AMTRAK SOUTHWEST CHIEF #4 Near Lecompton, Kansas. 7/2/2007

The Southwest Chief is due in Topeka at 5:20 AM. Today they arrived at 7:00, due to a detour. My position for filming today was 18 miles East of Topeka, near Lecompton, Kansas' first Territorial Capitol. At 7:30, a BNSF freight appeared. Finally at 8:10, the Chief rounded the curve. They were probably doing no more than 55 mph...most likely to let the BNSF freight ahead of them clear the main at
Lawrence. The K5LA sounded like it's ready for new diaphragms. Crew waved and gave me lots of horn work! (Note a person's head sticking out of the forward doorway of the private car with gold trim.) Nice morning!

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Amtrak
• Southwest
• Chief
• Near
• Lecompton
• Ks.
• 7/2/2007

[SF3751]

Great shot, but if I were Amtrak, I would have put both PV cars in the back of the train.

[docnelsontrain]

Actually, there were 4 private cars. The guy seen hanging out the door of the third car wrote me and gave me some insight into the who's and what's of these private cars....THANKS!...Doc

[slybrdsngjr]

If you got about two hours north of Topeka, to Marysville,Ks. come see me run trains north to North Platte, Ne! I would like to see myself on video on the UP!

[docnelsontrain]

Sure could do it! How bout a lift?....THANKS!...Doc 615-469-1112

[beamn7]

After starting and stopping the video a 10 times. That head you see is none other than yours truly. We left LA June 30th for Chicago, then left Chicago July 7th. I help work on the Pacific Sands (the car with the yellow stripe) We piced up 4 more PV's on the return trip in Lamy, NM. Made for a really long Chief! Lost only 1 pair of sunglasses on the trip and had watery eyes for a week! Love that vestibule window!

[docnelsontrain]

Thanks for writing. It's nice to finally hear from someone that I managed to catch on video. I haven't heard from any train crew before this. Was the car a regular passenger car, or a private lease? If you would be so kind as to write me on my account here, and fill me in on all the details about the use of these cars, your job, etc. THE WORLD WANTS TO KNOW!...THANKS A MILLION...Doc

[CoastStarlight11]

Strange that they put some of the private cars on the front of the train and not on the back.

[graysonator123]

haha pause at 0:26

[decline2state]

I estimated the length of the train at a little over 1100 ft (not counting the locos). It took the cars 12 sec to pass the camera, yielding an estimated speed of about 62.7 mph.

[TEMPLE7D]

he said 5 stars

[SF3751]

Thanks for the info., so you were on that train?

[beamn7]

We requested to have the two (Pacific Sands and Salisbury Beach) up front so we could have access to the Amtrak Diner and Lounge through the transition car. The "City of Angels" was on back because it was being transferred to head to St. Louis. We were staying in Chicago for a few days.

[SF3751]

Cool.