Next stop on the tour was Omaha, home of the Union Pacific Railroad! Bob, another very generous You-Tube friend and railfan, took some days off to show me around his home town, and drive us 4hrs to UP's "Bailey Yard", the largest rail yard in the world! Omaha's once bustling Union Station is now a Museum, with a good collection of trains and local history, and a magnificent hall restored to how it was in the golden age of rail travel. The city is also home to a pair of railroad legends, the "Big Boy" and the DD-40-x, both being the largest steam and diesel locomotives ever built!. They are both on static display on the hill next to the Botanical gardens.and to stand next to a 4000 class steam loco is an awe inspiring experience, and the DD40-x is no baby either! Bob then took us both to North Platte and Bailey yard, to view the enormous facility from the "Golden Spike" tower. Here's a few facts about Bailey Yard....2850 Acres, 13km long and 3.2 km wide, it features 2 humps and sees over 14000 freight cars and 130 trains a day!
We spent the last day visiting some local rail fanning spots to shoot some video before I left for Denver. A huge thank you to Bob and his wife Kim for sharing their home with me , thanks heaps you two!.
The last 3 days have been in Colorado's capital of Denver, and another very generous You Tube friend, Bill "the track planer" picked me up and took me to the incredible HO Scale layout at the Colorado Model Railroad Museum. This layout was designed and built by a local business
man who did very well in the town of Greeley, and to give back to the community , he built , with lots of help, this huge and very well detailed layout. Bill then surprised me with a special treat, a private tour of one of my favourite , and I say one of the best , HO Scale layouts around! BNSF "Fall River" is something special to say the least, and to be invited into the owners home to see this incredible feat of modelling was very special. Thank you very much Bill for your hospitality and for the bonus visit!! I had a great day and thank JP again for me.
Today I rode the light rail (which is great and easy and cheap to use) around Denver and the suburbs , out to "Caboose Hobbies", the largest model railroad shop in the US, lots to see and I had a long chat to one of the guys and we shared a few modelling stories. Tempting as it was, I left empty handed as space is limited in my bags and I have a long way to go yet!! Denver is a nice city and a good size and lots of rail action which I will have to catch up on next time.
I leave Denver tomorrow aboard the California Zephyr, and head to Truckee, on the east side of Donner Pass.
Hooroo for now!
Gregg.:-)
