NYP-FUL Cardinal/Southwest Chief

[AmtrakBlue]

I think I've heard that the Amish go to Mexico for medical care.

 

[Cal]

I think I've heard that the Amish go to Mexico for medical care.

Interesting.



Gotta say, it's so weird using AU on my computer now that I've been doing all this on my phone!

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Gotta say, it's so weird using AU on my computer now that I've been doing all this on my phone!

You'll get the hang of it.

 

[Eric in East County]

Cal,

We set up the beds a bit before Winslow, and relaxed. I stepped off quickly at flagstaff, and went to sleep shortly after departing.

Had a decent nights sleep, my alarm was set for 5 am so I could get breakfast although I awoke a few times between 2 and 5 AM. At 4:40 I just got up, and got dressed. We pulled into Victorville shortly after. As we passed the Hesperia railcam I put my flashlight on, you can see it in the video.

at 5 AM I headed to the diner alone, as my traveling partner was still asleep. Had a great breakfast of French toast with potatoes and bacon. By the time I finished we were about to leave Cajon pass and the sky was becoming lighter. I went to the SSL where I stayed until Yoruba Linda, just savoring the last hour on the train.

A handful of people got off in San Bernardino, Riverside, and Fullerton respectively. I only saw scouts get off in Fullerton but I wasn’t really paying attention to the others.

Once I got back to my room, I found that our SCA was getting the bed sheets, and my traveling partner was across the hall chatting. Before I knew it, we were pulling into Fullerton just a minute or so late. Had to snap a few last pictures before heading to my ride. As we walked over the bridge with a handful of other passengers (including some Amish, which I was surprised to see they came out so far. I heard they transferred to a southbound Surfliner to SAN) the train pulled away.

We went to our ride, and am now home.

Thanks to everyone who followed along, this was a wonderful trip. Can’t wait to get back on board.

For those wondering, old bedding on the cardinal and Chief.

Cal,

Thank you so much for your on-going commentary on your trip, which we followed installment by installment with great interest. Being able to read trip reports like yours is what makes our daily visits to AU so interesting. Thanks again for sharing.

Eric & Pat

 

[Bob Dylan]

Interesting.



Gotta say, it's so weird using AU on my computer now that I've been doing all this on my phone!

I followed the opposite path.

When my PC died, I got a New Smart Phone with an Unlimited Plan, cancelled my Internet @ Home, and now do everything on my Phone, including AU.

 

[Cal]

When my PC died, I got a New Smart Phone with an Unlimited Plan, cancelled my Internet @ Home, and now do everything on my Phone, including AU.

I find it much easier to type on the computer, and to handle things. Also I couldn't get the video AmtrakBlue got of my train on my phone working. I'll stick with the computer for now!

 

[Bob Dylan]

I find it much easier to type on the computer, and to handle things. Also I couldn't get the video AmtrakBlue got of my train on my phone working. I'll stick with the computer for now!

You're also tech savy and I'm a Luddite!

 

[alpha3]

Great write-up, loved your commentary, great pics. SWC is the only LD train I've not been on; while I loved your pics, I think I prefer the other routes, as far a scenery goes. Nice to see the menu items lived up to their promo billing. I think I see the CZ again in my near future....

 

[Cal]

Great write-up, loved your commentary, great pics. SWC is the only LD train I've not been on; while I loved your pics, I think I prefer the other routes, as far a scenery goes. Nice to see the menu items lived up to their promo billing. I think I see the CZ again in my near future....

Thank you. The SWC scenery isn't dramatic, but it is pleasant.

Meanwhile, the CZ is the only western LD train I haven't been on, gotta get on it sometime soon!

 

[pennyk]

Thanks for your trip report. Although I have been on the SWC many times, I am planning a cross country trip in December taking the Lake Shore Limited and Southwest Chief (then CS, then CZ). Hopefully, things will work out and I will be traveling cross country again.

 

[Barb Stout]

Got them! This is at the north end of the siding by Wagon Mound. Unfortunately the other end has new signals.

I think there’s a handful more south of Las Vegas.

How do you get that view (on top of the train?)?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

How do you get that view (on top of the train?)?

Superliner is taller than the baggage car. He’s looking out the door on the last coach car. The baggage car, which normally is behind the engine, is at the end of the train.

 

[Dakota 400]

I got the chicken

A question about the vegetables served: the carrots look like carrot "nuggets". Am I correct? I have never seen carrots like that. Were they good?

Thanks for posting such an interesting report with excellent photos. Most appreciated!

 

[Cal]

Superliner is taller than the baggage car. He’s looking out the door on the last coach car. The baggage car, which normally is behind the engine, is at the end of the train.

Correct, which is why I called it a discount railfan window!

A question about the vegetables served: the carrots look like carrot "nuggets". Am I correct? I have never seen carrots like that. Were they good?

Thanks for posting such an interesting report with excellent photos. Most appreciated!

Yeah. I'm not a fan of cooked carrots so I didn't really touch them. However I didn't love the green beans (weren't that much better than flex ones IMO)

Thanks for the compliment! I'm glad y'all enjoyed it.

 

[jiml]

Great report; thanks for sharing.

 

[20th Century Rider]

I followed the opposite path.

When my PC died, I got a New Smart Phone with an Unlimited Plan, cancelled my Internet @ Home, and now do everything on my Phone, including AU.

Your are indeed more tech savvy than I! I got an Iphone12 a year ago and it's got thousands of options for everything... not a day goes by when I don't want to slam it on the ground. As for my Macbook Air laptop its as smooth as silk. I can do anything on it... it's intuitive and I just use it.

When I start my trips I have no idea how to import my pics to AU and do AU on the Iphone while I'm enroute. So I will try to share a commentary and pics if I can figure it out... but Iphones are difficult to use.

Here's an example of the frustration so many are having. You sit down to dinner at a restaurant and there is a tray of condiments... salt, pepper, ketchup, mustard, and tabasco. You throw on what you want and enjoy dinner.

The next night you go to another restaurant and in front of you there's a thick booklet describing all the condiments available with dinner... with detailed description and a brief history, analysis, ingredients... reviews, and so on ... when the waiter takes your order asks you to select from a salt menu which type of salt you would like to use... the same for pepper from a pepper menu... and a ketchup menu, and a mustard menu, and a hot sauce menu... and so on. Your diner is brought and starts to get cold as you are confused and frustrated. You yell... 'Just get me some salt and pepper!'

If this sounds silly... so is the Iphone!

 

[Cal]

When I start my trips I have no idea how to import my pics to AU and do AU on the Iphone while I'm enroute.

If you take pictures on your phone and use AU on your phone, just click the attach files button and pictures you took recently should show up.

 

[Willbridge]

I think I've heard that the Amish go to Mexico for medical care.

There are Amish communities in Mexico. A few years ago in the boarding line in Great Falls I met an Amish woman who only spoke German (Martin Luther's) and Spanish. She had been visiting from a ranch in Mexico. I told her uncle I'd help her with German on the bus to Denver and then she'd do fine on the bus with Spanish from there. In the bus, another Army veteran whose German was better than mine chimed in and then a young woman who turned out to be a German tourist introduced herself. As often is the case, the German woman found conversation challenging but interesting due to three centuries or so of language evolution.

 

[Railroad Bill]

Great report. Ready to head to ABQ on the SWC.

 

[Cal]

Great report. Ready to head to ABQ on the SWC.

Thank you! Hope you enjoy the trip.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Regarding the Amish going to Mexico for medical reasons.
And, yes, there’s is a large Amish & Mennonite population in Mexico.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.si...t-in-health-care-price-transparency?_amp=true
https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB114048909124578710

 

[Dakota 400]

sounds silly... so is the Iphone!

Not a very encouraging post for me to read. I reluctantly need to buy a smartphone. But, I appreciate knowing your opinion.

 

[20th Century Rider]

Not a very encouraging post for me to read. I reluctantly need to buy a smartphone. But, I appreciate knowing your opinion.

Best thing is to do some research... just google... and check reviews on various sites. I've come across a few tech sites that I find hard to navigate so I didn't post them.

Do you like things with details and do you enjoy perusing small print??? What is your tech style? Talk to your friends and get their opinions as well. Smart phones have become a necessity in today's world... so pace yourself, take your time... and ask a lot of questions.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Not a very encouraging post for me to read. I reluctantly need to buy a smartphone. But, I appreciate knowing your opinion.

Look @ Android phones, there's lots of really good ones, and not all are so expensive that they require a Second Mortgage to buy.( you don't really need all the latest Bells and Whistles on the NEW AND IMPROVED Models)

I know Apple makes good products that are highly desired, but they tend to be over priced in lots of cases.

 

[Cal]

I know Apple makes good products that are highly desired, but they tend to be over priced in lots of cases.

Can't argue with this, and I own an iPhone.