Back at the Kingsley Inn, the front desk day employee was going off work and offered to drive me to the Fort Madison station. I took him up on his offer and upon my arrival, had some time to watch "The Young Dubliners Home Movies" while I waited for the Southwest Chief to arrive on time, according to Amtrak's automated agent, Julie.
Southwest Chief 4 12/19/2007
The Southwest Chief arrived on Track 3 with P42DCs 3 and 142, baggage 1756, sleepers 32115, 32071 and 32043, diner 38050, lounge 33001 and coaches 34090, 34048 and 34024. Since there is no platform on Track 3, the crew had to do a triple stop with first the 331, then the 330 cars followed by the coaches, which meant that there was no fresh air stop here tonight. I settled into Room 11 of the 32043 with Miriam as my Sleeping Car Attendant before watching Jackie Chan in "Tuxedo".
Just before our double La Plata stop, this is what the Chris Guenzler Million Mile Lookout Point looks like at night. The film finished after Marceline and I made up my room and called it a night.
12/20/2007 I was up at 6:45 AM CST.
I went to this nicely-decorated dining car for a breakfast of French Toast and sausage patties then read two more chapters of "Guiding Light, Jonathan's Story" as the train sped across western Kansas. Next I watched the bonus disc of "Kissology", a live concert from 1988 at the Budakon Hall in Tokyo, Japan, as we entered Colorado, which took me to Las Animas, where I switched to the bonus disc of "Pirates of the Caribbean - At World's End". The train arrived at La Junta early and I detrained for some cold fresh air.
The Southwest Chief at rest at La Junta.
The interior of the station, after which I returned to the warmth of the Southwest Chief to read The Pueblo Chieftain before watching "Pirates of the Caribbean - At World's End". We departed on time for Trinidad and beyond then arrived in Trinidad early and I noticed that the Santa Fe station had been torn down to make way for the Interstate 25 freeway construction through town. The station was now just a platform and a temporary building. We then climbed up and over Raton Pass into New Mexico.
The State Line marker approaching New Mexico and entering Raton Tunnel.
The State Line marker as we left Colorado. Our next stop at Raton would be a fresh air stop.
Santa Fe Raton station built in 1904.
Interior of the station. We departed on time and my film finished at Maxwell, afer which I watched more of the bonus features before going to lunch at 11:45 AM where I had the Build Your Own Burger and chocolate ice cream. Back in the room, I watched some of the Million Mile DVD and our train met the eastbound Southwest Chief at Canyoncito while I watched Asia's "Fantasia" as we made our way through Apache Canyon to Lamy. That DVD took me into Albuquerque, where we arrived early. Randy Jackson came by for a visit and we tried to find wireless on the Albuquerque platform, going from one end to the other, but had no luck. It is always good to catch up with him. I returned to my room to listen to Jethro Tull's "Best of the Acoustic" as I caught up the story before returning to my book.
The Southwest Chief departed Albuquerque on time and passed the transfer table at the former Santa Fe Railroad shop.
A minute later, we passed through the BNSF yard and made our way out of town.
A view south of town.
We crossed the Rio Grande River.
Our train was climbing to Dalies and points west during the night.
Once on the BNSF mainline, we passed a westbound freight.
At 5:28 PM, I went to the dining car for dinner and was seated with a lady coming home from Kansas City and a couple visiting Los Angeles from Pittsburgh.
My evening meal of the flat iron steak. For dessert, I had a peanut butter chocolate cake then returned to my room and had a refreshing shower, followed by some more Jethro Tull in my darkened room.
My next DVD was Kissology Disc 1 "The Attack of the Phantoms" which had been a television movie "Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park".
Near the end of the film, we arrived at Winslow.
I stayed up for Flagstaff and detrained, wondering if Danny (ProAmtrak on Trainorders.com) was there but he was not, so I made up my room and called it a night.
12/21/2007 I awoke at San Bernardino then went to the dining car for French Toast and sausage patties, being seated with a young man from Phoenix heading home to Fresno. By Riverside, I was back in my room enjoying Rainbow's "Live in Munich 1977" as we proceeded to Fullerton then Los Angeles.
The train crossed the Redondo flyover across the Los Angeles River.
There were plenty of locomotives on the turntable leads before we arrived at Los Angeles Union Station half an hour early, ending another relaxing trip aboard the Southwest Chief.
The Southwest Chief has completed its run from Chicago to Los Angeles. I waited on the same platform for Pacific Surfliner 566.
Pacific Surfliner 566 12/21/2007
This train had F59PHI 457, Pacific Business Class 6805, coach/café 6307, coaches 6408 and 6412, Superliner coach 31021 and cab car 6904. We departed on time and I retraced my morning trip to Fullerton before stopping at Anaheim then Santa Ana.
Santa Ana Station Christmas DisplayEvery year, Gary our Amtrak Head Agent, puts up this outstanding Christmas model railroad and village.
I thanked Gary for another excellent Christmas railroad and village display then waited in front for my mother to arrive to finish this excellent Amtrak adventure.
