Amtrak Southwest Chief Circa 1998

[wooohooo]

It's been a since I've done one of these threads.

The journey begins in Chicago Union Station. At the head end today is P40DC #801, followed by P32-8BWH #504, F40PH #408, and P40DC #820 Overpowered much?

Departing Union Station with a few Material Handling cars at the rear.

Stepping out into the sunshine with the Sears Tower looming the background. Now it's called the Willis Tower.

Speeding through the suburbs. Notice the oldie at the crossing.

Arriving in Naperville.

Departing Naperville with a lot of smoke.

Heading west. Notice there are three sleepers and four coaches.

To be continued...

Route: Monon-2
Stock: SLI, various

[anderson martins]

Pretty, this one was !!



To be continued...

Route: Monon-2
Stock: SLI, various[/QUOTE]

[wooohooo]

Continued...

Departing Kansas City in the dead of night.

Streaking by a farm under the stars.

Stopped in Topeka.

Departing Topeka. Don't stand too close to the tracks.

Yet another crossing, this time in Newton

Disappearing into the night.

To be continued, again...

Route: ATSF Emporia Sub

Pretty, this one was !!

Thanks. I wanted to include a nice going away shot.

[conductorchris]

The mail sure made these trains more interesting. I miss it and am sorry Amtrak wasn't able to make it stick. Or work.

[rdayt]

Woohoo,

You might want to read this thread.
https://www.trainsim.com/vbts/showth...-smoke-program
It'll help keep the EPA off your back.

Nice shots by the way.

Randy

[wooohooo]

Continued...

Speeding under the setting Arizona sun.

Rounding a curve, getting a full view of the train.

Arriving in Kingman.

Still in Kingman.

Crossing the Colorado River into California. It's probably too dark to see, but it's raining.

Arrived in Needles. Dang rain...

To be continued for the final time.

Route: ATSF Seligman Sub

The mail sure made these trains more interesting. I miss it and am sorry Amtrak wasn't able to make it stick. Or work.

Indeed. Sometimes there were as many as ten mail cars.

Woohoo,

You might want to read this thread.
https://www.trainsim.com/vbts/showth...-smoke-program
It'll help keep the EPA off your back.

Nice shots by the way.

Randy

Thanks, though that smoke is nothing compared to BLWs.
https://www.trainsim.com/vbts/showth...72#post1962172

[wooohooo]

Final part.

A shot of the Barstow Station.

Departing Barstow. It's still raining.

The rain continues as the Chief speeds through the Mojave Desert.

The rain finally slacks off as we reach the summit of Cajon Pass.

Descending down the grade. I hope the brakes work.

Inside the lounge car. Where is everybody?

Going around Sullivan's Curve.

Inside the dining car. I wonder what's cooking?

Stopped in San Bernardino. Feel that California sunshine.

From the pedestrian bridge, the train arrives in Fullerton, which will then arrive in Los Angeles.

The End.

Routes: 3DTS Cajon Pass, Surfliner 2.2

[wooohooo]

Here's a bonus. These are the other trains I probably would've encountered along the way.

Amtrak's California Zephyr departing Union Station about an hour before the Chief's departure.

An eastbound Metra leaving Naperville.

A BNSF TOFC train heading east with an H1 Dash-9. Notice the FP45 directly behind the leader.

A BNSF stack train charging up Cajon Pass with a Conrail Dash-8 behind the leader. The early years of BNSF had some pretty colorful lashups.

A southbound Metrolink departing Fullerton.

Before the Surfliner, there was the San Diegan, shown here speeding through Los Angeles.


Routes: Monon-2, ATSF Seligman, 3DTS Cajon, Surfliner 2.2
Stock: SLI, various