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Riding the Santa Fe Southern from Santa Fe to Lamy, New Mexico 11/11-14/2004

I decided after the Hot Deals to Albuquerque expedition to take another long-distance Amtrak trip, this time to Lamy and the shuttle into Santa Fe to ride the Santa Fe Southern Railroad for the first time. I contacted them and booked a one-way trip from Santa Fe to Lamy then booked a decent low Amtrak rate and found a hotel that was within walking distance. I picked up the tickets and all I had to do was wait until my day of departure. That morning, I checked on sleeping car space each way and a call to Amtrak gave me rooms at a good rate both ways, so before boarding in Santa Ana, I would have to change my tickets.

My mother drove me to the Santa Ana Amtrak station and I exchanged my old tickets and paid for the ones with the rooms. My train arrived with F59PH 450 leading Pacific Business Class 6801, coach/café 6301, coaches 6403 and 6405 and cab car 6908. I boarded coach and was off on yet another rail adventure and checked the construction of the new second track bridge over Santiago Creek, which is being installed for the future double-tracking through my neighbourhood between CP La Veta on the north and CP Lincoln on the south. As we neared Anaheim, the southwest sky had beautiful reddish hues as the sun had set and another quick-moving storm was entering the Los Angeles Basin.

Darkness took hold quickly as we neared Fullerton then on the way to Los Angeles, I listened to Martin Barre's (of Jethro Tull fame) latest solo project "Stage Left". As we passed through the 8th Street coach yard, I saw the American Orient Express, a train that I would like to ride someday. We arrived into Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal five minutes early to a great night-time view of the downtown Los Angeles skyline.

I arrived at Track 12 just before the Southwest Chief reversed in. This train had P42DCs 62 and 61, baggage 1734, transition 39019, sleepers 32060 and 32023, diner 38043, lounge 33019 and coaches 31000 and 31053 (former smoking lounges) and coach 34092. I was greeted at the door of sleeper 32060 by Isaac Champagne, a man with thirty years of Amtrak experience, and made my way to Room 2 for my journey to Lamy. The conductor walked through the train collecting tickets prior to our on-time departure and we departed Los Angeles with no express or mail cars for the first time in years. After I enjoyed a great view looking back from the flyover across the Los Angeles River, I went to the dining car for a T-Bone steak dinner and an ice cream sundae for dessert, dining with two great ladies making their first train trip together to Philadelphia, and another fantastic woman from Malibu, going to Lamy and onto Santa Fe. The four of us had an excellen time and none of us wanted it to end. I returned to my room, listened to some tunes then made up my bed for the night right after Riverside and slept soundly into Arizona.

11/12/2004 Awaking at Maine, Arizona with no snow on the ground, I made my way to the dining car for French Toast and link sausage.

I went back to the rear door of the last coach for photographs that I had not been able take for years due to the mail and express business.

The views were ever-changing.

A different view of Canyon Diablo with the bridge and a BNSF freight. I returned to my room to read USA Today and listen to more tunes as the train made its way to Winslow and points east. At Adama, the dispatcher crossed the Chief over to the south track to pass BNSF 5497 West with a Joseph City coal train.

I returned to the rear door for more of eastern Arizona.

At Houck, we passed two eastbound BNSF freights, crossed back over to the north track then passed four more westbounds. One word describes this BNSF dispatching, "Impressive!".

The Southwest Chief entered New Mexico and following a few more pictures, I returned to my room as the train proceeded to Gallup.

East of Gallup, the New Mexico red mesas as seen from the rear door.

Later before Grants, I returned to my new favourite place for the Santa Fe Grants station built in the 1940's.

At East Grants, another BNSF eastbound was passed.

The black-capped rock mesas and the lava flows east of Grants.

Further east at Suwanee, I returned to the rear door for our trek down the south track, passing three more BNSF freights on the north track.

The two locomotives had done an excellent job of pulling our nine-car train east. On the way to Dalies, we passed three more eastbounds.

The Rio Grande River before we arrived at Albuquerque twenty-five minutes early.

Our train being serviced.

Due to the construction of a new bus station in the former Amtrak parking lot, Cheryl's Bus was on the platform right next to my sleeping car. I walked across the street to Cold Stone for some ice cream which I enjoyed on a 53 degree afternoon then we departed four minutes late after a drug-sniffing dog found something in a female passenger's luggage in the baggage car. The passenger and bag were removed from our train and I relaxed in my room the rest of the way to Lamy.

The Southwest Chief delivered me to Lamy about two minutes late.

The Santa Fe Lamy station built in 1909.

The Lamy Shuttle and trailer took me and my bags to the hotel in Santa Fe; the journey took over twenty minutes as the van driver dropped people off wherever they wanted, such as their homes, or in my case, the Territorial Inn. The driver also pointed out sights along the way, as well as in Santa Fe.

I checked into the Territorial Inn, a bed and breakfast just off the Plaza.

I went for a walk and photographed the New Mexico State Capitol then walked down to the Santa Fe Southern station and picked up my ticket for tomorrow.

I returned to the hotel via the map I printed from the Internet then followed some wrong directions given to me in search of the Bull Ring Restaurant for dinner which took me back down by the State Capitol. Down there, I learned it was located a block from my motel and once I found it, made a 5:00 PM reservation before I caught up with the news on the television. I walked back to the Bull Ring and was seated by a window and served by Beverly then while waiting for my meal, caught up on the story just as the largest filet of my life was placed before me. It was one of the best steaks that I have eaten. If you are ever in Santa Fe, I recommend you eat at the Bull Ring on Washington Avenue, even though it is a little pricey. I returned to the Territorial Inn for a quiet night of good rest.

11/13/2004 Sleeping in late, I enjoyed a breakfast of homemade waffles and toast then packed, checked out and walked over, in snow flurries, to the Santa Fe Southern station.

The Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Railway built into its namesake city in 1880. In 1992, this rail line became the Santa Fe Southern Railway preserving rail service between Santa Fe and Lamy and the railroad carries freight as well as passengers on the 18.1 mile route.

Here I found the train in front of the station in the car order below.

Santa Fe Southern GP16 93, ex. Santa Fe Southern 1, exx. CSX 1850, exxx. Seaboard 4804, exxxx. Seaboard Coast Line 4804, nee Louisville and Nashville GP7 414, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1952.

Santa Fe Southern Railroad dome car 502 "Plaza Lamy", ex. Kyle Railways 502, exx. Amtrak 9352 1982, nee Santa Fe dome car 502 "Plaza Lamy" (name not applied) built by Pullman-Standard in 1950 and was one of only six dome-lounge cars built for the Super Chief that operated between Los Angeles and Chicago. The 16 dome seats provide one of the finest views from a train in all of New Mexico with a 360-degree view.

Santa Fe Southern open air car 99 built from a 40-foot flat car, an excellent place to view the passing scenery.

Santa Fe Southern coach 1158, nee Central Railroad of New Jersey 1158 built by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Company in Delaware in 1926. It is an elegant piece of history, apportioned with green velvet walk-over seats and mahogany panelling.

Santa Fe Southern open platform coach 300, ex. Kettle Moraine Railway 6, exx. Central of New Jersey "Halley", nee Central of New Jersey heavyweight baggage car 300 built by Pressed Steel in 1926. This car features an open baggage area that can be used for a small band and dance area or provide an area for party/catering, as well as having high-backed seats.

Santa Fe Southern caboose 562, nee Santa Fe 1972 built by American Car and Foundry in 1930 and used in livestock service. It is equipped with a small work desk, toilet, stove and seats sixteen riders.

Santa Fe Southern GP7u 92, ex. Santa Fe 2075, nee Santa Fe 2861 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1953. I went into the station to buy a few postcards and to wait for boarding time, thinking our trainset was ready but then I heard that our train would be carrying some freight to Lamy, making us a true mixed train. I went outside and 93 went out into the yard to pick up bulkhead flat car NOKL 732588.

The locomotive returned to our train before removing "Plaza Lam" and spotting it on a yard track. 93 then went to pick up another bulkhead flatcar, this one TTPX 804139, before retrieved yet another, BCOL 730251.

They then reversed onto our waiting train and we were now set to board.

"Plaza Lamy" sitting alone and not in use today, which was rather disappointing as I really would have liked to ride in that car. At 10:40 AM, boarding commenced and I sat in the forward end of Central of New Jersey 1158.

After departing, our conductor walked the train to inspect it before we left the station area.

Curving onto the main track for Lamy. I would spend most of the trip in the open car, only going inside to write and warm up on a very cold and windy day with occasional snow falling lightly.

Amtrak coach 7624 1983, ex. Amtrak 4710, exx. Amtrak 4850, nee Santa Fe 48-seat coach 2837 built by Budd Company in 1953 on a siding our train passed.

At Cerillos Road was Santa Fe Southern 02, nee Denver and Rio Grande Western 01440 built by the railroad in 1945, acting as a promotional sign.

An interesting stone loader along our route.

Future Santa Fe Southern open cars? We made our way out of urban Santa Fe.

Our train rounded a a nice small "S" curve.

More curves and the crossing of a dry arroyo.

We stopped at Premier Distributing to pick up three BNSF box cars, namely 783434, 782454 and 720308. During the switching, I chatted with some our wonderful thirty-two passengers aboard.

A group photograph of almost everyone inside Central of New Jersey 1158. The family in front of me had a little girl named Ary and a boy named Jacob who called Lamy - "Lamo." Who knows if there was ever someone named Lamo from Lamy?

Ducking under Interstate 25 and leaving Santa Fe for good.

The train curved along the hillsides and there were three snow-covered peaks to the west. The weather conditions were low clouds with occasional light snow that blanketed the valley and blocked off the views of surrounding mountains.

We traversed Arroyo Hondo Trestle, the highest on the railroad.

Our mixed train then stopped because of some sticking brakes on the passenger cars; this is the rear-facing view.

After restarting on the steep grade, the view looking back, then we continued across the range lands with juniper and Pinõn; pines and crossed a smaller wooden trestle between MP 12 and 11 on the straight track. There was another small trestle at MP 10 and a curved one at MP 9.4.

Our caboose rode over the small curved trestle at MP 8.4 then near MP 7, we passed through the Santa Fe bedroom community of of El Dorado.

A grade crossing in El Dorado.

Curving across the trestle at MP 6.1, then across the straight trestle at MP 5.7, after which we departed El Dorado and crossed another straight trestle at MP 3.8.

Curving near MP 3.0 with snow blowing from the northeast. This railroad really curves back and forth, giving one plenty of chances to photograph the train.

Starting the descent into Lamy.

Crossing the trestle at MP 2.2.

The rest of the descent, including the grade crossing of Highway 285.

We arrived at Lamy and the end of my wonderful trip on the Santa Fe Southern.

Santa Fe Lamy station built in 1909.

The Santa Fe Southern switching here.

The return trip ready to depart.

Santa Fe Southern GP16 93. The return consist would 93, caboose 95, Santa Fe Southern 300, Central of New Jersey 1158, open car 99, box cars Missouri Pacific 794796, TBOX 605062, Southern Pacific 691785 and Western Pacific 67013. Our mixed train departed at 3:07 PM with one less passenger than it had brought to Lamy.

Amtrak dining car 8085, ex. Seaboard Coast Line 5955, nee Atlantic Coast Line "Talladega" built by Pullman Standard in 1950, under restoration as the Lamy Railroad Museum. I called Julie, Amtrak's automated agent and learned the Southwest Chief was due in Lamy at 5:00 PM, over two hours late, but the agent told me it would be only an hour and it was all weather-related.

The eastbound Southwest Chief arrived, only running an hour late.

It had cleared but was still a very cold afternoon with a strong wind blowing from the northeast.

The setting sun made for a pair of interesting pictures. Darkness took complete hold and a Santa Fe Southern track inspector came down their line.

At 5:28 PM, the Southwest Chief arrived with a BNSF locomotive on the point. I was met at the door by Joan, a 27-year Amtrak employee who had made a 6:45 PM dinner reservation for me. We departed at 5:28 PM as I was in Room 5 of the 32110 sleeper. I walked the train to acquire most of the consist but knew I would have to wait until Albuquerque to finish. The 6:45 passengers were called into dinner early and I ordered a twin medallion of beef and my table mates were bound for Flagstaff and told me that the BNSF locomotive was added in Newton, Kansas. It seemed that the second Amtrak locomotive had a computer problem and would turn off and if you turned it back on, it would turn off and as a result, the train was restricted to 70 MPH because of the gearing on the freight engine was not the usual 90 MPH Amtrak engines can do. The Lamy agent was therefore incorrect with the reason for the delays.

I excused myself and my waitress did not send my check down to the kitchen until I returned from my business on the ground at Albuquerque. I detrained and here was our consist. BNSF C44-9W 5292, P42DC's 38 and 142 (dead), baggage 1213, transition 39044, sleepers 32110 "Tennessee" and 32068, diner 38039, lounge 33003, coaches 34032, 31529 (former smoking lounge) and 34046 with baggage 1232 and ExpressTrak 74089. I stopped by Cheryl's Bus to buy a New Mexico blanket for my principal at McArthur Fundamental Intermediate then returned to my table and a minute later here came my meal which was excellent and I enjoyed a chocolate mousse for dessert. We departed at 7:16 PM {4:45 PM}, the latest that I had left that fair city.

Our new conductor announced that our 70 MPH speed limit would cause us to lose more time between stations and I listened to "ABBA - Rarities and Demos" as the Southwest Chief proceeded into the night at a slower pace than normal. I called it a night before Gallup where a coach passenger had to be removed from the train by paramedics, and slept all the way into California.

11/14/2004 I awoke at 5:30 AM, dressed and went to the lounge car to enjoy the Needles Subdivision starting at Essex in the dawn of a new day. I pointed out the sights as far as Amboy Crater when the dining car was opened for breakfast and enjoyed my usual French Toast and sausage morning meal. The train took the westbound grade from Siberia to Ash Hill via Klondike on a beautiful clear November morning then I sat in my room enjoying the passing view of Ludlow, Pisgah Crater, Hector and Newberry Springs, but from there on, we were at restricted speed for a few miles that the crew did not announce. Our estimated time of arrival into Los Angeles was then changed from 10:45 to 11:45 AM, so I guess Fullerton would be my deboarding location if all goes according to plan.

At East Daggett, we stopped to let a BNSF freight with a few tanks as wide loads slowly pass. Congestion was the word at East Barstow which slowed our westbound progress even more then after fifteen minutes, we made our way into Barstow, where the Western America Railroad Museum was having a celebration, and departed there at 8:26 AM {3:55 AM}.

Once on the Cajon Subdivision, we ran at track speed of 70 MPH to Victorville, where we switched crews as our Kingman-to-Los Angeles crew would die on the hours of service law within the hour. We departed Victorville after a triple stop and new crew at 9:18 AM {4:31 AM} then passed through the Upper Mojave Narrows before climbing the east slope of Cajon Pass. A BNSF eastbound freight was in the new siding at Martinez just east of Summit and we passed two westbounds before crossing over to the south track then waiting at Summit was an eastbound Union Pacific stack train.

It was a perfectly clear day which allowed for an excellent view down Cajon Pass. As we neared Keenebrook, we came upon one yellow signal after another until after Verdemont then reached San Bernardino, departing there at 10:38 AM {5:44 AM} after an eight-minute station stop. We were not delayed at Colton Crossing and continued to Riverside, departing at 11:00 AM {6:03 AM} with the Santa Ana winds strongly blowing. We were now in the final sprint to Fullerton and who would win the race, our train or Pacific Surfliner 572 We arrived at 11:44 AM, but there was no sign of Train 572 as we neared. Did we win? Yes! As I detrained, the Fullerton agent told me that Train 572 was thirty minutes late and I took my time walking over the pedestrian bridge to Track 2.

After some pleasant conversation with my connecting passengers, the train arrived at 12:15 PM for the quick trip home to Santa Ana. A taxi cab ride home ended another interesting rail adventure to Lamy, Santa Fe and the Santa Fe Southern Railroad.

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