I slept in late in the Pullman Suite of the Depot Inn & Suites in La Plata, Missouri and after a quick breakfast, took the golf cart out to the Chris Guenzler Million Mile Lookout Point. I was still tired from yesterday's fantastic trip to Abilene, Kansas with Bob Cox.
The first westbound BNSF train did not take long to arrive.
A Union Pacific westbound came next on Track 2.
Amtrak's eastbound Southwest Chief was almost on time this morning.
BNSF, Norfolk Southern and a traditional Santa Fe blue locomotive was on this train.
An eastbound BNSF stack train was next.
That was followed by a westbound BNSF stack train.
An Amish buggy was just a little too early for the next train.
This long westbound BNSF stack train had DPU's on the rear.
This eastbound BNSF train had engines from Norfolk Southern and BC Rail.
Another westbound BNSF stack train.
Then another eastbound BNSF stack train.
The Depot Inn & Suites has a golf cart that guests can use for getting around La Plata in the fair weather months. I returned to the hotel for the rest of the day and after dinner, was paid a visit by my old friend Ray Burns, who runs TrainParty.Com here in La Plata. I watched some movies then had a sauna tub bath before calling it a night.
6/27/2009 After breakfast, I packed my case and vacated the Pullman Suite since someone had booked it for this one night. I stored my luggage behind the counter before going out to the Chris Guenzler Million Mile Lookout Point.
Amtrak's eastbound Southwest Chief came into La Plata almost on time again this morning.
A westbound BNSF auto train passed through.
This westbound Union Pacific had a DPU on the rear.
Another eastbound BNSF stack train.
Then a westbound BNSF stack train.
I love the path from the Red Rooster parking lot to the Chris Guenzler Million Mile Lookout Point. I returned to the hotel and moved into Room J, called Let's Talk Trains, the Internet Radio Show then took a nap before watching my DVD of ASIA "Fantasia". I went to the Red Rooster for dinner and came back to La Plata being under a severe thunderstorm watch. Steve Grande's sister, Shelli Tucker, drove me to the Lookout Point where soon I was joined by others once the lightning and thunder had passed.
An eastbound BNSF stack train came by first with two DPU's.
Two more eastbound BNSF stack trains.
This cloud looks like a rabbit.
Another eastbound BNSF stack train went by our location.
A few of the other people visiting the Chris Guenzler Million Mile Lookout Point this evening.
Amtrak Train 4, the Southwest Chief, arrived over thirty minutes late.
There were many people at the Chris Guenzler Million Mile Lookout Point.
The Southwest Chief arrived at the station.
The lighting on the wires really caught my eye.
This sunset caught my attention as I walked back to the Depot Inn & Suites for the night.
6/28/2009 I arose early and took breakfast with me in the golf cart out to the Chris Guenzler Million Mile Lookout Point.
BNSF stack trains were the order of the morning.
This freight came through and at first I thought it was just another Kansas City Southern locomotive, but when it went by it, I realized it was anything but.
Kansas City Southern NAFTA ES44AC 4679, built by General Electric, built in 1997, was in the consist of this train.
With these DPU's on the rear.
The eastbound Amtrak Southwest Chief arrived almost on time.
As the Southwest Chief departed, a westbound BNSF stack train went by. I returned to the Depot Inn & Suites and relaxed then at 1:00, Shelli picked me up and we went to her new house in town for a excellent meal of barbecue ribs. We stopped by Show Off Photography where Bob Cox had picked me up a copy of Metallica "Death Magnetic". I returned to the room, listened to my new CD then watched some movies on the television before checking out and waited for Bob Cox to drive me to the station. The train, which left Chicago 32 minutes late, was now only 18 minutes late out of Fort Madison. Bob arrived and we waited for the westbound Southwest Chief.
An eastbound BNSF freight came through.
New safety striping has been painted on the platform.
This westbound BNSF train had DPU's on the rear.
An eastbound BNSF freight thundered through town.
This eastbound Union Pacific train was next as we continued to wait for the Southwest Chief and it finally came around the curve into La Plata 55 minutes late.
Amtrak Southwest Chief 3 6/28/2009
The Southwest Chief arrived with P42DCs 136, 152 and 67, baggage 1736, transition 39022, sleepers 32047 and 32003 "Edward L. Ullman" (Professor of Geography at Washington University, who was appointed to Amtrak's Board of Directors in 1974 by President Richard M. Nixon), diner 38007, lounge 33026 and coaches 34061, 34090 and 34103. I boarded Sleeping Car 32047 and had Room 6 with Joe Washington as my Sleeping Car Attendant then played Solitaire for about thirty- five minutes before I made up my room and called it a night.
6/29/2009 I awoke west of Dodge City, Kansas and went to the dining car for a breakfast of French Toast and sausage patties and was back in my room by the time we reached Garden City.
The main street of Garden City, Kansas.
One of the Garden City Western Railway locomotives outside their engine house west of town. I took a nap until just before La Junta where I took a quick fresh air break and we departed on time and made our way west as I listened to Metallica's "Death Magnetic" CD. That was heard twice and took me to the Raton fresh air break.
Scenes on the way to Trinidad.
The remains of Morley on the east side of Raton Pass before we entered New Mexico and went through the Raton Tunnel. At Raton, I took a fresh air break before watching Blue Oyster Cult's "A Long Days Night" which lasted until after lunch. For lunch I had the Angus beef burger and vanilla ice cream. with a man from Orange, California and a couple from Toledo.
On the way to Las Vegas.
Climbing the east side of Glorieta Pass. I switched to the DVD of Queen's "Under Review 1973-1980". Our Southwest Chief went into the siding at Canyoncito for the eastbound Southwest Chief.
Between Lamy and Albuquerque. Our train arrived at Albuquerque at 3:38 PM to a 94 degree afternoon. P42DC 136 came off the point of our train, leaving us with just the two trailing units to pull us to Los Angeles. We departed on time and continued the westward journey.
Two views before I went to the dining car and was seated at a table by myself where I had the Flat Iron Bordelaise. After dinner, it was back to my room for my DVD "Ladies and Gentlemen, The Rolling Stones".
The start of the Red Mesas of New Mexico.
Later the skies east of Holbrook, Arizona.
The power plant of Joseph City.
The sky turned a glorious red and I had an idea.
The train heads west towards a fantastic sunset.
West of Winslow, the mountains west of Flagstaff before I made up my room and called it a night.
6/30/2009 I awoke just outside San Bernardino and took a fresh air break there then went to the dining car for French Toast and sausage patties that lasted past Riverside.
The Chino Hills before we entered Santa Ana Canyon. The Southwest Chief proceeded to Fullerton and after a long stop, ran to Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal where we almost reached it but were delayed waiting for Pacific Surfliner 564 to depart for San Diego, arriving at 7:28 AM {8:15 AM}.
The Southwest Chief at rest.
The rear of Metrolink 600 which I took to Santa Ana this morning. I called home to be picked up at 8:51 AM and we departed LAUPT on time. As we were travelling south along the Los Angeles River, I saw a stack train and having read about KG1LA-27 on Trainorders.com, realized it was about the right time for it to be passing through Los Angeles on its way to Los Angeles Harbor. As we neared the front, it was indeed that train, which had Union Pacific 5590, Missouri Pacific Heritage Unit SD70 1982 and Winter Olympic Units SD70M 2001 and SD70M 2002.
Here are a pair of pictures of this unique consist through the dirty windows of this Metrolink train, which took me back home to Santa Ana, ending yet another train-riding adventure.
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