THE "IDAHO CASCADIAN"
Friday, August 8, 2003
The trip was sponsored by the Southern Appalachia
Railway Museum, PO Box 5870, Knoxville TN 37928, 865-241-2140, http://www.southernappalachia.railway.museum
- The trip was operated due to the efforts and permission of the
kind employees and management of the Idaho Northern & Pacific Railroad
Company (a subsidiary of Rio Grande Pacific Corporation) and the Thunder Mountain
Line, 877-432-7245, http://www.thundermountainline.com.
The railroad is operated by the freight carrier Idaho Northern & Pacific.
The passenger train equipment and crews was supplied by the Thunder Mountain
Line, which operates regular excursions over part of the rail line. We encourage
you to spread the word about this operation.
All the following photos were taken by Ken Ziegenbein, who
was on board the train. Permission is granted to use or re-publish
these photos any way you want. I'd appreciate credit for taking them, however.
Also check out my other rail photos at http://www.trainweather.com/sunday.html
and my regular train and weather website, http://www.trainweather.com. Email
any corrections or suggestions to ken@trainweather.com.
Thanks.
Here's our train on a siding in Payette the day
before the excursion, taken across a field. The excursion (the Idaho
Cascadian) left the next morning at 7 a.m.
The train left at 7 a.m. Friday, August 8, 2003. These two photos show the
parking at Payette.
Our first runby was east of Fruitland, Idaho about 740 a.m. Just to the
right was a mint field and across the tracks is a corn field.
The 'perfect' photo line, right? The train was backing away for the runby.
(There is no photo to the right of this one, by the way)
The runby east of Fruitland.
We arrived at Emmett, Idaho about 905 a.m. for a 20-minute stop.
IN&P caboose at Emmett. Bart and Sarah Jennings, also at Emmett.
LEFT-Black Canyon Reservoir with the dam. RIGHT - The photo line prepares for another runby
at the east portal of Tunnel No. 2, milepost 33.27.
The runby at Tunnel No. 2. Most climbed a steep hill...I sat on the ground.
LEFT-Coming out of Tunnel No. 3 at milepost
38.56 at 1024 a.m. RIGHT-At Montour, 1043 a.m.
LEFT-Reboarding at Montour. RIGHT-Entering Horseshoe Bend, Idaho about 1120 a.m.
At Horseshoe Bend. We had about a 45 minute lunch break. We had sandwiches
in one of the cars to the left. Our train is to the right.
The Payette River as seen from the train. From Horseshoe Bend northward
to Cascade the scenery was fantastic.
Another view of the Payette River north of Horseshoe Bend.
A runby along the Payette River at 1233 p.m. at milepost 54.0
The runby. You can see a few who climbed the hills.
SARM sign on one of the cars. RIGHT - View of some of the rapids on the Payette River.
LEFT- At Banks, 121 p.m. RIGHT-Another view of the river.
LEFT-A runby through Banks at 126 p.m. RIGHT-Sarah and Bart once again.
Runby at milepost 66.83 near the North Fork of the Payette River. Time was
149 p.m.
Two more views from one of the open-air cars.
We stopped for another runby near Big Eddy, milepost 75.17 with the North
Fork of the Payette River just to the right of the tracks, camera view. And
for Bart, here's another picture of Sarah, this time soaking her feet in the
river, along with a half dozen others. Again, the tracks are to the left of
these photos. Note there was a swinging bridge across the water, which a
few hearty souls decided to walk across. The time was 235 p.m.
Here's the runby from river level, about 245 p.m. They waited until everyone
who wanted to could walk over the river on the bridge.
LEFT-View of the regular coach from the river.
RIGHT-Stationary view of train at Smiths Ferry
at 335 p.m.
A railroad truck went ahead of the train and one followed us as well. The
elevation at Smiths Ferry is 4538 feet.
We passed through the 37-foot tunnel at milepost 83.72, Tunnel No. 5, at
351 p.m. where we got out for some posed photos. This is supposed to be the
shortest railroad tunnel in the U.S. and is carved through solid granite.
We are on the north side of the tunnel here. I got a view of this tunnel with
the help of a friend the day before from Highway 55, which is across the
river to the right.
The northbound train stopped here for the photograhers.
The photo 'line' waits on the tracks just north of the tunnel to get the
shot above. The right photo is the tunnel on the sunlit south side.
LEFT-Taken from the south side of the short
tunnel . RIGHT-Coming under Rainbow Bridge at
milepost 85.12, 416 p.m.
LEFT-Hostess Katie helping on reboarding at
the Rainbow Bridge stop. RIGHT-This runby was
at milepost 89.59 at the crossing of the North Fork Payette River on a 200-foot
through truss bridge. I decided to stay onboard this time, though.
View from the rear car as we were backing up for the runby. Notice the railroad
truck following us. This was one of the most scenic views.
More views from the rear car.
Part of the crew. Left to right: Jim, Katie, Roland and inside serving lots
of water was Chan. Thanks again to all.
End of the line at Cascade, 530 p.m. The train pulled a short way onto track
that hadn't been used in years. At the tree-line in the distance the track
is gone, long ago abandoned by the railroad. It used to go to McCall.
Idaho Northern & Pacific engineer Gil was on this run. What did he think
of all the runbys? He told me he enjoyed them.
Our train in Cascade, Idaho at the end of a very enjoyable day. We were
bussed back to Payette after this.