The "Silver Solarium" rail car bringing up the rear
A couple of weeks ago we had a wonderful experience, recreating an historic rail trip from LA to Chicago and return to Denver. The trip was with a party of 9 people riding, sleeping, and dining in a restored Pullman rail car, seen at the end of the Amtrak train in the picture above.
The trip was a new book release promotion by our Estes Park next door neighbor Walt Borneman. It was a modern re-creation of a notable trip described in Walt's latest book, Rival Rails. If you click around his website, you can find links to this trip and some pictures on the "Rival Rails" tab.
Here are a few pictures, but they are all from my cell phone camera and of limited quality. Left-click on any picture to enlarge it.
Here are a few pictures, but they are all from my cell phone camera and of limited quality. Left-click on any picture to enlarge it.
We assemble in the new entrance to Union Station, Los Angeles
The LA Station is remarkably clean, open, and well-lighted
We arrive at our historic rail car, the Silver Solarium.
Walt doing a long distance interview with the BBC
Walt and me in the lounge room
B and Walt, waiting to be called to dinner as the countryside glides past.
Absolutely the best rack of lamb I've ever eaten!
The rail car's heritage in the sign at the rear of the car. Note the Golden Gate Bridge in the background of the sign.
Formal dress not required for breakfast!
Left to right: Bernd, our chef, Burt, historic rail car owner/manager, William, our Steward, Barbara
View from our hotel room at the Drake on our Chicago stopover . . . NICE!
On our free morning in Chicago, Barbara and I enjoyed a wounderful Sax player while we waited for the Art Institute to open.
Back on the train and headed for Denver, Walt chats with William as he pours wine.
Formal settings for all three meals each day. I could have gotten used to this very quickly.
Menus printed for each lunch and dinner
My picture is not very good, but this is a sterling bookmark with a period ATSF sterling steam locomotive and 4 cars that Barbara made and gave to Walt.
Again a poor picture. Barbara made a necklace and bracelet of turquoise from Kingman, AZ (one of our stops on the route) with a sterling rail car clasp for Marlene, Walt's wife.
An NPR story and very nice 7-minute interview with Walt:
The book:
Rival Rails on AmazonJLF
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