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This trip was planned to ride the New Mexico Railrunner so I needed an on time train in order to ride it. The day before I left there was a bridge fire at Winslow but the westbound Southwest Chief sat in Gallup for over nine hours on its westbound run towards Los Angeles which should have been my train. I worked a full day at McFadden, then came home packed up then drove to the Santa Ana train station to catch my train to Los Angeles. I went inside to say hello to Marty, my excellent night time Amtrak agent, who told me that the westbound Southwest Chief had departed Fullerton at 4:16 PM. I recovered my luggage from my Geo Metro and walked via Santa Ana Blvd grade crossing to the east platform to wait for my train.
Surfliner 583 pulled into Santa Ana today before the usual Metrolink train did. The train had a consist of Surfliner Cab Car 6904, Coaches 6407 and 6453, Coach/Cafe 6302, Pacific Business Class 6804 with engine 463 on the rear end pushing. I settled into Coach 6407 and looked at the construction along Lincoln Street that is forcing me to detour to and from the station. Anaheim and Fullerton came rather quickly today and soon we were on our final sprint towards Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal. I really needed this good long train ride to relax me and get me so much closer to my millionth rail mile on April 27, 2007. We arrived on time into LAUPT and as I detrained I ran into Lawrence Dixon the fabulous Amtrak conductor who has been working in the yards the last few years. I made my way to Track 12 to get some rare pictures of both Southwest Chiefs in LAUPT at the same time.
Both of today's Southwest Chiefs were at Los Angeles at the same time with Train 3 with the engines and the markers on Train 4 rear car in this view. The westbound train arrived into LAUPT on this date at 4:47 PM.
Another view of today's late Southwest Chief.
Southwest Chief 4 3/22/07
My eastbound Southwest Chief at LAUPT with our engineer getting ready to board. This train had engines 91 and 187, Baggage 1135, Transition 39041, Sleepers 32043 and 32075 Connecticut, Diner 38050, Lounge 33048 and Coaches 34072, 34045 and 31004. Simon is my Sleeping Car Attendant with me in the Connecticut room 4 for this trip to Albuquerque. This train set had been yesterday's Sunset Limited a little bit of rearranging by the yard crew turned it into my Southwest Chief. I settled into Room 4 enjoying a 7 UP and listening to Jethro Tull "Stand Up". I got an 8 PM Dinner Reservation before our train left LAUPT right on time.
The MTA Building where I had met Alex Kummant, President of Amtrak last Saturday at the meeting in the MTA Board Room.
The downtown Los Angeles Skyline from the Metrolink Flyover across the Alameda Corridor and The Los Angeles River.
The view east along BNSF Hobart Yard in the City of Commerce.
Right after sunset near the Norwalk/Santa Fe Springs Metrolink Station.
We took our first fresh air stop at a windy Fullerton.
A view along the train at Fullerton. We left Fullerton and I enjoyed the ride in my darkened room until 8 PM when my dinner time was called. In the Dining Car I was seated with Bob from Chatsworth going to Albuquerque. I ordered the Pork Chop and had the Sweet Temptation Chocolate Cake for dessert. I got done with dinner in time for the fresh air break at San Bernardino.
The Metrolink Fleet at rest at San Bernardino.
The view along Train 4 at San Bernardino.
Light reflecting off both our train and a parked Metrolink train next to us.
Crescent moon over San Bernardino. We departed there on time and started the climb over Cajon Pass. I put on Mick Taylor "Stones Throw" to enjoy the trip over Cajon Pass. Our train took a delay at Kennebrook before we continued the climb and then conquered Cajon Pass. Heading down towards Victorville I made up my room and called it a night.
4/23/07 I woke up at a rainy Flagstaff and then went to the lounge car to get a picture at Canyon Diablo.
Canyon Diablo right after first light on a cloudy Friday morning. I then decided to go to the rear door of our train for some pictures there.
The well maintained BNSF tracks on the way to Winslow.
Interesting tracks just west of Winslow.
BNSF action at Winslow as the sun parted the clouds.
The location of the bridge fire which was quickly filled in. I went back to my room and put the battery on the charger then went to breakfast. In the dining Car I was seated with three people who wouldn't say a word to me even when I tried to start a conversation. I did enjoy the Railroad French Toast and sausage patties, After breakfast I learned that the charger wouldn't charge it anymore so I had a dead battery. With no spare I would have to use the film camera for the rest of this trip. I put on the Scorpions "Eye II Eye" which took me to Gallup, New Mexico. Next it was Queen "Innuendo" that took me past Grants. I decided to nap which I did almost to Isleta and I woke up to realize that I would make my connection to ride the New Mexico Railrunner to Belen today at 12:30 PM. We crossed the very swollen Rio Grande River on the way into Albuquerque.
The Rio Grande Valley.
BNSF power in their yard at Albuquerque.
The former Santa Fe Railway Shop Building in Albuquerque.
Two views of the M-190 still on those same flat cars at the exact location as they were last month. The Southwest Chief arrived into Albuquerque at 12:18 PM, plenty of time to walk two hundred fifty feet to the Downtown Station of the New Mexico Railrunner.
Two views of the Southwest Chief I just had detrained.
New Mexico Railrunner 509 3/23/07
A large group of passengers waiting to board the New Mexico Railrunner. Free rides down the line to Belen until April 1st, 2007.
New Mexico Railrunner 509 came in from Sandoval/US 550 and after a large group of 42 school kids detrained, I boarded taking the last rear facing seat in the cab car so I could take pictures through the conductors office next to the operator's room. This train had engine 101, Coach 1002 and Cab Car 1104. Once everyone was loaded aboard the train we slowly moved forward passing in front of the Southwest Chief. When the doors close on this train they go "Beep! Beep!"
The Downtown Albuquerque Station.
Passing the Southwest Chief before we headed back down the way I came into Albuquerque.
Passing the shop buildings.
Passing the future Bernalillo County/International Airport Station but locally will be known as Rio Bravo.
The Rio Grande River Bridge.
At Isleta we came off the Southwest Chief route onto new rail mileage for me.
We took a curve as we headed south.
Pond along the tracks.
Intermediate signal along our route. New Mexico Highway 314 runs along the west side of our route most of the way to Belen.
The storm is behind us as we sped south towards Belen.
Los Lunas Station.
Chloe siding.
Back on single track nearing the southern end of the New Mexico Railrunner.
Another scene along our route to Belen. A few minutes later we came to Belen Jct where we exited the main track for the station track at Belen which we arrived at 1:12 PM.
New Mexico Railrunner at Belen as a BNSF eastbound rolled by the Belen Station. I walked over to the Rail Cafe for a soft drink to celebrate finally reaching Belen by rail.
The New Mexico Railrunner getting ready to head back north to Albuquerque. I took the same seat for my trip back north.
Belen Jct, where the El Paso Subdivision joins the BNSF Transcontinental Mainline into the yard at Belen.
New Mexico Railrunner 510 3/23/07
The train pulled up to the red signal and we waited for a BNSF westbound move that had followed us south from Albuquerque.
A few minutes later, a light BNSF engine move with SD-40-2's 6704 and 6924, both still in Cascade Green livery. Once he cleared, we got a flashing yellow and we headed back to Albuquerque with me sitting back relaxing and enjoying the ride. To the west I could watch the BNSF freights dropping down into the Rio Grande Valley eastbound. We arrived back into Albuquerque almost on time and I thanked the New Mexico Railrunner crew for an excellent trip.
I tried to call both Steve Grande and Chris Parker but had no luck. I next took a walk around downtown Albuquerque after finding out that my westbound train was on time. I tried to find a camera shop in downtown but they had moved out to the suburbs. I returned to the platform and sat in the sixty-one degree afternoon sun. I bought an Indian Blanket as a retirement gift for my principal Esther Severy who is retiring at the end of this school year. The storm clouds had been all around me today but yet to be overhead. I saw a headlight coming and set up for my picture of my train.
Southwest Chief 3 3/23/07
The train pulled into Albuquerque at 3:45 PM and I then got the consist of my train back to California. This train had engines 5 and 98, Baggage 1242, Transition 39018, Sleepers 32099 New Mexico and 32031, Diner 38064, Lounge 33042 and Coaches 34014, 34061 and 34097. I boarded the 32031 taking Room 6 with Nina as my Sleeping Car Attendant.
As the weather started turning bad with first strong cold winds I walked down to take a picture of New Mexico Railrunner 512 heading north to the Sandoval County/US 550 Station on the same route that the Southwest Chief. Back in my room as the rain began, New Mexico Railrunner 511 next passed our train heading south to Belen. I put on Queen "The Works" to take me to our on time departure time and further west of town. We left Albuquerque four minutes late and we were on our way. We crossed the very full Rio Grande River before we passed through Isleta. I now know what is down those tracks after years of wondering. Next it was time for the Alice Cooper "Billion Dollar Babies Deluxe Edition" listening to the live CD of that set. That lasted until it was time for dinner at 6:30 PM. I was seated with Don and Linda heading home to Los Angeles from Santa Fe via Lamy. Richard Talmy was my excellent waiter and I had the Pork Shanks with a Chocolate Bundt Cake for dessert. We headed into the same storm that had passed through Santa Ana two days ago crossing the Continental Divide at Thoreau. For my first time ever you couldn't see the Red Mesas as it became extremely dark with low clouds. After dinner we were now west of Gallup, I listened to Jethro Tull "Back to Birmingham" that took me into Arizona. Next was ABBA "More Gold". In Hollbrook I finally saw the Apache Railway at the BNSF interchange. I called it a night after Winslow after another fantastic day of train riding.
3/24/07 I awoke just coming down Cajon Pass almost to San Bernardino. I went to the Dining Car with a choice of only an Omelet or the Continental Breakfast. So with me not being able to eat eggs, I was stuck with cold cereal. I will never understand why Amtrak can not serve a full breakfast on this train when it can on the Empire Builder and California Zephyr. I had Frosted Flakes, Tea and an Orange Juice. We stopped at San Bernardino then Riverside on a mostly cloudy morning. The Southwest Chief made the final sprint to Fullerton where I detrained to catch Surfliner 564 for Santa Ana. That train came in right on time and soon we were at Anaheim. We then poked along to Orange where we waited on late running Surfliner 763. Once it passed we took the slow order at CP La Veta before we arrived into Santa Ana where I detrained ending yet another excellent Amtrak Trip plus a unique ride on the New Mexico Railrunner.
