SoCal RailFest 2009

[WhoozOn1st]

This report is essentially a comprehensively captioned photo essay, with accompanying videos, of the On Track On Line Southern California RailFest 2009. Now I can turn my gnatlike attention span to reporting on the Denver Post Frontier Days Train (coming soon to a computer screen near you!).

Though due to the Denver thing I had to miss the first two days of the RailFest, I did have the opportunity to greet the OTOL contingent as they arrived at L.A. Union Station aboard the Sunset Limited. Also rode with several of the Festers on the Red, Blue, and Green lines as they headed for their lodgings and I made my way to LAX the airport.

My two days with the Fest following the return from riding behind steam were filled with fun and interesting train rides, conversations, and camaraderie. It was great to make the acquaintances, in person, of some new-to-me fellow railfans, and renew ties with friends (AlanB, jis, GG-1) I've enjoyed riding and talking with in the past at Amtrak Unlimited Annual Gatherings. SoCal AU member chuljin also took part in the OTOL FEST-ivities, but unfortunately his participation didn't coincide with mine - some lame excuse about having a job.

That's okay, I'll have plenty of time to harass the guy at the Amtrak Unlimited 3rd Annual Gathering at Boston in October. CHOWDAH!!

The Pics:

OTOL SoCal RailFest '09

The Videos:

 

[Bob Dylan]

Thanx for the pics and videos, I still say California shouldnt get all the good stuff!LOL!!!

 

[GG-1]

Aloha

Here is a link to my Picture Gallery

A few more stills and Video to come

Eric

http://gg-1.smugmug.com/gallery/9061835_M7...603324429_MJtgt

 

[WhoozOn1st]

Monday Morning at the RailFest we had a Los Angeles Downtown News reporter, and a photographer, along as we rode the Red and Purple lines. I spelled my name for the guy, he wrote it down, and STILL got it wrong. The article:

Trains of Thought

 

[Bob Dylan]

Monday Morning at the RailFest we had a Los Angeles Downtown News reporter, and a photographer, along as we rode the Red and Purple lines. I spelled my name for the guy, he wrote it down, and STILL got it wrong. The article:
Trains of Thought

Interestin Whooz, I dont know about the "rail fanatics" though? :lol: Couldnt they have used train buffs

or rail buffs or something dignified? :lol: Its been my experience that most "reporters" are functional

illiterates when it comes to spelling and punctuation, thats what editors are for! :lol: Thanks for sharing!

 

[MikefromCrete]

Monday Morning at the RailFest we had a Los Angeles Downtown News reporter, and a photographer, along as we rode the Red and Purple lines. I spelled my name for the guy, he wrote it down, and STILL got it wrong. The article:
Trains of Thought

Did he spell it "WhoosOn2nd"? :lol:

 

[Steve4031]

I enjoyed the picks of the fest. It was especially fun to see pictures of trains that I was on at the time. I think that is a first for me. LOL

 

[had8ley]

Monday Morning at the RailFest we had a Los Angeles Downtown News reporter, and a photographer, along as we rode the Red and Purple lines. I spelled my name for the guy, he wrote it down, and STILL got it wrong. The article:
Trains of Thought

Interestin Whooz, I dont know about the "rail fanatics" though? :lol: Couldnt they have used train buffs

or rail buffs or something dignified? :lol: Its been my experience that most "reporters" are functional

illiterates when it comes to spelling and punctuation, thats what editors are for! :lol: Thanks for sharing!

Maybe when the reporter saw the fez he lost his mind :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[jis]

Here is my first set of pictures. More to come.

 

[jis]

Here is my second set covering LA to San Diego and the Sprinter.

 

[WhoozOn1st]

Fine photography in both the above sets, Jishnu. Thanks for posting them here for AU folks to enjoy too!

-- WhoozOnPlatform

 

[jis]

Thanks Patrick. And the third set - pictures taken from and around the Southwest Chief.

 

[GG-1]

Thanks Patrick. And the third set - pictures taken from and around the Southwest Chief.

Aloha

Was this a set or one image, one is all I saw, Nice though.

Mahalo

Eric

 

[jis]

Was this a set or one image, one is all I saw, Nice though.

There are 60 something pictures in that set. just keep clicking on the picture to get to the next one. Alternatively you can use the Previous and Next buttons near the top right to navigate. You can get a thumbnail form by clicking on "Back to Album" above the top left corner of the picture.

Looks like I had copied the wrong URL while posting the "third set" message. I have fixed it now.

BTW, the link provided by MrFSS will not work unless you are logged into Facebook. See my consolidated message below for all links that actually work.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Thanks Patrick. And the third set - pictures taken from and around the Southwest Chief.

Aloha

Was this a set or one image, one is all I saw, Nice though.

Mahalo

Eric

I also can only get one pic of the SWC?Other 2 sets ,no ptoblem!Good pics jis,thanks!

 

[MrFSS]

Thanks Patrick. And the third set - pictures taken from and around the Southwest Chief.

Aloha

Was this a set or one image, one is all I saw, Nice though.

Mahalo

Eric

I also can only get one pic of the SWC?Other 2 sets ,no ptoblem!Good pics jis,thanks!

Try this LINK for the third set.

 

[jacorbett70]

I had to log on to Facebook for the third set to work on the original link. Perhaps the link MrFSS just posted works w/o logging on.

 

[jacorbett70]

Thanks for all the photos!

A few years ago, I rode the Chief in the same direction, but it was late in the year, perhaps running on a later schedule, and the train wound up being late as well, so everything east of around Las Vegas NM was in the dark. So many of the daylight images around Raton Pass and La Junta were new to me.

 

[jis]

OK, I have fixed the URL for the third set now. Here is a consolidated list for you to try:

First Set - Los Angeles

Second Set - San Clemente/Oceanside/Escondido/San Diego

Third Set - Southwest Chief

Sorry about the confusion about the third set.

Enjoy!

 

[Long Train Runnin']

Thanks for the reviews and all the photos and videos.

 

[Shanghai]

Great photos, Thanks. I saw some Boy Scouts in the Sightseer Lounge car.

 

[jack615]

I was along for some of this fest at the beginning through New Orleans then I went up to Chicago and then to Boston. Had a great time, and here are my pics for you all to enjoy. Hope to get a trip report to you all soon.

Jack

my photos

 

[GG-1]

I was along for some of this fest at the beginning through New Orleans then I went up to Chicago and then to Boston. Had a great time, and here are my pics for you all to enjoy. Hope to get a trip report to you all soon.
Jack

my photos

Aloha Jack

You have some really good pictures there. But may I make an observation that you learn to crop. ieicture 1, is a great picture of Lynn, but Grace is apparently blocked by your thumb. Then toss Pictures that are out of focus.

I do like what you have done, you show the fun of traveling with a group.

Mahalo

Eric

 

[jis]

And here is my fourth set. No trains in this set, but just various views of the Hudson, from one of my most favorite train routes - Albany and New York. This set taken from the Lake Shore Limited which carried the last 3 remaining Festers to their final destination New York and for two onto Philly and beyond.

It seemed to me that the mix of sun, clouds, rainstorms and yet a bit of Hudson serenity made for an interesting combination, and I hope I managed to capture at least some of it to share with you all, even though the lighting conditions were challenging, specially for taking these pictures from a train that was generally moving along at 70+ mph. I would specially appreciate comments from Eric "GG-1". Thanks.

Camera was Nikon D40X, lens was AFS Nikkor 18-200mm VR. Those of you on the Fest saw the combo hanging on my shoulder or neck. . All pictures taken from a borrowed roomette across the corridor from mine, thanks to our most remarkable and helpful SCA we had the good fortune of coming across, who did get rewarded handily for the additional troubles that he took to help make our ride on the LSL special and one to remember.

Also John, Shanghai et. al. thanks for expressing your appreciation.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I cant take an ID pic but really enjoy yours,the last set brings back fond memories of my trip on the LSL

down the Hudson to NYP!(my name is Hudson, do I get royalties?LOL)Thanks for sharing!