The train consisted of P42DC's 47 and 138, baggage 1221, transition 39038, sleepers 32071 "Arizona" and 32103 "Ohio", diner 38064, lounge 33032 with coaches 34102, 34109 and 31029. Diego, my Sleeping Car Attendant, did not have a current train manifest, only the one from Chicago. Room 7 in the "Arizona" was open but he would not let me board until the outgoing conductor gave me his manifest out of La Junta that had my name on it. I showed it to Diego so he allowed me to board. I put my luggage in the room and walked back two cars to the dining car, where the steward gave me a 5:30 PM dinner reservation. The bed in my room still needed to be made, as all it currently had was a mattress.
The train departed Albuquerque on time with me and my entire train crew from yesterday's train aboard. The CD of Keith Richards "Live from the Hollywood Palladium" started my journey west. I asked Diego to put my bed together when I went to dinner at 5:30 PM but he did not do that. I was seated with a couple from Montclair and a gentleman from Grover Beach. I enjoyed an excellent steak and vanilla ice cream then upon returning to the room, rang the call bell and Diego finally put my bed together as the train sped west towards Gallup.
The beauty of the New Mexico red mesas as we dropped down the grade to Gallup, arriving there early. The BNSF dispatchers did a fine job weaving us around all the freight traffic out on the railroad this evening. I made up my room and called it a night prior to Winslow.
10/08/2010 I woke up just prior to San Bernardino and after some nice cool morning air, I enjoyed Chips Ahoy cookies and orange juice in my room then listened to Metallica's "Master of Puppets" as the train made its way to Riverside then Fullerton.
The fog was out by the Prado Dam. We travelled through Santa Ana Canyon then to Fullerton, where there were at least eight TSA agents on the station platform. From here the Southwest Chief made the final sprint towards LAUPT and had to wait six-tenths-of-a-mile from the station for Metrolink 600 bound for Oceanside, and arrived at the station at 8:15 AM. I walked from Track 12 over to Track 10 to wait for my train home to board.
Pacific Surfliner 566 10/08/2010I boarded the Pacific Business Class for my trip to Santa Ana and settled in for my trip home, hoping for a quick trip, which it was.
Amtrak MP21B 591 built by MPI in 2010 was the new Los Angeles switcher.
Santa Fe 3751 and tender were apart for the first time in years. The train stopped at Fullerton, Anaheim and Orange before dropping me off at Santa Ana, ending a most interesting series of Amtrak trips. My mother picked me up and drove me home.
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