This website has been archived from TrainWeb.org/vangab to TrainWeb.US/vangab.
The last eastbound Desert Wind (#36)
departed Los Angeles on May 8, 1997. I first read about its
discontinuance in Flimsies (remember Flimsies??) and set out that
fateful Thursday to capture the train as it left L.A.
I arrived at my usual daytime Desert Wind
viewing spot in Los Nietos a half hour or so before it was
scheduled to pass. A little while later, #36, looking quite nice,
rumbled by me. It was led by P42s 34 and 17, deadhead big dome,
baggage car, and a full set of new at the time Superliners
(trans/dorm, 3 sleepers, diner, lounge, and 3 coaches). Almost
looked like a current Southwest Chief, sans the express cars on
the rear.
Here, the last Desert Wind is crossing
Los Nietos Road:
And here is an animated GIF of the same train:
Other Desert Wind Memories:
This is a shorty #35 at Fullerton in 1993. Consist was a Pepsi Can, Amtrak GP40, Hi-Level Trans/dorm, Lounge/Cafe 33017, Coach 34002, Coach/Baggage 31003, Sleeper 32038, with SP private cars California, Utah, and Kansas on the rear:
The picture below was taken in December,
1996. This #36 still sported 2 F40s but P40s/42s were also
common. By now, newer Superliners (Trans/Dorm, Sleeper) were also
common in the consist with Superliner II Trans/Dorms replacing
the ex-ATSF Hi-Levels Trans/Dorms in this example:
Here is another #36, with P40 828 leading followed by a F40, is seen pulling east also at Los Nietos. Virtually all the cars, except for the Phase III painted diner are Phase IV Superliner II cars:
Although this looks like the same locomotive as in the above picture, this is P40 823 on the lead of this east bounder:
Towards the end, the Desert Wind was quite an impressive looking train. This shot is at Commerce of a westbound #35 Desert Wind (with the same locomotive set used on its last journey east a few days later) taken a few days before #35/36 were discontinued. Notice the long trainset.
