The Blue Parrot

You don’t look a day over 50.

Sat, 7 Nov 2009 07:35:10 -0800

Last weekend saw a couple of birthdays of note.

The Western Pacific turned 100 with the anniversary of the last spike completing the railroad between Oakland and Salt Lake City. Today, it is part of the Union Pacific.

The other birthday of note was the famed “California Zephyr”, which made it’s first trips between Oakland and Chicago in November of 1949.

Some folks got together and ran an excursion train last weekend from Oakland to Portola to commemorate both of these events. See a few images here.

Todays vintage advertisement reaches back to those days of the Zephyr when the WP ramped up the promotional hoopla with great advertisements like the faux circus showbill seen above.

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My new real world role will be ramping up this week. That doesn’t mean that I won’t have new content here. It just won’t be on a regular schedule. Thanks for stopping by and hope to be back on track soon.

Steve Boyett, author again

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 04:54:16 -0800

Think of today as the warm-up before the pitch.

Especially if you aren’t a Yankees fan.

Tomorrow, a new book review.

Today? Read on...

Note: This column first appeared on The Blue Parrot on Tuesday, August 25th, 2009.

Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to know and become friends with some folks for whom stories are a part of life. These are people for whom this passion finds expression in many interesting ways.

Out of all of those, only one stands up when it comes to being a published novel author. That’s the man seen above. One Steven R. Boyett.

Steve’s a good friend and he can spin a yarn with the best of them. Even convinced me to become a minister online (and all legal) so that I could perform his wedding on the train. That’s a story for another day, great party that it was...

His first book was the story of a boy and his unicorn, entitled “Ariel”. Set in a world where the Change made magic come to life, it was first published by Ace in 1983. Maybe it was a little too off the beaten path for the Star Wars/Star Trek crowd that was buying books back then. Count me among those, because I didn’t discover it until sometime after I got to know Steve. Even picked up my paperback copy at a used book store.

In that I shared an interest in some of the same post apocalyptic books that he also had read growing up (On The Beach and Alas Babylon to be precise), I was glad to find “Ariel” an enjoyable read. Even more so, when I saw that it was to see print again this summer. Picked up my copy over the weekend, again published by Ace and enjoyed reading it. Not being one to give away plot lines, I won’t spill the details of the story. But I will say that it mixes well the reality of life five years after the Change with the fantasy of the world of magic.

Come October, the sequel to “Ariel” will hit the shelves. “Elegy Beach” changes locations to California and the west coast, where the original story had been set on the east coast. And just to tease, Steve included a few pages from the new story in this new edition of “Ariel”. Having enjoyed other stories from Steve, I’m looking forward to good things from this new volume.

Around the web sites and in the forward and afterword of the new edition, you’ll learn a bit more about him and how he got where he is today, back as a writer.

Speaking of good things, Steve also has one of the top rated podcasts on iTunes. His Podrunner and Groovelectric mixes are some fun music, especially when on needs to get up and moving. Just the thing for that workout or even a trip along the I-5 between the Grapevine and the Bay Area. You can check out the djsteve web pages for more on those mixes.

Call it a mulligan if you will (that is the reprinting of “Ariel”), but I’m glad to see Steve picking up the telling of tales again. There’s a lot of imagination left waiting to be explored and he’s just one of the guys to do it.

Photo at the top today by Ken Mitchroney.

Meanwhile, back in the real world...

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 13:45:10 -0800

It has been an interesting few weeks for me in more ways than I care to think about.

Heck! A busy couple of months, while we are at it.

Lots going on, a private railcar trip, the opening of the Walt Disney Family Museum and then big changes on the job that keeps the Colton mansion in kibble.

So... when a chance came up last Friday to just get out of the house and away from it all for a few hours, who am I to argue?

Livermore is in what some folks refer to as the Tri-Valley area of the East Bay. And even though it now only has one railroad instead of two, there is plenty going on at all hours of the day and night. Even in the light economic times we are going through, plenty of people and freight still move by rail through our little town of 70,000 or so.

(If trains aren’t your thing, you can be forgiven for making it this far into today’s effort. Check back later in the week for thoughts on a new book by a good friend!)

On with today’s show, er story.

It was Friday, October 30th. A warm fall day in the Tri-Valley.

My partners and I were out for the day watch.

Okay, so this isn't an episode of Dragnet.

What is was, however, was a nice day with a good mix of trains.

Starting off the day was the usual parade of westbound Altamont Commuter Express trains 1, 3 and 5. Heard them arrive and depart the Livermore station from home.

Out the door with one conspirator at 0800 and headed to the Greenville bridge for the first catch of the day - the miniature California Zephyr. (This weekend was the 100th anniversary of the Western Pacific Railroad’s completion as well as the 60th for the Zephyr.)

I've had luck catching a few special trains here before and today may have been the best light of all. Met the other member of our party here.

Coming and going -

Today also marked the last day of operation for the Altamont Commuter Express mid-day trains #2 and #7. Victims of the economy, they rarely carried even 50 passengers each way. These trains started thanks to funding during a highway upgrade project, the idea being to take people off the highway. The project is done, the bucks be gone. When things pick up, they may return as additional rush-hour trains.

It was a fair wait for #7 but it finally arrived from Stockton on its way to San Jose.

The former Western Pacific line through the Tri-Valley sees freight traffic as well and this Friday was no exception.

After a break for some essentials at a nearby mini-mart, we headed east, only to be surprised by this stack train heading west through Altamont.

Deciding where to head next, we followed the posted speeds and arrived in Pleasanton at the Castlewood Country Club for photos and amusements from the various golfers.

A lovely tool the radio... tuned into railroad operating frequencies, all kinds of things can be ascertained.

The Dispatcher shared plans and we had a leisurely drive to East Pleasanton to catch the Shuttle (a train that makes a regular round trip from an inland intermodal freight facility to the Port of Oakland and back again) returning to Lathrop with the usual empties.

Plenty of time for the final ACE #2 and we caught it near the east end of the Livermore siding. So much for mitigation funding...

A fine hearty lunch of Mexican food at Casa Orozco in Livermore and back out for a listen to the radio as the Dispatcher is giving out track and time to maintainers. The bonus?

Both the MSJRV - Manifest train to San Jose from Roseville (seen east of the new Greenville Road overpass in LIvermore) and MRVSJ - Manifest train to Roseville from San Jose (seen at the east end of Altamont).

Seven trains in one morning and afternoon and only one heart stopping moment that had absolutely nothing to do with trains. A minor highway traffic surprise we all laughed over later.

Yes, just another Friday in the Tri-Valley...

Ghost Number 1000

Mon, 2 Nov 2009 09:58:45 -0800

What we have here...

is one of my most treasured Disneyland souvenirs.

A plaster Haunted Mansion tombstone. Purchased at Merlins Magic Shop in Fantasyland. Back in the day.

It is personalized, okay, with rub-on lettering. And over the years it has seen a few bumps and dings. But what tombstone hasn’t?

Out of all the items that have been offered for the various Haunted Mansion events in the years since, I have always wondered why an updated version of these has not been among the merchandise selections. Using today’s cold cast resin and a small CNC mill, personalizing them couldn’t be easier!

Some great memories from the days when this was available for guest to take home in several different varieties.

Oh, for the days of more area and attraction specific merchandise at Disneyland...

1708 Square miles of scenic beauty

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 09:02:57 -0700

It seems that advertisers have always looked for the grand and glorious to tempt us.

And todays effort from the Union Pacific is no different.

The American West has been attracting people to see all of the wonders it has to offer almost as long as tourism has been fashionable. Even during the latter years of the California Gold Rush, the well to do ventured off to San Francisco to see the sights that lay in the Golden West.

The Union Pacific found a market in folks from the east looking to make the trip rather early on. I have seen some advertisements from those years after the Golden Spike was driven to complete the transcontinental railroad. They extolled the virtues of the trip much as the one above. But with the fleet of Streamliners and Challengers, the Union Pacific was doing it’s best to get folks to come to Utah and Northern Arizona in the years after World War II.

A fine series of images and a great color palate capture the essence of the National Parks one could visit. Yes, sir! Be specific, say “Union Pacific”.

Back next week with more tales to share!

Playful Spooks.

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:35:41 -0700

“Playful spooks have interrupted our tour...

please remain seated in your Dooooom Buggies.”

The words of X. Atencio from the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland. To be precise, the breakdown spiel most often heard when the Doom Buggies come to a halt to load or unload a handicapped guest.

Appropriate to the season as is the photo seen above.

Apologies, however. I’ve been afflicted by my own “playful spooks” as some changes underway to my offline world. With luck, I’ll be back to posting on a regular basis soon.

Hopefully, that will also include a trip to Anaheim some time soon, too!

Operation Lifesaver

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 06:01:45 -0700

It is fact. An avoidable one.

Too many people die from simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

And no where is this more true than on the railroad. Sadly, too many people are killed each year from trespassing on railroad tracks.

In an effort to educate people, the railroad industry took up the task of a public safety campaign. In 1972, the state of Idaho and the Union Pacific Railroad started a six-week effort to let people know the dangers involved. In the years since that effort has spread to ever state - including Hawaii. (Yes, Hawaii still has railroads with public grade crossings.)

The truth of the matter is that the train just can not stop like an automobile. At speed, it can take a train well over a quarter of a mile to come to a full stop. And unlike an automobile, the train can not turn to avoid anyone or anything. Even with a full emergency application of the train brakes, it takes a while to stop. And far too often, that time just is not long enough to save anyone in the path of the train.

Even if the tracks are empty, a train can be there at anytime. And it can be there without warning. You would be amazed how quiet the railroad can be right up to the moment a train passes by.

I have many friends who have made railroading their career. At some point, it is all too likely that they will be on a train that hits a vehicle or pedestrian. And the odds are far too high that the people who are in the wrong place at the wrong time will be killed.

It is avoidable. Simple. Just do not be in a situation where you should not be. The railroads have a basic rule - Safety First.

Amazingly enough, some people just do not get this as a concept. Take for example this pair of San Diego photographers. Check the middle of the blog entry.

I am amazed at how irresponsible professional people can be. Placing this infant in the middle of these tracks - the main line between Los Angeles and San Diego, near the old Del Mar racetrack railroad station - where trains pass at high speeds is just appalling. I do not care how cute this image may seem. It is just wrong. And I am certain that their liability insurance company would agree.

This video of a freight train taken near the old Del Mar station gives you an idea of just how fast and how quiet a train can be at this location.

I hope you will pardon this soapbox moment today. A trespasser strike is something no one should ever have to see. Ever.

The message? Just be safe. Don’t be where you don’t belong.