Sacramento. Well that is a Fair not to miss. My wife and I are pretty tired from the Colorado trip. It was a long drive, the car gave us trouble and we are working every day this week.
My plan now is to go up next week for maybe Friday, Saturday and Sunday (6/25,26,27). We could spend the 25th and 27th in Sacramento at the Fair and chase the Challenger to Keddie on Saturday the 26th. Here is a brief description from the applicable web sites.
"A ten-day celebration of railroading will be held at the California State Railroad Museum in Old Sacramento, California, June 18-27, 1999. As in 1981 and again in 1991, this will be the railroad event to attend. Over 20 locomotives are expected, as well as several other pieces of visiting railroad equipment. Railfair '99 will also be characterized by numerous activities, exhibits and re-enactments of historic events.
What Locomotives are Coming to Railfair?
Over 30 guest locomotives have accepted Railfair '99's invitation to attend. These will range from replicas of America's earliest locomotives of the 1830s, to colorful, wood-burning locomotives straight out of the Wild West, to the World's largest operating steam locomotive, Union Pacific's "Challenger" number 3985. In particular, we expect Southern Pacific "Daylight" locomotive 4449 and Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 3751 to be on hand for the event.
The list continues to grow, and includes a special guest appearance by Thomas the Tank Engine all ten days of the event. Union Pacific and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe will have examples of the latest high-horsepower freight diesels on display. Amtrak, Caltrans, and the California High-Speed Rail Authority will be exhibiting equipment and providing information about the future of railroads at Railfair '99.
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Saturday June 26, 1999 . . . Feather River Express
Another must-do trip to the Keddie Wye, this time behind UP 3985, the world's largest operating steam locomotive, assisted by the famous three-unit E-9 diesel set. This is one of the top ten trips in North America for spectacular scenery with 45 miles of steady 1% grade, many tunnels and rails that seldom stop turning as they follow the Feather River toward its head waters in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. The much photographed Keddie Wye is located partly on bridges in a narrow canyon. Times: Buses leave Convention hotels for the Sacramento Amtrak station at 6:30 a.m. and the train departs at 7:45 a.m. We expect to return at 8:30 p.m."
THIS TRIP IS SOLD OUT, BUT IT WOULD BE FUN TO TAG ALONG IN THE AUTOMOBILE.
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