Passenger Trains > Breaking News-FRC!

Amtrak and Union Pacific have approved our request for a trip through the Feather River Canyon in August, 2010.
Friday, August 20, EMY to Portola, bus to Reno. Saturday, August 21, open day in Reno, but we are working on two "events". Sunday, August 22 Portola to EMY.
We have requested Amtrak coaches, Silver Lariat and Solarium, Great dome and possibly an open door bag. The trip is to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the start of passenger service on the WP. For more information, go to the excursions listings on TO or PVTrips.com

Hal Lewis

They agreed to run "extra" trains because all the freight will be on Donner :-)
Sounds like a great opportunity to ride the FRC and (of course) goto the Feather River
Railroad Museum.

Keep us posted.

TopCat

Well now...

Okay, if someone can line up a REALLY BIG DONOR, I might be able to supply the "Silver Plate" diner for this.

Check for about $650,000, payable to FRRS - Zephyr Project. That and 10 months should be just enough time and money.

Thank yew!

Z

Hal,

that link in the ad doesn't work!


Chris

Good job, Eugene... Get the ball rolling!

It's very nice to have this much advance notice.

Thanks, Hal, for the post.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/06/09 15:47 by RuleG.

zephyrus Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Well now...
>
> Okay, if someone can line up a REALLY BIG DONOR, I
> might be able to supply the "Silver Plate" diner
> for this.
>
> Check for about $650,000, payable to FRRS - Zephyr
> Project. That and 10 months should be just enough
> time and money.
>
> Thank yew!
>
> Z

$650,000? What are you going to do to the car? Provided the car is basically structurally sound and the interior is in decent shape, I would be surprised to spend that kind of money on it. Maybe if you handed the car to a shop and told them to do the job it might cost that.

We rebuilt just about every system on the Tioga Pass, including HEP, MU and Com wiring, a totally new electrical system, new generator, new air conditioning system, modifications to the heating, removal of the propane and installation of an electric stove and water heater, removal of Microphor tanks and installation of a holding tank and new toilets, new air compressor and compressed air plumbing, conversion of a closet into a bathroom, installation of an opposite-side water filler, complete freeze protection, installation of pneumatic decelostats to replace the original Rolokrons, replacement of three out of four wheel sets, new carpeting, new lounge furniture, wood paneling for the lounge, extensive interior painting, and dozens of other things I can't remember now. Some of this stuff, like the air conditioning system, had to be redone after it was poorly done previously by a variety of people. We haven't spent anywhere near $650,000. In fact, I don't think we have spent a third that much.

Good luck in getting Amtrak equipment in August.

With the Del Mar Races having folks standing on the Surfliner, the excursion set in use as a Surfliner set to help handle just the normal summer ridership.

After Labor day weekend, no problem

72368 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> $650,000? What are you going to do to the car?
> Provided the car is basically structurally sound
> and the interior is in decent shape, I would be
> surprised to spend that kind of money on it. Maybe
> if you handed the car to a shop and told them to
> do the job it might cost that.
>
> We rebuilt just about every system on the Tioga
> Pass, including HEP, MU and Com wiring, a totally
> new electrical system, new generator, new air
> conditioning system, modifications to the heating,
> removal of the propane and installation of an
> electric stove and water heater, removal of
> Microphor tanks and installation of a holding tank
> and new toilets, new air compressor and compressed
> air plumbing, conversion of a closet into a
> bathroom, installation of an opposite-side water
> filler, complete freeze protection, installation
> of pneumatic decelostats to replace the original
> Rolokrons, replacement of three out of four wheel
> sets, new carpeting, new lounge furniture, wood
> paneling for the lounge, extensive interior
> painting, and dozens of other things I can't
> remember now. Some of this stuff, like the air
> conditioning system, had to be redone after it was
> poorly done previously by a variety of people. We
> haven't spent anywhere near $650,000. In fact, I
> don't think we have spent a third that much.


Yeah, it is a lot. But when you're trying to do a historically accurate restoration of a full dining car and balance that with keeping it supportable in a modern environment, and you want to send it to a professional shop to make a (relatively) short deadline, the bills pile up. I can do it a lot cheaper with volunteers (and am), but it wouldn't make August 2010.

Just reupholstering, restuffing and refinishing one chair with accurate material in the correct color will run about $450. And I've got 27 original chairs and need to fabricate 5 accurate replacements. That'll run close to $15,000 right there. And, no, I won't substitute cheap office chairs that "look close", as someone suggested to me. These cars will be as close to the real thing as I can make them. That's my promise to everyone who loves the Zephyr.

Yes, I am crazy. That has been pointed out to me many, many, many times. :-)

Z

Isn't that weekend also Portola Railroad Days?

Hi Zephyrus, et al:

I applaud your going the extra mile to make the restorations as historically accurate as possible. Best of luck getting the museum's collection of C.Z. cars back on the road.

* JB *


zephyrus Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Just reupholstering, restuffing and refinishing
> one chair with accurate material in the correct
> color will run about $450. And I've got 27
> original chairs and need to fabricate 5 accurate
> replacements. That'll run close to $15,000 right
> there. And, no, I won't substitute cheap office
> chairs that "look close", as someone suggested to
> me. These cars will be as close to the real thing
> as I can make them. That's my promise to everyone
> who loves the Zephyr.
>
> Yes, I am crazy. That has been pointed out to me
> many, many, many times. :-)
>
> Z

Now if you could only get a steamer to pull the train.....