SUMMER 2002 AMTRAK TRAVELOGUE

SUMMER 2002 AMTRAK TRAVELOGUE

PART IV OF V

THE SOUTHWEST CHIEF

by Carol Larsen

MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2002

In order not to rush when having to wake up in the middle of the night and do last minute packing, I set my alarm clock for earlier than I needed to. I didn't have to be in the hotel lobby until 4:00 AM, but by 3:00 AM I was ready to go and looking at my Trains magazine in my room to kill time. At about 3:30, I called Amtrak's 800 number to find out if the Southwest Chief was going to be late. I was told by "Julie," the automated agent, that it was on time and due into Williams Junction at 4:35 AM. At 3:50, I gathered my luggage and proceeded to the lobby. While turning in my room key cards at the front desk, I was told to take one of the "goody bags" setting on the counter. These were being provided in case we would be hungry on the train. That's not likely to happen when riding First Class on Amtrak! Anyway, I wouldn't have long to wait until breakfast time. A family of four and a few last conventioneers were already waiting in the lobby, including Rick Martin who sat at my table at the banquet on Friday. We were all very quiet while we waited.

Around 4:15, the shuttle driver arrived, so we piled into the shuttle while he loaded our luggage. It was a rather sad occasion to be taking a last look at the surroundings that had been our home for the past week and the setting for so much activity. I wasn't the only sentimental one. One of the men commented, "Say farewell to the station," and I joined the others in looking until it was out of sight. We proceeded along the now familiar stretch of Route 66 until we were out of Williams and into the countryside.

After the short, but increasingly bumpy ride on a side road, we arrived at Williams Junction. I hadn't taken a very good look around when I arrived a week earlier, but now saw that the only indication of a platform on the rough concrete ground was a lone "Williams Junction" sign. There was one street light, but that may be on a timer or a sensor to only light up when vehicles arrive. Two other vehicles were already there. The shuttle driver said he had called Amtrak just before we left the hotel and was told the train was nine minutes late, which would have put it there in a few minutes. It was 4:35 by then, but he said he would guess it to be there around 5:00 AM. He off-loaded the luggage, but some of the group decided to sit in the shuttle while we waited. I was wearing my light jacket against the cool nighttime temperatures, but the family of four wore shorts, short sleeves, and no jackets.

Williams Junction, AZ (4:35A MST) 5:05-5:10A MST

(Scheduled times will be shown in parentheses, followed by actual times.)

Around 5:00 AM, the track indicator lights came on. A few minutes later we could see an area far down the tracks being lighted by the train's headlight and began to hear the train approaching in the still Arizona night. If there was any doubt that the sound was our train, it sounded its horn at a crossing and its headlight soon came into view. As it came to a stop, the sleepers were spotted where we were standing. Rick and a few others waited for the coaches while some headed for the 0431 car. I was among those who went to the 0430 car, a Superliner I car again, where I had room 8. My sleeper attendant, Gary Keller, lifted my suitcase into the vestibule and said he would take care of putting it in the luggage compartment.

I went on upstairs with my carry-on and located my room. Now that all the sleeper passengers had boarded, the engineer spotted the train for the coach passengers. This gave me time to return to the vestibule to slip my zip-lock bag of night and clothes-change items out of the front pouch before Gary stowed my suitcase. When I was settled in my room and the train was underway, Gary came along with a conductor, Perry Childs, to collect my ticket.

Gary returned shortly to introduce himself and explain the car in case I hadn't ridden before. I declined his offer to make up the bed to which he commented that I looked so good that I probably didn't need more sleep. Well, I didn't know about that, but I must do a good act! Gary had fresh coffee, orange juice, and ice ready at the refreshment area, as well as soda and water. He was already well prepared for the new day.

Flagstaff, AZ (5:10-5:15A MST) 5:42-5:51A MST

Winslow, AZ (6:11A MST) 6:46-6:48A MST

The diner opened at 6:30, so after the stop at Winslow, I headed to breakfast. I wanted to wait until after the Winslow stop so I could see the restored LaPosada Harvey House described in the Harvey Girls seminar at the convention. The dining car steward, Joseph, seated me in Vincent's section where I was soon joined by a man and his mother from Las Vegas going to New York and a woman from Ann Arbor, Michigan who had taken her daughter to college near Los Angeles. I had my usual scrambled eggs, bacon, grits, biscuit, and orange juice. I say "my

usual," but that's only on Amtrak and far from my usual at home. Eating and drinking was a challenge due to much swaying that I didn't recall in this stretch of track on my trip out. I was glad I had gone to the diner when I did, since Joseph was soon taking a waiting list, even so soon after the diner opened. I would have to plan on an early breakfast again the next morning.

Before returning to my room after breakfast, I went to the lower level of the lounge car to check on souvenir items before they might be sold out. The attendant, Al, didn't have anything that wasn't on the train on the way out, but suggested I check the orange bus at Albuquerque. He then complimented me on my hair, as did a little boy sitting with his mother at one of the tables. Three compliments already in the same morning! I guess not getting much sleep and

feeling tired is good for me.

At 8:00 AM, we crossed from Arizona into New Mexico, entering the Mountain Daylight Time zone from the Mountain Standard Time zone. The time then became 9:00 AM. I always feel cheated on the eastbound trips and think I have bonus time when westbound. In reality, the trips are of the same duration.

Anthony Williams was chief on the train again, as he was on my trip out. He came through the cars, greeting the people who boarded during the night. Anthony recognized me and asked how I enjoyed the convention. I hadn't expected to see any of the same crew members due to their rotation. He said he had only four days off this time instead of six and was filling in for someone else. I almost never meet the same service or operating crew members a second time.

Gallup, NM (8:55A MDT) 9:24-9:27A MDT

Soon I was having difficulty keeping my eyes open, so a nap was in order. I vaguely remembered hearing an announcement after the Gallup, NM stop that a Native American interpreter would be doing a commentary in the lounge car, but stayed in my room anyway.

During the time I was "resting my eyes," I heard on my radio something about there being a problem with a passenger in one of the cars. I didn't hear more about it until the train's slowing brought me out of my nap. We weren't due to make another stop until Albuquerque around 12:29, but it was only 10:25 and we were stopping in Grants, NM.

Grants, NM (Unscheduled Stop) 10:25A-12:07P MDT

I've been on a train where a passenger was unruly in some manner and was met by the police at the next stop. There have also been instances when a passenger or a crew member became ill or injured and was released to an ambulance. This time, we had barely stopped when an ambulance arrived. I thought that someone must be ill, apparently someone in the lower level of my car. The ambulance attendants boarded the train, but soon returned to the ground. When I heard the

conductor, Perry, tell the dispatcher that we would have to wait for the coroner, I realized what the "problem" was.

While we were stopped, Anthony made several PA announcements apologizing for the unavoidable delay due to a medical emergency and updating on the expected departure time. Being informed is always appreciated by the passengers. Perry made radio transmissions to the dispatcher and Anthony made calls on his cell phone. Our being stopped for so long at Grants was delaying a freight train.

Perry, Anthony, Gary, and a couple of other people (witnesses?) were off the train, talking with the various officials who arrived. First came a local police car, then an unmarked car driven by a person I believe was a local coroner. Due to jurisdiction at the time the death was discovered, it was decided that the state police needed to be called to make the report. Finally, the state medical examiner came and took the body away in his van.

We were stopped a total of an hour and forty-two minutes. Having lost so much time, I wondered if the padding in the schedule would keep our operating crew from running out of their legal operating time, called "going dead." The next crew change stop was Albuquerque and our present crew was only good until 2:30. When an operating crew "goes dead," the train must stop regardless of its location and not proceed until a new crew arrives. I've been on a train where this unexpectedly happened in the middle of the countryside. This can be caused by unforeseen freight train delays between stops or mechanical problems. In that case, the new crew must drive out from the crew change stop.

Now it was time for lunch. This time Joseph seated me in Philip's section with a couple from Ohio returning from visiting their son near Los Angeles. I ordered the Southwest Chicken salad, having remembered how good it looked when Laura had it on the trip out. For dessert I had the cheesecake with strawberry sauce. If I thought the ride was rough during breakfast, that was nothing compared to now. I had to keep grabbing my iced tea glass to prevent it from

spilling and stabbing at my salad to get some on my fork.

I don't ever remember having such a difficult time eating on Amtrak before and can't imagine why the ride was so much rougher when I had just traveled this stretch a week earlier. When I returned to my room, I discovered that the door to the room across from me had bounced out of its track. Anthony and Gary soon fixed it with a crowbar and sledge hammer, but it did the same thing again later in the trip when the ride was rough again.

Albuquerque, NM (12:29-12:59P MDT) 1:40-2:32P MDT (Crew Change/Service Stop)

The schedule padding worked. When we arrived in Albuquerque, the operating crew still had fifty minutes to spare. I walked the platform, getting car numbers for the travelogue and looking at Indian jewelry on the tables set up there. That took only ten minutes and I still would have liked to see the merchandise at the orange bus that Al recommended. On my other trips on the Southwest Chief, I never ventured off the platform. I asked Gary how much longer he thought we might be there. He said I would probably have enough time and could board at any car if I heard an "all aboard" call. We had been warned that the service stop might be cut short to twenty minutes due to our lateness, so I decided it would be a bad idea to leave the platform to go to the bus. Besides, I was already baking in the mid-day heat and sun. I took a few more photos of the train and crew and returned to the coolness of my room. As it turned out, the service stop stretched into fifty minutes, partly because of a baggage mix-up.

Speaking of the coolness of my room, it was freezing in my car even though it was so hot outside. I had my air vent closed, but it was still drafty. I thought about spending the afternoon in the lounge car, but it was so much easier and less distracting to work on the travelogue in my room, even if I had to wear my jacket to keep from freezing! I spent so much time in the lounge car on the trip out, that I now wanted to enjoy my room more toward the end of my travels. Anyway, I heard they were going to be showing cartoons for the kids in the lounge car.

During the course of the day, the scenery had changed from woods and mountains to rugged desert, to greener desert, to awesome high rock formations, to green lands with wooded mountains. I still think the California Zephyr traverses the most dramatic scenery, but that doesn't take away from the varied beauty of nature on this route.

Lamy, NM (2:07P MDT) 3:31-3:34P MDT

After awhile, Joseph came around to take dinner reservations. I had something like 6:00 in mind, but took 6:30 when all he had left was earlier and much later.

We passed Southwest Chief #3 at 4:03, east of Glorieta Pass. That made them a couple of hours late. I counted their express cars at 21! From our axle count of 108 on the HBD's, I thought we had 16.

Las Vegas, NM (3:54P MDT) 5:13-5:14P MDT

During our brief stop at Las Vegas, NM, I looked again at the LaCastenada Harvey House that I've admired ever since my first trip on the Southwest Chief. Although not as large as the LaPosada at Winslow, it's no less worthy of being restored. In the Harvey Girls seminar at the convention, I heard that someone is interested in LaCastenada. I hope something will come of that.

When I was beginning to think about getting cleaned up before my 6:30 dinner call, I was startled by someone at my doorway, looking into my room. I turned to see who it was and there was a conductor, Gene Springer. He had spotted my radio plugged into my ear and asked if I was listening to train communications, saying he usually sees only men doing that. Since I never know how the crew members will feel about monitoring, I keep a low profile with the radios and have never received any bad reactions. However, I enjoy opportunities to describe radio functions the way I did with Chris Cardonne on the trip out. I explained how my radios aren't really scanners, as such, but Ham radios that are scanning transceivers with expanded frequency coverage. He soon got a call on his radio and left.

As I wrote this, I wondered what that was all about. Was it just idle curiosity as it seemed or another example of how I think the crews sometimes suspect I'm an Amtrak "plant." I also considered the possibility that this was a security check of sorts. Perhaps a woman listening to rail communications in her room looked suspicious, especially when she had notebooks and lists spread out on her table. Or maybe we writers just have too vivid imaginations!

Other than the Amtrak police I saw at Union Station in Chicago, there were no obvious security precautions being taken on any of the trains I rode. However, the crew members may be more alert to any suspicious-appearing activity since 9-11. The only precaution I'm aware of is the requirement that a ticket holder produce a photo ID either at the time the ticket is purchased or when the ticket is collected.

In the diner, Joseph seated me in Vincent's section again and then placed a man named Stan at my table. When Vincent gave us our menu checks to sign, he assumed I was Stan's wife and didn't give me a separate check until I asked if he wasn't going to give me one. One should never assume! Stan, who works for Canadian Pacific in Montreal, came out for the convention events although he's not an NRHS member yet. In discussing Canadian Pacific, I learned that Stan trained John Cowan, another CP employee I previously met on Amtrak and convention excursions. What a small world!

Stan and I were involved in a major rail discussion when we were joined by a man going to Hutchinson, KS. Since he didn't enter into the conversation, I thought he might not know what we were talking about. However, he said he was also at the convention. If anyone on that train was a "plant," my vote is for that man. He apparently knew a lot about trains from his occasional input, but clearly had no desire to participate in the ongoing conversation. However, he appeared to be listening as we went on about railroads, routes, excursion trains, etc. Both men had the catfish and I had the pork chop that was so good on the trip out. I

followed that with another slice of that good cheesecake.

Raton, NM (5:40P MDT) 6:55-7:05P MDT

Trinidad, CO (6:38P MDT) 7:54-7:55P MDT

The stop at Raton, NM came while I was in the diner; we stopped at Trinidad, CO just as I returned to my room. I missed the opportunities for walking the platforms that the smoking stops on the other trip provided. This train had a smoking room in the lower level of the 0411 coach. It had been announced that the movie that night, "The Rookie," would start at 6:00. I didn't hear about another movie scheduled, so planned to remain in my room the rest of the

evening as I frequently do after dinner if not taking in the movie.

Gary made up a couple of people's beds early in the evening and asked when I wanted mine made up. We settled on right after the stop at LaJunta, CO which he said would be around 10:00 PM. Accustomed to keeping late hours, I expected to be up later than that even though we would lose another hour when crossing from Colorado into Kansas. That would shorten my sleeping time even more, since I planned to have an early breakfast.

LaJunta, CO (8:40-8:50P MDT) 9:45-9:55P MDT (Crew Change/Service Stop)

Here was my chance for some fresh air and to stretch my legs again, but it was dark by then and not really pleasant for walking. Gary and a few others from my car were off the train, so I joined them in lingering on the platform near the vestibule door until the call to reboard.

Lamar, CO (9:38P MDT) 10:30P MDT

TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2002

Garden City, KS (11:58P CDT) 1:18-1:21A CDT

Dodge City, KS (12:45A CDT) 2:08-2:13A CDT

Hutchinson, KS (2:27A CDT) 3:50-3:52A CDT

Newton, KS (3:05A CDT) 4:40-4:43A CDT

If I didn't sleep much or very soundly that night, it was my own fault for wanting to maximize the Amtrak experience. I wasn't aware of it at the time, but heard it reported afterwards that we hit a cow at 3:02 AM. I was, however, alert to all the stops during the night and finally arose just before 5:00 AM. This was after our stop at Newton, KS and the meet with Southwest Chief #3 which had 19 express cars. Since returning from the trip, I read in a NARP bulletin

that Amtrak may discontinue carrying express shipments. These have been an unexpected financial drag, delayed trains, and angered the freight railroads that Amtrak depends upon. Mail, which is profitable, would still be carried.

As soon as the diner was open at 6:30 AM, I went in for breakfast. One of the attendants, John, seated me at his table. About the time John brought my orange juice, scrambled eggs, grits, biscuit, and bacon, I was joined by two men going from Los Angeles to Chicago. One lives in LA and the other in the Chicago area. It was the first time on Amtrak for both of them. One said he and his wife used to fly, but don't anymore since 9-11 and all the inherent security hassle. Since neither were into trains, we talked about everything else but.

Topeka, KS (5:14A CDT) 7:12-7:15A CDT

Lawrence, KS (5:44A CDT) 7:40A CDT

When the train stopped somewhere between Lawrence, KS and Kansas City, MO, I returned to my room. I lost track of how long we were stopped and even backing up a little. Since I was in the diner without my radio when this began, I hadn't heard what it was about. They seemed to be testing brakes, checking mechanical, and then changed tracks.

Not long after that, a PA announcement was made about the Kansas City stop. First would be a fueling stop, followed about ten minutes later by the station stop. Due to platform construction, the cars would be spotted for sleepers first and then coach, with platform walking discouraged. So much for my last opportunity to walk the platform.

Kansas City, MO (8:11-8:21A CDT) 9:01-9:49A CDT (Service Stop/Express/Mail/Crew Change)

During the Kansas City stop, I took advantage of the lack of train movement to return my zip-lock bag containing the previous day's clothing and night clothes to the zipper pouch on the front of my suitcase. The fuel stop took ten minutes as announced and the station stop didn't exceed the scheduled duration, so we were still in the 1-1/2 hour late range. This late in the trip I'm always more attuned to the schedule if I want to attempt to catch an earlier Hiawatha. The 5:08 Hiawatha would be a close connection even if we were on time, but the significant schedule padding between Naperville and Chicago makes a difference that sometimes results in an early arrival.

Before I knew it, Joseph was making the first call for lunch, which begins at 11:30 on the last day of the run. John seated me in his section again, where I was joined by an older lady from Los Angeles going to Chicago for a conference and to visit relatives. Soon the two men I met at breakfast joined us. The man who lives in LA had something in common with the woman in that they have both worked with schools there. I could identify with their comments from my

experiences working for the school district where I live. The man who lives near Chicago spends winters in Key Largo, having retired at age 50. I had the vegetable stir-fry selection, but failed to remember what the others ate because we were all so involved in conversation.

LaPlata, MO (10:31A CDT) 12:13-12:17P CDT

While we ate, the train stopped at LaPlata, MO. Passengers from both coach and sleepers were detraining here on this short platform, so the cars had to be spotted for both.

Fort Madison, IA (11:35A CDT) 1:24-1:28P CDT

Galesburg, IL (12:29-12:31P CDT) 2:40-2:44P CDT

Princeton, IL (1:22P CDT) 3:31-3:34P CDT

Mendota, IL (1:44P CDT) 3:52-3:55P CDT

By the time we reached Mendota, IL I knew that an hour and fifteen minutes wasn't enough time for us to travel 83 miles, drop express cars in the yards, pull into the terminal, detrain, and for me to run through the station to the 5:08 Hiawatha. I was reconciled to having to catch the 8:05 PM Hiawatha that would put me into Milwaukee at 9:34 instead of 6:45. Stan stopped by my room briefly to comment on connections. His connection to the east allowed him more time, so our late arrival didn't concern him.

For myself, I didn't mind what I consider "bonus time on the train." However, with the difference in my arrival time to Milwaukee from what I had originally told my ride, Gary (not to be confused with Gary Keller, the sleeper attendant), I needed to contact him and Karen on their cell phone. This was another example of how handy it was for me to have my cell phone on this trip. After three separate tries and no answer, I gave up, thinking they must have forgotten to bring theirs with them on the drive to Milwaukee. Suddenly my cell phone rang

and it was Karen. She had tried to answer each time I called, but received some recording about not being able to receive a call. They must have had their phone set to not accept calls from out of their area. Gary had to work that afternoon, so they had made a late start to Milwaukee. I wouldn't have minded waiting for them if I was on the earlier train, but now they could slow down and not have to wait as long for me on the later Hiawatha.

I was about to go looking for Gary Keller to give him his tip envelope, when he entered the car from the direction of the diner. I never like to wait until the very end with the tip because it's too busy and confusing then.

Naperville, IL (2:34P CDT) 4:45-4:48P CDT

We passed the next Southwest Chief #3 just west of Naperville. Soon Gary came through the car, asking if we would need help bringing luggage downstairs. I was all set with just my carry-on, heavy though it was with all my equipment. By the time we arrived in Chicago to drop the express cars, it was 5:45, with arrival in the terminal at 5:55.

Chicago, IL (4:36P CDT) 5:55P CDT

With no need to rush in detraining, I remained in my room until we had fully stopped, then proceeded downstairs where I was one of the last people off the train. Gary had removed all the suitcases from the luggage compartment and was handing them off the train to their owners. Mine was behind most of the others where he had them arranged, so by having to wait I missed a lot of the initial haste down the platform. I thanked Gary again for all he did during the trip, stacked my carry-on onto my rolling suitcase, and headed into the station.

CONSIST:

All locomotives in Phase V color scheme

All passenger cars in Phase IV color scheme

P42 184

P42 172

P42 153

P42 138

Baggage (Phase III color) 1249

Transition Sleeper 0429 39028

Superliner I Sleeper 0431 32031

Superliner I Sleeper 0430 32040

Diner 38059

Sightseer Lounge 33033

Coach/Smoking 0411 31525

Coach 0412 34054

Coach 0413 34047

Coach/Baggage 0414 31036

Superliner II Sleeper 0432 32091 "Minnesota"

16 Express cars

CREW:

CHIEF Anthony Williams

DINING CAR STEWARD Joseph

LSA (Lead Service Attendant) Al

SLEEPER ATTENDANT Gary Keller

DINER ATTENDANTS Vincent

Philip

John

CONDUCTORS Perry Childs (Kingman to Albuquerque)

Gene Springer (Albuquerque to LaJunta)

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