longest ride, done

Reno train stop, in the ditch.
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9.17.06 3:37pm

We stopped in Reno, Nevada for a smoke break, but it was uneventful as there is a gutter-like area that trains pass through 33 feet below street level in order to not obstruct car traffic. It a long enough break to go through the station, so we just sat outside in the gutter and enjoyed being of the train for a bit. We just passed some chimney like rock formations called the Hoodoo (sp?) pillars. It’s believed that evil spirits live in and amongst the pillars, hence the name. We also passed a little stretch of pavement that looked like walking path, that was the original path of Interstate 40. That was neat. This conductor is very informative.

We finally arrived in Sacramento, about five hours late

leaving Reno.
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4:00pm We’ve stopped at the next station past Reno in Truckee, CA. As always, I’m not really sure where the state line was, but we passed it anyway. It’s a nice looking town. Everyone seems to have either a log cabin house or at least some wood associated with their house. The Truckee river runs right through it and it looks like it would be great for fishing. Very nice area. I guess this is also where Lake Tahoe is according to the train station list. It’s a very outdoorsy looking town, I like it. There are only two more stops before Sacramento. Now we’re heading into the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range.

hoodoo pillars
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The track we are traveling on to go through the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range is the original one completed in 1868. The bridges are all the original from that time as well. Just past the first tunnel we entered was Donnar Lake. We are at about 7500ft. The track was originally completed for the Central Pacific Railroad. The Pine, Spruce, and Fir trees are enormous and blanket the landscape. There are scattered dead ones bleached white, I suspect it because of some parasite investation.

6:00pm We’re now in Goldrun country I guess as the conductor said. This is the heart of the gold mining industry, or used to be. Still going through the Sierra Nevada’s. It’s funny, the train is going so slow and squeaking around turns it feels like I’m on a ride in an amusement park. I keep looking out my window expecting to see a mechanical man in overalls and conductor hat or something waving at us, or some old man bent over in a stream with a pan sifting back and forth over and over as we pass.

lake Donnar
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6:20pm We’ve stopped at Colfax, CA. Just to let people off. Definitely a mining town. It looks to be in the process of renovation, but it’s keeping the mining look. There was a nice statue of a man panhandling in front of building under renovation, as well as an old Southern Pacific rail car parked adjacent to the train station. The elevation here is about 2500 ft.

8:15pm We finally arrived in Sacramento, about five hours late. It was a good ride though. The people around me were enjoyable for the most part, and the scenery was incredible. An incredible ride, I’ll definitely do it again. It was a tour of America with plenty of time to photograph as much as I want. Sacramento looks like it might be nice to walk around. I’d rather be near the beach. I’ll go to LA or San Francisco next time. The bad thing about being in Sacramento at this time is that it’s Sunday night at 9:00 and everything is closed. So I’ll settle for Denny’s and some breakfast for dinner and try to find some internet at a hotel or something.