I decided to ride the "Pacific Trail" after seeing an announcement on Trainorders.com. At thirty cents a mile, it was too good to pass up, especially since I never had ridden on this car before. I called Bill Hatrick and he quoted me a price so all I had to do was get to Los Angeles to be on the train by 6:00 PM. I decided to take Pacific Surfliner 579 and would go to Santa Ana station after I worked my shift at Heninger Elementry School. I checked the train status and found it was running forty-five minutes late. I drove to the station, parked and walked over to Track 1 with plenty of time but realized I had left my medications at home so I made a quick trip back there, retrieved my pills and returned, parking in the same spot I had before. I now waited my train to arrive but first, Pacific Surfliner 580 did so, followed by Metrolink 817 an then the one I normally ride during the week.
Metrolink 641 arrived and departed Santa Ana and I realized that this was the first time I had photographed both ends of this train here.
Pacific Surfliner 579 finally arrived and I rode the cab car and met Engineer Joe again. The train stopped in Anaheim and Fullerton then continued on to Los Angeles. At a red signal, Joe and I talked about Union Pacific Big Boy 4014. I detrained and walked to the end of the platform where I met two members of the Fullerton Railroad Plaza group.
Southwest Chief 4 10/18/2019
"Pacific Trail" HistoryPullman-Standard-built "Pacific Trail" was ordered by Union Pacific in 1950 and numbered 5430 when placed into general service, meaning it would serve where needed on trains all over the system. Built as a long-distance chair car, it featured plenty of leg room. Each pair of seats had its own window, venetian blinds, reading lights and decorative curtain on the pier panel between each window; quite nice for a coach!
This class of car, in fact, all 152 sister coaches built by ACF, St. Louis Car Co. and Budd, also featured decorative artwork on the coach compartment bulkheads, large men's and women's restrooms with several washstands and rubber floor covering with inlaid designs.
Union Pacific sold 5430 and several sisters (5423, 5426, 5429, 5436 and 5445) in 1970 to Penn Central. 5430's new owner renumbered her PC 3003 and used her and her sisters to equip the famous Broadway Limited, formerly an all-Pullman sleeping car train with coaches. The advent of Amtrak on May 1, 1971, brought the wholesale discontinuance of much of the rail passenger system in the United States. Amtrak bought the best of the passenger cars from the various railroads and Penn Central 3003 became Amtrak 4403. After serving across the Amtrak system through the 1970s, the car was retired and sold at public auction in 1981. We purchased her in 1983 and have delighted in seeing her preserved for future generations to enjoy.
The "Pacific Trail" has returned to the mainline and fulfilled one of our dreams of her reunion with the "Overland Trail" out on the 'High Iron'.
This maybe the last run of private ownership of "Pacific Trail" after the car is used on the New River Fall Color Excursion Train; the car will be retained by Bill but used by the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad.
The Trip
The train reversed into Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal.
The drumhead on the "Overland Trail". I boarded the train and took the rear seat on the right hand side of "Pacific Trail".
The interior of this wonderful private car.
Kevin in a Railway Express Agency uniform. The train departed on time and travelled first to Fullerton where my good and dear friend Carl Morrison boarded.
Me aboard the "Pacific Trail"; then it was on to Riverside before San Bernardino.
San Bernardino was another station stop which was followed by a trip over Cajon Pass. After reaching Summit and going down the Summit Valley, I called it a night and curled up on my two coach seats and fell asleep, only waking up at the station stops.
10/19/2019 I awoke at Flagstaff then as the train left there, sat in my seat under my Amtrak blanket. Once Canyon Diablo was passed, still in the dark, I went to the "Overland Trail" and enjoyed the trip into Winslow and sat with a lawyer. After that I joined Carl as the train headed toward New Mexico and we caught up on things. Breakfast was then prepared.
The first-time train rider and grandson of the Hatricks.
A view out of the "Overland Trail".
East of Winslow, trees were in autumn colors.
The first-time rider wearing his conductor hat. I had the second breakfast of a waffle and sausage along with orange juice and Carl joined me at the table.
Chief Yellowhead welcomed all of us to New Mexico this morning. I returned to the "Pacific Trail" and later, we stopped in Gallup.
An interior view of "Pacific Trail".
Oil plant engines of Trans-Global Solutions, Inc. Econo-Rail Corp ECRX GP10 8419 (originally Illinois Central GP9 9114), ECRX SW1500 1506 (originally Southern Pacific 2533) and ECRX SW1500 1510 (originally Terminal Railroad of St. Louis 1510). Now sit back and enjoy the Red Mesas of New Mexico as far as Pegs.
I hope you enjoyed them. We sped through Grants then made our way to Rio Puerco where we slowed for track work.
Looking southwest on our way to Dalies.
Trees in autumn colors on the Rio Grande River floodplain.
The Rio Grande River. I packed up my belongings then said my goodbyes to Debbie Hatrick and the other passengers in the "Pacific Trail". It had been an excellent first trip aboard the this private car and I stepped off a very happy train rider into the seventy-degree air of Albuquerque.
"Pacific Trail" in Albuquerque. I went into the station and found an electrical plug then accessed Greyhound's wireless network to bring this story up-to-date. I watched my DVD of "The Rutles All You Need Is Cash". After some disturbances in the station, I decided to wait outside after learning the train would arrive at 4:10 PM as a result of a bad met with eastbound Amtrak Train 4.
New Mexico Railrunner MP36PH-3C 107. I just waited in the cool shade until I saw a headlight coming my way.
The train arrived and I boarded, receiving Room 17 instead of the dirty Room 22 that I was ticketed for. I then detrained and obtained this train's consist. It had engines 179 and 30, Viewliner baggage 61011, transition 39033, sleepers 32256 and 32009 "George M Pullman", diner 38048, lounge 33033 and coaches 34048 and 34032. I set up my room and put on my DVD of "Doctor Who Genesis of the Daleks". The train departed at 4:45 PM {4:00 PM} and I was starting home. The attendant gave me a 6:00 PM dinner reservation card and I enjoyed the Signature Steak while being seated with a retired science teacher from Pittsburgh, a woman from Albuquerque and a lady returning home from Boston.
Sunset before Gallup. I returned to "Dr. Who" then took a fresh air break at Gallup before finishing the film, made up the room and called it a night.
10/20/2019 I slept almost to Keenebrook then went to the dining car for a breakfast of pancakes and bacon with orange juice. My room was then made up and after San Bernardino, I updated the story as the train made its way to Riverside. From here it was a quick trip to Fullerton followed by the final sprint into Los Angeles, where I detrained at 8:08 AM (8:00 AM} after a very restful trip aboard the Southwest Chief. I found a Metrolink machine, bought a Sunday weekend pass then went up on the platform to wait for Metrolink 660 to arrive.
Metrolink 660 10/20/2019
The train arrived almost 25 minutes late due to the crew having to take another working trainset. Once the doors opened, I boarded the bicycle car and took my usual table after which we stopped at Norwalk-Santa Fe Springs, Buena Park, Fullerton, Anaheim, Orange and Santa Ana, where I detrained then drove home, ending another exciting rail adventure.
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