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Overnight from Los Angeles to Tucson – US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 20
In ‘Overnight from Los Angeles to Tucson‘ I travel through the night on the first leg of my journey to Chicago. We depart on time from Union Station in LA and arrive in Tucson the next morning, 30 minutes early, whilst I’m having breakfast.
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Departing from Los Angeles:
We depart exactly on time. Our GE Genesis locomotives power up and we are soon slipping out of LA Union Station. This is my favourite station in the US. Will I ever return here?
I’m travelling on the Texas Eagle to Chicago which is some 2,728 miles away. For the first part of the journey I’m in a carriage attached to the Sunset Limited. The train splits in San Antonio which is rougly half way.
Pomona:
The schedule says that we should be in Pomona about 40 minutes after departing from LA. We’re running late!
The eastbound Sunset Limited / Texas Eagle stops at the station on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday around 10:40 pm, and the westbound trains are supposed to stop on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 4am.
1,131 Amtrak passengers used the station in 2022.
Ontario:
This is California’s Ontario, not the state in Canada. The station consists of a covered, open-air pavilion built by the city in 1991. 3,374 Amtrak passengers use the station in 2022 although the trains are during the night.
Palm Springs and Yuma:
I’m sound asleep as we stop at these two stations, probably gently rocked by the train travelling along the tracks. The station at Palm Springs is 7 miles from the city, however 2,224 passengers used it in 2022.
The train schedule says we stop at Yuma around a quarter to three in the morning – why not 3.10? Yuma sees 4,403 night owls in 2022.
Maricopa:
This station dates from 1996 when Amtrak has to move from Phoenix. In 1999, the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad dome car, “The Silver Horizon” from the old California Zephyr moves to act as the station office. Today it is on static display at the station.
Tucson:
The station dates from 1907. We are early and so we have a long stop in the station allowing me the chance to finish breakfast and look around.
Listen to the podcast to hear more about the first section of my journey on the Texas Eagle.
Next up:
If you enjoy these podcasts please join me in a couple of weeks as we travel through the desert on the Texas Eagle.
Links:
To visit the Amtrak website please follow this link.
This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.
Music:
AKM Music licenses Steam Railway and One More Bebop for use in this podcast.
