Amtrak P42DC #3 leads a late train #3 (the westbound Southwest Chief) as it passes through Buena Park, California, on May 26, 2018. This train, along with #5 (the California Zephyr) was delayed departing Chicago on May 24th due to a freight derailment. This train was due out of Fullerton (four miles to the east) at 6:44 this morning, but actually departed at 7:38 pm - 12 hours and 54 minutes late! However, through the magic of timetable padding, the train arrived in Los Angeles (about 25 miles further west) exactly 12 hours behind schedule. P42DCs 3 and 204 are in charge of this nine-car train. Somewhere not too far east of Fullerton, trains 3 and 4 meet - a rare occurrence this far west.
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
