Links to both personalities are in LINKS at the end of this report.

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--Southwest Chief No. 4 arriving in Fullerton, California, final destination Chicago, Illinois

--Map from Amtrak.com
                                              

Note on the map above that this trip was from Fullerton, California, the first stop after the Southwest Chief departs Los Angeles.  The final destination was La Plata, Missouri, between Kansas City and the Mississippi River at Ft. Madison, Iowa.  Note also that the Depot Inn & Suites offers a free shuttle to Ottumwa, Iowa,where you can board the California Zephyr to return to California if you like.

    The Southwest Chief leaves Fullerton, California, at 6:50 pm, as you can see in the schedule on the bottom line in the illustration above.

    One ticketing suggestion that Amtrak.com gives travelers makes no sense to me.  This option takes $24 and nearly 2 hours extra to do--and it gets you back to Fullerton from which you could have left 2 hrs. later and $24 cheaper!  Simply stated, they give you the option of leaving Fullerton on the Southwest Chief at 6:50 as I did or, as mentioned, the option to spend money and time to ride west into Los Angeles, board the Chief and come right back, on the same track, arriving at Fullerton at 6:50 pm.  What is the advantage to the passenger of doing this?  Since it is a reserved seat or roomette why not board in Fullerton?  Boarding there, you can be dropped off a few steps from the train.  In LA you will have to lug your bags into the Station through the large terminal, through the long tunnel the equivalent length of 10 tracks' width, then wait in a line to board the Chief, taking your luggage with you the whole way since there is no luggage service in La Plata.

    As soon as we boarded, the Car Attendant, Freddie, told us the Dining Car had open seating this first evening.  So the first thing you experience on this Amtrak trip is to have dinner in the Diner!  We did minimal room arranging and went immediately to dinner.  We were seated with Doug at dinner.  He has homes in Palm Springs and Albuquerque and travels frequently.  One complaint Doug had concerning his only dinner on this frequent trip was that Amtrak has stopped serving steak the first night out of Los Angeles.   In turn they serve lamb shank, but not the steak they have served for years.  After dinner we had time to set up our room for the 37 hr. stay.

    Since the Southwest Chief departs Fullerton, California, after dark in the Fall and Winter, the first outside photos are possible after breakfast while traveling through eastern Arizona and western New Mexico.

Southwest Chief from Fullerton, California, to La Plata, Missouri

All meals for Sleeping Car Passengers are taken in the Diner.  Community seating is the plan here, so you will meet some interesting folks along the way.  There are sixteen 4-person booths with a service area in the center of the car with stairway to the lower level where the kitchen is located.

The Sightseer/Lounge car, with Café on the lower level, is always between the Diner and Coaches.

Southwest Chief from La Plata, Missouri, to Fullerton, California

Susan has a Menu board outside so that you can decide if you want the daily breakfast or lunch special before you enter the Cafe.  Other items are served regularly in addition to the daily special.  Walk in and order at the counter, then have a seat and enjoy the free Wi-Fi or conversation with the many locals who dine here.

I selected the "Turkey Dinner for $6.75" Delicious and large enough for a family.

Breakfast Specials each morning, and very reasonable.

With each meal I had a Carmel Latte and rate it, "The Best Latte East of Starbucks."

Very cute soda shop decor under Blue Bunny Ice Cream umbrellas.

Just beyond the Exhibition of Amtrak History's two rail cars, down the original Wabash RR right of way, is the Overlook.