TRAVELOGUE – PENNSYLVANIA TO LA PLATA, MO AND RETURN

Report and Photos By Ben "Dutch" Myers

Part 3

TRAVELOGUE - PENNSYLVANIA TO LA PLATA, MO & RETURN Continued – PART 3

Parts 2 & 3 of the travelogue took place in the La Plata, Missouri area.  Join me in this - PART 3 - for several visits to the train Lookout as well as La Plata’s Amtrak Station, with a stop at Santa Fe Lake to watch a string of passing locomotives.  Additionally, road trips took me to Marceline, Laclede, and Atlanta Missouri.  Part 4 takes me home to Pennsylvania.

PART 3 – IN THE LA PLATA AREA
   
On the afternoon of the second day in La Plata, the snow was cleared to the Chris Guenzler Millionth Mile Lookout Point.  Prior to that, I had been limited to taking photos of the Lookout from afar (meaning Owensby Street and the Train Party bulding).

0600 Lookout from La Plata Station MP 312.67
0601 Lookout (left) and Train Party (right)
0602 Lookout with Brown St & Rt 63 bridges beyond
0603

0604
0605
0606 Chris Guenzler Millionth Mile Lookout Point

Chris Guenzler Millionth Mile Lookout Point

    I also turned my attention to La Plata’s Amtrak Station sitting just off the Owensby Street crossing.  It had been well plowed of snow, providing easy access around the building.  Although the following photo was taken later in the week, I placed it here to draw attention to the structures on the left and behind the depot.

0607 La Plata MO Depot area

La Plata MO Depot area

This is one of those scenes that would drive me to wonder what was beyond the station – that is - if I had just passed through on the Southwest Chief, and didn’t know already.  I’m always attracted to “beyond the rail” possibilities.  So - for those folks who get scarcely a peek at that area in one of the Internet webcams or merely a frontal view in station photos – here’s an unglamorous but interesting 360 degree quickie tour around the depot.  We start directly across the snowy field in front of the station, on the corner of W. Benton and N. Church.

0608 Corner – W Benton & N Church
0609 Front of AMTRAK station
0610 Buildings to left of station

    A block to our right we meet Owensby Street, and then a left turn for another block takes us across the tracks to behind the depot.  Posted signs indentify those buildings as belonging to a company named Crop Production Services.  The farm equipment is a tipoff that CPS is involved in farming.  In fact, this is only one of numerous locations throughout the USA and Canada.  They provide farmers with precision strategies and products such as crop protection, fertilizer, and seed plus vegetation management and landscape products.

0611 Station off Owensby Xing
0612 Station from Owensby St
0613 Crop Prod Services
0614 Tractor & equipt

0615 CPS buildings
0616 Rear of AMTRAK station

CPS buildings

Rear of AMTRAK station

    Coming around the back of the station on the way out, I was barely able to capture a blur of motion as a high-speed freight was flying past.

0617 Union Pacific Locomotives
0618 Double stacks
0619 Crossbucks, gates & blinking lights

    La Plata has an abundance of railroad history dating back to 1867 when the Northern Missouri Railroad arrived.  It was followed twenty years later by the Atchison, Topeka & the Santa Fe when it connected Kansas City to Chicago.  La Plata itself dates to around 1827, eventually building a stage station, inn, blacksmith and even Pony Express service twenty miles south to the route following present day Route 36.  The ATSF ran its Super Chief “Train of the Stars” through La Plata with many famous people aboard such as Jimmy Cagney, Gary Cooper, Pearl Bailey, Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Liz Taylor, Martin & Lewis, Lucy & Desi, and Presidents Truman and Eisenhower to name a few.  Even the “Harvey Girl” herself, Judy Garland rode the Super Chief.

    Next morning at the front desk of the La Plata Inn, I met fellow guests Jerry and Kathy Staab.  I learned that, without transportation, they had trudged through the snow to the Lookout.  Now you have to understand that since I had arrived, temperatures had hovered between just below zero up to a balmy 28 with wind gusts blowing snow at 25 mph.  They explained that they had read about the Depot Inn and the Chris Guenzler Lookout on Trainweb.com.  With only a couple of days to spare for the trip, they were not about to let snow, bitter cold and winds keep them from train watching.  Immediately impressed, I invited the rugged pioneers to drive with me to La Plata station for the 9:57 AM arrival of the eastbound Southwest Chief.  We arrived in time to see the descendent of the Super Chief “chugging in” with two special cars on the rear end.

0650 eastbound SW Chief
0651 arriving Southwest Chief
0652 Bob Cox meets SW Chief
0653 Bob Cox & passengers

0654 Coach 0412
0655 Coach 0412 & crewman
0656 SW Chief crewman
0657 Passengers board SW Chief

0658 Bob Cox assists psgrs
0659 Passengers boarding
0660 Superliners 34055 & 34046
0663 Kathy & Jerry wave at webcam

0664 The Staabs & Bob Cox

The Staabs & Bob Cox

    The two large and shiny Federal Railroad Administration cars were impressive as they rolled past.
 
0665 DOTX 221 FRA car
0666 DOTX 221 Office of Safety
0667 DOTX 221 Office of Safety
0668 DOTX 220 FRA

0669 DOTX 220 Office of Safety
0670 DOTX 220
0671 DOTX 220 on rear
0672 DOTX 220 Rear of train

    Thoroughly enjoying the Southwest Chief experience, Jerry and Kathy were then taken on a tour of the depot’s interior by Station Caretaker Bob Cox.

0674 La Plata waiting room
0675 LAP Depot interior
0676 LAP Depot hallway
0677 LAP Depot front wall

0678 Kathy & Jerry & Bob Cox
0679 Bob Cox Station Caretaker
0680 LAP Station counter
0681 Old time model trains

0682 Misc model trains
0683 LAP models & RR rat
0684 LAP models & movies
0685 LAP model locomotives

    Without a motor vehicle, Kathy and Jerry had not seen La Plata.  Therefore I drove them around the town for a free “fifty-cent” tour.  Back at the Depot Inn, Jerry and Kathy retired to their room for a rest.  I decided to make my planned road trip to Marceline and Laclede, Missouri – two towns made famous as the boyhood homes of two famous men.  Although of slightly different times, it’s an amazing thing that men of such renown grew up in towns only 17 miles apart – Walt Disney in Marceline and General John J. “Blackjack” Pershing in Laclede.

    Taking Route 63 (Pearl Harbor Memorial Hwy) south for 19 miles to Macon, then west on Route 36 for 25 miles, I turned off for Marceline.

0700 West on Route 36
0701 This way to Marceline

West on Route 36

This way to Marceline

    It was only three miles south on MO-5 into Marceline.

0702 Marceline 3 miles
0703 Disney sign Marceline shops
0704 Rt 5 into Marceline
0705 Marceline water tower

0706 Entering Marceline

Entering Marceline

    In the park square was a steam locomotive and caboose.  The AT&SF 2546 is a Class 2535 2-8-0 built in 1911.  I believe it has been in Marceline since 1955.

0707 AT&SF 2546
0708 Loco in park
0709 ATSF Caboose

    Opposite the park was the Post Office with two plaques commemorating Walt Disney.

0710 PO Stamp plaque
0711 PO Stamp plaque
0712 US Post Office

    Driving by the old Santa Fe depot that houses the Disney museum, it was clear that this was not tourist season.  Several local facilities are named after Walt Disney who returned with family members several times.  Thanks to a town that is grateful to Walt, Marceline holds a ToonFest in September that attracts many gifted artists.

    Like La Plata, Marceline has railroad connections as well.  In fact, one of the legends of the origin of Marceline’s naming is an ATSF director’s wife’s name of Marcelina.  During the building of the Kansas City to Chicago line, the first town lot sold in 1888 was at the division point later called Marceline.  Walt Disney’s family moved to Marceline in 1906 when he was about five years old and stayed four years.  However, those short years spent in Marceline had a profound effect on Walt’s young mind.  When he built Main Street USA in his Disneyland and Disney World, it was based on his memories of the turn-of-the-20th-Century Main Street of Marceline.  Trains influenced the young Walt Disney when he watched them as a young boy.  Notice that one of the first things one sees upon entering Walt Disney’s Magic Kingdom is an early day train station and ride.
 
0713 Marceline Museum
0714 Walt Disney Museum
0715
0716 Museum at Crossing

0717 Museum from park
0718 Museum snow path
0719 Museum closed for winter
0720 Museum from bridge

    Once again on westbound Route 36, it was only another 17 miles to the turnoff for MO-5 north into Laclede.  Laclede was named after an old Missouri pioneer named Laclede Liqueste.  Nearby is 3500 acre Pershing State Park where prairies and wetlands can be enjoyed.  I’m a bit of a history nut and knew about General Pershing before setting out for this little town.  Laclede was the birthplace and boyhood home of future General John J. Pershing.  General Pershing is significant because he reached the very top of his profession in WWI, and holds the distinction of being the only person to be promoted in his own lifetime, to the highest rank in the United States Army – General of the Armies.  I believe that is equivalent to a five star general, although he only wore four stars.

0721 Laclede population 415
0722 Farm near Laclede
0723 Pershing Historic Site
0724 Laclede

    I expected to find just a cabin or home where he lived.  It was quite surprising to drive into a regular compound of buildings with a statue and wall of honor with the names of veterans at the front.

0725 Missouri State Historic Site
0726 Pershing compound
0727 Pershing buildings

    As I was stepping out of the vehicle, a man who appeared to be a park ranger approached.  I feared he was going to tell me that the Pershing home was closed due to the weather.  Instead, he greeted me warmly with an invitation into the Welcome Center.

0728 Pershing parking lot
0729 Pershing statue
0730 Pershing Welcome Center
 
    The friendly gentleman was Administrator Denzil Heaney of the Missouri Division of State Parks.  He talked with enthusiasm about this State Historic Site that had opened in 1957.  There is a short movie available to learn more of General Pershing.  We then walked next door to the boyhood home of John J. Pershing.

0731 Pershing Home front street
0732 Pershing Home side street
0733 Front walk into Pershing Home

    Mr. Heaney provided an interesting and thorough tour of the interior of the home.  Many original furnishings disappeared long ago, however, they’ve done a nice job obtaining numerous antique items as much as the budget allowed.  Notice in one of the below photos that historians are four layers deep on the wallpaper attempting to peel back to the original.

0734 Pershing parlor
0735 Organ
0736 home interior
0737 Bedroom stove

0739
0740
0741 Bedroom stove
0742
0743 Central stairway
0744 Dining room
0745 Dining room

0746 Demo boot remover
0747 Four layers wallpaper
0748 Stove & kindling
0749

0750
0751 Pie safe

Pie safe

    We walked down the front sidewalk to the Prairie Mound School where Pershing was a teacher as a young man.

0752 Front sidewalk
0753 Side of school
0754 Prairie Mound School
0755 Pathway to Pershing school

    The school, reassembled here from its nearby location, is now an excellent museum of Pershing memorabilia.

0756 Pershing Museum
0757 London sword
0758
0759

0760
0761
0762

    As a boy, he attended a school for students who were considered gifted.  Upon graduation, at about the age of eighteen, became a teacher of African American students.  That experience gave him special racial insights when he later commanded a unit of Buffalo Soldiers in the 10th Cavalry in 1895.  One of the 10th’s earlier duties had been to guard workers of the Kansas and Pacific Railroad in Indian Territory.  A railroad always slips in somewhere doesn’t it?  After his teaching stint, Pershing went to Kirksville normal school (now Truman State University just up the road from La Plata).  He then went on to graduate from West Point.

    Pershing took part in many historic events including fighting in American Indian campaigns as a cavalry officer, received the Silver Star fighting at San Juan Hill in the Spanish-American War, the Philippine-American Revolution, the search for Pancho Villa into Mexico after his attack on a New Mexico town, and of course WWI when he was promoted to full General commanding the American Expeditionary Forces.
I thanked Mr. Heaney for a wonderful tour.  At the end of the driveway, a right turn took my car past the Post Office and town park.

0763 Laclede Post Office
0764 Laclede town park
0765 Park memorial
0766 Memorial plaque

    As a side note on railroad connections - after WWI, America named many things in honor of General Pershing including parks, streets, an army tank and missile plus much more.  However, let me point to the CB&Q naming its ninth Zephyr passenger streamliner the General Pershing Zephyr.  Built in 1939, it differed from its predecessors in that it was not articulated (cars connected by couplers rather than shared trucks).  The last I read was that its locomotive, the #9908 Silver Charger, was at the Museum of Transportation in greater St. Louis.

    Coming out of Laclede, I stopped a short distance down Rt 5 to take photos of an old Burlington Northern overpass.

0767 Laclede Burlington Northern bridge
0768 Burlington Northern RR overpass
0769 BN bridge support
0770 Burlington Route

0771 BN support sign
0772 Burlington Northern sign

BN support sign

Burlington Northern sign

    Four sections, each weighing 97,000 pounds, were removed in 2008 to clear the center span of the overhead bridge.  I have no way of knowing if this was part of the original Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad line.  However, the line did run through many towns between Hannibal and St. Joseph, including Laclede.  The plans for that railroad were started in the Hannibal office of Mark Twain’s father before construction began in 1851.  Interestingly, the experiment for the first post-office-on-wheels cars were carried out between Hannibal and St. Joseph in 1862.  The CB&Q took early ownership, then the Burlington Northern and BNSF.

    Driving back to La Plata, the realization came that one could tour both Marceline and Laclede with time to drive to Hannibal, Missouri to experience Mark Twain sites.  If one were staying in La Plata, it is an easy hour and a half drive to Hannibal to spend the day or as part of other stops like the Heartland Ford Museum or Solid Rock Café in Newark, MO.

    Returning to the Depot Inn, the good news awaited that a path had been plowed to the Chris Guenzler Lookout.  A quick visit before evening was mandatory.  Prior to this, I had withstood the urge to drive out there for a good reason.  Having had experience driving in snow, I knew that just the ten inches of new snow was enough to get stuck.  Trying to turn a vehicle around at the Lookout would definitely mean trouble.

0800 Snowy path to Lookout
0801 Roadway to Lookout
0802 Burma Shave signs

    At the Lookout, a BNSF freight train emerged from under the Brown St. Bridge.  Notice the remains of the old Wabash Railroad bridge abutment across the tracks and the BNSF sign on the newer Lookout embankment. 
 
0803 BNSF 7632 (ES44DC)
0804 BNSF 7632 BNSF 4108 (Dash 9-44CW)
0805 Wabash bridge ruins
0806 BNSF Keep Off sign

0807 Doublestack at Lookout
0808 Train Party & Trailer cars
0809 Lookout Cameras

    It was time to head to the Red Rooster Restaurant for dinner and the Depot Inn for the evening.  I put the vehicle in reverse and backed all the way out the snowy Lookout roadway.  Resisting thoughts of turning the van around, I did this on every trip to the Lookout and thereby avoided the old stuck in the snow routine.  The Red Rooster can be seen to the right in the photo at the end of the pathway.

0810 Reversing out of Lookout pathway

Reversing out of Lookout pathway

    The next morning, my new friends Jerry and Kathy Staab were preparing to head home on the eastbound Southwest Chief.  I told Andrea at the front desk that I would drive them to the station.  When we arrived at the depot, Bob Cox said the train was running about an hour late.  The answer was “absolutely” when I asked the Staabs if they wanted to fill in the time with another trip to the Lookout.  Kathy was a little concerned about missing their train, but I assured her I would have them back in time.  In five minutes we all had our cameras out taking photos at the Lookout.

0832 Kathy & Jerry at Lookout
0833 Train Party from Lookout
0834 Westbound to Station
0835 Eastbound Freight arriving

0836 EB autoracks
0837 BNSF 4569 (Dash 9 44 CW)
0838 BNSF 4569 & KCS 4619 AC4400CW
0839 BNSF 4569 & autoracks

0840 Autoracks at Brown St.
0841 Lookout Cams & window reflections
0842 Doublestacks at Lookout
0843 Train Party & doublestacks
0844 LAP Station reflection
0845 Buggy on Brown St bridge
0846 Amish horse & buggy

    Checking the time from the cell phone in my pocket (pocket watches have come full circle – only with a screen instead of a watch face), it was indicating a return to the station.  With a few minutes before the arrival of the Southwest Chief, I had Jerry and Kathy pose for a photo.

0862 Jerry and Kathy Staab

Jerry and Kathy Staab

    Three minutes later, the Southwest Chief could be seen over Bob Cox’s shoulder.

0863 Bob Cox checks arrival time

Bob Cox checks arrival time

    A series of photos caught the Southwest Chief making its approach.  Kathy and Jerry waved to the engineer as it slowed into La Plata station.  All eastbound passengers boarded, including the Staabs, and the Southwest Chief was on its way toward Ft. Madison, Iowa.  I was sorry to see the Staabs leave for home, but knew my turn was coming the next morning.  How lucky, or smart, Bob Cox was to have moved and made his home in this wonderful community.  Of course none of us know the future, but here’s an “atta-boy” to Bob for a great move.

0864 Eastbound Southwest Chief
0865 Southwest Chief at La Plata
0866 Jerry & Kathy waving
0867

0868 Jerry & Kathy wave at engineer
0869 EB SW Chief arrives
0870
0871 Jerry & Kathy board car 0430

0872
0873 EB SWC Conductor

EB SWC Conductor

    Pulling my car out of the station fifteen minutes later, a double stack train led by a set of BNSF locomotives came thundering through.

0874 BNSF 4087 Dash 9-44CW
0875 BNSF 7569 ES44DC
0876 BNSF 7413 ES44DC
0877 BNSF 7339 ES44DC

    The magnetic pull of the Lookout exerted its influence upon me, and thus, another visit was in order before lunch.  It has come a long way from its original bandstand gazebo type structure to the enclosed, heated viewing platform it is today.

0900 Pathway to Lookout
0901 LO outhouses snowed-in
0902 Train Party reflections
0903 Looking westward

0904
0905 TrainParty bldg
0906 Lookout Cams
0907 BNSF 4727 (Dash 9 44CW)

0908 Doublestack at Lookout
0909 BNSF 4727 & 962 (Dash 9 44CW)
0910 BNSF 4006 & 5082 (Dash 9 44CWs)

    Someone at the Depot Inn had mentioned a great place for lunch about ten minutes down Route 63, in Atlanta, MO.  It is called the Olde Atlanta Locker Restaurant.  I believe it was formerly a meat locker, and thus the name.  As I drove up I noticed several trucks parked in front and that is always a good sign of great food.  Inside, tables were filled with locals – another good sign.  I ordered the Main Street burger (1/4 lb of Macon County Black Angus beef).  No way could I contemplate the 1/3 lb Atlanta Burger or the belt busting ½ pound Locker Burger with bacon – yikes!  The food was wonderful with the service prompt and friendly.  This restaurant receives a high recommendation if you are in the area.  They have breakfast and dinner menu items as well.

0913 Rt 63 to Atlanta MO
0914 Population 450
0915 Atlanta – City Hall
0916 First Baptist Church

0917 Atlanta Locker Restaurant
0918 Atterberry Park
0919 Wabash 1908
0920 Old Atlanta Photos
0921 Atlanta Locker interior
0922 Salad bar buffet
0923 Locker interior
0924 Olde Atlanta Locker Restaurant
    A call on my cell phone from Bob Cox tipped me to a draft of SD 40 locomotives passing Marceline and headed our way.  I didn’t want to miss the locomotives as they charged past La Plata.  Therefore, after a hurriedly eaten lunch, I raced back up Rt 63 without exceeding the speed limit – admittedly not by much.  The locomotives would be traveling eastbound past La Plata Amtrak Station, the Train Party building, Chris Guenzler’s Lookout, under the Brown St and Rte 63 overpasses, then by Santa Fe Lake.  Thinking it may take too long to the Lookout, I decided to go to Santa Fe Lake.  Turning opposite the Depot Inn and down Lantern Street, it was a relief to see the crossing gates still in the up position at Santa Fe Lake.  Snow was in abundant supply; however, the roads had been expertly plowed.  Once again, my snow driving experience served me well when I noticed that the Santa Fe Lake parking lot had not been plowed.  However, a four wheel drive vehicle had circled it leaving a trail.  It would be safe as long as my vehicle continued moving in its tracks until back on the downward sloping driveway.  The gravity would then keep the car moving when starting out again, rather than slipping on level ground.

0934 Santa Fe Lake crossing
0935 County Road
0936 Parked safely on down-sloping driveway

Santa Fe Lake crossing

County Road

Parked safely on down-sloping driveway

    While circling Santa Fe Lake’s parking lot back to the driveway, two signs produced a chuckle since they were surrounded by ice and snow.

0937 Swim at your own risk
0938 No lifeguard today

Swim at your own risk

No lifeguard today

    Santa Fe Lake had been built by the railroad of the same name in 1907, probably to water those wonderful old steam belchers.  Starting some time in the 1920s to the present, the public uses it for swimming, picnicking, and fishing.

    It was only five minutes until the locomotives came into view.  Led by BNSF 4469, the freight was suddenly roaring into the crossing with Dash 9s and SD40s.  Then as fast as the freight had arrived it was gone, with the crossing gates returning to the up position.

0939 County Rd 298 Mile Post 311.66
0940 Coming around the curve
0941 Leading loco BNSF 4469
0942 BNSF 4469 (Dash 9-44CW)

0943 BNSF 5206 (Dash 9-44CW)
0944 Locos at Santa Fe Lake
0945 BNSF 6616 (ES44C4) & FURX 8108 (SD40-2)
0946 FURX 8108 & 7274 (SD40-2)
0947 FURX 7274 (SD40-2)
0948 FURX 8100 & 7270 (SD40-2)
0949 FURX 7270 & 7934 (SD40-2)
0950 FURX 7934 & FURX 7256 (SD40-2)

0951 FURX 7247 (SD40-2)
0952 FURX 7247 & 7219 & 7227 (SD40-2)
0953 FURX 7270 & 7934 & 7256 (SD40-2)
0954 SD40-2s at Santa Fe Lake

0955 Locos on the crossing
0956 FURX 7227 (SD40-2)
0957 Covered Hoppers
0958 Train gone - gates going up

    Returning to my room at the Depot Inn, it was suitcase packing time for returning home.  Sadly, the next morning meant departure on the Southwest Chief.  I loved riding the train, but I hated leaving La Plata.  I washed my used clothes in the Depot Inn laundry room.  Everyone knows clean clothes take up less suitcase space than dirty, right?  As dusk was closing in, one more trip to the Lookout for the night became a necessity.  Arriving there about six o’clock, the rewards were three freight trains.

1040 Chris Guenzler Lookout
1041 Lookout interior
1042 Area under surveillance
1043 Lookout cameras

1044 TrainParty & Station at dusk
1045 BNSF 7322 (ES44DC)
1046

1047 Doublestack at Lookout

1048 Autoracks at Lookout
1049 Autoracks
1050 Autorack reflections
1051 Another autorack coming

1052 Autorack at dusk

Autorack at dusk

    After leaving the Lookout roadway and driving past the Red Rooster Restaurant, I found myself turning right instead of left for the Depot Inn.  Hey, one more spin around town for the night.  I’m happy I did so because I caught another train at the station on the way back.  Slowly crossing the Brown Street bridge, I snapped a photo of the Lookout at dusk.

1053 Chris Guenzler Lookout at dusk

Chris Guenzler Lookout at dusk

    After driving around town just a bit, I turned on Owensby Street to take another trip past La Plata Station.

1054 Owensby St to railroad
1055 Crossing on Owensby

Owensby St to railroad

Crossing on Owensby

    The lights were flashing and the gates were coming down.  While waiting for the train, I captured a few photos of the locomotives and station building before returning to the hotel for the night.

1056 Station & CPS bldgs
1057 BNSF 5143 in setting sun
1058 BNSF 5143 (Dash9 44CW)
1059 BNSF 5143 (Dash9 44CW) & BNSF 7483 (ES44DC)
1060 La Plata AMTRAK station

La Plata AMTRAK station

    Up early the next morning, I wanted to fit in just one more trip to the Lookout before my homeward train.  Although difficult to see in the photos, the early morning light gleamed off the snow covered trees and thickets like sunbeams on diamonds.

1150 Morning sun on snow
1151 Sunlit trees
1152 Pathway to the Lookout

    Arrival at the Lookout was just in time to catch a passing Intermodal train.  Notice the critter tracks in the snow.  One set might be rabbit and the other something smaller.

1153 Intermodal and tracks
1154 Intermodal and critters
1155 Intermodal at Lookout

    Westward photos provided a closer view of the Train Party building and the tall tower seen in the Lookout webcams.  A car was passing Owensby Street crossing at the station.

1156 Train Party & Tower
1157 Passing Car at depot

Train Party & Tower

Passing Car at depot

    Before leaving, I went inside the Lookout building for a few more photos.  You can see the signature of the Million Mile man himself, Chris Guenzler.  Also, my 2008 signature with wife plus rail fan friends Carl Morrison and Tony Escarcega on either side - now that’s good company!  Someone wrote that the Depot Inn and Suites is a great place to stay and I certainly agree with that.  The heater makes the Lookout a year round train watching site.  Notice the ATCS monitor which stands for Advanced Train Control System.  It allows the monitoring of train traffic so that one will know a train is approaching and be ready with the camera.  To prevent vandalism, the whole area is monitored by cameras.

1158 ATCS Monitor
1159 ATCS instructions
1160 Chris Guenzler autograph
1161 Depot Inn “great place to stay”

1162 Carl Morrison, Dutch Myers & Tony Escarcega
1163 Lookout heater

    Leaving the Lookout, I returned to the Depot Inn for a ride to the station.  Once there, I talked with Bob Cox while waiting for the eastbound Southwest Chief.  We heard the diesel horn just before it was curving the track west of Amtrak station.  Bob and I shook hands and I thanked him for his kindly help during my stay.  One more photo of the train and I had to climb aboard.

1195 La Plata Station
1196 Eastbound view
1197 Southwest Chief coming
1198 Eastbound SW Chief

1199 SW Chief at La Plata
1200 Bob Cox & SW Chief
1201 Engine 117
1202 AMTK 161

1203 Transition Sleeper 39043

Transition Sleeper 39043

    As the Southwest Chief pulled out of La Plata and under the Brown Street bridge, I thought of a couple of photographs taken the evening before.  Indeed, scenes of my favorite place in La Plata along with the Depot Inn, Amtrak Station and the Train Party building – the Chris Guenzler Lookout Point.  It is a most wondrous place for any rail fan.

1204 The Lookout at dusk
1205 Chris Guenzler Lookout

The Lookout at dusk

Chris Guenzler Lookout

TRAVELOGUE – PENNSYLVANIA TO LA PLATA, MO AND RETURN

Report and Photos By Ben "Dutch" Myers

[ Part I |  Extra Photos for Part I | Part 2 | Extra Photos for Part 2 |  ]

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