List,
Just completed a two day visit to Chicago courtesy Amtrak and the Illinois
Zephyr (round trip from Quincy). Purpose of the trip was to take our two young
daughters to the American Girl store in Chicago in order to celebrate their
birthdays.
Payback for me was that the trip was going to be on the Illinois Zephyr and
that a visit to the Museum of Science & Industry would be on the agenda.
Although we have taken family trips on Amtrak previously, this was their first
trip on Q rails. Took great delight in explaining the various Burlington
nuances along the way to our oldest daughter (like the "raceway", dinkies, the
Zephyr Pit, etc).
It was my first visit to the restored Pioneer Zephyr at the Museum of Science &
Industry. It was a bittersweet experience, as I had planned to visit the 9900
with my mentor, retired CB&Q/BN operator Wayne Beever. Alas, he passed away
before we were able to make the trip. Can't say enough good things about the
Pioneer Zephyr exhibit ... the museum has done good.
A few observations:
* The waycar on display next to the boxcar at the Galesburg depot is still in
primer.
* 4978 at Mendota appears to be on the receiving end of some cosmetic paint
work on the fireman's side.
* I saw a wide vision waycar in primer near Aurora. Could it be an ex-Q?
* It was strange to pass Aurora without stopping. I believe the Illinois
Zephyr hasn't stopped in Aurora for some time.
* Was able to pick up a souvenir for Dave Lotz.
* As we headed west out of Union Station towards the setting sun, couldn't help
but think of the Emery Goulash film from the California Zephyr.
* Spotted what had to be a former Q vista-dome (now a PV) at the Amtrak coach
yards in Chicago. I wasn't able to catch the Silver name due to a passing
dinky.
* The headlight on the 3006 at Galesburg looks great at night (on the westbound
trip).
Regards from Palmyra Missouri,
John Lewis
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CBQ/
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
CBQ-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
|