# Trip Report: San Diego to Elkhart, Indiana and back



## Eric in East County (Jan 21, 2016)

Hi Everybody. I am a new member to this forum but a long-time AMTRAK rider. My earlier trip reports were all submitted to ON-TRACK ON-LINE, but here is an unpublished one from 2014 which you might find interesting. (My wife and I will be traveling from San Diego to Toledo and back this summer, and I'll have a new trip report to submit at that time.

Eric in East San Diego County

Eric & Pat Beheim’s AMTRAK Trip Report​San Diego, Ca. – Elkhart, Indiana​Elkhart, Indiana – San Diego, Ca.​September 2014​
Prologue

Having determined the dates when we wanted to go back to visit family in Ohio, we next began to think about our travel options. Since neither of us likes to fly, and driving would take too long, we again chose *AMTRAK*, which we had used to make this same trip back in 2004 and again in 2005. (On these previous trips, we had always gotten off at Toledo usually arriving around 11:30 p.m. if the train was running on time. For this trip, however, we decided to get off at Elkhart, Indiana since we would arrive there two hours earlier and could spend a restful night before driving on to our ultimate destination Findlay, Ohio.) Since we would be traveling both east and west on three different trains using three different classes of accommodations, we took the path of least resistance and had our friendly neighborhood Auto Club agent make our reservations. We had originally planned to book a bedroom onboard the *Southwest Chief* that left Los Angeles on September 12th. As it turned out, however, there were no bedrooms available on that date. (The travel agent explained that more people are now opting to travel across country via train because of many inconveniences and indignities associated with air travel.) To get a bedroom, we had to move up our departure date by two days. (As it turned out, this actually worked out better for us since it gave us two weekends in Findlay.) At our travel agent’s suggestion, we drove to the *AMTRAK* station in Solana Beach to pay for our tickets in person. (Apparently, there would have been a substantial service charge if we had paid for them through the Auto Club.) Anticipating that we would have problems if we tried pay for our tickets using a personal check or a credit card, we paid cash, which was cheerfully accepted. Our tickets were issued to us on the spot and another cross-country rail adventure was now a reality!

Part 1: San Diego, California to Elkhart, Indiana
*Stage 1: San Diego to Los Angeles (September 10th)*

We arrived at San Diego’s historic, mission-style station at little after 11:00 a.m. to catch the *Pacific Surfliner* scheduled to leave at 12 Noon. When we went to check our luggage, we learned that the Elkhart station (our final destination) did not have facilities to unload checked luggage, and we would have to claim it in Chicago and then carry it to our connecting train *in addition to* our carry-on bags. Although the day was turning out to be another hot one, a cool breeze kept the waiting room very comfortable. Since we had plenty of time before our train left, we sat down on one of the long, heavy-duty, wooden benches that date back to when the station first opened in 1914. The only extra security measures we noted was a large TV monitor mounted over the ticket counter that was showing a video urging passengers to report any suspicious behavior: “If you see something, say something.” The video gave the number of the *AMTRAK* police (800-331-0008) and also explained how to report suspicious behavior via a text message. This was followed by a short video on *AMTRAK*’s K9 unit of bomb-sniffing dogs and how they are trained. The *Surfliner* arrived at 11:27 a.m. pulled by engine 464. The boarding call for the 12 Noon *Surfliner* came at 11:45 a.m. We had no trouble finding two good seats together as the car was not crowded. We departed right at 12:00 p.m. The conductor used a handheld device to scan a barcode on our tickets. (This was the first time we’d seen this done. Previously, part of the ticket had always been torn off.) We also saw the conductor scanning a barcode from the screen of another passenger’s “palm pilot” type device. Shortly after we left the station, an armed member of *AMTRAK*’s security force walked through the car.

At 12:28 p.m. our train began paralleling the ocean.

Passing through the little resort communities of Del Mar, Solana Beach and Cardiff-by-the-Sea, we were surprised to see that the beaches and campgrounds were moderately busy for a middle-of-the-week day.

We arrived at Solana Beach, our first scheduled stop at 12:33 p.m.

By this time, we had gotten out our little *Uniden SC230* scanner and were listening to the train crew on Channel 76. (We’d previously programmed our scanner with the *AMTRAK* frequencies posted on the *On Track-On Line* website.) We heard our train (No. 777) being referred to as “triple 7”

In Oceanside, we heard on the scanner that “a man with a straw hat” didn’t have ID and couldn’t board the train.

We arrived at San Juan Capistrano at 1:26 p.m. After we departed, we began hearing the train crew talking on Channel 30.

Just before we reached Fullerton, we had to stop while a long freight train crossed in front of us.

At 2:36 p.m., we crossed the Los Angles River and made the sharp turn to the right for the approach to *Los Angeles Union Passenger Depot*. We noted that all of the graffiti on the concrete walls of the Los Angeles River (some of which dated back many years) had been painted over since our last trip.

We passed Mission Tower at 2:39 p.m. and came to a stop at the L.A. Depot two minutes later.

*Stage 2: Los Angeles to Chicago (September 10-September 12)*

After making our way into *Los Angeles Union Passenger Depot*, we asked a security guard for directions to the *Metropolitan Lounge*. Rather than telling us, he escorted us to the elevator, which took us up to the floor where the lounge is located. There, we were able to check our carry-on luggage and enjoy an assortment of complementary beverages and snacks in air-conditioned comfort. There was also free *Wi-Fi*, which we used to send a message to Eric’s brother to let him know that we had made it to Los Angeles.

At about 5:10 p.m. we heard on the scanner that Train No. 4 (i.e. *The Southwest Chief*) was “on the move.” Shortly afterwards, an *AMTRAK* attendant escorted us and the other “walkers” down to Track 11A, where we arrived in time to see the “Chief” backing in at 5:22 p.m. The consist was made up of lead engine 75, helper engine 160, baggage car 1712, sleepers 39009, 32091, and 32040, diner 38060, lounge car 33021, and coaches 34048, 34005, and 34059. Unlike our earlier trips onboard the *Chief*, we saw no extra freight cars coupled onto the last coach.

Our reservation was for Bedroom C in sleeper 32091. Our car attendant was “Freddie” whom we later learned had been with *AMTRAK* for 30 years.

We left Los Angeles on time at 6:16 p.m.

By the time the dining car steward got to our room to take our dinner reservations, there was nothing available until around 9:00 p.m. Since we had had no lunch and didn’t want to wait that long, we opted to have our dinner brought to us in our room. This was the first time we had done this and it actually worked out quite well. It arrived in a large “take out” bag with everything neatly boxed up. Pat had the roast chicken and Eric had to settle for a cheeseburger, since it was a “short” menu that first night out.

Listening in on our scanner, we heard our train crew talking on Channel 36.

Deciding to call it an early night, we had Freddie make up our bed and were soon asleep.

We awoke the next morning at about 6:15 a.m. just after the *Chief* had departed Winslow, Arizona. No complimentary newspaper had been slipped under our door, as had been the case on our previous trips east onboard the *Chief*. (This was only one of several cost cutting measures we noted on this trip.)

At 6:44 a.m. the *Wigwam Motel* of Route 66 fame flashed by on our left.

We decided to have breakfast in our bedroom. Pat had pancakes and Eric had the cheese omelet.

Entering New Mexico, we set our watches ahead one hour.

We departed Gallup at 8:21 a.m., 34 minutes behind schedule.

We crossed the Rio Grande River just west of Albuquerque. A few minutes later, we saw a number of buffalo in what appeared to be a facility that raised them commercially.

Since Albuquerque was a 40-minute extended service stop, we used the opportunity to get off and stretch our legs. We saw an armed *AMTRAK *security man with a bomb detector dog patrolling the platform. During this stop we also had a brief reunion on the platform with our son Bret, who recently earned his PhD and who works in Albuquerque at the University of New Mexico.

The *Chief *left Albuquerque at 12:10 p.m. Shortly afterwards, we had lunch in our bedroom.

We passed through Apache Canyon at 1:26 p.m. The train crew was now using Channel 13. (We heard an automatic sensor report that our train had 44 axels.)

The weather was sunny and clear and ideal for the passage through the Santa Fe National Forest, with its fantastic scenery.

At 3:11 a.m., we met the westbound *Chief* between Lamy (pronounced “Lame-ee) and Las Vegas, N.M.

Arriving in Las Vegas, we noted that the famous *Castaneda Hotel* dating from 1898 was closed and completely fenced in to keep out trespassers.

At around 4:00 p.m. we saw a herd of antelope. (Someone once told us that a game preserve is located in this area, near the right-of-way.)

We made dinner reservations for the dining car’s 6:00 p.m. seating. Just as we reached the dining car, an announcement was made that we would be stopping because the tracks ahead needed to be checked for flooding. The *Chief* came to a stop just as it was emerging from the Raton Tunnel into Colorado. In fact, when it came to a stop, some of the coach cars were still inside the tunnel (We later heard the conductor mention to another passenger that half of the train was in Colorado while the other half was still in New Mexico!)

The dining car tables were set with linen tablecloths and napkins. Covering the tablecloth was a multi-layered stack of white paper sheets that had been cut to the dimensions of the tabletop. (After each seating, the servers had only to remove the top sheet to have a clean tabletop ready for the diners in the next seating.) Instead of chinaware, the food was served on recyclable plastic plates with the *AMTRAK* logo. (Our “take out” meals had also been served on these same plastic plates.) The utensils were stainless steel.

The dining car “staff” consisted of a steward and one server. This was apparently another cost-cutting move, since on our last trip east on board the *Chief* there had been a steward and *two *servers. As near as we could tell, these two people handled all of the dining car chores related to seating diners, taking orders, and serving meals for the entire trip to Chicago.

Our dinner companions were a couple from Morro Bay, California who were traveling east to visit relatives in Kansas.

Pat ordered the steak dinner and Eric had the “catch of the day” seafood dinner. While we were eating, heavy rain mixed with hail began to fall.

Eventually the *Chief* got underway again. We opted to call it an early evening, setting our watches ahead an hour before retiring.

When we awoke the next morning just outside Kansas City, the *Chief* was running about 90 minutes behind schedule. Once again, no complimentary newspaper had been slipped under our door. The crew was now using Channel 72 for its radio communications.

We crossed the Missouri River at 8:36 a.m. (Shortly afterward, the radio frequency used by the crew changed to Channel 30.) After a stop at Fort Madison, Iowa, the *Chief* crossed the Mississippi River into Illinois at 12:41 p.m.

All that afternoon, the ride seemed noticeably smoother than what we’d experienced since leaving L.A.

Arriving in Chicago, the *Chief* went directly to Union Station, coming to a stop at 4:18 p.m., about 90 minutes behind schedule.

*Stage 3: Chicago to Elkhart (September 12)*

Making our way into *Chicago Union Station*, we first had to retrieve our checked luggage, since Elkhart had no facilities to unload baggage. Next we made our way to the *AMTRAK *waiting room to wait for our next train the *Capitol Limited*, scheduled to depart at 6:40 p.m. Although we knew which gate *Capitol Limited* passengers had to be at, we (and a number of other passengers) were thoroughly bewildered by what we encountered. Not only was the waiting room crowded to capacity with passengers waiting to depart on several different trains, but the gate we were supposed to be at was being used for loading another train. When the crowd eventually cleared out, we (and our four pieces of luggage) were actually quite close to the gate entrance, which was now closed. Rather than trying to find two empty seats in the over-crowded waiting room, we opted to stay with our luggage and stood there for about 45 minutes as other arriving passengers began to line up behind us. Then, at about 5:50 p.m. we were let into a second, empty waiting room where we stayed for about 5 minutes before being allowed out onto the platform to walk to our assigned coach. In addition to our two carry-on bags, we also had the two large bags that we had expected would travel as checked luggage. Fortunately, we were able to stow these two large bags on coach’s the lower level and take our carry-on bags up with us to our seats. The *Capitol Limited* left on time at 6:40 p.m. Just out of Chicago, we set our watches ahead to East Coast Time. We opted to skip dinner in the dining car and made do with two hotdogs purchased in the lounge car. The trip to Elkhart was uneventful and we arrived on time at about 9:30 p.m. (Among the passengers who got off with us at Elkhart was an Amish couple dressed in their traditional garb.) We got a cab right away and were soon at our hotel.

Part 2: Elkhart, Indiana to San Diego, California
*Stage 1: Elkhart to Chicago (September 23)*

We arrived at Elkhart’s train station at 7:00 a.m. to catch the west-bound *Capitol Limited* to Chicago. It was just starting to get light when we arrived and the weather was quite chilly. (It was the first day of fall.)

Elkhart’s station is not staffed by *AMTRAK* personnel and does not sell tickets or handle passengers’ baggage. The station’s waiting room is only open in early mornings and late evenings, half an hour before the first westbound and eastbound trains are scheduled to arrive. When we got there, the waiting room was open but no other passengers had yet arrived. The only information we could learn about our train was a note scrawled on a white dry erase board stating that _yesterday’s_ *Capitol Limited* was due to arrive at 8:30 a.m., about an hour behind schedule.

Figuring that we had at least an hour to wait, we used the time to look over the station’s collection of historical photographs and travel posters before settling down on one of the heavy, golden oak benches that probably date back when the station was built in 1900. Across the tracks from the station could be seen a collection of retired rail cars and locomotives that are part of the *New York Central Museum*.

Other passengers began to arrive at about 8:15 a.m. Several east-bound freight trains rumbled passed while we were sitting there. The *Capitol Limited* eventually arrived at 9:28 a.m., about two hours behind schedule. As we boarded, the conductor consulted a hand-held device and knew right away who we were without having to look at our tickets. An arriving passenger had trouble locating her luggage so we were slightly delayed leaving Elkhart.

Having missed breakfast in order to get to the station on time, we availed ourselves of two hotdogs from the lounge car.

During the trip to Chicago we had to slow down and/or stop several times for freight traffic.

At 9:51 a.m. the steel mills of Gary, Indiana came into view on our right. Since we were seated in our coach’s lower level, our first good view of Lake Michigan didn’t come until 10:43 a.m. An announcement was made that we now in the Central Time Zone, and we set our watches back an hour.

We came to a stop inside the Chicago Union Station train shed at 11:18 a.m. about two and a half hours behind schedule.

*Stage 2: Chicago to Los Angeles (September 23-25) *

Entering the station, we went straight to the Metropolitan Lounge. After being issued “flash” passes, we checked our carry-on items and then walked across the hall to the *AMTRAK* ticket counter to check our two large bag, which we’d been unable to check at Elkhart. Then we went up to the station’s “food court” to grab a bite to eat.

Returning the Metropolitan Lounge, we set up our laptop and used the lounge’s free *Wi-Fi* to send e-mails to family members to let them know we were in Chicago. By 1:15 p.m. the lounge was filled with passengers waiting to depart on *Zephyr*, *Empire Builder*, *Texas Eagle*, and *Southwest Chief*.

The first boarding call for the *Chief*’s sleeping car passengers came at 2:37 p.m. We had to walk almost the entire length of the train to get to our car, but it gave us a chance to note the makeup of the consist:

Lead engine 118, helper engine 74, baggage car 1252, sleepers 39009, 32091 and 32040, diner 38062, lounge car 33014, and coaches 34048, 34102 and 34044.

We had reservations for bedroom B in sleeper #32091. Our car attendant was Tanya.

The *Chief* rolled out of the train shed at 3:16 p.m.

We crossed the Mississippi River at 6:45 p.m. and departed Ft. Madison, Iowa at 7:02 p.m., just about on schedule. The train crew was using Channel 30 for its radio communications.

For this trip, we opted to have all of our meals brought to us in our bedroom. (Judging from the dining car announcements, passengers with reservations that first night out were being seated about an hour behind schedule.)

Having been up early to catch the *Capitol Limited*, we asked Tanya to make up our bed right after supper so that we could call it an early evening.

We woke up about 8:27 a.m. just as the *Chief* was passing through Holly, Colorado. We set our watches back an hour to Mountain Time.

We determined that the crew was now using Channel 23 when an automatic sensor reported that our train had 44 axles. The *Chief* was running about 55 minutes behind schedule.

At 8:08 a.m. we stopped at a crossroads out in the middle of nowhere for a mandated crew change, which probably would have occurred during the stop in La Junta if we’d been running on time.

We were now picking up the crew on Channel 32.

Just outside Trinidad, the scenery began to change for the better. We crossed the state line into New Mexico at 11:10 a.m. and arrived and departed Raton about 44 minutes behind schedule. Once we had descended down to the plains, we were soon making good time.

We went by Wagon Mound at 12:37 p.m.

At 2:31 p.m. we encountered heavy overcast and some rain.

Just before we reached Lamy, the crew changed over to Channel 20 and we got to listen in on an incident unfolding in one of the coaches. From what we could gather, a woman who was either intoxicated or on drugs had aroused the suspicions of the on-board staff, who were trying to determine if she had a weapon and/or was being disruptive to the other passengers. The authorities in Albuquerque were notified so that she could be taken off the train there for medical care.

We arrived in Albuquerque at 4:21 p.m. Our son Bret and our two granddaughters Elliana and Adria met us on the platform and we had just enough time to give them a quick tour of the dining car and the lounge car. Our visit was only a brief one since the *Chief* was scheduled to depart at 4:45 p.m. (It actually departed at 4:52 p.m.)

When we left Gallup at 7:08 p.m., we were more or less back on schedule.

Once again we opted to call it an early evening.

Breakfast was served between 5:30 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. Since we’d asked Tanya to bring us our breakfast at 6:00 a.m. we got up at 5:30 a.m. so we would be dressed and ready when she arrived. The crew was now using Channel 72, changing to Channel 36 after leaving Fullerton.

We arrived in Los Angeles on time at 7:27 a.m.

*Stage 3: Los Angeles to San Diego (September 25)*

The next scheduled southbound *Surfliner* was #768, which departed at 9:51 a.m. While we were waiting on the platform, we chatted briefly with an Amish family from Pennsylvania that was traveling on to Mexico.

#768 departed on time. When the conductor scanned our tickets, I asked which radio channel he was using and was told it was Channel 36. (This changed to Channel 30 after San Juan Capistrano.) Since I was wearing my *AMTRAK *ball cap, the conductor asked if I worked for *AMTRAK*. I replied that I was just a rail fan who liked riding the train.

Listening in on the scanner, we heard that an agent would be meeting an unaccompanied child passenger at Oceanside.

We arrived in San Diego at 2:44 p.m. By the time we had de-trained with our carry-on bags, our two big checked bags had already been unloaded and were in the station’s baggage room. Shortly afterwards, we were picked up at the station by Eric’s brother, and were soon on our way home.


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## crabby_appleton1950 (Jan 21, 2016)

Very interesting. Lived in San Diego 20+ years.

I was in the San Diego station this past May and there were two uniformed security and an Amtrak uniformed employee patrolling inside and outside the station, although there were only about 20 waiting passengers.


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## Eric308 (Jan 21, 2016)

Nice report! Thinking of taking the Chief to visit a friend in Albuquerque, renting a car and heading up to Taos (used to work at the ski valley) and Santa Fe. Or, just stay on to Winslow, stand on the corner for awhile and then get a car to go visit my bro-in-law in Show-Low. You ever run into Ben Roethlisberger around Findlay?


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## NETrainfan (Jan 22, 2016)

Enjoyed reading your trip report. We are fond of the Southwest Chief- so

liked hearing your experience of it.

What did you think of the bedroom and have you stayed in a roomette?


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## Bob Dylan (Jan 22, 2016)

Welcome to AU and thanks for sharing your wonderful trip with us! Look forward to many more!


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## Eric in East County (Jan 22, 2016)

The *Southwest Chief* is our favorite route because of its association with the *Super Chief*, which was the train used by all the Hollywood celebrities back in the 1930s and 1940s. Pat is from the Findlay area but doesn’t know Ben Roethlisberger. We once stayed in a roomette during a trip we made to Seattle onboard the *Coast Starlight* back in 1997. We prefer the bedroom with its private shower, toilet and sink.


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## Palmetto (Jan 23, 2016)

Ah yes, border towns. When I lived in Brownsville, TX, in addition to TSA, Border Patrol agents screened you.


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## grobma (Jan 23, 2016)

Thanks for the trip report - I'll be on the SWC and PS in June, continuing my trip from NYC (via the LSL) to SAN.

Question - I was thinking of picking up a scanner. I had read on some other posts that the crew are not crazy about passengers monitoring their communications, yet you indicated that you would ask what channel they were using. Have you ever encountered any negative reactions related to such requests?


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## Eric in East County (Jan 23, 2016)

I’ve never had any problems using my scanner onboard the *AMTRAK* trains I’ve ridden on. And crewmembers have always answered my questions as to what channel they are currently using. While monitoring the crew’s radio traffic, I *ALWAYS* wear lightweight earphones so as not to disturb the other passengers. (I also wear an *AMTRAK* ball cap, which helps to identify me as a railfan.) Vincent Reh’s book *RAILROAD RADIO* has a lot of useful information on monitoring and understanding radio communications. (Since it was written 20 years ago, it won’t have information on the scanners, antennas, etc. that are currently available. I bought my little scanner on *eBay* and it wasn’t very expensive. Most of the railroad radio traffic I’ve monitored over the years has been pretty much routine. One incident, however, sticks out in my mind: In June 2005, we were riding the *Super Chief* west to Los Angeles. It was sunny when we left Chicago but by the time we arrived in Naperville, it was starting to get cloudy, with even darker storm clouds to the west. We had the scanner on and, an hour after leaving Chicago, we heard the main line dispatcher contact our train with a weather warning: Mendota was experiencing 60 mile an hour winds. We heard our engineer ask the dispatcher if *AMTRAK* #6 (the east-bound *Zephyr*) had had to stop. At 4:20 p.m., the “Chief” came to a stop in Somonauk, Illinois. There were dark storm clouds overhead, with strong wind and lightning. An announcement was eventually made to the passengers to explain why we’d stopped. (Despite the threatening weather, quite a few of the residents of Somonauk came by to see the “Chief” parked in the middle of their town.) At 4:46 p.m., a second weather warning was received telling of wind gusts of up to 60 miles an hour that were being recorded at Bristol and Earlville. At 4:57 p.m., the east-bound *Zephyr* went by and, at 4:59 p.m. the “Chief” got underway in a light rain. Being able to listen in on incidents like this is what makes monitoring railroad radio traffic worthwhile.


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## zephyr17 (Feb 3, 2016)

I _always_ have a scanner and I have never had a problem with the crew. I don't ask them for the channel, though. On track online has a list of the frequencies for all routes. Sometimes it is not up to date, it is updated from reports from people in the field. If it is apparent I am on the wrong channel (don't hear "Highball" call at station stops, no roll by when passing another train, stop for no reason without having heard restrictive signal aspects being called. Or a crew member walking by with his handset blaring and you are not getting anything), I set the scanner to scan all the AAR frequencies until I hit the right one.

In terms of the crews, I've had numerous occasions where the SCAs, knowing I have a scanner, ask me what is going on when there is an unexpected stop. They don't know anything more about the operational status than the passengers do.

And use earphones in public areas.


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