Steam & Excursion > Promatory is full.

Sorry NPS you didn’t plan for the hoard.
Filled the area between the tracks and the visitor center with VIP seating. Leaving little to no room for anyone else. Those that did get there early filled that space with camp chairs.

Parking opened at 7am and as of 10:30 traffic is still backed up 14 miles out. No one checked for parking passes just waved us on by.

Good luck to anyone just arriving.

Posted from iPhone

---

---

---

And that is exactly why I didn't go.  Plenty of footage, no need for me to be there.
 

So what does your vantage point look like?  
 

Todd Clark
Canyon Country, CA
Trainorders.com

webmaster Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So what does your vantage point look like?  
>  


I don’t have a way to post photos from iPhone.

NPS has the locomotives on the nothern track. They filled the area between the tracks with VIP seating. First people there filled the south track with camp chairs. Area between south track and visitor center is blocked off. The visitor center is closed.

Biggest issue is just flow. Anywhere that wasn’t VIP that might have a view people dropped chairs ( or huge tarps) and blocked everything up.
Also would have helped a lot to open up areas north of the tracks for general observation.

Posted from iPhone

For something that happens almost on a daily schedule during season, yowsir!!

Out

JLW2K Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> And that is exactly why I didn't go.  Plenty of
> footage, no need for me to be there.
>  

exactly.......

66

I went with a historical association group on a bus, so we avoided the parking fiasco, but it was slow getting out there.

The food truck scene was nice. As the original poster noted, the seating situation was very poorly done. I managed to get up close, but on one side where people had set up chairs.

I had a good view of one of the video monitors, and I didn’t really care beyond that, but I understand how those who felt frustration feel. I didn’t really care about taking pictures. Or, lugging a camera. I only brought an iPhone.

I am happy to report I had a great time, and I’m glad I was able to be there.

Here’s my report from Facebook:

#DONE

Author and historian John Meacham knocked it out of the park with his keynote address.

“Compromise is the oxygen of democracy,” Meacham said, in remarks focused on the union forged here at Promontory Summit, exactly 150 years ago.

Elaine Chao gave a great speech, too. And unlike her predecessor from the Nixon administration 50 years ago, she didn’t overlook the role some 12,000 Chinese played in building the railroad.

There was much pomp and circumstances; laying of a wreath; song; and presentation of a new copper spike from Utah.

The governor of Utah spoke, as did Lance Fritz from UP, and the head of the Mormon church. The Chinese ambassador gave remarks (via video, I think) and an ambassador from Ireland gave a toast. It was a diverse group of people, and it was interesting to hear what they had to say.

Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, was here, too. Romney didn’t speak, but he looked tanned and happy.

And then, there was was the actual gold spike re-enactment, which is done daily. The facility here has been upgraded from a national historic site, to a fill-fledged national park, thanks to legislation signed into law by President Trump.

A new national park sign was unveiled, there were fireworks, and then a military flyover. Thunderbirds, I think.

The souvenir stand managed to take all my cash, but I got some cool stuff.

The only thing I didn’t do was get the new postal stamp here on the first day of issue. The line was really long for that, and I didn’t want to lug around anything delicate like stamps.

I’m sure a video of the festivities will be online at some point.

Posted from iPhone

I went with a historical association group on a bus, so we avoided the parking fiasco, but it was slow getting out there.

The food truck scene was nice. As the original poster noted, the seating situation was very poorly done. I managed to get up close, but on one side where people had set up chairs.

I had a good view of one of the video monitors, and I didn’t really care beyond that, but I understand how those who felt frustration feel. I didn’t really care about taking pictures. Or, lugging a camera. I only brought an iPhone.

I am happy to report I had a great time, and I’m glad I was able to be there.

Here’s my report from Facebook:

#DONE

Author and historian John Meacham knocked it out of the park with his keynote address.

“Compromise is the oxygen of democracy,” Meacham said, in remarks focused on the union forged here at Promontory Summit, exactly 150 years ago.

Elaine Chao gave a great speech, too. And unlike her predecessor from the Nixon administration 50 years ago, she didn’t overlook the role some 12,000 Chinese played in building the railroad.

There was much pomp and circumstances; laying of a wreath; song; and presentation of a new copper spike from Utah.

The governor of Utah spoke, as did Lance Fritz from UP, and the head of the Mormon church. The Chinese ambassador gave remarks (via video, I think) and an ambassador from Ireland gave a toast. It was a diverse group of people, and it was interesting to hear what they had to say.

Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, was here, too. Romney didn’t speak, but he looked tanned and happy.

And then, there was was the actual gold spike re-enactment, which is done daily. The facility here has been upgraded from a national historic site, to a fill-fledged national park, thanks to legislation signed into law by President Trump.

A new national park sign was unveiled, there were fireworks, and then a military flyover. Thunderbirds, I think.

The souvenir stand managed to take all my cash, but I got some cool stuff.

The only thing I didn’t do was get the new postal stamp here on the first day of issue. The line was really long for that, and I didn’t want to lug around anything delicate like stamps.

I’m sure a video of the festivities will be online at some point.

Posted from iPhone

Two points:  First the Promentory site is not large, so that it would end upbeing overcrowded was an expected outcome. Second, you can order the First Day of Issue stamped envelop and card directly from the Postal Service. That's www.usps.com.  They take credt cards.  The sheet of 18 stamps looks very nice and would make a good display if properly framed.

The re-enactment scene was just on at CNBC with a blurb on the history.

Out



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/10/19 13:54 by callum_out.

We arrived slightly before 9 and it was already packed. The parking pass was a joke. Left around noon just because there were so many people you couldn't even see the stage or the screens. Tried to buy stuff from the NPS but the line was 2 hours long (yes, we asked people how long they'd be standing in line) so we put the stuff back and left. It's good to see so many people interested in our history but there were just too many people and it was too poorly planned to be a good event. The big question is how do we get those people to come back next year, and the year after, etc. Can't have a giant anniversary every year. 

My Dad and I went today.  We were lucky to get a parking pass because they had sold out before I tried to buy one.  Luckily, they were available via a standby list on the Spike 150 website.  The crowds were massive, as one might expect.  But it was a neat experience, and a once in a lifetime deal.  Weather was perfect

Scott Griggs
Louisville, KY

Where is "PROMATORY?"

On the Slauson Cutoff.

ExSPCondr Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Where is "PROMATORY?"

Email them to me and I will post them.... tclark@trainorders.net

Todd Clark
Canyon Country, CA
Trainorders.com

Forget the N...btw, where is Slauson CotOff?
SP4360 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> On the Slauson Cutoff.
>
> ExSPCondr Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Where is "PROMATORY?"

Steve Donaldson
Pacific Grove, CA

The 'Slauson Cutof' was from a famous Johnny Carson skit that he did paroding driving through Los Angeles.
It also included aa referrence to the 'Fork In The Road'.

James R.(Jim) Baker
Whittier, CA

Kind of small to frame.  A uncut press sheet is available.  I will try to get the order number for it. 

Todd

Along with Carson's skits, Santa Fe's Harbor Sub ran along Slauson Ave at one time.

JimBaker Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The 'Slauson Cutof' was from a famous Johnny
> Carson skit that he did paroding driving through
> Los Angeles.
> It also included aa referrence to the 'Fork In The
> Road'.