I packed and stopped by the store for some items for the trip then Jeff Hartmann called and said he wanted to leave his car at the station so we would have transportation when we returned. He would be by at 2:15 PM to pick me up. Since my Amtrak mileage was perfect from Fullerton to La Plata for the big event there on Monday, Metrolink would be taking us to Fullerton. I did some last minute chores around the house then watched VH1 Classic "40 Greatest Heavy Metal Songs". Jeff arrived on time and we drove to the Santa Ana station and parked, I went to the Amtrak ticket counter to get a parking permit then walked back to the structure to fill it out. On the way to the bridge to Track 1, I went down to the ticket counter to turn in the parking permit before we made our way to Track 1. Jeff bought our Metrolink tickets to Fullerton and we sat down to wait for our train.
Pacific Surfliner 578 arrived.
A late-running Pacific Surfliner 577 then arrived and I joked with the engineer about the fact that I could not board his Amtrak train or it would mess up Amtrak rail mileage. Jeff's parents then came down to see us off. Shortly after, the Metrolink signs then flashed with the message "The Train going to Los Angeles is running up to 15 minutes late." About ten minutes later, the crossing gates went down and soon a pair of track inspection trucks rolled through the station and once they had passed, we heard a horn and here came Metrolink 657.
Metrolink 657 4/5/2008
Our conveyance to Fullerton arrived with a familiar face at the door. Jeff and I said goodbye to his parents and we boarded the train, posing for pictures in the doorway.
Conductor Bert Lucia and the author. The train took off, making its first stop in Orange.
An Orange County Transit District bus with a Metrolink train painted on it. The train then took us to Anaheim and onto Fullerton, where we said our goodbyes to Conductor Bert, who wished me luck with my trip.
Metrolink 657 departed Fullerton for Los Angeles. We sat on the bench along the platform to watch trains, but alas none came by while we were waiting so we walked over to Knowlwoods for Steve Grande to arrive so we could store our luggage in his van while we attended the departure party.
Pre-Departure Party Knowlwoods, Fullerton 4/5/2008
The party guests arrived and Steve brought some of the new Trainparty.com tableclothes, napkins and cups with the Empire Builder crossing the Two Medicine Bridge in Montana. I ordered a hot dog, fries and a chocolate shake.
Amtrak Conductor Lawerence Dixon and my friend Bruce Jacobs.
Bruce Jacobs and Orange County Railway Historical Society member Dan Dalke.
My friends Chris Parker, Ken Ruben (the official caller for Let's Talk Trains) nd Orange County Railway Historical Society member Fred Kingdom.
Chris Parker and Bob McMillan of Valhalla Video, along to film this event for us.
The group at another table.
Anton Lazzaro at another booth.
Steve Grande, Founder of Trainweb.org, his wife Barbara Cepinko and Tom Amderson, who designed and had these great T-shirts printed again for this trip.
Carole Walker of Bella Vista Travel, my excellent travel agent. We all enjoyed each other's company but soon it was time to make our way to the station so we walked over and waited for Steve to arrive with our luggage.
Metrolink 659 arrived.
Metrolink 659 departed.
The group at Fullerton waiting for the eastbound Southwest Chief.
Cliff Prather and two other members of the Orange County Railway Historical Society who came down to see me off. We spotted the headlight and I went upstairs to my vantage point on the landing on the pedestrian bridge. A special thank you to all of who came to see me off on my Millionth Amtrak Mile Trip.
Southwest Chief 4/5/2008
The Southwest Chief arrived and I took the elevator down to the train, which consisted of P24DCs 113 and 11, baggage 1161, transition 39018, sleepers 32085 "Kentucky" and 32115 "Wisconsin", diner 38044, lounge 33020 with coaches 34039, 34037 and 34045. Jeff and I had Room 5 in the "Kentucky", our Sleeping Car Attendant never offered her name and Jeff boarded the wrong car but I found him. Chris and Larry received their dinner reservatins right after they boarded because they had a good sleeping car attendant. All our attendant could say was "Wait till the last call" and by that time, it was too late to eat.
The train made its way to Riverside and San Bernardino where I took some fresh air. Jeff and I went to the lounge car for the trip over Cajon Pass and after Summit, returned to the room and I made it up, with Jeff taking the upper bunk and myself in the lower one. After the train left Victorville, we called it a night.
4/6/2008 I awoke at Flagstaff and waited longer than normal for the dining car to open for breakfast. We stopped in Winslow before they finally opened for breakfast and I had the Chef Marketplace Special of a waffle and sausage links. We all returned to the lounge car and soon were joined by Tom and Jonathan.
Chief Yellowhorse welcomed me to New Mexico.
Red mesas of New Mexico.
Chris and Jonathan.
Bob enjoying his trip.
Mount Taylor.
Bob brought his railroad maps to work out where we were.
Jonathan and Chris listening to Bob and Larry.
Chris, Larry and Bob deciding where we are on the map.
Tom Anderson having a much-deserved nap in his coach. I checked on Jeff, finding him suffering from a headache this morning.
Winston Walker, my excellent proofreader, finally made it into the lounge car just before the train reached Dalies. A few minutes later Jeff joined us as our train crossed the Rio Grande River and headed straight to Albuquerque.
The Southwest Chief arrived at Albuquerque at 11:30 AM, so I first walked down to take a picture of our train here. Next Tom, Christy, Jonathan and I went to Coldstone Creamery for my usual ice cream and departed on time with me in the lounge car.
The author enjoying the trip.
The author and Jeff, friends since elementary school, enjoying our trip aboard the Southwest Chief. Photo by Larry Boerio.
Tom and Jonathan.
Chris and Bob talking about their flying experiences.
Jeff Hartmann enjoying his new mileage since Albuquerque.
Looking north towards Santa Fe.
A unique home on the west side of Glorieta Pass.
Chris Parker being served his lunch.
Bob and Larry eating their lunch.
After the train reached Glorieta Summit, I returned to my room to watch Alice Cooper's "Live at Montreaux".
Starvation Peak. Near Las Vegas, I called Steve Grande to see his, Barbara's and Carole's flight to Kansas City was and to tell him how we were doing.
Wagon Mound, New Mexico.
View on the way to Raton, our next fresh air stop.
The Southwest Chief took the Wooten Ranch Curve.
The Dick Wooten Ranch and Santa Fe Trail sign which had been erected by the Santa Fe. After 6:00 PM, we were called into the diner so Tom, Jeff and I had dinner together and I enjoyed the flat iron steak and vanilla ice cream for dessert.
Interesting clouds off to the north after dinner.
Sunset at the end of a great day of train riding. We ran in the twilight the rest of the way to La Junta, at which we arrived early. I gave the friendly Amtrak agent here one of our T-shirts since she was so nice to me on my La Junta turns I made to reach this point.
Looking down the engines to a green signal, on which we would later leave.
Only the low headlights make for this interesting view of our train.
Our train looking back towards the west. Back aboard, I listened to Yes' "Magnification" as Jeff read the Arizona Daily Sun. The Southwest Chief departed La Junta on time and headed out into the night after I made up the room for sleep. The train went to Lamar then out across Kansas during the night as I slept.
