Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad Total Track Tour

Chuck and I are leaving in the wee hours tomorrow morning and heading for the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad in Ohio. We're booked on board the St. Lucie Sound in executive class for the Total Track Tour. We have never been to this excursion railroad before so we're looking forward to a new experience and seeing the beautiful Cuyahoga Valley just as fall colors are starting.

The St. Lucie Sound Car on the CVSC

This is the first time the CVSR is doing the Total Track Tour and it includes a 3.5 hour layover in Canton, OH where we are planning on visiting the Classic Car Museum. Chuck wanted to go back to the Football Hall of Fame but we were there before and we both love classic cars, so I actually won the debate on this one. A rare feat indeed!

We're driving this trip even though Amtrak goes to Cleveland. It would cost us over $400 each way for a bedroom and we would have to leave Cleveland at 2:30 AM or 3:45 AM on Sunday to return. As much as we hate driving through Chicago's interstate system we are choosing to drive for this trip. We would have to rent a car in Cleveland anyway or take a taxi to Independence, so it would be very expensive to go via Amtrak this time.

The price of Executive Class for the Total Track Tour is low compared to the 2816/261 steam double header we just completed two weeks ago at only $130 per person. Our executive seating on the Minneapolis to LaCrosse round trip was $299 each, but well worth it.

Expect a report and images to follow. I'm still working on the videos for YouTube from the 2816/261 excursion but we're heading for Duluth on October 5th for another rail excursion to Two Harbors and back on a steam train, so the videos will start coming out after that.

2816/261 Steam Double Header September 15, 2007

Chuck and I took the Amtrak Empire Builder to St. Paul, MN on Friday, 9/14/07 from Milwaukee and arrived by cab in downtown Minneapolis at the Marquette Hotel at approximately 11:20 PM. We were up at 6:00 AM and secured a taxi to the 261 barn across the river in St. Paul to take a few early morning images prior to the departure of our excursion on the CPR 2816 and the Milwaukee Road 261 along with the consist of 11 passenger cars and 2 crew cars.

After spending a restful night at the Marquette Hotel on Saturday night, we hailed a cab to take us back to the Amtrak station in St. Paul, MN for our return trip. It was a wonderful weekend!

CPR 2816 at sunrise in the 261 yard at Minneapolis Junction, 401 Harrison St. N.E. in St. Paul, MN. The 2816 is an oil fired steam engine. Photos by Pauline Trabert

Milwaukee Road 261 was behind the 2816 tender in the consist for the double header. Seen here at sunrise on September 15, 2007 just before we boarded for the nearly 12 hour excursion to LaCrosse, WI and back. The 261 is a coal fired steam engine.

The Skytop Lounge car, the Cedar Rapids, is the last car in the consist.

Chuck and I rode in the classic Super Dome car as part of the Premium class tickets. The galley is located on the lower level along with a restroom at each end.

The two steam engines required three stops to fill up with water from fire hydrants arranged with the cities of Red Wing, MN and LaCrosse, WI. The above image shows the CPR water line attached to the 261 as it is filled with water at Minneapolis Junction prior to departure.

While in LaCrosse, WI the Canadian Pacific Empress was gleaming in the bright sunlight.

A good sized crowd gathered around the steam double header consist as the two engines were replenished with water. Most of the crowd was on the train with some 360 passengers but some of the LaCrosse, WI locals came down to the depot to enjoy the excitement.

Video of our trip will be posted on YouTube soon. Be sure to check out my other fine videos too.

technorati tags: railfan, railroad, excursion, steam, trains, 261, 2816