Experiencing America > 2011 > Trains, Baseball, & Open Plains...2011 > Day 1
Day ONE...
Saturday, September 24th, 2011
This trip was a combo of going to see what ended up being the last regular season at bat of Albert Pujols in St. Louis with the birds on the bat on his chest. The path took us out to Western Illinois to start the day rail fanning along the former Chicago, Burlington, & Quincy, later Burlington Northern, now BNSF tracks. Surprising more frieght action was seen on the Union Pacific Peora subdivision, then the BNSF.
An old CBQ signal bridge at Buda, that is being replaced.
As we headed across Bureau, and Henry Counties through small town after the next, we made our way to Galesburg. Not only for what is the junction between two of the BNSF Railways busiest rail lines, but the traveling museum for the 40th Anniversary of Amtrak.
A station plaque on the Galesburg platform.
The lead locomotive with the phase II paint scheme.
A NPCU in the phase II paint scheme.
A former food service car used for the gift shop.
Looking down the rest of the cars for the exhibit.
Inside the train a time line of Amtrak's history.
A model of the first paint scheme.
A look at past uniforms for the crews.
A model of the second paint scheme.
A model of the third paint scheme.
A look of engine controls.
Some badges from Amtrak Police.
A place setting from a long distance run.
A model of the Acela.
A set-up the electric rail set-up.
Next we head off to St. Louis, via North-Central Missouri and experience rural America.
Now to State # 2...Iowa!!
To head off to North-Central Missouri we headed down U.S. 61 from Burlington, Iowa through Fort Madison, Iowa. Here it was Iowa 2 to Iowa 81.
A big ice cream cone at Ft. Madison.
Now to State #3...Missouri!!
This took us to places like Kirksville, Macon, & Santa Fe. If you were wondering...no there is nothing in Santa Fe, Missouri.
A typical look of North-Central Missouri.
Back to State 1!!...Illinois...
And the end of the night...
Day TWO