brad's blog

Too old for Tik-Tok. Too lazy for YouTube.


Random Acts of Hydration?

09/27/24 - This is a short post, but one that has me both pleased at the kindness of strangers as well as scratching my head to know the rest of the story behind it. For background, Bullhead City, AZ is along the Colorado River. To get to Kingman, you follow Route 68. There are not a lot of alternative routes. Route 68 starts off as a winding climb up a hill with no services of consequences for the last 10 miles coming up the hill. There is no sidewalk, but the shoulders are kind of wide. It's 12 miles from the river to the crest and then another 5 - 6 miles to any sign of civilization. Along the road, seemingly purposely placed, I see gallon jugs of water. They are usually in groups of 2 or 3. I can only infer that some people are walking from Bullhead City to Golden Valley or beyond.

A group of three gallon jugs of water placed along the road on Rt. 68 between Bullhead City and Kingman, AZ.

The Colorado River borders NV and AZ at this point, so I don't think it is anyone seeking to enter the US as that would be at the bottom of AZ. It's 30+ miles from Bullhead City to Kingman so I don't think that it is people going between the two. Not much is going on in Golden Valley and even that is a 20 mile walk. I'm stumped. However, what this does show me is that someone put them there on purpose, to fill a need of someone whom I can only think is somewhat desperately walking up. to be walking up that hill. And I also think what a relief it would be for that person to get a drink, in the desert, while they are making a trip that looks rather daunting. So I give a tip of the hat to the folks placing the water along the road.


Kingman Railroad Museum.

09/13/24 - On Route 66 in Kingman, AZ, you can find the Kingman Railroad Museum. This is located in Santa Fe Railroad Depot and shares about half the building with the Amtrak station. This is the fourth iteration of the building, built in 1907. The museum opened in 2012. Admission is $2, with kids under 12 and active military free. The building has a nice collection of railroad items, memoribila,informational placards, and three model railroad displays. Many of the artifacts are local and there is a quite a mix of different things. All kinds of tools used by the railway workers, scales used for weighing freight. sineage, interior accoutrements like china and a whole lot more. There are several static model train display cases too. The museum also has a store where you can get souvenirs, t-shirts, used books, and even model train sets

Exterior of the Kingman Railroad Museum
Display case with railroad artifacts including lanterns and conductor caps.
Hand tools used for working on the rails.

As for the trains, there are three working displays. HO, O, and N. They have differing levels of detail with the HO and N being what I consider more realistic, but they are all worth an extended look. These are a operational and have multiple lines running at once. The HO layout is undergoing a rebuild of the yard, but still has a lot of great detail and action. The N scale seem to have the most varied terrain, with a neat downtown along with a nice forrested area. The O scale is always very active and features some celebrety trains like Thomas the Tank for the kids. (and grown up train geeks) And if you are into 1':1' scale, this entire place sits right next to a very active BNSF freight line, so you are bound to see one on your visit.

N scale railway at Kingman Railroad Museum.
HO scale railway at Kingman Railroad Museum.
O scale railway at Kingman Railroad Museum.

kingmanrailroadmuseum.com


Blue Ridge Scenic Railway

09/06/24 - Another thing in Blue Ridge, for the locophiles (my word - testing it out) is the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway. This is an out and back excursion railway that takes you to McCaysville, Georgia and Copperhill, Tennessee. These two towns are adjacent and there is a blue line through the middle to indicate which state you are in. You get two hours there. I'd suggest going hungry, have a bite to eat there, and then take the ride back. The train is a diesel electric, and you have a choice of premier, coach, or open air seating. It's not the most scenic train I've been on, but the conductor does a great job pointing out the local points of interest and after all, it's a train ~ what else do you need.

Blue Ridge Scenic Railway locomotive.
Blue Ridge Scenic Railway Premier Car interior.

The cars are vintage and there are multiple classes. There is the Open Air Coach, which faces out to each side. It's one of the best ways to do a scenic train, if the weather is right. There is the Closed Coach, which has nice padded seats, two facing two, and also has Air Conditioning, This is what I would liken to coach class. They also have the Premier Car, which has nicer appointments like cloth seats, carpet, air conditioning, and complementary snacks and drinks available for purchase. You can also rent the caboose or ride in the locomotive. One of these days, I am going to spring for a locomotive seat somewhere. If you are into rail bikes, they have them too as a separate offering. The trains are all nicely restored and its a very pleasant excursion.

Blue Ridge Scenic Railway Caboose.
4 wheeled pedal bike for train tracks in Blue Ridge, GA.

brscenic.com


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