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Two Trips to La Junta 1/31/08 and 2/10/08

As I worked on my millionth Amtrak rail mile, not to be confused with last year's one millionth overall rail mile, I needed to take some longer trips in order to reach it in a timely fashion so decided to go to La Junta, Colorado twice to help me reach my next goal. After that, a trip north to Sacramento to see my brother Bruce and family, followed by an airplane to Kansas City then driven to La Plata, Missouri for the grand openings of the Exhibition of Amtrak History and the Silver Rails Event Center. A train journey back from there would definitely help with my total. After that, one more trip to and from Albuquerque, then all of my local Pacific Surfliner riding should do it.

This story will cover the two roundtrips to La Junta.

The train arrived at Santa Ana about five minutes late, I chose a seat in the cab car and as I put on my Uriah Heep "Sailing into the Sea of Light" DVD, we met Pacific Surfliner 582 on the new section of double track in north Santa Ana. We stopped at Anaheim and Fullerton before the final sprint into Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal, arriving there almost on time and I waited on the Track 12 platform for my train to La Junta.

Pacific Surfliners wait at LAUPT.

Conductor Alex Palopolous came up onto the platform and as if on cue, the Southwest Chief reversed into the station with P24DCs 77 and 36, baggage 1212, sleepers 32077 "District of Columbia", 32014 and 32099 "New Mexico", diner 38019, lounge 33024 and coaches 34091 and 34038.I had Room 9 in the "New Mexico" with Joan as my Sleeping Car Attendant. As I waited for the on-time departure, I watched the bonus concert on Uriah Heep's "Live at Sofia" which took me to our first fresh air stop at Fullerton. After that, I started watching the Rolling Stones "Ladies and Gentlemen, The Rolling Stones" before being called into the dining car for dinner and was seated with Francisco, Nicole and Sonya, all going to Lamy. I had the flat iron steak and chocolate ice cream for dessert then back in my room, I resumed the DVD before making up my room for the night after the train crested Cajon Pass.

2/1/2008 I awoke east of Flagstaff and went to the dining car for a breakfast of French Toast and sausage patties, then watched "Zappa in Barcelona" that would take me into New Mexico as I rode in the sleeping car "New Mexico".

The train stopped before reaching New Mexico due to freight train interference and the Zappa DVD took me well beyond Gallup, where I had a nap.

I woke up after Dalies and at Isleta, we passed a BNSF freight waiting for us to clear so he could follow us into Albuquerque.

Beforehand, we crossed the Rio Grande River and arrived at Albuquerque a few minutes late.

Our train and the New Mexico RailRunner ready for its trip to Belen.

Amtrak has moved into the Alvarado Transportation Center. We departed New Mexico's largest city at 1:10 PM {12:55 PM} and I next watched "Queen Live at Wembley" then stepped off at Lamy for some cool fresh air as a large group detrained there. We left at 2:25 PM {2:00 PM} and passed through Apache Canyon before we met Train 3, the westbound Southwest Chief, tucked away in the siding at Canyoncito.

Later the train at the top of the Blanchard "S" curves.

We passed Starvation Peak as I watched Joe Harper's DVD of the 2007 National Railway Historical Society convention in Chattanooga before I switched to Disc 1 of "Kissology".

The train went by the little canyon outside Las Vegas just before we had to stop to inspect the train.

We ran by a herd of elk.

I saw the mountains to the east of Raton as we lost the last light of the day. During our arrival there, I was seated in the dining car with Jan, going to Pittsburgh and Roland, heading to Newton, Kansas. The train sat for over fifteen minutes due to police activity in the front sleeping car. I had a flat iron steak and chocolate ice cream and finished as we descended Raton Pass towards Trinidad then returned to my room and put on Disc 2 of "Kissology". The train made the final sprint to La Junta, arriving there at 8:32 PM {8:13 PM}.

I walked over to the Mid-Town Motel and checked in, getting my usual Room 20. Wireless internet was available so I was able to catch up on a few items then watched the end of "Laura Croft, Tomb Raider Cradle of Life" before having a shower and calling it a night.

2/2/2008 I checked the Internet before checking out of the Mid-Town Motel and walked to Love's petrol station for snacks on the way back to the Amtrak station, where our conductor took my ticket in the waiting room as I waited for the train. I talked with the Amtrak agent whom I would see again Sunday morning.

The train arrived at Junta with an interesting consist of P42DCs 93 and 168 and Amtrak Cascades F59PHI 469, baggage 1203, transition 39044, sleepers 32015 and 32083 "Iowa", diner 38036, lounge 33041, coaches 34041 and 31114 and dead-heading Pacific Surfliner coach 6404.

Pacific Surfliner coach 6404 bringing up the markers on this train.

I was in Room 14 with Mike as my Sleeping Car Attendant. We departed on time as I listened to Kiss' "The Elder" while reading the Pueblo Chieftain. That was followed by Aerosmith's "Permanent Vacation" which took me to Trinidad and beyond as I read Classic Trains. As the train climbed Raton Pass, I watched the 2006 Rare Mileage Trips DVD which Joe Harper had put together of the Port of Tillamook Bay, Chehalis-Centralia Railroad steam charter and Tacoma Rail trips then detrained at a chilly Raton for a fresh air stop.

The Santa Fe Raton station.

Skating away on the thin ice of a new day [lyrics from a Jethro Tull song]! Next I watched "Buckeye Rail 2006", another DVD by Joe Harper covering the 2006 National Railway Historical Society convention in Ohio that I attended. I called Let's Talk Trains, the Internet Radio show, from south of Las Vegas until I lost the cell signal. Later I watched the third disc of "Kissology II" then we finally met the eastbound Southwest Chief, Train 4, at Nuevo. The Southwest Chief arrived at Albuquerque at 3:40 PM for a nice long fresh air break.

Amtrak Cascades F59PHI 469 visiting Albuquerque. I visited with my friend Randy Jackson for twenty minutes before I tried to access the Internet again but had no luck. I continued with the Auburn Hills, Michigan concert of Kiss and we departed on time and made our way into the setting sun. At 6:00 PM, I went to the dining car and was seated with Peggy, Don and Jim, all on their way to San Diego. I had a flat iron steak with mashed potatoes and chocolate ice cream for dessert then returned to my room and watched "Pirates of the Caribbean, At World's End" which took me from snowy Gallup and almost to Flagstaff, where I met Danny, known as "ProAmtrak" on Trainorders.com. I then made up my bed and called it a night.

2/3/2008 I was in bed until west of Riverside before arose on this dark and rainy morning. Conductor Dave Arthur stopped by for a visit and we caught up as we made a fast trip to Fullerton where I stepped off in rain, glad I was not transferring south today as there was not a dry spot, before we made our final sprint to Los Angeles Union Station, arriving early at 7:46 AM {8:15 AM}.

I boarded the train for a quick and on-time trip to Santa Ana. Through the rain, we proceeded to Fullerton and Anaheim before pausing at Orange then being delivered home to Santa Ana, thus ending La Junta Trip One.

I would ride daily getting more miles during the week and a few more local pictures would be taken.

The reef at San Clemente.

San Clemente Pier from Pacific Surfliner 785 on Sunday 2/3/2008.

I rode down to San Diego five times this past week and continued the hard work I do at McFadden Intermediate. I arrived home on Friday and relaxed before repacking my bags for this trip. My mother drove me to the Santa Ana station and dropped me off at the northeast corner of the parking lot where I used the Santa Ana Boulevard crossing to access the east platform to wait for my train to Los Angeles. There, I boarded the lower level of the Pacific Surfliner cab car and the train left for LAUPT on time. At Anaheim, I chatted briefly with Randy, another excellent Amtrak agent, before we continued to Fullerton then it was another quick trip to LAUPT, arriving there three minutes early on Track 10. I walked over to a waiting Southwest Chief on Track 12.

I was greeted at the door of sleeping car 32012 by the ever-smiling Andria and was given Room 6. This Southwest Chief had P42DCs 178 and 40, baggage 1203, transition 39044, sleepers 32012 and 32064, diner 38040, lounge 33041 with coaches 34041 and 34093. I tried to play my Monty Python DVD but the colour drive chip in the laptop gave up the ghost so I would not be able to watch anything. Thank goodness I always carry plenty of Rock and Roll CD's. The Southwest Chief departed on time as I listened to Kiss' "The Elder" and received a 7:30 PM dinner reservation. I took a fresh air stop at Fullerton then waited to be called into the dining car, which happened at 7:55 PM and was called by name, seated with James heading to Kansas City, Mary to Lamy and Erin going to New York City. I had a flat iron steak and chocolate ice cream, which lasted to almost Cajon Junction, where we took the south track tonight to reach Summit, where I made up my room for the night.

2/9/2008 I awoke east of Winslow as the train approached Joseph City, running at track speed and made my way to the dining car where I was seated with James again and Jim going to Galesburg, Illinois. I ordered the Belgian waffle with sausage links and later back in my room, listened to Queensryche's "Empire" which took me into New Mexico and to Gallup.

Red mesas on a beautiful morning as we entered New Mexico while I read Arizona Daily Sun.

Ted Nugent 's"Full Bluntal Nugity" was the next musical selection which took me over the Continental Divide down to Marmon, followed by Yes' "Talk", which took me into New Mexico's largest city. The toilets went out in this sleeping car so we had to use the ones in the transition car. We arrived in Albuquerque fifty minutes early while I was talking to Let's Talk Trains, the Internet Radio Show, about this trip and my future trips before my one millionth Amtrak rail mile trip in April, which would culminate at La Plata, Missouri. I walked over to Coldstone Creamery for some ice cream on this fifty degree afternoon.

The Southwest Chief at Albuquerque before the motive power was swapped out.

Amtrak P24DCs going by the train.

While 178 was being fuelled, 40 was cut off and 46 was added. Once the engine was returned to the point of our train and head end power was restored, the crew worked on the toilets but had no luck. We departed at 1:07 PM {12:55 PM} and Duran Duran's "Greatest" took me north to Lamy.

I saw the Lamy Mission before we stopped at the station then had a nap to north of Las Vegas before listening to Elton John's "Cariboo".

High plains drifting south of Wagon Mound.

Six baby pronghorn antelope as we approached Raton.

Raton is one of the schedule fresh air stops.

On the hill is the Raton sign and an American flag. Next the Southwest Chief went up and over Raton Pass into Colorado then at 6:00 PM, I was called into the dining car and seated with Michael, going to Philadelphia and Bob, going to Kansas City. I had another flat iron steak and chocolate ice cream for dessert then after the most excellent meal, I returned to my darkened room for some Jethro Tull "Best of the Acoustic". The trip in my darkened room was incredible with a star-filled sky as the train travelled the final miles into La Junta arriving there early at 7:49 PM.

I walked over to the Mid-Town Motel as it was little warmer tonight than last week. I checked in to my usual Room 20 before checking the Internet and my e-mail. That night, I had a strange dream about an Egyptian prayer being said wrongly in a classroom and the child vanished before our eyes. I repeated what the child said then I vanished back to the ancient times of Egypt. Finding the lost child, I repeated the prayer correctly and we returned to the present. Crazy dream or what!

2/10/2008I awoke and lounged in bed before showering and checked out.

I walked back to the Amtrak station on a much chillier and windy morning and stopped at Love's petrol station for some snacks on the way.

The train arrived at La Junta on time at 8:15 AM with P42DCs 179 and 121, baggage 1705, sleepers 32097 "New Hampshire" and 32115 "Washington", diner 38058, lounge 32019 with coaches 34046 and 31016. I was in Room 3 of "New Hampshire" with Towana as my Sleeping Car Attendant. We departed on time as I read The Sunday Chieftain and Star Journal while listening to more of the Jethro Tull CD from last night and proceeded west in the low cold fog for about twenty miles before we burst out in the clear cold morning.

The front range of the Rocky Mountains.

You could see the whole front range with Pikes Peak off to the north. The toilets went out in our sleeper and now, the ones in the transition car did not work. I napped for a while just before Las Vegas.

Those beautiful mountains north of Las Vegas. The Spice Girls' "Spiceworld" took me south as did my Sudoku puzzles then Peter Cetera's "Live in Salt Lake City" took me to Glorieta Pass.

Looking at the mesa as the train made its way to Glorieta Pass.

More beautiful mountains to the north as we neared the summit of Glorieta Pass. I rode the lounge car from just before there down to Lamy and through Apache Canyon after we met Train 4, the Southwest Chief, at Canyoncito. After Lamy, we sprinted the miles to Albuquerque, arriving there at 3:31 PM {3:55 PM}.

The toilet tanks were pumped out during our servicing stop and the odour was very noticeable.

The Southwest Chief at Albuquerque, where we departed on time as I listened to Jethro Tull's "Catfish Rising".

The train crossing the Rio Grande River.

More New Mexico vistas.

The red mesas of New Mexico. We were called in early for our 6:00 PM dinner reservations and I was seated with Deanna, going to Laguna Niguel and Kelly going to Flagstaff. I enjoyed another excellent flat iron steak and chocolate ice cream then upon returning to my room, chose the Partridge Family's "Greatest Hits" as we went past Gallup. That was followed by ABBA's "Sweat Dreams are Made of This!" Now the toilets in both the dormitory and next sleeper went out so it would be a four car walk back to the coaches to do my business. With that "good news", I made up my room and called it a night.

2/11/2008 I arose at San Bernardino and went to the lounge car for the views while my room was being made up. We sat in Riverside while waiting for Metrolink 702 to leave for LAUPT in front of us.

Mt. Baldy was seen from just west of the West Corona Metrolink station. We departed Fullerton at 7:30 AM, as I listened to Blackmore Nights' "Fires at Midnight". As we neared LAUPT, I called Amtrak Customer Service about the toilets on this trip and arrived at LAUPT at 8:04 AM {8:15 AM}, ending yet another relaxing Amtrak trip aboard the Southwest Chief.

As the doors opened, I was still on hold with Customer Service but soon the whole matter was settled. This train had F59PHI 454, Pacific Business Class 6800, coach/cafe 6352, coaches 6411, 6408 and 6412 with cab car 6908. The train departed on time and made its way south to Fullerton, Anaheim and Orange before dropping me off at Santa Ana, ending another excellent Amtrak trip.