New England Fall Foliage Tour!

Day 1

Got off to a slow start on the trip as far as picture go, as you shall see here, don't worry the number of picture will pick up and some Photo Shop will be used!

BE SURE TO DOUBLE CLICK ON THE PICTURES TO MAKE THEM BIGGER!

We drove in and after surviving several work zones and detours, we ARRIVED at the Union Station Parking garage, right across the street from Union Station.

Due to the time of day we managed to park a short distance from 

the front of the garage on street level

Remember Level 1 Section E!

                                                                                 Photo From Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository

We made it to Union Station

                                                                                                     Photo by Scott Hurd

We were met by America by Rail, Frank at Union Station.

                                                      Photo by Portland Tribune

We made it to Union Station And we met our Tour Director, Scott Hurd,

the picture above is from Scott's Amtrak days.

Photo by Scott Hurd

Our Amtrak Train, Board the train for an overnight trip to Albany, NY.

End Day 1


Day 2 October 2 

After a long night trying to sleep, we stopped in Syracuse, New York to pick up passengers and fresh air for us non smokers and a smoke break for those that smoke.

 3 hours later we arrived in Albany, NY. 

And were met by Paul Morrison, our driver of our home on the road. 

He drove us every where and on this day to Rutland, VT.

End day 2.

DAY 3  October 3

We head out for our first stop at the New England Maple Museum in Pittsford, VT.

Front Entrance welcoming us in.

Sample Time!

Judy Posing with their large Maple Jug.

Then it was off to the Vermont Marble Museum.

Inside was a display of an office of the 1920's office. 

Side note, I am restoring this very desk

Vintage photo down inside a marble mine. Note the shaft of light from the surface above.

Another vintage photo of unloading a train load of marble from the mine.

A reproduction of The Last Supper in marble. 

Carved by F. Tonelli for the Vermont Marble Co. 

We then headed to Hildene, Robert Todd Lincoln's home.

Upon arrival we had lunch, then started out exploring the area!

Our First Stop was at The Pullman Palace Car "Sunshine." 

Evidentially, Abe's son didn't mind making Millions for the Pullman Stock Holders off the Negros his father freed! The Old Man tipping the Porter is saying

"All right,... here you are Sam, 

what becomes of all the money ? You Porter ought to get rich!" As the man tips him he passes a portion on to the Pullman company.

The view out the Vestibule.

Sleeping Car accommodations, 

Judy wants to ride this car home.

This was the accommodations for the staff

And this was the Parlor in the Private car, "Sunshine."

 Meant for Railroad executives.

Soon we came to the Goat Barn.

This is where the Goat Cheese in the Gift Shop comes from.

This goat was interested in what Judy had in her purse!

Inside the Goat Barn.

From here we got lucky and caught a ride to the main house.

Pretty nice Cottage Robert Todd Lincoln had .

If you look close you will see the outline that represents

 the Cabin Abraham Lincoln was born in. His son did well to go from this,

in one generation to this mansion!

 The Main Staircase.

More interior Shots to come later.

 They even had their own Observatory.

Robert and Nancy Perry taking a break after a visit to Hildene.


End Day 3 

Day 4 - October 4th

Then we headed to the Vermont Country Store in Weston, VT, 

the store that has everything, especially from your childhood.

                 This 1953 Chevy makes a nice store display.

Entrance to the store.  

They certainly put on a beautiful seasonal display!

Tree in parking lot had beautiful color, see our tour bus in the back ground?

On our way to the next stop, we came upon the Lincoln Bridge, 

West Woodstock, Vermont.

Have you ever seen a more excited group wanting to get to the next stop?

Next stop Town Square.

And across the street was......

               ....The Middle Bridge, this shot is from the south away from the square.

Some of us ate Lunch at the White Cottage, 

others ate next door at the Woodstock Farmers Market

After lunch we relaxed by the Ottauquechee River' which ran behind both places.

Then we were off to the Billings Farm.

 Managers Office

I took many indoor shots also, if anyone is interested, let me know 

and I can do a BLOG of just the interiors.

Contact me at jjbuzard@yahoo.com

                                                 Fall color at Billings farm.

After a visit that ended too soon at the Billings Farm we headed to

Meredith, VT for a quick stop at the Queechee Gorge.

Queechee Gorge looking North from the bridge.

Queechee Gorge looking South from the bridge.

Our bus Driver Paul Morrison taking our group picture.

                                                                                                              Scott Hurd Photo taken by Paul Morrison 

Our group picture Paul took, while Paul was shooting us I took his picture above!

I thought Paul was waving me to hurry up, actually he was signaling double thumbs because I wasn't the last one to get back to the bus!

                                                                                                                                                  Scott Hurd Photo

Our Conductor on the Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad, 

on which we had our Full course Turkey Dinner!

MMM Good Turkey, carved at our table!

They were fast, his hands are a blur!!

Soon they had served the entire car.

Satisfied Diners.

 More Satisfied Diners.

Too soon it was time to end the train ride, our last view from the train

 and head back to our hotel

End Day 4

DAY 5  October 5

Today we went to North Conway, NH to catch the Conway Scenic Railroad 

for a 4 1/2 hr round trip up the Notch.

We arrived early so we had time to explore.

This is the Station, rather quaint.

Behind the station I found an operating Round House, used by the Conway Scenic  RR 

for train maintenance and turning Engines around.

Sitting nearby I saw this Alcoa (builder) 2-8-0 (wheel arrangement) engine, built in 1910.

Originally built for the Maine Central Railroad, this engine was the last steam engine to operate on the Mountain Division in 1953; this was the final run for 501,

There has been no official announcement from the Conway Scenic, but 470 RR 

members are confirming the green light for a full restoration to operation. 

Restoration will begin once space is freed up in the round house. 

The loose date for the 501's return to service is 20022/2023.

Photo by Scott Hurd

Before boarding we had our group photo taken,

again an excellent shot Scott.

We boarded the train and took our seats in the observation car 

for the first leg of the trip.

On our way Bob Perry checked out the view 

from the open Observation Car.

Frankenstein Trestle.

 One of the many trestles  we cross

photo by RailPictures.net

Our Locomotive today is the 4266, seen here on the Frankenstein Trestle.

A little info on this engine: built by EMD (1500 horsepower- 1,100 kW) Diesel-Electric locomotive produced between February 1949 and December 1953 by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors (EMD) in 1949, it is about as old as some of us on this train.

It is a F7A (type). An ex-Boston& Maine unit leased from the 470 Railroad Club of Portland Maine.

This locomotive pulled the last Ambassador Train on September 3, 1963, and was also the last "F" Unit to operate on the Boston & Maine Railroad, having been retired in 1976. After returning to service in the late 1980's 4266 was used by the Conway Scenic Railroad to run the first train to Bartlett, NH on December 17, 1994.

Double click the picture to see our Observation car.

Off Center to the left.

Looking back on Frankenstein Trestle

Observation Car view.

Crawford Station, end of the line and our Lunch stop.

Lake Saco across the road from the station.

Mount Washington Hotel, near the Cog Railroad.

We will be back up here tomorrow on our way to the Cog Railroad.

One of the many trails that cross the track on our journey.

Did any body catch the name of this double gorge, water falls?

Judy looking back on our trip. 

It was a great day. 

To soon we will be back to North Conway!

End Day 5

DAY 6  October 6

Today we head for Bretton Woods, NH and our ride on the Cog Railway.

On our way we passed some beautiful scenery.

This small falls was another beautiful sight.

This engine is known as Col. Teague, #10, built in 1972, it has the cab

tilted on the same plane as the boiler.

Converted to burn oil for a short time and converted back to coal.

Now sits at the intersection of U.S. Route 302 and Base Station Road,

bearing its original name as a sign for the entrance to the Railway

At the station there is a collection of Steam engines on display.

Near by is a rock with the base elevation of 2700 feet 

above sea level.

At the peak the elevation is 6288 feet 

above sea level.

Our first view of the Cog Railway.

 This Engine and car is just returning from the top, once unloaded, 

we will get on board for our ride up to the top!

This is our engine for our ride up. It is engine M2, it is named 
"Algonquin" it was built in 2009, it is the second Diesel-hydraulic 
locomotive built here at the Cog Railway, it is powered by
 (B20) Bio-diesel 

Close up of the diesel engine.

All a Board!  We had our picture taken before we got on our train to the top.

All a Board! Heather is looking for a good seat.

Remember the Moose?

The first switch before the Water Tower. Remembers its name? 

Waumbek Water Tower Kept full by Spring water up the Mountain.

Steam Locomotives used a ton of coal 

plus a thousand gallons of water on the ascent.

Today the Biodiesel trains burn only 16-18 gallons on fuel per round trip.

The long siding between the 2 switches.

Waiting our turn at the second switch. See 3 trains coming down, 

remember to double click to enlarge the pictures!

This engine is #1 the first Bio-Diesel it is named Wajo Nanatassis

Just passed thru the switch on the way down

Jacobs Ladder Trestle.

Half a stereoscopic view card produced by the Kilburn Bros, between 1870 and 1880. This is Jacobs ladder, the locomotive is probably #1 Old Peppersass on its way up,

I say this because it's tender is full of wood.

Tracks to the moon!

Approaching the top, this is the Sherman Adams Summit Building.

View from the top, Too bad the clouds rolled in before we got there.

As the sign says it is Tip Top House. The oldest Mountain Top Hostile in the world, 

used by hikers to rest out of the wind.

Judy standing by the Summit Stage Office, next to the Wicked Witches legs.

Easier to read.

People lined up to have their picture taken in front of the Cairn 

marking the top of the summit.

The locomotive that took us down,

M-4, "Agiocochook", built in 2010, the fourth diesel-hydraulic locomotive built.

Powered by Bio-diesel, (B20)

The train we took down arriving at the summit.

Panoramic view at the top.

Almost time to board our train down.

Scott Hurd Photo

Car load of Happy Riders on the way down, except one in the back

Doing "Nah Na Nana Nana"

Hikers nearing the top, stop to take a picture of our train.

Looking North at Mt. Clay, Mt. Jefferson and Mt.Adams.

Last look at the top, upper right is the Summit building.

Looking down to the Base Station, Double Click on the picture to see 
 3 Trains besides ours.

Looking back at the Halfway House and a good look at the cog section.

Nearing the base and a last look at Mt. Washington.

Remember the Moose?

Checking out the color at the Base Station Parking Lot 

while waiting to get on the bus, after a long enjoyable day.

Arriving at our home for the next 2 nights. Stowe Mountain Lodge.

Where our dinner was served in style.

End Day 6

DAY 7  October 7

After a great Breakfast here at the lodge we were getting ready 

to board our Motor Coach for another event full day.

Our First stop was Green Mountain Coffee's Visitor Center

in an Amtrak Station.

The two small signs on the Depot, show the water lever 

of the Flood of 1927 and hurricane Irene in 2011.

Double click the picture to enlarge it.

In the Cafe they were ready to serve you your favorite cup of coffee.

Then it was back on the bus for our next stop......

The Vermont Teddy Bear Factory

Judy and I posed at their sign out front and....

And posed with a big bear in the gift shop.

And we took a tour and learned how Vermont Teddies are made. 

At the end of the tour we saw the Teddy Bear Hospital where if 

anything happens to your Bear, where it is sent to recover 

and special Nurses are there to nurse them back to their old self.

Then it was off to a special museum........

When Mrs. Webb founded Shelburne Museum in 1947, it was at first

a place to preserve her family's collection of horse drawn carriages. Before long,

she realized that she had a rare opportunity to create what she described as a 

"collection of collections and "an educational project, varied and alive."

We headed into the museum and stopped first at the Settlers house and  barn

Inside the House we saw the kitchen, nice for the time period.

On one side of the barn was a work shop.

And the other side was a loft for storage of hay for feed and straw for bedding.

Also a stall for the horse  and a spot to keep the fire wood dry.

To the right of the cabin was a saw mill, this saw mill was unusual in the fact that it used a 
mill driven Sash Saw, like a window sash, the saw sash held the straight blade in a frame like a sash, the blade moved up and down to cut boards.

The saw mill also had a Horizontal Planer, made it easier to mill boards flat, leaving a circular pattern from the spinning horizontal planer blades as they were 
moved past the head.

Next we came to the Dorset House, with many collectibles.

One of the items was this brass  horse drawn Fire wagon, 
it is actually a Weather vane, Probably for a Fire Station.

Next door was this Covered Bridge.

This covered bridge, built in 1845, was brought here from Cambridge, Vermont.

Like many covered bridges across the country have a sign 

about stock across the bridge too fast.

 "And They Mean It!"

Near by there was a collection of buildings with many items on display.

One of the first items that caught my eye was this sampler 

and its message buy 9 year old Mary Ann De Carle.

She cross stitched this in 1794.

There were dozens of quilt on display, some dating back to the 1700's.

There were Dioramas showing life in the 1700's

The wealthy shopped in stores like this.

More of the common person street scene,

And the local Tavern where the ordinary people and Wealthy 

Shared a brew or 2. The one common ground.

The dapper young Suitor getting ready to call on the young Lady?

Next stop was the Blacksmith Shop.
The forge was hot

Off to the side was a collection of items relating to the Wheelwright part of the shop.

*Then we came to the Side Wheeler Ticonderoga,
The story goes that Electra Havermeyer Webb bought the Ticonderoga for 
$50,000 and it cost her over a Million to move it to the museum and restore it in 1955.

The story goes on that she finally needed to tell "Pa" her husband about it,
Before it arrived. So over breakfast one morning, as "Pa" sat reading his paper,
"I bought the Ticonderoga for $50,000 and it will be brought here for display."
Without looking up from his paper he replied, 

"Well that's not the craziest thing you ever bought."* 

The Grand Staircase

Carvings on the staircase, all over the ship were intricate carvings.

The dining deck on the main Deck Level.

The Salon Deck, for sitting and enjoying the trip.

The top  fore deck and the Wheelhouse.

Inside the Wheelhouse. Throughout the entire ship, the woodwork was fantastic.

Across the way, was the lighthouse. Fitting location.

The Round Barn, where there is quite a collection of Horse Powered Vehicles.

This sleigh was one of the Webb Family's favorites and often used for

winter outings, manufactured in New York. The body of the six-seat caleche sleigh with its vis-a-vis seats is like a James Goold swell-bodied Albany sleigh, this one has the finials end in eagle heads. This sleigh is an early example of aerodynamic design before it became a science.

This is a cutter, a small-horse drawn Sleigh by B. Ledoux of Montreal, 
dating back to ca. 1885.

1890 Cesare Caleche by Million & Gauier, Paris France, with Leather Suspension, 

the Limousine of its time.

You wanted to be seen when out in public in this carriage.

*This hearse by A. Tolman & Co. of Worcester, Massachusetts

could be fitted with either wheels or sleigh runners for operating in snow. 

It is dated ca. 1865.*

The engine, built in 1915, was the last coal-burning steam ten wheeler

used on the Central Vermont Railway. The inscription "28%" on the coal tender indicates that the engine could drag 28,000 pounds of dead weight. 

No, 220 became known as the locomotive of the Presidents because 

it pulled special trains carrying Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover, 

Franklin Roosevelt and Dwight Eisenhower. it was retired from service 

in 1956 and given to the museum for preservation. 

Hall way in the Palace car.

Private Dining area.

State Room

a The private railroad car "Grand Isle"  was built around 1890 and presented to Vermont's Governor. The museum purchased it in 1960. Visitors can tour the luxury car's mahogany-paneled parlor, dining room and staterooms and gain a sense of the high style in which Americas wealthiest citizens traveled.

Seaborne Railroad Station.

Ticket Booth.

Leaving thew Railroad Exhibit we came upon the Merry Go Round.

Behind and around the Merry Go Round is the Circus Building, 

a Horse Shoe shaped Building that contains circus memorabilia. 

Particular  the ........

Above are two examples of his Circus Wagons.

The 2 Hemispheres Wagon, pulled by 80 Horses.

Also on display were Merry Go Round Horses, 

highly detailed carvings. 

And time to head back to our home for the night at the Stowe Mountain Lodge.

End Day 7

DAY 8  October 8

Our last morning at the Stowe Mountain Lodge.

View out our window ,  the roof for the gondola that you can take to the 

top of the mountain or after you hike to the top, ride it down!

Our Chariot awaits to take us to our destinations for the day.

And here we are at our first stop, Breakfast at Ben & Jerry's

We had a very nice tour and lots of samples of their goodies!

We had our picture taken in the sign.

                                                                                                 Photo by Scott Hurd

Scott wanted more Ice cream.

Judy wanted to go on the road with them, but they wouldn't open the door.

So we made the long trek up the hill to the Flavor Graveyard.

Remember to Double Click to enlarge the pictures

So many good flavors, gone too soon.

The off to The Country Store at the Cold Hollow Cider Mill.

Photo By Scott Hurd

We watched them make cider.

Photo By Scott Hurd

Shopped the store. These are the pies Scott resisted.

We ate lunch at the House of Pizza in Ticonderoga, NY

This is New York style pizza, mmm mmm good!

I'd order one tonight, but I don't think they would deliver!

The south end of Lake Champlain, in the back ground is the 

Lake Champlain Bridge.

We stopped on our way to Albany for a rest break at Fort Crown Point.

This is the view from the bus.

I decided to explore and go see the fort, this is the ditch they dug  to build the parapet to the left it was part of a defense to protect the fort.

The ruins of a portion of the fort. A fort was originally built by the French in

1737,  by 1759 the British had driven the French out and built this fort,

 at the time it was the largest fortification in North America. 

Although the fort burned in 1773,  during the American Revolution,

 both British and Americans continued to use the site

 as a significant base of operations.

These barracks rooms were two stories high

 and were heated by fire places at each end of the room

on each floor

This is the opposite end of this room, it could easily house 

20 men on each floor, consider this portion of the fort had at-least

40 rooms counting each floor, that is 800 men in just this portion of the fort, then realize the other portion in the background had as many floors.

So 245 years ago, there were hundreds if not thousands of

 fighting men housed here.

After a few hours we arrived in Albany, for our next leg of the trip, our bus driver, Paul Morrison, was gracious and professional to the end of our journey together.

This is the dome in the station.

Our train for the next few hours.

Phil and Andre Desmit, from Kewanee , IL in their Roomette,

shot thru the window.

Scott is in the Galley helping serve us.

Sorry Wayne and Margret Mular, I caught you twice with your mouths full!

Tracy Langhorn and ______________

Ronald and Donna Tipton

Michael and Pamela Kulik on the right and Judith Anderson-Froeba
 and Martha Wyse on the left.

Heather Bartheme and Donald Connolly.

Jeffery and Cathy Teed on the right and Ann Richards and Sharon Secord on the left.

Neil and Ella Welch

Phillip and Andre Desmit

Jim and Alice Greene

Mahias "Matt" Reiber and _________________

Quinn and Kathy Holderman.

Richard and Barbara Leichy 

Robert and Nancy Perry

Marshall and Sandra Tetterton.

Darrell and Pamela King

And the Desmits with Judy Buzard.

And here I am as you saw me the most, with my camera!

End Day 8

DAY 9  October 9

 Photo and text by Scott Hurd

After midnight and I'm still up, saying goodbye to a tour member off at Buffalo

Photo and Text by Scott Hurd.

Train #49 at Cleveland, Ohio.

Photo and text by Scott Hurd

Running late but still dark in Toledo, OH.,

Photo and text by Scott Hurd

Said Goodbye to 2 more members in Waterloo, IN

Photo by Scott Hurd

Elkhart, Indiana, Amtrak Station.

 Also in Elkhart Indiana is the National New York Central Railroad Museum
As we came into town, I saw 3001 sitting at the Museum.

New York Central 3001 is a 4-8-2 "Mohawk", (Mountain), type steam locomotive built in 1940 by the American Locomotive Company for the New York Central Railroad. Normally known as "Mountain" types, New York Central 4-8-2 steam locomotives were dubbed "Mohawk" types after the Mohawk River, which the New York Central followed. Built for dual service work, the 3001 was used heavily for freight and passenger trains until being retired in 1957. 3001 was saved from the scrapper in Texas and moved here in May of 1984.

Soon we arrived at Union Station in Chicago, those remaining picked our baggage and said our goodbyes, afew continued west, I believe the last Tour Member to get off in Omaha, Nebraska was Matt Reiber.

Judy and I picked up our car from the Union Station Parking garage,

it was still right where we left it and headed home.

End Day 9

After thought!

We learned alot about Traveling on Amtrak and I believe we are 

going to be better travelers next July 5th when we join Scott for the 

"Scenic Colorado And Its Trains" America By Rail Tour.

will we see any of you there?