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| A six image panorama of only a small portion of Bailey Yard looking west from the 8-story Golden Spike Tower. The entire yard is eight miles long and, at one point, three and a half miles wide. This is a truly amazing operation with about 150 trains a day entering and leaving the yard. You most likely won't be able to see much detail as Blogger won't allow me to insert a huge copy of this image. (click to enlarge) |
We were able to advantage of a unique situation in Colorado. We had access to a beautiful custom log home in the Fraser/Winter Park area that belongs to the niece and nephew of my of my traveling companions. Because of this we stayed in the home for three nights, met up with some local friends of my two buddies, enjoyed some really good meals as well as took the opportunity to decompress, wash clothes, enjoy the scenery and just relax. Traveling everyday when you are thirty and traveling everyday when you are 70 is a different ballgame. We relished the opportunity to stay put for a couple of days before continuing our journey east.
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| The eight story Gold Spike Tower from which you can view much of Bailey Yard. (click to enlarge) |
We left Colorado and spent the next night in North Platte, Nebraska. It was more or less a ‘travel day.’ In North Platte, we decided to visit the ‘Golden Spike Tower’ that overlooks Union Pacific Railroad’s Bailey rail classification yard, the largest in the world. I have loved railroading and trains my entire life so this was a nice treat for me. Surprising to me, my two friends really enjoyed it as well. The yard and all of its operations are truly beyond description. If you have an affinity for trains, this is a must see.
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| The William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody home and property. You can part of a massive barn in the rear on the right. (click to enlarge) |
Additionally, while in North Platte, we visited the home and ranch of ‘Buffalo Bill’ Cody, the famous showman. He is also known, unfortunately, as a bison hunter who, in supplying the Kansas Western Railroad as well as being a guide for private hunts, by his own count killed 4820 of the majestic animals.
The home was impressive, to say the least. The craftsmanship was as good as I’ve ever seen anywhere for a 19th century home—or even a modern built home. About 80% of the furnishings are original, we were told.
Also, confirming what I had been told many years ago, his last performance was in Portsmouth, Virginia on November 11, 1916. My wife is from Portsmouth and as many of you know, I was a member of the Portsmouth Police Department for 25 years and served as Chief of Police. I had been told that his last performance was in Portsmouth but was never able to fully confirm that. He died two months later, January 10, 1917, of kidney failure while taking some sort of medicine for his liver failure. The docent in the home told me this.
It is a beautiful and very interesting property. Well worth the visit if history of the American West is of interest to you. Oh! A thought. Since the term buffalo is a misnomer and the animals are really bison, shouldn't the man more properly be known as "Bison Bill?" I suspect not. It just doesn't have the same ring, I guess.
Finally, before resuming our trek east, we visited the local railroad museum where they have an old Union Pacific Challenger steam locomotive, a Union Pacific Centennial diesel locomotive and several rail cars on display.
By the time we completed all of our visits, it was 4:30 p.m. and we needed to start driving east once more. We would drive east through Nebraska finally finding a comfortable bed in the state capital, Lincoln where we had a fine dinner at Laszlo’s Cafe.
Thanks for looking. Enjoy!
Dennis A. Mook
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