# STL-CHI-LAX-SAN Live



## iplaybass (Dec 21, 2018)

And we're off in business class aboard a sold-out, longer than usual 302, behind a Charger. I think we're 6 cars long instead of the usual 4, but didn't get a chance to count because BC is right behind the engine. I think it's a holiday adjustment. Stopped just over the river to let a hotshot double stack pass. Still expected early into CHI.


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## iplaybass (Dec 21, 2018)

Roughly on time into CHI behind IDOT's Charger 4622. Most interesting thing was an unexpected sighting of a pair of GO F59s sitting in the CN yard after Summit. Checked our big suitcases to LAX (more on this later).

Lunch was the rib joint in the food court, decided not to go out with 90 or so minutes until boarding call.

Took a few pictures of the Grand Hall before settling in the Metropolitan Lounge. The SWC was delayed for a bad order. The good news was it was just the baggage car that needed to be swapped, and departure was only delayed by 10 minutes. The bad news was that Amtrak Customer Service interpreted this as a removal of checked baggage service from train 3. Within 10 minutes of departure, lots of phones went off at the same time to inform passengers there was no checked baggage service on train 3 and to press 0 to speak to an agent.

After 10 more minutes or so of panic, someone announced the baggage car was swapped, and so was the luggage. No reason to disbelieve that, but if worse comes to worst, we have spare clothes onboard and we'll get our bags on Monday; hopefully Amtrak will deliver them to the hotel.

Tomisha is our SCA, friendly and personable, and except for one slow order around the Kane County Sheriff's office, we've been running at what I assume is speed. About 17 minutes late at Mendota.


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## iplaybass (Dec 21, 2018)

Mendota, IL. Missed the IC Cars.


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## railiner (Dec 21, 2018)

Great shots, thanks for posting, and for taking us along.    I liked the Christmas tree railroad ornaments....I smile when I think of what the PRR back in the fifties would have thought, seeing rival NYC and 20th Century logo's hanging in Union Station....


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## iplaybass (Dec 21, 2018)

Fort Madison, IA is dark and cold. And full of NS(!), UP, and BNSF diesels. Also a Kansas City Southern legacy painted unit. Too far away to inspect/photograph.


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## iplaybass (Dec 22, 2018)

Morning found us in Garden City, KS, running about 2 hours late. Lost about 90 minutes shortly after La Plata, MO, waiting in the hole for 2 eastbound freights.

Glad we didn't opt for the official Amtrak connection via KCY. Would have been a long, dull wait in Union Station with everything closed. 

Too much sunshine in Lamar for a good picture of the AT&SF steamer, but here you go:


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## iplaybass (Dec 22, 2018)

La Junta and our swollen consist. No baggage car, hoping it's in the dorm. 3 sleepers plus the dorm, and 3 coaches, diner, and SSL. A pair of Armadillos on the point.


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## iplaybass (Dec 22, 2018)

Bucket list item crossed off, Raton pass and tunnel traversed. About 90 minutes late Amtrak still projecting LAX arrival 40 minutes early. 
.


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## iplaybass (Dec 22, 2018)

Sorry, I completely forgot to take pictures of the food. The Seafood cake with the Land and sea dinner entree was pretty good, and the chilaquiles at lunch surprisingly flavorful.

Hoping they will restock at Albequerque. Only dessert left is Salted Caramel mousse, and out of pancake syrup, among other things. Ask and hope at lunch doesn't bode well for dinner. May be down to hot dogs and hamburgers. Feels like they may have stocked for the normal-sized SWC, not accounting for the extra sleeper and coach.

Left Las Vegas, NM about 30 minutes ago, probably 75 minutes down.


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## iplaybass (Dec 22, 2018)

There's always one. We left Lamy, NM 1:56 late. Then a second time, 10 minutes later. We had to stop again because someone missed their stop. Fortunately, we hadn't gone far enough to force a backup move.

Conductor isn't happy. Intercom call for all SCAs to "see the conductor in the diner."


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## iplaybass (Dec 22, 2018)

Albuquerque (hope we took that infamous "left toin at Albuquerque"). Some rail runner pix at sunset. Since we were running late, they warned us to stay close, because we were leaving as soon as servicing was done.

Made up 35 minutes between Lamy and Albuquerque-lots of padding there. Left 1:20 down. /monthly_2018_12/20181222_165617.thumb.jpeg.95b368da3886f74098e3bb0c10ab98ea.jpeg/monthly_2018_12/20181222_171547.thumb.jpeg.4622410c7ff8a9d4c21097634fb9fc2f.jpeg/monthly_2018_12/20181222_172005.thumb.jpeg.c34cd13fe43a1504505772df31cb0342.jpeg


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## iplaybass (Dec 22, 2018)

Stopped abruptly about 15 minutes outside of Albuquerque. Conductor announced someone pulled the emergency brake. Happens again about an hour later. This time, it's an engine issue. Don't know if the first one was also an engine thing.

Now roughly 2 hours late at Gallup. Amtrak says we'll be five minutes late at LAX.


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## iplaybass (Dec 23, 2018)

Riverside, CA. About an hour late, Amtrak forecasting 50 minutes late at LAX. Missed breakfast by design, woke up at 7 minutes before San Bernardino because we're late.


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## iplaybass (Dec 23, 2018)

Suddenly foggy outside at Fullerton. Two stops here, sleeper pax, then coach. I see a few pax getting on; headed for the Coast Starlight/NB Surfliner, or does Amtrak carry local non-connecting traffic?

Half-hour to LAX from here, but the coach pax are taking a long time to load/unload. Car 0331 is just barely clear of the platform at the second stop. /monthly_2018_12/20181223_082504.thumb.jpeg.1b2b2f5e6b13460e3d81db01bfe9c17f.jpeg/monthly_2018_12/20181223_082517.thumb.jpeg.45ef579813659fbe7e4df988d65bf9f9.jpeg


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## iplaybass (Dec 23, 2018)

Another emergency stop from one of our engines, 5 minutes after leaving Fullerton. Running cautiously, guess they're trying to shepherd us in without needing help from LAX.


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## iplaybass (Dec 23, 2018)

Arrived LAX about 45 minutes late. Took another 45 to get our bags... must have been scattered across the train, but they did arrive with us. Definitely going to do the Red Cap and the Metropolitan Lounge on Thursday's trip to SAN.


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## cpotisch (Dec 23, 2018)

iplaybass said:


> Arrived LAX about 45 minutes late. Took another 45 to get our bags... must have been scattered across the train, but they did arrive with us. Definitely going to do the Red Cap and the Metropolitan Lounge on Thursday's trip to SAN. View attachment 11730
> View attachment 11731


No baggage car on the Chief?


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## AG1 (Dec 23, 2018)

cpotisch said:


> No baggage car on the Chief?


Read Post # 7


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## iplaybass (Dec 23, 2018)

cpotisch said:


> No baggage car on the Chief?


Bad ordered right before boarding.


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## Steve4031 (Dec 24, 2018)

Enjoyed this trip report.


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## cpotisch (Dec 24, 2018)

iplaybass said:


> cpotisch said:
> 
> 
> > 20 hours ago, cpotisch said:
> ...


Thanks. Didn’t see the text in post #7, and thought that the below quote was saying that they swapped out the baggage car with another one, rather than just moving the bags to the Coach-Baggage car.



iplaybass said:


> The good news was it was just the baggage car that needed to be swapped, and departure was only delayed by 10 m﻿inut﻿es﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿.﻿﻿﻿


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## iplaybass (Dec 25, 2018)

cpotisch said:


>


No prob. They announced it was swapped in the Metropolitan lounge before boarding, and again onboard during the "Don't panic" announcement, but I didn't know it had been removed until La Junta, and I got a look at the consist.


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## iplaybass (Dec 27, 2018)

Metropolitan Lounge at LAUPT. Waiting on 572. Seeing people trying to check bags 15 minutes before departure. 

Didn't get a chance to take pix of the main terminal area.


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## iplaybass (Dec 27, 2018)

How quaint! Paper tickets and printed timetables!


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## cpotisch (Dec 27, 2018)

iplaybass said:


> Metropolitan Lounge at LAUPT. Waiting on 572. Seeing people trying to check bags 15 minutes before departure.
> 
> Didn't get a chance to take pix of the main terminal area.View attachment 11825
> View attachment 11826
> View attachment 11827


Wow, I didn’t know the LA Met Lounge had one of the elusive Kato N scale Santa Lucia Highlands PPCs. Those are really rare.


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## iplaybass (Dec 27, 2018)

On time departure from LA, just left Santa Ana.


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## iplaybass (Dec 27, 2018)

On-time arrival in SAN. Quiet ride. Had the business class Surfliner car and a Superliner coach also serving as second BC. although the train wasn't full. Had a long stop at Oceanside - needed to remove some passengers who got on our southbound train with tickets for the northbound.


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## iplaybass (Dec 27, 2018)

A few unspectacular photos from running along the shore. No pictures of the AT&SF Depot. [emoji53] Family wanted to get to hotel ASAP.


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