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Amtrak East to Pittsburgh to Get To the 2006 NRHS Convention 7/11/2006 to 7/14/2006

Every year at the National Railway Historical Society convention, I sign up and pay the ten dollar pre-registration fee which ensures that I have the first chance at getting my convention registration brochure early. This year, the convention was named 'Buckeye Rails' and was held in New Philadelphia, Ohio. Once I received brochure, I chose my events and mailed it back the same day. In this case, I received everything I paid for, which was "The American", "Cuyahoga Valley Classic", "The Cincinnati Limited", "Social Hour and Banquet", "The Buckeye" and the "Morgan Run Shop Tour". Later, after it was announced that a train ride was included, I signed up the "Optional Return via the Minerva Steam Museum".

Chris Parker also decided to go but he would have to fly back and take care of the rental car because of time constraints. As always, I would take the train but to where, Cleveland or Pittsburgh? I checked the arrival times in both cities and Cleveland had times of 12:36 AM for Train 30, the Capitol Limited, or 4:02 AM for Train 48, the Lake Shore Limited. Pittsburgh only had one choice, which was 4:00 AM on the Capitol Limited. Since there were other railroads I wanted to ride east of Pittsburgh, that was my choice.

Steve Grande assisted with getting my tickets for this trip and once I knew I had what I wanted at the convention, we then purchased my Amtrak tickets from Santa Ana to Pittsburgh and return. I planned to arrive on July 14th, so now I could work on arranging some pre-convention trips so contacted the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad and that was a go. Sand Patch grade could be explored after that. Next, I contacted the Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad and that was a go also. After that trip, my next destination would be Horseshoe Curve. I then checked with the East Broad Top Railroad and found out that I could ride this train with an overnight stay at the Tunnel Inn in Cresson, Pennsylvania. I would also visit the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum in Washington, Pennsylvania on the way to New Philadelphia. Hotels were then taken care of and I was all set. After the convention, I planned to ride round trip on the Pennsylvanian to Altoona before returning home. It should be a great trip.

For once, Tuesday, a day that one of my trips was to begin, I was able to relax at home before being driven to the Santa Ana station.

The new northbound canopies had all been tiled.

The bridge towers were still being worked on.

Passengers were asked to wait on the middle platform but Pacific Surfliner 582 arrived first, so it was weird standing in the middle. I found some shade under the new bridge in the area where I, along with the rest of the Pacific Business Class passengers, would be boarding.

The train arrived about ten minutes late and I chose Seat 1 downstairs in Car 6807. The train, operating in push mode, had cab car 6800, coaches 6408 and 6812, coach/café 6803 and Pacific Business Class 6807, with F59PHI 464. We made our way to Anaheim and Fullerton while I did Major League Sudoku puzzles then as we continued to Los Angeles Union Station, I saw one of the Sounder trainsets on its way east to San Bernardino.

The Southwest Chief was already on Track 12 and we came in on Track 10. I found a luggage cart before walking down the ramp, under the tracks and back up to the correct one. The train had P42DC's 74, 99 and 69, baggage 1755, transition 39045, sleepers 32030 and 32047, diner 38011, lounge 32032 and coaches 34085, 34065 and 34056. No express cars on the rear, yeah!

I boarded the 32047 and had Room 6 with Efren as my sleeping car attendant and relaxed in my room, reading USA Today, until an on-time departure. My book for this trip was "A Life on the Road" by Charles Kuralt. We paused at Bandini to let Metrolink 706 pass going west before entering the south track for Fullerton.

For the first time, we used the south platform for our station work.

The view looking back at Fullerton. I had received a 7:45 PM dinner reservation and was seated with George and Linda going to Buffalo then onto Woodstock, Ontario. Also dining with me was Robert, going to Cincinnati, then on to Washington, DC and Danville, Virginia. I had a pork chop and chocolate bundt cake and dinner conversations were excellent. Later, I took a fresh air break at San Bernardino and as I was enjoying the climb over Cajon Pass, Conductor Dave Arthur stopped by for a catch-up visit before I called it a night.

7/12/2006 I awoke just before we crossed Canyon Diablo then at 6:30 AM, I went to the dining car and had breakfast with Tom and Annette, both on their way to Chicago. I had French Toast and sausage which hit the spot then back in my room as the Chief passed though Holbrook, I started listening to both CDs of "Carl Palmer Band Working Live", read a chapter of my book then did a Sudoku puzzle, then alternated, as the train rolled out of Arizona and into New Mexico. We paused at Gallup and I later walked back to the rear door of our train. On the way back to my room, I stopped to talk with Gingi, one of the excellent coach attendants on the Southwest Chief.

Back in the room, the Scorpions "Blackout" was the next musical selection which was followed by Metallica's "Master of Puppets". Efren came by passing out both lunch and dinner reservations and I selected only a 5:00 PM evening meal seating. We arrived at Albuquerque over an hour early.

The Southwest Chief at rest at Albuquerque.

I saw the work being done on the New Mexico Rail Runner platform. Expresstrak 74064 was added to the rear of our train, so I would not be able to take semaphore pictures on this trip. It was a hot day so I waited outside in the shade during our layover. After a southbound New Mexico Rail Runner came in and discharged its passengers, the Southwest Chief departed on time. I continued the book and Sudoku puzzles, listening to Billy Squire's "Greatest Hits". Lamy and Apache Canyon passed as I listened to the "Eyes of Alice Cooper" and enjoyed USA Today. Next was the Moody Blues' "Greatest Hits" as we stopped in Las Vegas and continued eastward. In Shoemaker Canyon, we encountered a rainshower that gave the area an eerie look but on the way to Raton, the clouds parted as we sped across the high plains.

At 5:00 PM, I went to the dining car and was seated with Rodney, going to a bridge tournament, along with Donna and Joe going to Columbus, Indiana.

I enjoyed the roast chicken with no vegetables and another chocolate bundt cake.

Climbing Raton Pass, we passed a BNSF freight, after which I listened to Blackmore's Night's "Shadow of the Moon" as we plunged into the Raton Tunnel, entered Colorado and descended to Trinidad.

BNSF 4306 East waited for us to pass, then would follow us east to La Junta. I switched to Blackmore's Night's "The Village Lantern" which took me east to La Junta, our next fresh air stop. A smoker who cussed out our assistant conductor then refused to show his identification or ticket receipt and was removed by the local police; he had outstanding warrants and was going from San Diego to New York but would be spending some time in La Junta. The Southwest Chief departed and proceeded east out into the night. About twenty minutes east of La Junta, we stopped suddenly and the Head End Power (HEP) went out. At 8:55 PM, we started moving again. The problem was a broken air hose which our new crew fixed very quickly. Any time you work under the train, you always turn off the HEP. With that done, I called it a night.

7/13/2006 I arose at 6:30 AM and went to the dining car for breakfast with Annette, George and Jeanne and enjoyed my usual French Toast and sausage patties. We were held at Holiday, Kansas before going through BNSF's Argentine Yard on the north side.

BNSF business car "Glacier View" and other cars were added to our train while our engines were refuelled.

A Ferromex locomotive passed us going west as we rolled towards Kansas City.

A BNSF freight waited to follow us east.

We arrived at Kansas City and I went for a walk on this very hot humid morning to make note of the BNSF car numbers: BNSF 77 (HEP car) 800665, BNSF 66 "Cajon Pass" 800663, BNSF 7 "Santa Fe" 800637 and BNSF 30 "Glacier View" 800675. Having the information I needed, I returned to the coolness of my room to enjoy a Coca-Cola and we departed Kansas City at 8:46 AM {7:45 AM}.

We left the Kansas City metro area behind us and at Sibley, rounded a large curve before crossing the Missouri River.

After that, I listened to the two CD's of Keith Emerson's "Hammer It Out" as we crossed Missouri and finished the book just west of La Plata, where Trainweb.com and Trainparty.com will be moving in the near future. In fact, I spotted the building as we passed through town. Later we had a fresh air stop at Fort Madison, Iowa.

The Mississippi River.

Crossing the Mississippi River on the Santa Fe swing bridge, which is privately owned by BNSF Railway and is the river crossing for the Southern Transcon, BNSF's Chicago to Southern California main line. About 100 trains a day, including Amtrak's Southwest Chief, cross the bridge. Per Coast Guard regulations and the BNSF Fort Madison River Bridge operations manual, river traffic has the right-of-way over train and vehicle traffic on the bridge. The length of time for an opening varies due to weather, river current, size and number of boats, and occasional mechanical problems. A typical opening for a tow with 15 barges will take 15 to 20 minutes. The bridge logs over 2,000 openings per year, an average of more than five per day.

This bridge, unique for its two lanes of vehiclular traffic on the top and double-track rails on the second level, had its beginnings with local businessmen who secured a government charter for a bridge in the late 1850's. They held onto the charter for a little over thirty years years and offered it to the Santa Fe with the stipulation that they cross at Fort Madison. Santa Fe took Fort Madison's offer and started to bridge the Mississippi in 1887. On April 27th, 1888, the first train crossed the original structure into Nauvoo, Illinois. The current 3,140 foot long bridge was built to replace the 1887 structure and was completed in 1927. With a 525 foot swing span, it is the largest double-decker swing span bridge in the world. The bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Library of Congress Historic American Engineering Record.

Looking north at America's Great River.

Later at Cameron, a BNSF freight waited for us to enter the former Chicago, Burlington and Quincy mainline to Galesburg and would follow us into town.

The Emerson CDs lasted until we departed Galesburg, so next was the two CD set of Cheap Trick's "Live at Budakon".

The author before we crossed the former Chicago and North Western line to St. Louis.

At Princeton, Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Caboose 13593 built by International Car Company in 1964, is on display east of the station. I went to the lounge car until they closed it at Naperville.

The table end of the Sightseer Lounge.

The viewing area of the car with a group who did not follow the directions to leave.

In this newly rebuilt lounge car are new tables with the Amtrak emblem and a cup holder. We pulled straight into Chicago Union Station, arriving at 3:50 PM {3:20 PM}, ending an excellent restful Amtrak trip to Chicago.

I checked into the Metropolitan Lounge and stored my bags then went upstairs to the Food Court to Gold Coast for a Char Dog, followed by a stop at Metra to obtain a Union Pacific West Line schedule for the trip to Elburn which I would take during the layover in Chicago on my return home. I reclaimed my bags, had an orange juice and waited for Train 30 to board.

All the passengers walked out of the back door of the lounge to Platform 20, where I boarded the Capitol Limited to Pittsburgh then detrained for a picture of our train and then walked the length to get the consist. This edition had P42DC's 199 and 193, baggage 1127, transition 39018 {rooms sold}, sleepers 32050 and 32031, diner 38055, lounge 33014 with coaches 34063, 34117 and 31043. My Sleeping Car Attendant was Mr. Kinney and I had Room 2 in one of the rebuildt sleepers which had a new bathroom layout. At 5:30 PM, I was called in for dinner and enjoyed a pork chop and sweet temptation chocolate cake. For this meal, I was joined by Paul and Lillian.

A damaged Cabbage (combined cab and baggage) car in Chicago.

Lake Michigan.

Steel plant switcher.

Another steel plant locomotive coming out of the building.

Some Elgi, Joliet and Eastern locomotives in their Gary Yard. I settled into my room and listened to Prince's "The Hits" as we sped up then slowed down, thereby losing time, so it would be interesting to see how much time we actually lose when we reached South Bend.

My sleeper is a rebuild, so here are three views of the upstairs bathroom. A Chicago, South Shore and South Bend train zoomed by westbound as we neared South Bend, where we arrived at 9:17 PM {8:03 PM} and I made up my room for the night. There was a medical emergency in the second coach which delayed our departure and I went to bed wondering what time I would be arriving at Pittsburgh.

7/14/2006 Mr. Kinney awoke me at 5:10 AM on Wednesday morning, twenty minutes from Pittsburgh as the train had made up some time during the night. I packed, took my bags downstairs and enjoyed an orange juice before arriving at Pittsburgh Union Station at 5:33 AM {4:00 AM}. I detrained and walked to the front of the station and waited for Chris Parker to pick me up.

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