Los Angeles, CA To Fullerton, CA On Amtrak California's Pacific Surfliner Service

Friday, October 22nd, 2010:

While waiting to board my next (and final) Amtrak train for this trip, Pacific Surfliner #796, A red cap came over and told us that they were doing an engine swap and asked that we wait before heading to Track #10 which is where our train would be. Eventually, we were able to make our way to the platform. I was in Business Class on this leg of the trip and eventually found my car which was the first one behind the engine. I took down car numbers as I walked to my car, then dragged my luggage upstairs (kind of pointless for a 1/2 hour ride but I couldn't leave it downstairs as I wasn't sitting there). I talked briefly with the conductor and hung out on the platform until just before it was time to leave. We had an engine on both ends of the train for this trip, not sure why. The consist is shown below:

Amtrak California's Pacific Surfliner Train #796 October 22nd, 2010 - 28 Axles
Number:	Car/Engine Type:	Name:	Description:
456	F59PHI		Power
6802	Pacific Business Class	Presidio Park	Business Class Car
6306	Coach/Café	San Francisquito Canyon	Coach/Café Car
6401	Coach	Grover Beach	Coach
34951	Coach	Redwood Grove	Coach (Refurbished From Superliner)
6900	Coach/Baggage	Point Buchon	Coach/Baggage/Cab Control Car
457	F59PHI		Power

We were set to depart Los Angeles on time at 10:10pm. We would only move a few feet and the train would stop again. There may have been a problem with the brakes not releasing on the rear unit but I wasn't able to confirm that. We eventually exit Los Angeles and would ride past the 8th Street Yard and shops along with the Redondo roundhouse and continued on past Hobart Yard on the BNSF. Things would be uneventful until we got to just a few miles outside Fullerton. We had to stop initially for another Surfliner train to pass us. The train eventually passes us but then, we didn't move! An announcement was eventually made that there was a "mechanical problem" and we would sit there for about 15 minutes while it's being taken care of. It took over 20 minutes and I then saw the crew walking alongside the train outside with a flashlight, then standing still and doing some kind of roll-by inspection. We were finally on our way and would end up arriving in Fullerton at 11:26pm, running some 46 minutes late! The conductor apologized for the delay and stated they were gonna try to make up time on the way to San Diego. I got off the train in Fullerton which would be the end of my Amtrak travels on this trip, and strangely, that was the only mechanical delay I experienced on this entire trip!!! I took the elevators over to the other side of the tracks so as to access the parking lot where my Aunt and Uncle were waiting for me. I would spend the first night at their house then be picking up a rental car from Enterprise Rent-A-Car on Saturday to go do some Southern California Railfanning! Once arriving at my Aunt and Uncle's house, I would do laundry and eventually call it a day! And so ends my Amtrak traveling but this vacation is by no means over yet. It's time to take a drive and do some great railfanning along the beautiful Pacific Ocean, stay tuned!!!