Barstow Flyer Excursion
Author: Glen Icanberry
Date: 09-03-2010 - 03:01


Sat Oct 16th and Sun Oct 17, 2010 "Barstow Flyer" Excursion from Los Angeles to Barstow, Kelso, and return, via Cajon Pass. Norm Orfall owner of the "Tioga Pass" and LA Rail present the "Barstow Flyer", a special train from Los Angeles to Barstow, with a special side trip feature on Sunday - A train ride from Barstow to Kelso, California, on the UP's Las Vegas route!

This special train will run from Los Angeles to Barstow on Saturday, October 16th, arriving Barstow about 1:00pm, where the passengers will have time to enjoy the Barstow Rail and Craft Festival 2010 at the restored Harvey House in Barstow. A box lunch will be served to train passengers on arrival at Barstow. Shuttle busses will be operating between the Harvey House and the Tanger Outlet Mall at Barstow and will be free for train riders. Guided tours of downtown Barstow's mural project will be available for those who wish to see what a few volunteers have accomplished on 32 murals in the downtown area. The Harvey House will be open for tours, and two modular model railroads will be operating in the dining and coffee shop areas of the Harvey House. New equipment recently arrived at the Western America Rail Museum will be open for display, and the ever popular Route 66 Museum, also at the Harvey House, will open too.

In the evening, the shuttle busses will take passengers to their lodging at Barstow's Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn Express. Sunday morning breakfast will be provided at the hotels, and then passengers will reboard the train for the trip to Kelso, thru famous Afton Canyon formed by the Mojave River.

Sunday, on arrival Kelso, the restored Union Pacific Station and Hotel will be open for free tours. A barbeque lunch will be served near the depot, and then we will reboard our train for the return trip thru Afton Canyon to Barstow, and on to Los Angeles.

The fare of $379.00 per person includes travel aboard the Special Train aboard Amtrak coaches and private rail cars such as Salisbury Beach, Silver Splendor, Overland Trail, TIOGA PASS; lunch at Barstow on Saturday, admission to both museums at the Harvey House and tours, shuttle busses, and lodging as described above (double occupancy), lunch at Kelso, and beverages aboard the train. A light buffet will be served on the train between Barstow and San Bernardino.

Passengers may board and detrain at Los Angeles, Fullerton, or San Bernardino. Reservations and ticketing will be handled by Archer Travel Service of Glendale, California. Please call Gary Herod at 818 236 4208 for reservations.

For additional information, please call Norm Orfall at 760 955 6079. [www.ridemytrain.com]

Note: At Barstow, up to 100 passengers from the National Park Conservation Association and Desert Heritage Rail Group will board the train. Make you reservations early as space may be limited.