Adventurers in the Appalachia
My First trip on the Southwest Chief going to
the 2018 NRHS Convention in Cumberland, Maryland
Chapter Three
Southwest Chief - Los Angeles to
Indianapolis
Our Second Day on the Chief
July 24, 2018
Tuesday
by
Robin Bowers
Text and Photos by Author
The
author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed
without the author's consent.
Comments are appreciated at...yr.mmxx@gmail.com
I
awoke only knowing that I should be somewhere in Kansas but with
the train running late we could be anywhere in the state. Chris
was missing from the room so I hoped that was a good sign. Later
he popped in and said he was feeling like his old self
so the long rest was just what the doctor ordered. He said he
already had breakfast so he would be in the lounge car and to
join him when I was done with my meal. Breakfast on the train is
OK but I guess you can't go wrong with eggs, bacon, hash browns,
blonde and sweet coffee topped with a glass of OJ. I joined him
in the lounge car and found out that we were well before Topeka.
The train was having a hard time getting to the Argentine Fuel
Pads this morning but the trains were delayed. We backed 1.8
mile to CP Morris to access a track that would take us to the
fuel racks but the train did make it. Once the fueling was
complete we headed into Missouri to our next servicing stop
Kansas City which we arrived to at 11:24 AM after we pulled by
it and backed in 0.9 to add another coach the 31024, to our
train. I took a prolonged fresh air break and as this was my
first time visit to Kansas City I set off to explore and look
around.
This was the car added here in Kansas City and goes to Chicago and
back.
Notice the streetcar on the bridge.
Our sleeper car 32098 New Jersey
.
Streetcar as we are leaving KC.
We left Kansas City at 12:40
PM (7:43 AM), and headed east towards La Plata. We were seated
in the dining car with two more very interesting passengers and
I repeated yesterday's lunch. Chris showed me the train-related
features out of Kansas City plus the bridge at Sibley where he
did his Million Miles which was before we knew each other. The
train stopped on Bridge 405.7 for a few minutes before we
continued east. After the train crossed over, we sped down the
other mainline. "
A CSX engine from that train above at NA Jct. We
ran through Carrolton then Bosworth and then Marceline. We found
the remaining signal bridges and are making plans for a Spring
La Plata Railfan Event.
The AT&SF coaling tower.
A quick look of Marceline, the childhood home of Walt Disney where
he began his long love of trains.
I was finally getting to see the La Plata Depot
and the world renowned Chris Guenzler Million Mile Lookout
Point. The train left La Plata at 3:00 PM (9:55 AM).
Now I want to come back, relax and watch trains here at Chris'
lookout.
As Chris was showing me the
various places east of La Plata, the conductor stopped by with
an update about our Train 50. We had known for some time that
the distance too great and the hours too few to be in Chicago
for the 5:45pm departure of Cardinal. We would be detraining in
Galesburg and be bused to meet Train 50 in Indianapolis, IN. Not
a perfect solution but one we are both happy with. The train
crossed the Des Moines River into Iowa to our next station stop
at Fort Madison where left at 4:36 PM (11:09 AM). Next the train
headed to the Mississippi River crossing.
Fort Madison on the Mississippi River.
Our bridge to cross the Mississippi River.
Crossing Old Man River.
Illinois farm land.
We made our final sprint to
Galesburg arriving there at 6:05pm (12:08) where we detrained to
find the bus. The bus was found and a total of seven passengers
were aboard as we left at 6:20pm. We took I-74 to Champaign
where we gassed and had a dinner stop for food to go then back
on I-74 to I-474 to I-70 and then to Indianapolis Union Station,
where the trip ended and we all happily debussed.
Cardinal 50
We all went inside
Indianapolis Union Station and waited to board. The train
pulled in after midnight and we took the elevator up to
track side and boarded the Viewliner Sleeper. The train had
a consist of Engine 69, Coaches 2, 5113, 25027 and 25087,
Dinette 28000, Business Class 48189, Viewliner Sleeper 62022
and Baggage 61051. Cliff was our sleeping car attendant.
After we changed the dirty sheets, Cliff said our room was
across the hall and we were in the wrong room but said we
could stay put. With that I climbed into the upper bunk.
This was my first time in the upper bunk of a Viewliner
which rolls down as the pull down on the Superliners. I was
out in flash to end a long day.
Thanks
for reading.
Text and Photos by Author
The author
retains all rights. No reproductions are
allowed without the author's consent.
Comments
appreciated at .... yr.mmxx@gmail.com
