I woke up in the Pullman Suite and after I showered, I proceeded out to the lobby to get some breakfast to go. I then got the keys to the Golf Cart and then drove out to the Chris Guenzler Million Mile Lookout Point on a dreary wet morning.
My first train was a westbound BNSF baretable train. The rain is distorting the pictures this morning. As I waited for trains I worked on my stories from the last two days.
Next an eastbound BNSF grain train.
Next a westbound BNSF Auto Train.
That was followed by another westbound BNSF hopper train.
Another BNSF westbound baretable train.
Amtrak's Southwest Chief was right on time this morning.
The last train was BNSF 7803 on a Z Train. With that I went back to the Depot Inn & Suites, made a pair of phone calls before taking back the rental car back to Enterprise in Kirksville. They drove me back to La Plata and I went to the Red Rooster for lunch. I came back and checked E-mail before I took a sauna bath. I then wrote today's part before relaxing the rest of the afternoon. Later I had dinner at the Red Rooster before relaxing my last night in La Plata.
4/27/2010I got up and picked up my breakfast to go before I got the keys to the golf cart and headed out to the Chris Guenzler Million Mile Lookout Point. There was no train until finally Amtrak was heard.
Amtrak Train 4 Southwest Chief leaving La Plata a few minutes late.
Next a UP 7458 West with BNSF power in its consist.
The UP 7458 had UP 7637 as its DPU.
BNSF 4180 West came through La Plata next.
UP 5009 East came by my photo location next.
BNSF 5645 West came through next.
The final train was BNSF 4175 East. I returned to the Pullman Suite and put the pictures into the story. Later before noon I went into town to the Magic Mirror where Judy Wood gave me an excellent summer haircut. I stopped by Trainparty.com to show Bob Cox the UP 844 pictures. I returned to the Pullman Suite and relaxed the rest of the afternoon. At 5 PM I met Bob Cox and we went to the Ponderosa Steak House in Kirksville for dinner. After that I then waited for Shelli to drive me back down to the Amtrak Station to catch my train for home which was running about thirty minutes late tonight.
Southwest Chief 4/27/2010The train pulled into La Plata with Engines 23 and 152, Baggage 1132, Transition 39018, Sleepers 32069 and 32002, Diner 38021, Lounge 33041 Coaches 34132 and 31025 with the private car Scottish Thistle 800636 on the rear end. I had Room 12 in the 32002 with Joseph Washington as my Sleeping Car Attendant. I settled into my room and did Word Fill In Puzzles for the first hour before I made up my room and called it a night.
4/28/2010
I woke up at Dodge City and did more puzzles before the Dining Car opened at 6:30 AM. I was seated with a couple from International Falls, MN and a gentleman from Winnipeg, Canada. I had French Toast and pork sausage patties. After I took a walk of the train I caught the story up to the present. The train stopped in Garden City, Kansas and later Lamar before the sprint to La Junta, our first fresh air break off the morning. The train left La Junta on time and headed to Trinidad with me watching my DVD of the Rolling Stones Live. The train climbed up and over Raton Pass to our next fresh air break at Raton. The Stones DVD finished about French and I took a nap until outside of Las Vegas where I called Carole Walker of Bella Vista Travel to set up a future hotel reservation for me. I then did more puzzles as I charged the phone as we climbed up and over Glorieta Pass. At Canyoncito we arrived early for our meet with the eastbound Southwest Chief so I put on my CD of Metallica "Master of Puppets" to enjoy while we waited. The train passed through Apache Canyon on the way to Lamy where after we had departed we went short of the west switch and stopped due to a medical emergency in the Dining Car. After a short delay we started the sprint to Albuquerque arriving still early. I got on the Internet using "herzogdata" which was slow but I cleaned out my E-mail and checked everything I needed to check. The train left 75 degree Albuquerque on time and headed on its way towards Gallup. I have a 5:30 Dinner Reservation and would relax until that time. I was seated with a couple from Riverside and a lady from Chicago and I enjoyed a steak. After dinner I watched a movie and then at Gallup got on-line again thanks to "ACTIONTEC". I then put on my Jethro Tull DVD and after it was over I made up my room before calling it a night.
4/29/2010
During the night the train was stopped for three hours by high winds while I slept and so when I got up we were not any place near Riverside but out just west of Goffs. I got some orange juice and enjoyed my Big Texas Cinnamon Roll as the train rolled through Essex, I met a few of the passengers. I gave them the highlights of our trip across the High Desert and Cajon Pass later in the day. Joe made my room up at Amboy so I decided to take a few pictures.
Amboy Crater on a beautiful morning.
The mountains with the moon very visible. The train climbed Ash Hill then dropped to Ludlow. From there the train climbed to Lavic then dropped through Pisgah to Hector where we crossed the dry lake bed to Newberry Springs. The train flew along and before long we reached Daggett where the Union Pacific joins in for the trip across Cajon Pass. From there it was a hop, skip and a jump to Barstow, our next fresh air break of the trip. It was cold and windy in Barstow this morning. The train left Barstow at 7:28 AM {3:38 AM} and headed next to Victorville and I put on the Scorpions "Blackout" CD. The train passed through the Lower Mojave Narrows before we arrived into Victorville. The train left Victorville by passing through the Upper Mojave Narrows before it reached the Natural Flyover which we went over the bridge. The next CD of the morning was Metallica "Death Magnetic" which would take me up and over Cajon Pass. The train climbed through Hesperia to the Summit Valley which we ran slowly up from Lugo to Summit. We took the old South Track down to Cajon and then descended all the way to our next stop at San Bernardino, which was a quick fresh air break.
Engines at the San Bernardino Auto Facility.
The new Metrolink Cab Car at the new Metrolink San Bernardino Facility. We crossed Colton Crossing then made our way to Riverside which was a quick stop. The train then made its way to Fullerton where due to some slower running forced me to bail off the train at that point. We arrived into Fullerton at 10:36 AM {6:34 AM}.
The Southwest Chief leaves Fullerton for Los Angeles. I met Winston Walker on the south side and he drove me home to Santa Ana ending another wonderful Amtrak adventure and a most wonderful trip to Kansas.
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