After the Grand Opening of the Silver Rails Event Center in La Plata, I started walking back to the Depot Inn & Suites and I had only gone about three blocks when a couple pulled up and offered me a ride back to the hotel. I worked on the first part of the story and uploaded the first part before going to the Red Rooster for a filet mignon. Back at the hotel, I checked the Internet when Dutch Myers from Pennsylvania came in and we caught up on several items then at 7:30 PM, I said goodbye to him before Jonathan Ortiz and I were driven to the Amtrak station for my train home, which is why I could not attend the grand opening gala this evening.
There I met Nathan from Olathe, Kansas who has the website Trainpixs.net and a caller to Let's Talk Trains, the Internet Radio Show. We talked until the Southwest Chief arrived at the station too quickly.
Southwest Chief 3 2/23/2008I had to walk four car lengths across the ballast to board the 330 car and was greeted at the door by Mike Duran, my Sleeping Car Attendant. I went to my Room 3 and set up the computer then walked the train to note the consist of P42DCs 94 and 189, baggage car 1203, transition 39005, sleepers 32014 and 32099 "New Mexico", diner 38055, lounge 33002 and coaches 34038 and 31029. I made up my room and called it a night after the first seven songs of my Rolling Stones DVD.
2/24/2008 I was not feeling too well when I awoke and laid in bed almost to La Junta where I resumed watching the concert. During the fresh air stop, I went to Safeway for some snacks and visited the station then we departed on time and I read the Pueblo Chieftain as the Rolling Stones continued to play taking me halfway up Raton Pass, where I took some fresh air before having a nap. I awoke as the train was climbing Glorieta Pass in a light rain storm and started work on yesterday's stories. At Canyoncito, we went into the siding for the eastbound Southwest Chief then arrived at Lamy for an extended stop due to a red signal at the west end.
Two views at Lamy just before I finished the next part of the weekend's stories. We sat for over 45 minutes before continuing our westbound journey and I completed the third installment finished before we arrived at Albuquerque on a cold and cloudy afternoon. We departed twenty-three minutes late and made our way out of town as I watched Emerson, Lake & Palmer's "Beyond the Beginning" starting with Disc 2 which took me to 5:45 PM and dinner time in the dining car. I was seated with Dennis going to Las Vegas, Nevada along with Skip and Anna, who both happened to be going to Flagstaff. I had the flat iron steak and chocolate ice cream then had a refreshing shower before returning to the ELP discs, with Disc 1 taking me as far as Winslow, where I switched to "Purple Rain" which ended as we arrived in Flagstaff. I visited with Danny, "Proamtrak" on Trainorders.com during our station stop there and upon our departure, made up my room and called it a night.
2/25/2008 I was up just before Summit and made my way to the dining car for French Toast and pork sausage links then took fresh air at San Bernardino and relaxed the rest of the way to Fullerton.
The green Chino Hills before we arrived in Fullerton fifty-two minutes late where I detrained and went upstairs to the bridge for some pictures.
The Southwest Chief was doing its station work.
The Southwest Chief leaving Fullerton bound for its last station of Los Angeles. I went to Track 3 to wait for my southbound train to Santa Ana.
Pacific Surfliner 564 2/25/2008
The train took me to Anaheim and on to Santa Ana on time, ending my quickest trip to La Plata, Missouri. Now it was off to work at McFadden Intermediate.
