler. The scenery there is outstanding, you are in the Redwoods and at times can look down and out over the Pacific. Be aware that there are a lot of thieves and whatnot in S.F. so park in a highly visible area (or parking garage) and watch your back and don't take shortcuts down alleys and such if you are anywhere in the North Beach, Market Street, ChinaTown area. Also, watch out for the d@mned vampires in Santa Cruz! For a more laid-back afternoon you might want to check out Sausalito on the north side of the bridge. Lot's of touristy stuff, restaurants, chatzky shops- etc., for the wife and is a lot safer than S.F.

 

Roaring Camp RR Shay in the big Redwoods.

 

Good Luck, and have fun on your roadtrip. I am stuck in the desert this summer myself, maybe next year I can get up north or out on the coast.

 

While in Colorado, you should take a day to ride the Durango to Silverton narrow gauge.  Excellent scenery.

.....

Dennis

Eastside Trains in Kirkland WA is a great store that rivals any in inventory.

Don't forget Challenger no. 3977 at Cody Park on the north edge of North Platte.

 

Did someone say Downtown Hobbies in Denver?  Now there was a store from my youth just around the corner of the downtown Denver Dry Goods store from Caboose Hobbies.

i got started in N Scale at the hobby shop at JCRS shopping center on Colfax then bought  more N scale stuff from Downtown Hobbies and Caboose Hobbies in downtown Denver.  Now I have N scale, O scale and S gauge!