Don’t Miss It! – FEATHER RIVER EXPRESS IV KEDDIE DINNER TRAIN AUGUST 8-9-10, 2014
“The Feather River Express” will again travel through the spectacular and normally freight-only route through Feather River Canyon, bringing folks to Portola from the Bay Area and Sacramento Valley for the 32nd annual Portola Railroad Days Festival. On Friday, August 8 the train will depart Emeryville at 8 a.m. and will stop to pick up additional passengers at Martinez, Davis, Sacramento and Oroville before entering the canyon. Arrival in Portola is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. This year’s train includes 12 private passenger cars built in the 1940’s and 50’s during America’s classic streamlined era. Tickets are available roundtrip and one-way in coach, lounge, dome and Pullman sleeper.
New to this year’s festival will be the operation of the passenger train on Saturday, August 9 from Portola to Keddie and return. This will be a four-hour excursion departing Portola at 2 p.m. well after the completion of the Golden Spike Parade. Once in Keddie, the train will run around the world famous Keddie Wye for the return journey back to Portola. There are two classes of service on this train. Regular class will be called the “Keddie Flyer” which includes coach, dome, and lounge tickets. The premium class section of the train will be called the “Keddie Dinner Train” and includes coach and dome seating. A full gourmet dinner freshly prepared onboard by our award winning chef will be served along with a fully stocked complementary open bar.
On Sunday, August 10, the train will depart Portola at 8 a.m. for the westbound journey down the Feather River Canyon, dropping off passengers in Oroville, Sacramento, Davis, Martinez and arriving in Emeryville at 5 p.m.
A special option is also available for local folks that would like to ride the entire length of the Feather River Canyon, on Sunday August 10. These passengers will ride the train from Portola to Sacramento and return directly via I-80 by charter motor coach to Portola, arriving at 6:30 p.m.
Chris Skow, Rail Tours Manager at Trains & Travel International based in Portola, is again in charge of this years train ride. Skow is a retired conductor from the Western Pacific and in later years Union Pacific Railroad, and worked trains west down the Feather River Canyon and on to Stockton and the Bay Area, and east across the Nevada desert to Elko and on to Salt Lake City. He is a 46-year resident of Portola and also one of the founding fathers of the Feather River Rail Society and the Western Pacific Railroad Museum. He is committed to doing all he can to promote Portola Railroad Days and the railroad museum.
Folks who wish to ride the “Feather River Express,” “Keddie Flyer,” or the “Keddie Dinner” should hurry, because the charter train is filling quickly both in Regular and Premium class. There are a variety of prices being offered on the private rail cars including coaches, domes, lounges and Pullman sleeper. Round-trip from Emeryville to Portola in regular coach is $298, and one-way in either direction is $198. There’s also special lower prices if you board or detrain at Oroville. Prices on the Keddie excursion start at $168. There are children fares available all three days of operation.
For a full range of prices and availability, visit www.traintrips.biz or call toll free 1-800-359-4870.
