|
We invite you to ride with us to Portola to join in on the fun and excitement at the 29th annual Portola Railroad Days Festival in the beautiful Feather River Canyon of the High Sierra. Travel onboard our private charter 14 car train departing from Emeryville with stops to pick-up passengers in Martinez, Davis and Sacramento. After departing Sacramento our train swings onto the former Western Pacific Route.
This three day tour is packed full of exciting fun for the entire family and the railfans wanting the unforgettable experience of traversing the Feather River Canyon. We are offering several classes of tickets for every budget with roundtrip fares starting at only $178. Come join the party!
Passengers in Pullman Sleeping car class will stay onboard the train that will be parked at the Western Pacific Railroad Museum during the Portola Railroad Days Festival. This will give these passengers full access to the festival and the museum grounds from their sleeping car. For passengers in all other ticket classes there are several motels and resorts in the local area you can use. We will be offering transfers to local lodgings and Reno.
FEEDBACK FROM OUR PASSENGERS
FROM OUR 2010 TRAIN
August 26, 2010
The trip was fabulous. Thanks so much for putting this together
Janet Dawson
August 25, 2010
We want to thank you again for giving us the opportunity to experience a very wonderful train trip last
Sunday. Please keep us on your email list for further trips.
Betsy & Tim Hardie
Ken & Andi Barnard
Mike Steele
August 25, 2010
Wow, what a wonderful trip in the Feather River Canyon. We have been waiting for something like
this to come along for many years. The train you put together with private rail cars from all around
the west was amazing. Each car had a unique style to it which made this train a pure delight. The
onboard service, your staff and the scheduling could not have been more perfect. The Portola Railroad
Days Festival was fun and I have always wanted to visit the Western Pacific Railroad Musuem.
We are ready to do it again in 2011.
Dave Smith
August 26, 2010
It was a great trip, and I am ready to take another whenever the opportunity arises. I trust you will keep
me informed. The owner of the Silver Lariat could not have been a more congenial host, the food
was fantastic, and the people serving us were really nice.
Evelyn Smith
September 12, 2010
I am sure you have received numerous "At a boys" for the trip in the Feather River Canyon. Here is
one more! Thanks to all of you for your hard work! Keri and I are looking forward to riding again if
another trip can be planned. This time, we would like to ride from Emeryville to Portola instead of
just Sacramento. Please keep us informed when tickets may become available.
Dana Eliason
 |
 |
| |
Above guide book cover from:
Candir Guides to Services and Attractions
P.O. Box 1371
Quincy, CA 95971
(530) 283-1729
email: Sales@Candir.info
|
THURSDAY AUGUST 18: For those passengers arriving in the Bay Area today and need lodging we have a special group rate at the Woofin Suite Hotel. This is the closest hotel to the Amtrak Train Station. In fact there is even a walkway running over the tracks from the hotel to the train station. On top of that you can park your car for FREE in the hotel parking lot and walk over to the station. This alone will save you close to $100. This special rate is available to all of our passengers on August 18 and August 21. The rate is $109 plus tax for a Traditional king and $129 plus tax for a one bedroom Suite. You must call the hotel directly to make your reservation. Be sure and mention that you want the Trains & Travel International group rate.
WOODFIN SUITE HOTEL
5800 Shellmound Way
Emeryville, CA 94608
(510) 601-5880
888-433-9042
www.woodfinhotelemeryville.com
DAY 1 FRIDAY AUGUST 19: (Lunch included on board) The excitement and fun begins as you board our private charter train at Emeryville. We are scheduled to depart at 8:00AM. (Subject to change by the Railroad) You are welcome to board our excursion at Martinez, Davis or Sacramento. Departing eastbound from the Bay Area our train runs on the former Southern Pacific Route along water's edge of the San Francisco Bay with breathtaking views of the Golden Gate Bridge. As we enter the Carquinez Strait and run under I-80, we will make a stop at Martinez to pick-up passengers. From here the rail route swings east over the Suisun Bay Bridge where you can get a great view of the US Navy's mothball fleet in Grizzly Bay. After leaving the Bay Area it is a straight shot to Davis were we will again stop to pick-up passengers. Our next stop is Sacramento.
WE ENTER ONTO THE FEATHER RIVER ROUTE
Shortly after departing Sacramento our train will swing onto the former Western Pacific Route and head north across the Sacramento Valley for Marysville and Oroville. Our last passenger pick-up station is Oroville. After departing Oroville the rail line starts the climb in the High Sierra running around Lake Oroville. At one point we run over Lake Oroville on the West Branch and then travel through a series of tunnels running under Big Bend Mountain for several miles until we come out deep in the lower region of the Feather River Canyon . From this point our train makes its way in a northeast direction for the next 91 miles through three different regions of the rugged Feather River Canyon. A number of PG&E hydro dams and powerhouses can be seen from our train. We will pass through a total of 32 tunnels on our train journey today. Arrival in Portola is scheduled for 5:00PM. This is all freight only trackage; which very rarely sees a passenger train.
PHOTOS OF OUR TRAIN IN 2010 IN THE FEATHER RIVER CANYON
THE EASTBOUND ITINERARY (SUBJECT TO MODIFICATION BY THE RAILROAD)
Depart Emeryville.............8:00AM
Depart Martinez...............8:40AM
Depart Davis..................9:30AM
Arrive Sacramento.............10:05AM
Depart Sacramento.............10:15AM
Arrive Oroville...............11:45AM
Depart Oroville...............11:55AM
Arrive Portola................5:00PM
THE ITINERARY FOR LOCALS
Depart Portola by bus.........6:45AM
Arrive Sacramento.............9:45AM
Depart Sacramento by train....10:15AM
Arrive Portola................5:00PM
|
Upon arrival in Portola those passengers holding a Pullman Sleeping car ticket will be able to stay right onboard the train. Our train will be parked on the museum grounds next to the former Western Pacific workshops. This gives those passengers perfect access to all of the Portola Railroad Days Festival action on Saturday. Passengers in coach, dome and lounge class will be transferred to local motels, hotels and resorts within a 10-mile radius of Portola. For those passengers who want to go directly to Reno, we will provide a transfer option.
THE LOWER FEATHER RIVER CANYON IS A FREIGHT ONLY LINE. THE MANY BRIDGES, LAKES, WATERFALLS, POWER HOUSES, AND HYDRO DAMS MAKE THIS A VERY SCENIC AND SPECTACULAR TREAT TO SEE IT ALL FROM AN EXCURSION TRAIN
DAY 2 SATURDAY AUGUST 20: The 29th annual Portola Railroad Days Festival starts to gear up in the morning with special breakfast option offered by the Rotary Club before the Golden Spike Parade begins at 11:00AM. All of our passengers will be able to choose from a number of options today which will include local bus transfers from your motel to the festival and return. These special options will be posted on this page, as we get closer to Railroad Days. Over the years Railroad Days has become a very popular event . It draws folks from hundreds of miles to take part in a weekend of great family fun. It is a celebration of just how important the railroad is to the history and development of Portola.
The famous Western Pacific Railroad was the last transcontinental line to be built. Portola is a division point between East and West with all trains stopping here to change crews and motive power. Portola is home to a hand full of crews that work both directions over the famous "Feather River Route", now owned and operated by the Union Pacific Railroad. UP took over the Western Pacific Railroad, in 1982.
In 1983 several former WP railroad employees founded the Feather River Rail Society. Their goal is to preserve the memories and significant equipment from the 100 year history of the WP, for future generations. The Western Pacific Railroad Museum is located on the grounds of the old Western Pacific locomotive facility. The Western Pacific Railroad Museum now has one of the best collections of early diesel locomotives in the U.S.
The first Railroad Days event was held in August 1983, as a celebration of the railroad and the museum, and has been held annually since. We invite you to join us for a day of great family fun starting with the Golden Spike Parade in the morning. There will be endless activities the rest of the day for the entire family to enjoy.
PORTOLA RAILROAD DAYS FESTIVAL
**GOLDEN SPIKE PARADE**
**TRAIN RIDES AT THE RR MUSEUM**
**TRACK CAR SPEEDER RIDES**
**OPERATING MODEL RAILROAD DISPLAYS**
**CAB RIDES AT THE RR MUSEUM**
**CABOOSE RIDES AT THE RR MUSEUM**
**40 RAILROAD ENGINES ON DISPLAY**
**18 CABOOSES ON DISPLAY**
**OVER 100 RAILROAD CARS ON DISPLAY**
**RAILROAD FLEE MARKET**
**RAILROAD HISTORIC DISPLAYS**
**LIVE ENTERTAINMENT ALL DAY**
**ARTS & CRAFTS FAIR**
**MONSTER TRUCK DISPLAYS & RIDES**
**CLASSIC CAR DISPLAYS**
**CHAINSAW ART DEMONSTRATION**
**NEVADA GUNFIGHTERS SHOW**
**WILD THINGS ANIMAL SHOW**
**HORSESHOE TOURNAMENT**
**CARNIVAL RIDES & FUN**
**GREAT FOOD & DRINK**
**IRON HORSE SPIKE DRIVING CONTEST**
**RAILROAD SLIDE PROGRAMS**
**RAILROAD ART DISPLAYS**
**STARS IN THE BARN EXTRAVAGANZA SHOW**
**UPPER FEATHER RIVER CANYON COUNTRY TOUR**
GETTING TO KNOW THE PORTOLA AREA
There is so much to see and do in the Upper Feather River Canyon Country, which is in Eastern Plumas County. This is a beautiful region of the High Sierra in Northern California with exciting activilies for the entire family. We have listed a number of interesting links to points of interest in this area. We invite you to click on these links and take a peak at this spectacular area of Northern California.
PORTOLA
http://www.portolarailroaddays.com/
http://www.ci.portola.ca.us/
http://portolavisitorscenter.com/
http://www.portolarailroaddays.com/Dad's%20Website/portola%20history.html
http://plumasmuseum.org/pdf/nletter05.09.pdf
WESTERN PACIFIC RAILROAD MUSEUM
PORTOLA RAILROAD DAYS FESTIVAL
THE FIRST PASSENGER TRAIN
100 YEARS AGO
http://www.wplives.org
http://www.flickriver.com/places/United+States/California/Portola/
http://www.dochemp.com/portola.html
http://plumasmuseum.org/pdf/nletter05.09.pdf
LAKE DAVIS
http://www.water.ca.gov/recreation/locations/davis/
GRAEAGLE & MOHAWK VALLEY
http://graeaglecalifornia.com/
PLUMAS-EUREKA STATE PARK
GOLD LAKES BASIN
SIERRA BUTTES
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqP99nPW7ZE
http://www.plumas-eureka.org/
http://geography.sierracollege.edu/backcountrypages/more/lakes_basin.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oH8_hr_0eUg
http://www.aboutlaketahoe.com/hiking/sierra-buttes.htm
FEATHER RIVER CANYON FROM LAKE OROVILLE TO PORTOLA
http://www.plumascounty.org/Tour%20Itineraries%202008/Spec%20Tour%207.pdf
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlywCa9wy1Q&feature=related
FEATHER RIVER EXPRESS OPERATED OCTOBER 30-NOVEMBER 1, 2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_HTdZ60EZY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmS828Ur1C0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQNSKa9t3T0
Mountain Valley Living Magazine
THE AUGUST ISSUE OF MOUNTAIN VALLEY LIVING MAGZINE
WILL FEATURE THE 29TH ANNUAL PORTOLA RAILROAD DAYS FESTIVAL
The upper Feather River Canyon in the Portola-Graeagle-Mohawk area is spectacular
Click Here For A Photo Story Of This Event
THE GOLDEN SPIKE PARADE AT THE RAILROAD
DAYS FESTIVAL IN PORTOLA
ART SHOW & MEET THE ARTISTS
Famous railroad artist Patrick Karnahan will sign Orchard Supply 2011 calendars of which he will have his paintings in.
SPIKE DRIVING CONTEST
THE WESTERN PACIFIC RAILROAD MUSEUM
FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OPERATING MODEL RAILROAD DISPLAYS AT THE WESTERN PACIFIC RAILROAD MUSEUM DURING THIS FESTIVAL THAT WILL DELIGHT KIDS OF ALL AGES
DAY 3 SUNDAY AUGUST 21: (Lunch provided onboard) Early morning transfers from the motels back to the railroad yard in Portola to board our charter train. Our train is scheduled to depart Portola at 8:00AM for the return journey Westbound through the Feather River Canyon and back to the Bay Area. The scheduled arrival back in Emeryville is 5:00PM.
WESTBOUND ITINERARY (SUBJECT TO MODIFICATION BY THE RAILROAD)
Depart Portola.................8:00AM
Arrive Oroville................1:00PM
Depart Oroville................1:10PM
Arrive Sacramento..............2:30PM
Arrive Davis...................3:10PM
Arrive Martinez................4:15PM
Arrive Emeryville..............5:00PM
THE ITINERARY FOR LOCALS
Depart Portola by train........8:00AM
Arrive Sacramento..............2:30PM
Depart Sacramento by bus.......3:00PM
Arrive Portola.................6:00PM
|
PRICES AND OPTIONS
|
TOUR BOOKING CONDITIONS
TOUR PRICE: All tour prices are corrected to November 1, 2010 and are subject to change without notice, at any time. All prices based on double room
occupancy. We reserve the right to change tour prices if necessary.
PRICES DO NOT INCLUDE: Personal items, meals not listed in the itinerary, laundry, phone calls, excess baggage charges, rental cars, side tours, insurance, passport fees including visas, vaccinations, gratuities, medical costs, tips to train or motor coach staff, extra tour costs due to unanticipated changes in the itinerary for reasons beyond our control, including weather, travel conditions, or cancellations, government intervention, sickness, political disputes, and failure of transportation or other causes beyond our control.
TRAVEL AND HEALTH DOCUMENTS: A valid passport is required for our international tours. In some cases a visa is also needed. Consult your
health professional for the recommended immunizations and documents. Trains and Travel International , here on referred to as TTI, assumes no other responsibility if a client is refused entry into a country. Cost and cancellation fees will be paid by the client in the event they do not have valid documents.
CHANGE OF ITINERARY: We reserve the right to substitute, alter or modify the tour if any unexpected and unforeseen conditions beyond our control
preventing the completion of such. Conditions can include weather, train schedules, equipment, motive power, revision of train consist, train delays, labor strikes, political disputes, derailments, closure of a rail line, break down of railroad or motive power equipment, railroads not honoring contracts and bus equipment problems. We will always endeavor, in each case, to provide substitutes, if any changes take place. TTI is not responsible for canceled trains,
delays, hotel rooms, route changes or missed connections, for any reason whatsoever. We will not give refunds if such conditions or cancellations take place.
TRAVEL INSURANCE: Travel Insurance is mandatory for all tours. This insurance will cover and give the tour members many benefits and protection. Benefits include baggage, accident, life, trip cancellation, sickness, bankruptcy, strike, weather conditions, employer termination or layoff effecting you or
a person sharing the room with you, terrorist incident in your departure city or city of destination, jury duty, you are subpoenaed, hijacked, or quarantined,
your residence or traveling companion residence is rendered uninhabitable, emergency military duty, traffic accident, single supplement upgrade when your traveling companion cancels their trip, trip interruption, trip delay, missed connections, itinerary change, emergency medical benefits, medical evacuation, baggage delay and loss, pre-existing medical conditions if enrollment is within 21 days of your invoice date, burglary of you or your companion before departure, felonious assault of you or your traveling companion before departure, 24 hour hotline emergency assistance, emergency cash transfer and more.
We will supply you with a travel insurance brochure with rates and application when we mail you the invoice after trip deposit is received. Travel insurance protects your vacation investments and is a very good investment for your travel and vacation money. US law allows us to offer this insurance to all persons
Worldwide. We will accept a "refusal of travel insurance wavier" if you do not wish to purchase any travel insurance. FOR CUBA: Because of the nature of these tours travel insurance is MANDATORY for everyone. We have a special American travel insurance company that will insure all folks going to Cuba on legal US approved tours. This insurance information will be sent to you upon receiving your booking.
RESPONSIBILITY AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: Accepting your payment represents an agreement that you understand all the conditions, to
be a member of our tours. TTI gives notice that they are acting agents for the owners, contractors and suppliers, providing the transportation and all related travel services and assume no responsibility for injury, sickness, damage, loss, additional expenses accidental delay or irregularities which may be caused through willful or negligent acts or omissions on the part of the companies providing or engage in transportation, accommodations or services related to the accomplishment of the tour. Nor do we assume responsibility for natural disasters, social or political upheaval, acts of terrorism or acts of nature. TTI reserves
the right to substitute hotels, tour leaders, equipment, motive power, trains, onboard accommodations, routes and to alter the itinerary when deemed necessary without notice. The right is also reserved to cancel any trip or train prior to departure for any reason . TTI is not responsible for expenses incurred by tour members in preparing for the tour, including non-refundable airline tickets, visa fees, planning, phone calls, or any other expenses. TTI reserves the right to decline to accept, or ask to leave a tour, any person whose actions impede the daily operations of a tour, welfare or enjoyment of other tour members. TTI cannot give any refunds for any unused services. The terms contained herein shall serve as a waiver of liability to TTI. Assumption of risk on behalf of the client, their heirs, executor, administrators, successors, and assigns for any and all known persons injuries
RESERVATIONS: A deposit is due in our office within 14 days after you make your bookings. Full payment is due 90 days before departure. You will
receive an invoice, reservation form and current tour bulletins with your confirmation and travel insurance forms. No notice for final payment will be sent
to you. It is your responsible to make the final payment on-time.
CANCELLATIONS: TTI does not accept cancellations on the phone. Cancellations must be received by postal mail, email or fax before any refunds will be considered. Allow enough time if sending your written notice by US mail postal system. When a written cancellation is received in the Trains and Travel
office this will be the effective date of the cancellation. Please take note that it can take up to 60 days to to process some refunds. Cancellation refund rules:
100 days prior to the start of any tour you will receive a full refund less a $100 per person administration fee. 99 to 61 days before the departure of any tour
there will be a 80% cancellation penalty based on the full cost of the tour. Cancellations received 60 or less days before the start of any tour will not receive
any refund. GW Travel Ltd has their own cancellation rules and these will apply. If booking on GW Travel Ltd ask for cancellation rules.
PRE-DEPARTURE TOUR BULLETINS: Tour bulletins will be sent to clients that have booked on tours operated by TTI. Bulletins include travel info related to the tour. Final documents will be sent out about two to three weeks before a tour begins. We offer tours operated by other companies and they may
or may not send out tour bulletins and updates and most send out final documents only one to two weeks prior to the start of their tours.
PAYMENTS: Payments can be made with personal check drawn on a U.S. Dollar account, money order for U.S. Dollars, bank wire transfer, or credit card.
We accept Visa, Master Card, Discover or American Express. Final payment for all tours is due 90 days prior to departure. If final payment has not been received 7 days after the due date, a late fee of $50 per week will apply.
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: All prices are based on double room occupancy. We will try and match you with a roommate if one is available. If not, you may
be charged the single room supplement listed for the tour you are booked on. Single rooms may not be available in some remote locations and on some trains.
TOUR REFUNDS: If for any reason tour members amend or delete any arrangements during travel, and leave the tour on their own, we cannot give any refunds on unused portions of the tour. If buses and trains are cancelled by the carrier or there is a labor strike or they go out of business, we cannot be held
responsible and we cannot give refunds. Travel insurance will protect you for any of these reasons. If TTI needs to cancel any tour everyone will receive a
full refund. Please take note that in some cases refunds can take up to 60 days to process.
PARTIAL TOURS: We will allow passengers to join or leave a tour at certain points. It will all depend on the tour and the conditions. Give us a call and
we will try and work up a custom option for you.
MILEAGE COLLECTORS: Mileage collectors please take note that TTI does not cater just to mileage collectors. We cater to all folks that enjoy trains and
Rail journeys. We give strong warning that itinerary and route changes do happen and this is totally beyond our control when it does. If the only reason that
you would want to book a tour is to collect the rare mileage, you need to understand that possible route changes do happen.
|
|