KOA Journey campgrounds are the perfect oases after a day on the road. Whether it’s along the way or a quick getaway, they’ve got you covered. Located near the highways and byways of North America with long Pull-thru RV Sites, they deliver convenience to the traveling camper. Pull in, ease back and take a load off.
KOA Journey campgrounds are the perfect oases after a day on the road. Whether it’s along the way or a quick getaway, they’ve got you covered. Located near the highways and byways of North America with long Pull-thru RV Sites, they deliver convenience to the traveling camper. Pull in, ease back and take a load off.
We are located on the western edge of La Junta on U.S. Highway 50, on the south side of the road, behind Viaero Wireless and next to Walmart. GPS GENERALLY DOES NOT WORK WELL IN OUR AREA!
Eastbound on U.S. Highway 50 (coming from Pueblo): We are exactly 2.4 miles east of the Conoco in the town of Swink. Go one block east past the signalized intersection at Conley Road/Country Road 26.5 (Village Inn/Walmart/Wendy's) and turn right/south on Rogers Road at Viaero Wireless.
Northeast-bound on U.S. Highway 350 (coming from Trinidad) or Colorado Highway 10 (coming from Walsenburg): We are exactly 1.9 miles west of the intersection of US 350 & US 50 and exactly 1.5 miles west of the intersection of CO 10 & US 50. Turn left/west on to US 50 and go .3 miles past the Big R Farm & Ranch Supply Store on the left/south. Turn left/south on Rogers Road just before Viaero Wireless.
Westbound on U.S. Highway 50 (coming from Lamar): Continue west through La Junta. We are exactly 1.1 miles west of McDonald's and .3 miles past the Big R Farm & Ranch Supply Store on the left/south. Turn left/south on Rogers Road just before Viaero Wireless.
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Our second railcar to lodging project, our 1954 CB&Q #304 Vista-Dome streamliner lounge/sleeper passenger railcar lodging remodel, is underway! Pre-Amtrak, there were only 236 Vista-Dome cars made in the United States from the mid-40's to the mid 50's. Upon completion, this will be the only Vista-Dome lodging car in the country! The car is 86 feet long and 15'10" tall, with a 25' long dome. It will be transformed into two lodging units, each sleeping six and having a bedroom under the stars with a queen bed in the glass dome.
As the silver streamliner passenger railcars of the 1930's - 50's, made of aluminum and stainless steel, revolutionized and revitalized the post-depression passenger rail industry in the United States, the dome car was the crowning achievement of this effort. The observation dome concept was created by General Motors Vice President Cyrus R. Osborn, General Manager of the GM Electro-Motive Division, on a locomotive cab ride on the Rio Grande along the Colorado River through Glenwood Canyon on July 4, 1944. As he strained to view the 1,300+ foot canyon walls through the locomotive's windows, he thought that there must be a better way to view the scenic beauty of our country, and the glass dome railcar was born! "These coaches offer passengers a panoramic view of nature, which gives them an immersive travel experience." Railroads called them by different names: The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe named their's "Big Dome" and "Pleasure Dome"; the Great Northern Railway had it's "Great Dome"; the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific had the "Super Dome"; Souhthern Pacific, the "Stairway to the Stars"; Union Pacific called their's "Astra Dome"; and the three railroads that made up the California Zephyr line between Chicago and Oakland, the CB&Q (Chicago, Burlington & Quincy), D&RGW (Denver & Rio Grande Western) and WP (Western Pacific) used the most enduring name, the "Vista-Dome".
Streamliner passenger railcars, including the Vista-domes, were built when the Art Deco stylistic movement was at it's pinnacle, and they are considered the finest example of Art Deco being applied to land transportation. In that spirit, the north half of our Vista-dome car will be decked out in cool Art Deco furniture and fixtures. Given that we are in the Southwest and the land of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Chief and Super Chief rail lines their successor, Amtrak's Southwest Chief, the south half of our Vista-dome will be styled in the look and colors of the American Southwest. Each half of our Vista-dome will look completely different than the other half!
11/23/23 UPDATE: There is a lot to report! Antonio & Jim have been hard at work, with the last year seeing the interior rooms gutted, with several trailer loads of steel being removed (thanks, Muth Customs for the torch & Coates Construction for the trailer!). A few weeks ago we replaced two curved dome windows that were cracked (thanks, Morgan Glass for the window work & Muth Customs for the lift!). With the sage advice & experience of Evan's Detailing & Polishing of Wisconsin, we have begun buffing and polishing the exterior of the stainless steel car, with our newest Maintenance staff member Dax finding the right combination of baking soda & hydrogen peroxide to do the initial cleaning and lacquer thinner to do the final polish. Next week we will install windows in the open window frames previously covered with plywood, then replace the remaining intact windows (being 67 years old, they are very hazy), for a total of 18 new side windows. We kicked-off the interior remodel on November 21 with framing the walls for the bedroom in the north half. Brad went on his first of two monster shopping trips to Taos & Albuquerque, New Mexico; Phoenix, Tucson & Prescott, Arizona; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Los Angeles, San Clemente & San Diego, California to procure super-cool, unique furnishings including headboards, lamps, mirrors and more!
Also, we have chosen a name for our Vista-Dome! Many of the streamliner railcars were given unique names, with the trio of railroads that made up the California Zephyr route using "Silver" in every named car, such as "Silver Bronco", "Silver Dollar" and "Silver
12/1/22 UPDATE: The concrete pads for the entryway staircases are being poured next week, with the staircases being fabricated by Muth Customs of Rocky Ford, Colorado. The utility lines will be trenched in over the next two week as well. Windows have been ordered, and we will be finishing the internal demolition over the month...!
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