Amtrak train 4, the eastbound Southwest Chief, got stuck behind a lot of traffic congestion caused by a BNSF freight (rumored to be the H-BARLAC) fouling all three mainlines somewhere between Buena Park and Norwalk on BNSF’s San Bernardino Sub. As passengers board (this is the train’s first station stop after departing Los Angeles, although it made several long stops while trying to get here), a westbound BNSF intermodal train passes by on Track 2, not yet to the signal in the distance as it still shows a yellow indication for the freight. Before long, train 4’s engineer will get the highball from the conductor at 9:20 pm (21:20) and ease P42DCs 158 and 29 to life and cross from Track 3 to Track 2, and continue the journey to Chicago - now 2 hours 51 minutes behind schedule. (Fullerton, California – January 10, 2022)
California-bound rail travelers from the east have three choices to reach the Golden State: California Zephyr, Southwest Chief, Sunset Limited/Texas Eagle. A look back through the years including the now-defunct Desert Wind
