Late trains keep getting later…Amtrak 3, the Southwest Chief, making its way west, was only 34 minutes behind schedule when it departed Gallup NM the day before, but by the time it arrived in Fullerton, about seven or so miles to the west of Esperanza (in Orange County’s Santa Ana Canyon), this train was just shy of two-hours late. Sadly, this is the new normal for this train (and several other long-distance trains as well, but trains 3 and 4 seem to operate very late – often much later than this! – more often than not). Today’s train, which departed Chicago on August 7, is eight cars long, and has two GE P42DCs for power – 159 and 203. Amtrak 203, as you can see, wears markings commemorating Operation Lifesaver’s 50th Anniversary. For more information on this rail safety program, go to https://oli.org/. (Yorba Linda, California – August 9, 2022)
