May 20, 2023: Arriving in LA

Overnight our train crossed from Arizona into California, and we were heading through the picturesque San Gabriel mountain range as the sun rose on our final day. My dad and I got up early in order to grab breakfast in the dining car -- our last meal onboard. 

There's honestly no better way to start the day than noshing on delicious French Toast and bacon, while slowly gliding through a beautiful mountain range. I tried to savor the moment, as this was the last scenic bit of the journey before we entered the Los Angeles metropolitan area. 

The train somehow had managed to make it to California and only lose an hour of time, although upon looking at the schedule it's clear that there is significant padding that is included pre-emptively in anticipation of delays. 

When I got back to my room, we were already starting to roll into the LA suburbs. The train made stops in Riverside and Fullerton, both of which are on LA's Metrolink commuter rail line. 

The train continued to wind its way into LA, and eventually the skyline of downtown came into view as we made our way into the yard outside of Union Station.

Stepping off the train felt somewhat sad, as the end of almost every train ride feels. It also felt strangely anti-climactic. Most trains I have been on that have traveled such a great distance have arrived multiple hours late. Like 5, 6, 7 hours late we're talking. But this trip was incredibly smooth and efficient. 

LA Union Station isn't quite as impressive as some of the others on the East coast, but it has its own flavor and charm. The station is 84 years old and has a distinctive Spanish revival/mission style architecture. I had been inside Union Station once before on a family trip to southern California 22 years ago, but that was simply to see the building. The process of arriving by train into the station felt a bit more real. I'll bet the station looks really cool when it is decorated for the holidays in December.

                             

Here ends my cross country train journey. Even though this isn't my first time doing such a trip, it still seems like a miracle that a person can go all the way from coast to coast by rail in this country. That may be a bit melodramatic, but in an age when the train is often not the first choice for most travelers and funding for Amtrak is scarce, I'm grateful the possibility still exists.

Epilogue: Angels Flight Railway

My dad and I are staying here in LA for a couple days before flying back east. After arriving at Union Station, we rideshared our way to the hotel where we are staying and dropped off our bags at the front desk. Since our room wasn't going to be ready for a few hours, we walked around the immediate area. Close by is the Angels Flight Railway-- a funicular that travels up an incline, is more than 100 years old and bills itself as the "world's shortest railway." It has been rebuilt and relocated several times over that span.

Riding in the Angels Flight car has a rustic feel that resembles the old timey cable cars in San Francisco. A one-way fare is $1. My dad and I rode up and down to get the full experience.