I am going on Trip on Aug 9 on Capital Limited and the Southwest Chief going to Kingman, AZ then to Las Vegas. I justed Double booked my Capital part from Cov, Pa to Chicago, because of the Very Late Capital for the past 4 months between 6 to 12 late every day. I guess i am booking my Hotel in Chicago for 1 Night. People what should I do, I really do not want to spend 200 Plus on a Hotel Room for 1 night or Should I canel my Double booked part take a chance on Capital Limited being on Time?
**…**Conrailman:
Can’t advise on your Chicago question re: hotel…Sounds like a nice trip you have planned.
Many years ago I spent many months in Kingman, Az. It is 100 miles from Kingman up to Vegas. All through the desert of course. Rt. 93.
You will have to pass over Hoover Dam and then just after you do you will see the massive construction of the new Hoover Dam {Boulder}, bypass bridge being built. It will span about 2000’ across the Canyon and the floor of the bridge will be about 900’ above the Colorado River. Some of the relocated approach roads are already partly in place. This will eliminate the thru traffic of rt. 93 passing over the road across the top of the dam, hence, the bypass…
Kingman is not a large town but I’m sure it has more to it now compared to when I spent time in the area on our project. How do you plan to get to Vegas from the depot there in Kingman…?
Should really be an interesting trip…enjoy.
I just Cancel my Double Tickets for the Capital Limited, I am Leave Cov, Pa on Aug 9, 2007. I am not Pay $250 Plus Dollars for 1 Night in Chicago, IL. I will Enjoy my Trip what ever the Cards play out.[:D]
Kingman is a world away. For me it’s a junction for Hoover Dam to get to Vegas or a Fuel stop before California. Hoover Dam is two hours north and Vegas another hour and half or so (I THINK… not sure) I too am curious as to how you expect to get to Vegas from Kingman, I see a potential Greyhound Bus trip if such a thing exists.
Hoover was always a fun run for me, set the jake to level three and hold the rpms just so working around the twisties to and from the dam itself. Now with that new bypass bridge, it will be really boring for drivers running across there. I dont understand why they built it but think of things like a future dam failure or security truck bomb type problems. All the TNT that Islam possess can make a loud noise and rattle the place but it’s sooo… dam big it will never fail.
SV I am not sure when they detoured 18 wheelers up through Searchlite via US 95. It has been quite a while ago. Last May we drove over the dam in the pickup. Construction area was a mess. l will miss driving on top of the da m. Does anyone know when the bypass bridge wil be finished?
…Spokyone: Check out the web site of the Boulder Dam bypass and you can read all about the schedules and projections of finished dates. Even see it on web cams. {Similar to our RR web cams}.
If I remember correctly believe it’s 2008 - 2009. They haven’t even started to assemble the arch in place yet. Still working on the pylaster supports on each end…Nev. and Az sides…I have no idea how that arch will be assembled across that Canyon distance…
Quentin
Thanks for the tip. Looks like 2010 open for traffic. They will still permit visitors to cross on the da m.
The Glen Canyon da m at Page AZ has a similar bridge. While we were there, the security at the gift shop was similar to airport except they had 7, yes 7 armed policemen. Hmm. Homeland Security. And we were not allowed to even walk on the da m due to evelvated security alerts. It is a beautiful da m and bridge.
…Spokyone:
I have flown over the Page, Az da m many years ago and it is quite a site…a real deep appearing Canyon. Have never visit there on the ground. Do remember seeing a pic of the bridge you mention though…
I can’t get any process in my mind how they will go about assembling that precast arch {in pieces}, across that wide gap there at Boulder Dam…I see the base of it is in place on the Nevada side and I keep looking to see if they have started to put any pieces in place yet from time to time but as of yet have seen nothing.
Each of those precast pieces must be really heavy so just trying to imagine putting piece onto piece as they start across…What in the world will hold them up until they can connect them and make an arch out of it…Mind bogging to me…! Certainly nothing from the bottom up in the line of supports. Can’t imagine a wire {cable} support above and across doing such a job…
A wire “Train” is how they poured the dam and I would expect a Golden Gate style wire train to be installed for the new by-pass arch.
Hoover is BIG but then again the Grand Coulee was something else.
Wonder what a fish said when it bumped into the wall under the water? DAM! lol.
…I believe they had a “wire train” in place to transport concrete parts to the pilasters in place now and I believe that is the structure that collapsed several months ago and stopped construction for a while.