The Historic Davenport
10 South Post Street
Spokane, WA 99201
You can make reservations at the Historic Davenport 1-800-899-1482 for $159.00/night or book on line at :
Our Special Train, The City of Spokane, will offer travel over some of the most scenic routes in the west that are not accessible by any regularly-scheduled Amtrak train. The following itinerary represents the current plan, which is subject to approval by the host railroads.
Cars will gather no later than Sunday September 11th, 2016 in Denver, CO. Passengers can enjoy the delights of this magnificent western city while our train is assembled. Optional Excursions include a trip to the Transportation Technology Center and a presentation by an area Railroad Historian.
The "City of Spokane" will depart on Tuesday, September 13th and travel north on the former Colorado & Southern along the front range of the Rockies. We will travel down the center of the street in Fort Collins, CO and into Cheyenne, WY. We will continue north through scenic Wyoming and park in Casper, WY for the night.
On Wednesday, September 14th we will depart Casper, WY and continue north on the former Colorado & Southern. We will pass through the spectacular Wind River Canyon which is one of the most scenic rail passes in the United States not accessible by normal rail travel. We will join the Montana Rail Link, ex Northern Pacific line, at Laurel, Montana and head west to Livingston, MT where we will tie up.
On Thursday, September 15th and Friday, September 16th we will remain parked in Livingston where we are providing two days of tours of Yellowstone National Park.
On Saturday, the 17th, the City of Spokane will depart Livingston and operate on the Montana Rail Link ex Northern Pacific through the Montana Rockies to Missoula, MT where we will tie up. We will remain parked in Missoula Sunday, the 18.th In the morning, we are offering an excursion to Travelers Rest State Park for a look into the adventures of Lewis and Clark . In the afternoon, we will visit the Milwaukee Road Depot and Museum at Fort Missoula
On Monday September 19th, the train will continue west on the MRL ex Northern Pacific line through rugged Montana over mountain passes and along the Clark Fork River to Sandpoint, ID where we will join the Amtrak Empire Builder line to Spokane. We will tie up in Spokane for our convention activities.
Our traditional convention activities will be conducted between Tuesday, September 20th and Thursday, September 22nd in Spokane. Activities will include car parties, technical seminars, the car owners meeting, the associate members meeting, the annual meeting, vendor activities, the board of directors meeting and the annual banquet. Please make your plans to join us on this rare and spectacular scenic special train and attend the convention in Spokane, Washington.
EXCURSIONS
Some fantastic enroute excursions are planned on the City of Spokane.
While waiting for the train to build in Dever, September 12 there is a tour to The Transportation Technology Center in Pueblo. A subsidiary of the Association of American Railroads, TTCI is a transportation research and testing organization, providing emerging technology solutions for the railway industry throughout the world. The tour includes: Crash wall, Security and Emergency Response Training Center, Passenger-Rail Service Building, Facility for Accelerated Service Testing September 15 and 16 we will be in Livingston just north of Yellowstone National Park. We will be offering two tours each day one of the upper loop and one of the lower loop. Dr. Tom Noel, (aka Dr. Colorado) a historian specializing in the history of the Colorado area, will deliver the inside story of the narrow gauge railroads that traveled from Denver into the gold, silver and coal fields. The lecture is from 2:00-3:00. Transportation from the train is on your own.
The lower loop tour you will enter through the original original entrance and visit Old Faithful Geyser, Lake Yellowstone, Canyon Village where the spectacular Upper and Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River are located, Mammoth Hot Springs back to Livingston through the scenic Paradise Valley. There are stops at each attraction and the tour can be shortened. A catered box lunch will be provided. The upper loop tour takes you to the northern reaches of the park and is called the “Wildlife Tour." You get to see the Majestic Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Dunraven Pass which is a great area to spot both Grizzly and Black Bears, Tower Falls and out into the Lamar Valley where Bison and Wolves are often spotted.At Mammoth Hot Springs, Deer, Pronghorn and Big Horn Sheep are spotted along the route.
We spend a day in Missoula September 18th. In the morning, there is a trip to Travelers Rest State Park, the only archaeologically verified campsite of the Lewis and Clark Expedition in the nation. This site has long been known and used by Native peoples, notably the Salish. The Holt Visitors Center and Museum includes Seasons of the Salish, Lewis & Clark Expedition Replicas, Native American bead work and hand crafts. After lunch on your own there is a very special...not usually offered...tour of the old Milwaukee Road Depot. It is currently the headquarters of Boone and Crockett wildlife conservation organization. From there it is on to the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula. There is a museum building with displays and 32 acres with some railroad memorabilia.
Once in Spokane, two excursions will be offered on Wednesday Sept 21. One is an all day trip including lunch to the Grand Coulee Dam. Built from 1933 to 1975, it is 550 feet tall, from the 500 foot wide polished granite base, to the 30 foot wide crest which supports a paved two lane road. When you include the third power house, Grand Coulee Dam is almost 1 mile long.
The second tour is of the Trail of the Hiawatha. You can bike or hike the trail which is 15 miles long with 10 train tunnels and 7 sky high trestles. The 1.66 mile long St. Paul Pass Tunnel, also know as the Taft Tunnel, is a highlight of the trail that follows the crest of the Bitterroot Mountains near Lookout Pass Ski Area. The best part is.... it's all downhill with shuttle buses available to transport you and your bike back to the top.
PROPOSED SPECIAL TRAIN SCHEDULE
BNSF and MONTANA RAIL LINK
(Day 1) Tuesday, September 13, 2016
Passengers boarding must arrive after 7:30 AM
0 Denver, CO 9:00 AM VIA BNSF EX C&S line
119 Cheyenne, WY 12:00 PM Crew change at BNSF Yard
240 Wendover, WY 4:00 PM
270 Bridger JCT,WY 5:00 PM
339 Casper, WY 8:00 PM Park at BNSF yard office-EX C&S depot
(Day 2) Wednesday, September 14, 2016
0 Casper, WY 6:00 AM BNSF with pilot
202 Graybull, WY 11:45 AM
312 Laurel, MT 3:10 PM Join Montana Rail Link crew change
337 Columbus, MT 4:00 PM
412 Livingston, MT 6:00 PM Park at former Talgo yard now MRL Maintenance yard
(Day 3 & 4) Thursday, September 15, and Friday, September 16 2016
LAYOVER FOR TOURS OF YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK OR OFF TRAIN ACTIVITIES
(Day 5) Saturday, September 17, 2016
0 Livingston 7:00 AM VIA MRL
25 Bozeman 8:00 AM
123 Helena 10:00 AM
173 Garrison 12:00 PM
243 Missoula 3:00 PM
(Day 6 Sunday, September 18, 2016
LAYOVER FOR OFF TRAIN ACTIVITIES IN MISSOULA
(Day 7) Monday, September 19, 2016
0 Missoula 6:30 AM VIA MRL
71 Paradise 9:00 AM Operate via 10th subdivision
189 Sandpoint, ID 3:00 PM Join BNSF Amtrak line
255 Spokane, WA 4:30 PM Parking at BNSF Erie Street Yard
(Day 8, 9, 10) Tuesday - Thursday, September 20-22, 2016
CONVENTION ACTIVITIES IN SPOKANE