Western Railroad Discussion > The Santiam Excursion Train

The Albany & Eastern RR Co. is running their Santiam (the river the train more or less parallels) Excursion Train this month.  It ran three trips yesterday and will run six next weekend.  I photographed a trip yesterday and will ride it with a friend next weekend.  Here is their web site and Facebook page addresses:

http://santiamexcursiontrains.com/
https://www.facebook.com/santiamexcursiontrain

They run at about 10 mph pushing south from the Lebanon, Oregon Station for a half hour down the Sweet Home Branch.  Then they reverse and go north with the diesels pulling. 

Here are some pictures from yesterday:

1. The train heading back to the Lebanon Station with the diesels pulling.

2. Here is the caboose on the southbound (pushing) trip marked SP 4716.

The remainder of the photos are the cars diesels to caboose in that order.

3. Behind the diesels was SP Daylight "Red River" AERX 6800

continued...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/22/15 15:00 by MartyBernard.

---

---

---

4. Open Car AERC 1002

5. RFRX 1003

6. WPRX 1241


continued ...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/22/15 14:56 by MartyBernard.

---

---

---

7. and before the caboose in SP black WPRX 1402



Enjoy,
Marty Bernard



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/22/15 14:58 by MartyBernard.

---

What is with the weird font on the two "Southern Pacific" cars?

A sharp looking train.....     Thanks for sharing.

Thanks so much for posting photos of all the cars, Marty! So often, photos of "passenger trains" consist of the power, shot from several angles, trailing some unidentifiable equipment behind. (Often identified simply as "coaches" regardless of car type!)  :-)

Some interesting and fanciful paint and lettering variations here, to be sure. Never thought about "Black Widow" passenger cars, but they look pretty snappy! It's good to see operations of all kinds, and equipment of any kind that appears reasonably well-protected from decay and presentable to the public. Kudos for that, certainly.

~ BZ



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/22/15 15:44 by Notch16.

Yes ! Thanks for the rolling stock pics.

Franklin has come a long ways from owning a Cat and a couple dump trucks.  Good job, Rick!

I have watched that railroad for over a year now.  The Mill City branch is outside my office window. I have watched the crews work, and they are good and efficient.  The railroad is taken care of.  I've posted several pictures here on TO.

I guess it's great fun to have a full-scale garden railroad.

Marty Bernard

I think I need to take a ride some weekend!

MartyBernard Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have watched that railroad for over a year
> now.  The Mill City branch is outside my office
> window. I have watched the crews work, and they
> are good and efficient.  The railroad is taken
> care of.  I've posted several pictures here on
> TO.
>
> I guess it's great fun to have a full-scale garden
> railroad.
>
> Marty Bernard

MartyBernard Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> They run at about 10 mph pushing south from the
> Lebanon, Oregon Station for a half hour down the
> Sweet Home Branch.  Then they reverse and go
> north with the diesels pulling. 

Sounds to me like they run about five miles.  Here's what the website says:

Our excursion trains run over the 17+ miles of track on the Sweet Home Branch line.

I detect a mileage discrepancy.

CA_Sou_MA_Agent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> I detect a mileage discrepancy.

I said "about 10 mph".  I drove next to the train for a very short distance and glanced at my speedometer.  I should not have given an estimate based on that.  Sorry.

Marty Bernard

I'd like to add my appreciation and thanks for the photos of "the rest of the story", the train consist.  Also, add me to the list of those who appreciate the concept of black widow passenger cars.  My only quarrel is the use of that decidedly un-railroad looking, and wrong for the SP, font.  AA

Stanford White
Carmel Valley, CA

I must add my thanks for photos of passenger consistes.