My Train Set

These are some of the historic and other railroad cars and trains that have appeared in Martinez, California from time to time.  These passenger Pullman and Observation ("Bubble Top") cars are generally from the Reno Snow Train or Reno Fun Train, an excursion train that runs from Oakland thru Martinez and on to Reno, Nevada during the winter. . . .  There are rumors that one or both of these trains will no longer run in 2015, after 49 years of service.

The steam locomotive #844 is a historic engine (not a part of the Snow Train or Fun Train) that's been preserved by the Union Pacific and that tours the West every so often.

Iowa Pacific's "Sky View" car:

Union Pacific's Steam Locomotive #844 crossed our bridge some time ago:

Interesting how they can run a pickup truck on our rails:

Union Pacific runs these diesels thru our station once in a while:

Amtrak's Coast Starlight train. The tall building in background is Martinez's County Jail & Administration building.  The old historic railroad station is alongside the train:

The Reno Snow train and Reno Fun train contain many different, varied passenger cars that were formerly on  different railroads all over the country.  A nice "antique railroad cars" collection.  This one - as you can see - is from the Louisville & Nashville:

The Milwaukee Road:

I can't figure out this one's "provenance" but it's a nice one anyway:

Northern Pacific:

Another that I can't figure out:

"Pacific Sands". . . .  Possibly a Union Pacific, or a Central Pacific?  Its colors match UP's modern locomotives, but also match the Central Pacific's passenger car that's shown a few photos farther below here. . . .

                         SP again:

Another of "unknown origin" to me.

Maybe this one was used once-upon-a-time on the Hudson River line?

Maybe another Southern Pacific?  Its colors match those of the SP shown earlier. It likely has a dining area on the bottom (note that it is the Sierra Hotel, and at some time in the past may have had sleeping berths). . . .  Some of the cars on the Rocky Mountaineer train that Eleanor and I took a few years ago had upstairs observation decks and separate seating/dining/sleeping areas on "ground level," so I think this has a similar arrangement. Again, a nice outdoor rear platform. . . .

Central Pacific, long out-of-business California line (the line that built that part of the Transcontinental Railroad from Sacramento to Promontory Point Utah in the late 1860s.)

Santa Fe's "Vista Canyon". . . .

"Tioga Pass" from what railroad I couldn't figure:

The Great Northern's "City of Spokane". . . .

New York Central's "Portland". . . .

Lotta locos here. The "silver" fronted steamer is parked on permanent exhibit in our station:

Iowa Pacific's "Prairie View". . . .

"Chambersburg Inn," rail line unknown to me:

Just a nice new-looking diesel:

Amtrak's California Zephyr "Silver Lariat". . . .

On the trestle near my apartment - Burlington Northern Santa Fe:

Hauling a long line of containers:

Nice view from a bit farther away, with Mt. Wanda behind it:

A nice looking "Chessie" passenger car, the "Chapel Hill":

 Wrapped in advertising:

A brand-spankin'-new Union Pacific locomotive;

Busy day at the station:

Lowest number I've seen thus far:

Circus! It didn't stop in Martinez; must've been on way to Oakland:

Oil tank train. A rarity on the downtown line:

Georgia RR's "Dearing" Pullman:

Canadian National. Nice rear observation platform!

Union Pacific's good old #844 going thru our station:

The sign indicates they've developed "drone" locomotives!

Don't know what rail line this one's from, but it's a nice looking "bubble top". . . .

The Kansas of "American Railway Explorer":

Passenger cars on this one look just like the ones on the trains out of Penn Station going to Washingon, DC:

 A sightseeing car, again in the mode of northeast corridor ones I've seen at Penn Station, NYC:

"American Railway Explorer" Kansas again, as seen from the side:

Just thought this was a nice color scheme:

This particular Georgia #300 car was used by Presidents Carter, Clinton and Obama when on "Whistlestop" campaigns:

Seaboard Coast Line's Deerwood Beach:

UP tank car hauler:

Dunno what line it ran on, but it's named the "Suits Me" and has an emblem saying it is Pullman Company's 100th car:

California Zephyr excursion train:

The "Virginia City" passenger car reminded me of the kind of car I used to ride from Massapequa Park to Jamaica back in NY in the 1960s:

Definitely from the northeast corridor. Wonder what brought it all the way out here:

Here's a bit more about the Snow Train/Fun Train that I copied and pasted here from Amtrak's page about it:

Aboard the seasonal (February - March only) Reno Fun Train party and dance your way from Northern California cities through the snowy Sierra mountains for a weekend of fun and games in Reno, Nevada. On your return home, relax and watch the spectacular wintertime scenery. For your convenience, our schedules feature two different Friday departure times with fun themes such as Mardi Gras, Country Western & Murder Mystery.

Ice and glasses are furnished aboard and meals are served at your seat. Bring your own snacks and beverages, if you wish. Strolling minstrels and dancing to live music add to the festivities. The Cafe Car offers popular beverages and snacks for sale. Also, the train features a Great Dome car and entertainment in the Piano Lounge Car.

So step aboard the (Weekend) Reno Fun Train or (Midweek) Reno Snow Train and treat yourself to a great winter getaway to exciting Reno!

Maybe, just maybe, I'd like to take one of these Reno trains some day - if they're still running.  

I had fun a few years ago on this train, up in the Canadian Rockies.  They still run, as per the newspaper ad in today's Newsday.  The Reno trains are a lot less expensive tho.

The End

(Okay, so this car isn't in or near Martinez's station.)