# Southwest Chief - 2009 Report



## Carl (Mar 12, 2009)

Every now and then the opportunity for a cross-country train trip presents itself. Such was the case this year and it presented a chance to compare the experience with previous trips in 1998 and 2003.

In September 1998, we road the Empire Builder from Milwaukee to Seattle and the Coast Starlight from Seattle to Los Angeles. We utilized the deluxe bedroom accommodations for both trains and found the experience quite positive. The train crew displayed an outstanding attitude of helpfulness. Except for the Wisconsin portion, the ride was quite smooth. The Empire Builder ran late almost the entire route. Thus we were surprised when we arrived in Seattle nearly, i.e., within 30 minutes of schedule, on time. The Coast Starlight, although generally pleasant, was a less positive experience when we arrived three hours late, missed our connecting train to San Diego, and ended up with a very uncomfortable bus ride.

In October 2003, we road the Southwest Chief from Los Angeles to Chicago. We again utilized the deluxe bedroom accommodations but found the trip a good deal less pleasant. The delays were constant with a multi-hour late arrival and a roadbed ride that was like riding on a washerboard.

The current trip stared with a ride on the Pacific Surfliner from San Diego to Los Angeles. The train set was comprised of the usual consist: a business class coach, café car and three coach cars in push mode using an F59PHI as the power unit. The passenger car equipment on this line is now over ten years old but well maintained. The train left on time and was spot-on over the entire route arriving in Los Angeles within a minute or two of schedule.

The Southwest Chief was being backed onto an adjoining track shortly after the Surfliner arrived and within five minutes I was on board but in for a rude surprise. My intention had been to book a deluxe bedroom compartment but because I failed to pay close attention when I obtained my ticket I ended up in a Roomette, a small compartment that resembles two telephone booths placed side-by-side. Fortunately, I did not have to share the sleeper.

A little more care would have avoided the unpleasant surprise. A word to the wise - - in the Superliner Sleeping Cars, the deluxe bedroom compartments are identified by a letter, e.g., A, B, C, etc., while the Roomette compartments are identified by numbers, e.g., 1,2,3, etc. Make sure your ticket provides the accommodation you want.

An early tip of the Sleeping Car attendant proved immediately fruitful. Given that the Roomette, even if occupied by only person, can be used for seating or sleeping but not both, one ordinarily has to retire, or at least relax in a prone position earlier than one might otherwise choose. This choice was conveniently avoided when the attendant graciously offered the use of an unoccupied Roomette for seating.

The train set was comprised of two Genesis engines (#41 & #37), and a nine car consist: a Baggage Car, a transitional sleeper, two Sleeping Cars, a Dining Car, a Sightseer Lounge Car and three Coach cars. The Sleeping Cars appeared to have been refurbished while the Coach cars were well worn with age and use. The ventilation system appeared to work properly but with a moderate temperature outside there was little need for heat or air conditioning. The cars were clean and the train crew polite and helpful, although it seemed they were a bit older in age than was the case in 1998. But then that’s true for all of us.

We left on time but soon began to run late departing San Bernardino about fifteen minutes late. By Victorville and Barstow we were back on schedule where it was time to retire for the night.

The next morning had us about fifteen minutes late at Gallup, New Mexico. By midday we found ourselves in Albuquerque arriving 45 minutes early with cloudy weather and occasional light rain. On the eastbound run Albuquerque is a crew change and safety inspection stop so the extra time allowed for a brief tour of their new Amtrak station facilities, clean and serviceable but with very few amenities including no newspapers. After a 90 minute layover we were back on schedule. The end of day one brought us up and through the Raton Pass, about 8,000 feet above sea level, under clear skies and cool weather and into Colorado on schedule and headed northeast toward Kansas City, Missouri.

After another restless night, daybreak of day two finds us in Kansas City arriving 45 minutes early and on our way to Chicago on schedule. Midday found us crossing the mighty Mississippi and about 10 minutes late. After a few quick scheduled stops we headed directly into Union Station, track 24, arriving in Chicago 20 minutes early.

The roadbed across the country is a patchwork in need of repair - - some smooth stretches with many rough stretches; better than in 2003, but no where near as good as the roadbed from New York City to Baltimore on the Acela route. It does not provide a comfortable nights sleep by any stretch of the imagination. Some additional comfort could be provided if the Sleeper Cars were refurbished with better, i.e., thicker, bedding.

The lack of freight traffic along the route was surprising. Except for one or two freights, we had the track to ourselves from Albuquerque to La Junta, Colorado. On day two we encountered six or seven freights. Most were headed west with only one that appeared headed east.

The Southwest Chief is one of the few remaining long-distance trains to offer full dining car service. The current menu provides for breakfast, lunch and dinner choices plus a children’s menu.

We departed LA at 6:45 p.m. and the Dining Car began serving dinner at 7:30 p.m. The Dinner menu entrees included a marinated steak, a seafood selection - - today it was a broiled trout filet - - and a poultry selection - - today it was a chicken enchilada. I found the trout selection was quite good - - hot, tender and quite tasty.

Breakfast selections included a limited omelet selection, scrambled eggs, french toast, breakfast cereals and breakfast meats, i.e., bacon strips, sausage patties, etc., but no toast. Lunch selections on day two were limited to a cheeseburger and a salad. More care seemed to be put into food preparation for the dinner than for other meals. Service was reasonably good with two waitresses serving four to six tables.

The prices appeared to compare favorably with what one would pay in an urban diner. The dinner entree, beverage and desert would cost a coach passenger $20 but was included in the accommodation charge for Sleeping Car passengers.

All in all it was a positive experience- - better than in 2003- - but with a lot of room for improvement.


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## printman2000 (Mar 12, 2009)

Carl said:


> The lack of freight traffic along the route was surprising. Except for one or two freights, we had the track to ourselves from Albuquerque to La Junta, Colorado. On day two we encountered six or seven freights. Most were headed west with only one that appeared headed east.


Nice report. The above mentioned section of track, other than a portion the Rail Runner uses, is only being used by Amtrak. BNSF sold the track and no longer uses most of it. They may still use some in Colorado, I cannot remember specifics.


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## AlanB (Mar 12, 2009)

Thanks for the report Carl, very nice. 



Carl said:


> The Southwest Chief is one of the few remaining long-distance trains to offer full dining car service. The current menu provides for breakfast, lunch and dinner choices plus a children’s menu.


Actually the only two long distance trains that don't offer at least the level of service that you saw on the Chief are the Cardinal, the Lake Shore Limited, and the City of New Orleans. The City of NOL is a step above the Cardinal and the LSL.

On the opposite side of things, the Empire Builder and the Auto Train actually offer a better level of service that what you saw on the Chief. But otherwise, all of the LD's offer what you saw on the Chief.


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## printman2000 (Mar 12, 2009)

AlanB said:


> Thanks for the report Carl, very nice.
> 
> 
> Carl said:
> ...


Alan, what is the difference between the CONO, the Texas Eagle and the Capitol Limited? I thought they all used a CCC and used them the same way, as a dining car.

Or did you include the CONO because it does not have a lounge and the CCC operates as both the dining and lounge cars?


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## AlanB (Mar 12, 2009)

printman2000 said:


> AlanB said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks for the report Carl, very nice.
> ...


It is because the CONO operates in a dual mode, lounge and diner.


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## Guest_cnr1949_* (Mar 12, 2009)

Why does Amtrak put first class passengers at the front of the train where the whistle must be a disturbing element in trying to sleep? Via Rail in Canada still has sleepers at the rear of the train and weren't American passenger trains run that way before Amtrak?


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## gswager (Mar 12, 2009)

Not always. Some are in the back. It depends on how they turn the cars around at end of the journey.


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## printman2000 (Mar 12, 2009)

Guest_cnr1949_* said:


> Why does Amtrak put first class passengers at the front of the train where the whistle must be a disturbing element in trying to sleep? Via Rail in Canada still has sleepers at the rear of the train and weren't American passenger trains run that way before Amtrak?


I believe they prefer to have the sleepers next to the transition dorm (on Superliner sets) which needs to be at the front to transition to the baggage car.


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## Guest_bob_* (Mar 26, 2009)

Guest_cnr1949_* said:


> Why does Amtrak put first class passengers at the front of the train where the whistle must be a disturbing element in trying to sleep? Via Rail in Canada still has sleepers at the rear of the train and weren't American passenger trains run that way before Amtrak?


I don't think the train whistle is an issue when you are separated by the length of the two engines, the bag, and the transition cars. It is probably barely audible, if at all. The whoosh of the ventilation blowers and some track sounds will mask most anything else.


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## PaulM (Mar 26, 2009)

Guest_bob_* said:


> I don't think the train whistle is an issue when you are separated by the length of the two engines, the bag, and the transition cars. It is probably barely audible, if at all. The whoosh of the ventilation blowers and some track sounds will mask most anything else.


I would disagree. Not only is the whistle loud, but it's the frequency (as in number per unit time, not pitch). It's especially bad in the Midwest where there is a farm road about every mile. At 79 m/h, that's 4 whistle blows every 45 seconds.

I much prefer the older system where the sleepers were on the end.


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## GG-1 (Apr 6, 2009)

PaulM said:


> Guest_bob_* said:
> 
> 
> > I don't think the train whistle is an issue when you are separated by the length of the two engines, the bag, and the transition cars. It is probably barely audible, if at all. The whoosh of the ventilation blowers and some track sounds will mask most anything else.
> ...


As I write and finish my recent trip report I had the sleeper on both ends of the train between different cities.

Aloha


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