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As you can see here, we had the single-level set of equipment on this train as there is still one set of cars like this that operates on the Pacific Surfliner route. I didn't mind this at all, as I kinda rode on equipment similar to what I have ridden back east! We departed Fullerton at 8:01pm, running 1 minute late. We made our next stop at Anaheim, CA at 8:07pm and departed at 8:11pm, running on time. Since it was dark out, there were no pictures taken of this train anywhere along the route as the stops weren't long enough to allow for any (which is why I used a file photo at the top of this page of this same-numbered train that I photographed in 2012). We arrived at the next stop of Santa Ana, CA at 8:17pm and departed at 8:20pm on time. At Irvine, CA, another Surfliner train passed us going north and we arrived at that station at 8:28pm. A disabled passenger had to be let off the train and since this was a single-level train coupled with a low-level platform, the conductor needed to use the wheelchair ramp to make this happen. We departed Irvine at 8:34pm, 2 minutes late. One thing I noticed on this train was that all the doors between the cars were left open so you didn't have to press the button to get the doors to slide open. Not sure why this was, maybe just some custom with using single-level equipment on this route. I also noticed that half the seats in the coach I was in were facing one way, and half were facing the other way, something I've also never seen set up like this before in a regular coach.
We made our next stop at San Juan Capistrano, CA at 8:46pm and departed there at 8:48pm, running on time. This train also didn't stop at the San Clemente Pier Station as it wasn't scheduled to do so. We made our next stop at Oceanside, CA at 9:16pm, and departed at 9:18pm, running 1 minute late. An announcement was made that the next three stops were Coaster stops, meaning that normally Coaster commuter trains are the only ones that stop at those stations, but on select Surfliner trains, such trains made stops at these stations and as a result, Coaster tickets are honored on these Amtrak trains. The first stop was Carlsbad Village, CA where we arrived at 9:22pm and departed at 9:23pm, 1 minute late. Next up was Carlsbad-Poinsettia, CA where we quickly arrive and departed at 9:29pm, still 1 minute late, no big deal. After the Carlsbad-Poinsettia stop, we would actually be passed by a freight train as BNSF does run freight on this mainline at night. The final Coaster stop would be at Encinitas,CA where we arrived at 9:39pm and departed at 9:40pm, running 6 minutes late. We would also pass Surfliner Train #595 heading northbound somewhere south of the Encinitas Station. At 9:47pm, we arrived at my stop of Solana Beach, CA running 7 minutes late.
I got the rest of the consist of this train as it passed by and I would now have set a new personal record after riding this train! I now have rode a total of four separate Amtrak trains in a single 24 hour period! That has never happened before! I walked back to my rental car and drove back to the hotel and called it a day, and what a good day it was!!! Now as I said before, there were no photos taken on this particular train due to the short stops and no daylight. Knowing that, it's time to get in some good railfanning here in southern California! So to get that part of the travelogue started, click the link below... |
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