# MY trip to L.A



## amtrakwolverine (May 7, 2008)

OK just got back from L.A had a nice time lots of Mexicans in L.A LOL

ok my trip started by me staying up all night packing and watching tv. Left the house at 5:40AM to catch the 5:50AM city bus to the royal oak train station. Bus arrived at 6:25AM train arrives at 7AM. Train was about a few minutes late but no big deal. Once under way they announced the snack car was open so i got a pepperoni pizza and a Pepsi. about 45 minutes either before or after Detroit i forgot. CSX decided to run a freight train across our path. NS had a lot of freight congestion getting near Chicago so it was stop and go. manged to get to Chicago about 42 minutes late.

The Texas eagle departs at 1:45PM. the started boarding us at 1PM. once on board there was a guy behind me who was complaining to Amtrak's number about one of the DHS agents or something he didn't know being a little too noisy asking questions like why were you in NY can we search your luggage. he doesn't think it was race but he said the guy was being un-professional.

Once under way they passed out the new diner menu for the CCC (cross country cafe). I had both seats to my self no assigned seats this time. made it easier to sleep by stretching out on both seats.we got caught in a storm somewhere in Texas. it was raining hard and very windy so UP stopped us until the storm passed.Now around this time we had 100+ kids get on going to the next station. Must have been boy scouts they were they with there teachers but not in uniform.

now i don't remember which station but it was either Dallas TX or mineola TX one of these stations the train has to back up to get to it. well a freight train blocked our path due to a signal malfunction so we sat there for while outside the station waiting for Up to fix the signal so the freight train could back up out of the way.Once he was out of the way we were able to get to the station.

on the 2nd day may 2nd about 30 minutes from san Antonio about 11:30PM we slammed into a car that went around the gates. didn't feel anything the only clue was the whoosh of the emergency brakes and the train squealing to a halt. it was a smooth stop didn't so flying to floor when he hit the emergency brakes. the car we hit landed on its side in a ditch 2 people in the suv one was knocked un=concise.

I was told later that both people survived.(have video of the scene i did not put the car on film). arrived into san Antonio about 90 minutes late cause of the crash.I stayed on board the train while they were taking my car and 1 sleeper and attaching them to the sunset limited. we departed san Antonio on time. later on that day 2 people were kicked off the train for smoking one had pot. we stopped somewhere in Texas. we stopped somewhere between alpine and el Paso and they were escorted off into the arms of waiting sheriff deputy's.

sense this was the last full night before L.A i decided to have dinner. had a 6:45PM reservation. I had the build your own burger which was all beef with potato chips lettuce and tomatoes on the side with a pickle spear. had a Pepsi for a drink then had cheese cake for desserts both were great.

we managed to to be 1 hour early into Benson AZ and Tucson AZ. one conductor or crew member couldn't believe they were this early. He was saying I looked at my watch and figured we were in Benson then i saw the sign said Tucson i can't believe where this early. It didn't last though during the night we had some delays that set us back a bit.

Up was doing track work replacing the old wooden ties with new cement ones so during the work zone it was stop and go. We managed to get into L.A about 73 minutes late. Sense i had 6 hours before catching the southwest chief back I rode the metro red line for awhile. Got out at a few stops and took pictures.

About 5PM they started boarding us for the SWC. Once on board the guy behind me had a can of skoal(chewing tobacco) and it stunk. He was spitting it into a little Dixie cup. once under way then started coming around with dinner reservations. I chose the 6:30PM time when we got a Fullerton,CA some Mexican dude sat next to me and sense i didn't like sleeping next to him i decided to go to the lounge and wait for dinner.

They never called the 6:30PM time.Must have been P.A trouble as i hardly heard the women call the earlier time. I went to the dining car but there were busy and i didn't want to wait for them to realize i was there so I went downstairs to the lounge cafe and got a pepperoni pizza and a Pepsi. I ended up sleeping in the lounge.the guy was only going as far as Albuquerque so one day in the lounge wasn't that bad cold in the lounge though. the next day when we arrived early in Albuquerque we had over a 1 hour lay over sense it was a service stop and sense we arrived early I decided to get out and walk around. Picked a blanket for $5 that this one stand was selling.

I managed to tape the rail runner coming into and leaving Albuquerque NM. later once back on board i decided to try the diner again. this time also a 6:30PM time. This time we got called. Again i had the burger and the cheese cake(took pictures theres a thread for that somewhere) both were great. after that went back to my seat and after while i stretched out and went to sleep.

I slept on and off finely staying up after it was light outside. I decided to go to the lounge car and got a pizza and Pepsi to hold me over till Chicago. We arrived into chicago about 30 minutes late. There i waited to the catch the 6PM wolverine back to royal oak. About 5:15Pm then started pre boarding passengers.one guy fell over in the station and some passengers helped him up about 5:30 they boarded everyone. Once under way i again went to the snack car and got a pizza and a pepsi.

were early getting into Kalamazoo and battle creek MI and kept that up till about ann arbor. But on the way to Dearborn we hit a bunch of faulty signals that was flashing red so we couldn't go faster then 15MPH when we normally go 79MPH. We ended up getting a whole section of bad signals for a while.When we finely got working signals we were 53 minutes behind. so instead of arriving into dearborn at 11:59 we arrived at 12:50 or so. I arrived into royal oak 53 minutes late from 12:53PM so it was around 1:43 when I arrived into royal oak. I had a ride take me home and here i am.

I hope all this makes sense im EXTREMELY TIRED as i type this but wanted to get it out while it was fresh in my mind. all the crews were fine on the trains the whole trip. I got lots of pics and videos from it and will get to those later. Hope you like the report.


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## MrFSS (May 7, 2008)

Thanks for the report - sounds like a great trip. We'll be anxious to see some pictures.


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## AlanB (May 7, 2008)

KISS_ALIVE said:


> now i don't remember which station but it was either Dallas TX or mineola TX one of these stations the train has to back up to get to it. well a freight train blocked our path due to a signal malfunction so we sat there for while outside the station waiting for Up to fix the signal so the freight train could back up out of the way.Once he was out of the way we were able to get to the station.


I suspect that was Fort Worth, as there should be no backup moves required at either Dallas or Mineola, unless something went wrong on the normal approaches to those stations.

Thanks for the report.


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## amtrakwolverine (May 8, 2008)

AlanB said:


> KISS_ALIVE said:
> 
> 
> > now i don't remember which station but it was either Dallas TX or mineola TX one of these stations the train has to back up to get to it. well a freight train blocked our path due to a signal malfunction so we sat there for while outside the station waiting for Up to fix the signal so the freight train could back up out of the way.Once he was out of the way we were able to get to the station.
> ...


yeah fort worth. like said its hard to remember what happend where. i need a laptop but don't want one with vista.maybe by a vista one and a XP cd and install XP on it LOL

anyway here are some pics

texarcana police department







steam engine (don't remember what station)






an old amtrak sleeper






steam engine in san Antonio






dallas union station


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## amtrakwolverine (May 8, 2008)

inside L.A union station






el paso






had bathroom trouble in my car so the car stunk for while i guess it backed up into other cars as alot of bathrooms where out of order and they had a pumper truck pump out our car.sorry didn't take a picture of the honey wagon LOL

palm springs CA. look at all the windmils






universal city






and NBC universals HQ






tank train


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## jackal (May 8, 2008)

Great pics--thanks for sharing! The one of Dallas Union Station is great---good angle and really showcases how clean and modern it is!


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## amtrakwolverine (May 9, 2008)

oh for those wondering if you should gulp your food down or kick back and read a paper in the diner. they will kick you out after a time if your just sitting there chatting and your down with your meal and had paid to make way for paying customers.saw a group asked to leave after sitting chatting for awhile


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## amtrakwolverine (May 14, 2008)

something i forgot to add. 1 of the 2 guys who were tossed off for smoking had missed this train i forgot where and amtrak bussed him to san Antonio to catch it. He said he had no money so a conductor had giving him $10 so he could buy a meal somewhere. Then when on the train he got a little extra money from a passenger who felt sorry for him. And what doe he do. Gets kicked off for smoking pot. thats real smart.


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