# Southwest chief-chi-lax



## Steve4031 (Aug 2, 2015)

This is the first segment of a large agr redemption. The entire trip is chi-lax-pdx in a roomette. One night in Portland and then pdx-lax-nol which is another points redemption for a roomette. After a night in New Orleans I'll return to Chicago on the City of New Orleans on a paid ticket in a roomette.

I knew that the metropolitan lounge would be a zoo. 3, 21 and 421 were sold out. So seating space would be scarce. I opted for the Legacy lounge.

I walked in and waited for him to finish with a customer. Then I told him I was traveling in a sleeper on 3. He brusquely states, " you don't want to be in here. You have to pay 10 dollars." After twice explaining to him that I knew the lounge would be crowded I was charged the 10 dollars. It took him 2 minutes to do this which is entirely too long after the argument about whether I wanted to be in there.

I asked him to print my ticket. I did this deliberately to determine services available in the lounge. He said yes and typed my name into the computer (he did it this way because my credit card was still there) but then stated, "I can see it but it won't print." I enquires about luggage storage and was told no, but I could leave it by a chair in the room. I spoke with another passenger and she agreed to watch my luggage while I went to get lunch and my ticket.

I went to the ticket office, where there was a short line. After a minute an agent was taking my booking number and tickets were being instantly printed as she viewed my id. Total transaction was less than a minute. The agent noticed that the trip ended in New Orleans and professionally verified that I did not wish to return to Chicago.

I've enjoyed my brats and a pretzels with a complimentary coke from the lounge. This is nicer environment than the lounge, but the incompetence of the man at the front desk is a definite negative.


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## Steve4031 (Aug 2, 2015)

Another amtrak employee came to the legacy lounge at 2:20 pm and called for passengers of 3 and 358. We were lead down the to the pre-boarding area and entered from the platform side. After a brief wait we. Boarded. The employees in pre-boarding area were typical in that They did not know if sleepers were ready. The pre-boarding part of legacy lounge guarantee was met.

The sca is on the ball. She looked at my ticket and walked me to the 340 car and opened the door. No extra waiting. No drama. She was very friendly.


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## Bob Dylan (Aug 2, 2015)

Sounds like you're off to a good start Steve! Hopefully your train Karma is good for this trip, its been a tough year so far for the Western LD Trains!

I still don't think I'd pay the $10 ( soon to be $20) for the Legacy Lounge unless I was riding Coach out of Union Station! YMMV

Looking forward to your trip reports, were envious!


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## Steve4031 (Aug 2, 2015)

I wouldn't normally do this except I knew the lounge would be full today. In the future when the new lounge opens off the great hall it wouldn't be necessary.


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## Steve4031 (Aug 2, 2015)

The train still has not left Chicago. There are issues with the engines and the brakes. About 3:30 I heard a loud hiss of air and thought we might be under way. But we are still sitting . . .

On the scanner the conductor periodically asks for up dates and the head end replies "not looking to good". The HEP has been on and off at least three times.


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## Bob Dylan (Aug 2, 2015)

Those poor run to death P-42s are in short supply!

Wonder if CHI even has any spares in the yards? Maybe y'all can get a helper Freight engine to get underway?

Possibly an engine in an incoming LD Train can be transfered rather than go out with an engine that should be bad ordered, since you're still in CHI and not sitting in the boonies somewhere waiting on a rescue!

Keep us posted, its awful hot out in the deserts of the SW!!


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## Steve4031 (Aug 2, 2015)

The conductor just announced that a part has to be replaced on the brakes. This will be an additional 30 minutes to an hour.

I just walked the train and AC is working well in all cars. I can deal with a 2 or 3 hour delay. Would prefer making the connection in lax but know I can catch the CS with the bus-train combo up the valley.


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## Steve4031 (Aug 2, 2015)

3 departed Chicago 1 hour 34 late. This is a delay that can be made up.


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## oregon pioneer (Aug 2, 2015)

What a winderful trip this sounds like! I am looking forward to updates as you continue your journey.


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## pianocat (Aug 2, 2015)

Good luck to you! The LD trains seem to be hit or miss depending on the day. If you're patient, and have back up plans, you're fine. Wish you a great adventure!


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## Steve4031 (Aug 2, 2015)

Dinner in the diner was delicious. The first of many steaks with mashed potatoes. The crew was efficient. The Lsa is a bit over the top in telling passengers to not text in the diner. Phone calls I understand. He announced that you should go to the lounge car to text. Must be fun being a waiter in his diner.


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## AmtrakBlue (Aug 2, 2015)

Steve4031 said:


> Dinner in the diner was delicious. The first of many steaks with mashed potatoes. The crew was efficient. The Lsa is a bit over the top in telling passengers to not text in the diner. Phone calls I understand. He announced that you should go to the lounge car to text. Must be fun being a waiter in his diner.


Wonder how he'd feel if he knew someone was receiving a text to leave a tip for the waiter. I had to leave dinner early one time due to not feeling well and forgot to leave a tip. So I texted my dining companion and asked her to leave a tip for me and I'd pay her back.


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## Steve4031 (Aug 2, 2015)

Arrived Galesburg at 7:15. The Carl Sandburg is in the station too. Must have been waiting for us. An east bound freight is departing before the Carl Sandburg. So it will follow it too Chicago unless it can over take the Freight east of gbb.


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## Bob Dylan (Aug 2, 2015)

Good to hear that the steak is still good on the Chief! Too bad the LSA is one of those control freaks you run into occasionally!

A couple of hours down in GBB, hopefully the "Kansas Triangle" won't cause more time loss as you sleep! Having Breakfast as the sun comes up in

Colorado with the Mountains in tbe distance while heading for New Mexico is always a treat!

Let us know how the tracks are in Western Kansas, still some of the roughest riding I've had in the past few years on Amtrak!


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## Steve4031 (Aug 2, 2015)

Departing ft Madison 1 hr 57 late.

Some photos of my first day.


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## Bob Dylan (Aug 2, 2015)

Nice pics Steve! The Sunset over the Big Muddy is really a nice one!

Is that a Gold Coast Dog?


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## Railroad Bill (Aug 2, 2015)

Steve, enjoying your report and hoping your conditions improve with locomotive power. Three more weeks and that steak dinner, potatoes and cheesecake on the CZ will hopefully greet us for our trip to Denver.


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## greatcats (Aug 3, 2015)

Steve - please see private message.


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## Steve4031 (Aug 3, 2015)

Yes that was a brats.

I got the private message and responded.

We have been sitting in Topeka for 40 minutes with hep off. I finally Turned on the scanner and discovered that an air hose was being replaced. I'm not sure why Hep would be off for 30 minutes.


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## Steve4031 (Aug 3, 2015)

Departing topeka 2 hours and 27 minutes late.


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## Steve4031 (Aug 3, 2015)

Departing dodge city 2 hrs 15 late. Making up time little by little.

Some photos to start the day.


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## Steve4031 (Aug 3, 2015)

Departed La junta 2:20 late. It's been a relaxed morning. The track is rough with some sections improved. There were still several slow orders.


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## Bob Dylan (Aug 3, 2015)

Great pics Steve, keep 'em coming! Next comes the good part of the Route!


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## Steve4031 (Aug 3, 2015)

Here it is!! Semaphores! 


We had lunch going over rayon pass. I was first in the diner from sleeping car end. Then a family of three straggled I'm from the lounge car. That got seated first and I got the aisle. Annoying. I'm all for community seating but dislike not getting a window seat after playing the dining car game by the rules of the crew.


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## GG-1 (Aug 3, 2015)

Steve4031 said:


> We have been sitting in Topeka for 40 minutes with hep off. I finally Turned on the scanner and discovered that an air hose was being replaced. I'm not sure why Hep would be off for 30 minutes.


Aloha

Bet the guy changing the Air Hose, didn't want to work that close to the Live HEP 440 Cable. a 440 shock isn't pleasent if you survive it.


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## Steve4031 (Aug 3, 2015)

That's true gg1.

Currently 30 miles north of Albuquerque. We've experienced 2 or 3 delays because of rail runner meets. We are now moving. If there are no other meets we will arrive abq over 3 hours late. The connection to 14 will be tight. May not even get into the station to see the new lounge.


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## AmtrakBlue (Aug 3, 2015)

Steve4031 said:


> That's true gg1.
> 
> Currently 30 miles north of Albuquerque. We've experienced 2 or 3 delays because of rail runner meets. We are now moving. If there are no other meets we will arrive abq over 3 hours late. The connection to 14 will be tight. May not even get into the station to see the new lounge.


On my way to the Gathering last fall, I only got to see the tunnel as I went from one platform to the other. Guess I'll have to make another trip out there so I can see more of the station.


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## Steve4031 (Aug 3, 2015)

We are now have been stopped at bernadillio for 20 minutes. Another meet I assume. We will be 4 hours late into abq.


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## Bob Dylan (Aug 3, 2015)

Looks like you'll be going through Arizona and Cali in daylight, and riding the less than ideal Bus/Train San Joaquin Route through Central Cali chasing the Starlight!


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## Steve4031 (Aug 3, 2015)

Departing abq 3 hours and 26 late. Gonna be interesting. Amtrak thinks well arrive 1 hour 56 late.


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## Steve4031 (Aug 3, 2015)

Correction on the math. 3 hours 36 late. And now stopped south of the station.


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## Steve4031 (Aug 4, 2015)

The dining car crew moved breakfast back to 6:30 am. We are arriving Williams jct. 4 hours late. Looks like I'm not making 14.


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## Steve4031 (Aug 4, 2015)

This was the view when I woke up.




As we ate breakfast in the diner we over took a freight as we went around a curve.




This last photo is of Apache canyon.




As we arrived Barstow I received an email from Amtrak that gave me a new ticket that shows me be re-accommodated on the bus-train combo up the valley to Martinez to catch up to 14.


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## Bob Dylan (Aug 4, 2015)

More great pics of scenery usually in the dark! ☺ And a couple of AU friends joined you in Flagstaff IINM?

Since breakfast on #3 is usually an early quickie with a Limited Menu, did they offer longer hours and the full menu?

And missing Beautiful Union Station, Philippe and the new Metro Lounge and having to do the Inland Shuttle chasing the Starlight instead of kicking back in the PPC sucks!


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## Steve4031 (Aug 4, 2015)

It does suck. The bus leaves at 1:05 pm. I assume I can wait in the lounge anyway. I could dash down to Felipe's, but their line and crowds don't encourage me. In thinking getting a subway and eating it in the lounge.


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## Steve4031 (Aug 4, 2015)

I'm gradually getting pissed about the bus thing. The experience in the metropolitan lounge is a positive after an initial mini-hassle. Knowing that bus driver will probably resist looking at ticket on my phone, I asked person in lounge to print it. He said it wasn't necessary. I explained about buses and said I wanted it printed anyway. He then printed with know difficulty. He offered red cap service to bus area.

The lounge offers full cans of Pepsi and is air-conditioned. Clean and a hassle free bathroom.


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## Steve4031 (Aug 4, 2015)

The bus driver is now hassling somebody who did not get there ticket printed. Glad I printed mine. If the fat guy scanning tickets is the driver, I'm wondering how we get over the grapevine.


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## Alice (Aug 4, 2015)

Steve4031 said:


> If the fat guy scanning tickets is the driver, I'm wondering how we get over the grapevine.


(Laughing) You are going up the gentle slope side and down the steep side. So you want good brakes.


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## Steve4031 (Aug 4, 2015)

The driver is actually pretty nice. We've been talking for most trip. 17 miles to go. 14 is on time for now.


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## Steve4031 (Aug 4, 2015)

Looks like comet cars. Don't know if this is good or bad.


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## jis (Aug 4, 2015)

Yup, that is the consist that is used for the first run of the day from EMY to BFD and the last run from BFD to EMY. Those cars are actually pretty nice, a job of refurbishing rather well done by Beech Grove. I did that RT several months back.


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## Steve4031 (Aug 4, 2015)

It's like I never left Chicago. I'm riding refurbished comet cars which are like horizon cars. At least ac works and windows are clean.


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## jis (Aug 4, 2015)

Actually these are not really Comet cars at all. These are so called Comarrows, They were originally Arrow I EMUs, which were taken out of commission, demotored and converted to trailer cars and renamed Comet 1B. They are neither Pullman nor Bombardier products and bear little resemblance to the classic Comets. Originally they are a product of the St. Louis Car Company. So you have not ridden anything that remotely resembles these cars in Chicago. The Horizon cars are essentially Bombardier Comet 2s, which are based on the Pullman Comet 1 design.


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## Steve4031 (Aug 4, 2015)

The cars are actually better than the horizons imho. Certainly newer. I'm curious about food service car which has not opened. The menu is unique to California.


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## jis (Aug 4, 2015)

Steve4031 said:


> The cars are actually better than the horizons imho. Certainly newer. I'm curious about food service car which has not opened. The menu is unique to California.


Actually the car bodies are way older than the Horizons. They were built circa 1968-69! The running gears date back to when they were demotored and converted to Comet 1B from Arrow 1s. That happened circa 1986-88.


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## Steve4031 (Aug 4, 2015)

Jis, thanks for the info about the equipment. The ride is a bit rough and noisy. It's getting the job done today.


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## Steve4031 (Aug 5, 2015)

At one point 14 was an hour late at salinas. But it is gradually making up time. 717 is getting later because the engine keeps shutting down. Net result is hopefully a shorter layer over in Martinez.


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## Bob Dylan (Aug 5, 2015)

How was the Cafe chow Steve? ( and you can figure #14 will be Late into MTZ, it always is,!!


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## Steve4031 (Aug 5, 2015)

I had the pretzel with cheese with a Pepsi. Later I had m&ms and Pepsi. I liked the pretzel. Menu is better than Midwest corridor trains.

14 was an hour late at salinas and has made up time since. It's currently at emy and U.S. 18 minutes late. A vast improvement over an hour. Once I'm on and have showered, which will happen before I go up to my room, I don't care what happens. I'll be sleeping.


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## Steve4031 (Aug 5, 2015)

The sca is not getting a tip. Never spoke or introduced himself.

The grill in the diner is not working. At least I am able to get French toast. Not sure what lunch will be like.

We have been stopped north of Dunsmuir for about 40 minutes. I haven't bothered to find out why.


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## jis (Aug 5, 2015)

That's a bummer. Breakfast isn't quite breakfast without a grill.


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## Steve4031 (Aug 5, 2015)

At least I got my French toast and sausage. It was good. The delay is caused by a freight that has trapped us in a siding. It's stopped on the main line. Possibly an issue with an air hose and brakes. Looks like brakes is the theme of this trip.


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## Bob Dylan (Aug 5, 2015)

Aren't you going to eat in the PPC Steve? Lunch is usually pretty good, hopefully you'll get one of the good LSAs.


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## Steve4031 (Aug 5, 2015)

Today I'll do the diner. On the return I'll do ppc.


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## Steve4031 (Aug 5, 2015)

The crew on 14 is mediocre at best. They Are well versed in saying no and being snippy but too snippy. The waitress in the diner made a point of scolding someone for not signing there check. She confused orders repeatedly, and left the bacon off of the angus burger with cheese. The ppc attendant couldn't manage to give somebody a glass of water so they could take pills. The person ended up going to the diner after the ppc attendant focused on trying to sell bottled water. Just an unpleasant demeanor in general.

The sca is not much better. Invisible. Though the shower was ready for use last night. He's not that friendly either. I suspect I'll be saving money on tips on the way back to lax.


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## OBS (Aug 5, 2015)

Riding back with the same crew?


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## Steve4031 (Aug 5, 2015)

I think so. Iirc the a crew starts out in lax and makes a rt spending the night in Seattle.


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## Bob Dylan (Aug 5, 2015)

Yep, looks like you'll get the same jerky crew on #11!

There's a couple of crews that work the Starlight that are duds, the rest are some of the best in Amtrak! 

Too bad that passengers have to expierence such crummy service on what is supposed to be one of Amtrak's Showplace Trains! You'd think these Losers were trained in Chicago!


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## CHamilton (Aug 5, 2015)

I'm not sure why, but there seem to be a number of less-experienced OBS crews on the CS this summer. Some people are off the extra board, and have not worked together much. Others are just not up to the high standards we are used to on that train. Let's hope the lapses in service are temporary.


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## Steve4031 (Aug 5, 2015)

I've experienced inconsistency on this route before. They are about typical by amtrak standards. Not enough to ruin a trip. Just minimalist which justifies minimal or no tip. I tipped at breakfast but not at lunch. If I get the same lady tomorrow she may be rested and more attentive.

The grill being out in the diner is problematic and that it limits selection. So far I've gotten my first choice which was French toast for breakfast and the Angus burger for lunch. I'm not sure how this affects dinner. I usually have the steak.

If the grill is out tomorrow and I'm not able to get steak, I will complain. These are things amtrak controls. Additionally, an issue with equipment that takes 90 minutes to fix in Chicago is also under their control. This issues put us out of our slot into abq which resulted in delays that caused the trip through Bakersfield. I don't like to be greedy, and I'll over look one or two issues, but this many on one trip is hard to overlook.


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