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850,000 Rail Miles Reached! 2/20/2005



by Chris Guenzler



I try to plan in advance when I will reach my mileage milestones, but sometimes things occur that end up making me change those plans. I was going to go up to Simi Valley to see Bob Riskie but yet another heavy rainstorm washed out the Union Pacific Coastline once again. The rain is always a blessing to all of us living in Southern California, but like anything, too much of a good thing is bad. I managed to get within the range of 850,000 on Saturday February 19th, 2005 and knew that I would reach this next goal the following day on my way to one million rail miles.

Pacific Surfliner 574



The morning of February 20th started with me at 849,030.6 rail miles and it had poured just before I awoke and both the Los Angeles Times and Orange County Register were double-wrapped in plastic to keep them dry. I checked my e-mail while my breakfast was cooking then prepared to go to the Santa Ana station for the 92.3 mile trip to San Diego. Pacific Surfliner 763 was at the station, but only going as far as Los Angeles as the tracks were still closed north of there. I checked with Gary, the excellent morning Amtrak agent, to get the status of my southbound Pacific Surfliner 564, which was running on time. The train arrived and I boarded the coach/café car, riding backwards as I love to do sometimes.

An extra board conductor took my ticket as we proceeded to Irvine through a light shower and upon arrival, I always wonder why only here do people wait until after the train arrives before they say their goodbyes. They were still hugging when the conductor yelled "All aboard!" Then, and only then, do they make a mad dash for the train. All the creeks were flowing with more runoff from the latest rains and I wondered just how much more rains the hillsides would take. We met Pacific Surfliner 565 at CP Avery before continuing to San Juan Capistrano and my coach filled with passengers on their way to San Diego and its attractions. We crossed San Juan Creek and made our way to the Pacific Ocean shoreline-running. After each major storm, it is interesting to see how the mouth of the major creeks have changed and San Juan Creek had formed a small sandbar bay.

The Pacific Surfliner next passed the homes and trailer park beneath the cliffs and along the ocean prior to, and along the beach, passing the San Clemente Metrolink station. Just beyond that every Sunday, in good weather, you will find the Church at the Beach, complete with waving to the train and a big smiling face that is held up. The tide was lowering from high as we rolled south along the rocks only 14 feet above sea level then passed the pier which, like the beach, was empty as a flock of birds flew in formation just above the waves. The sun was out here with more rain clouds over the ocean and we made our way to the end of the city beach then picked up speed again, passing County Line and crossed both San Mateo and San Onofre Creeks.

I was listening to the new Young Dubliners "Real World" CD as we rolled by the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Stationand across Camp Pendleton. I read the new Classic Trains and all to soon, we were in Oceanside, where the sun was still out as we made our way to Solana Beach, but south of there, the clouds returned. The view from the Del Mar Bluffs was stunning before we turned inland for Sorrento Valley and climbed the Miramar Grade and rolled down Rose Canyon before exiting into a very wet northern San Diego. By the stop at Old Town, it was dry as many people were now using this weekend-only stop. Four quick minutes later, we arrived at the Santa Fe station in San Diego and I detrained and went into the station to get some Coca-Cola for my northbound journey. During my brief stay while the train was serviced, I recorded the consist which was F59PHI 566, Pacific Business Class 6800, coach/café 6304, coach 6406, Superliner coach 31046 and cab car 6865 "Point Conception".

Pacific Surfliner 571

The bells tolled and the gate was open with all who wanted to ride Pacific Surfliner 571 crossing the pair of San Diego Trolley tracks before boarding. I boarded and found a forward ocean-side seat for my trip north and we departed on time with the "ever answering all questions to passengers delight" Conductor Nicholson taking my ticket. I told her of my quest for my 850,000 rail miles and she was really happy to be part of my train travel experience. We ran up to CP Cumbres to wait for Pacific Surfliner 566 and I went to the café car for a giant chocolate chip cookie and on the way back, stopped at the train crew table. I knew that MP 215.8 was somewhere between CP San Onofre and CP Pulgas and our wonderful conductor had her route mileage chart out, so I asked if I could have a look.

CP SAN ONOFRE M.P. 212.3

I-5 Fwy overpass 215.6

Don overpass 216.0

Las Pulgas Road underpass. 217.3

Las Flores Creek 218.0

CP PULGAS M.P. 218.1

I would pass it between the Don Overpass (ie. tank bridge) and the Interstate 5 Freeway bridge at MP 215.6, so I was now set to know my exact location. The train turned onto the Del Mar Bluffs and went into a rain shower, with the station stop at Solana Beach a wet one and we departed for a drier environment which was reached north of Cardiff-by-the-Sea. The stop at Oceanside was done in sunshine and all too soon, we continued north and met Pacific Surfliner 768 at CP Puller. I then knew the milepost would be minutes within my grasp. We sped north, passing CP Los Flores then CP Pulgas (Spanish for flea), crossed the Los Pulgas Creek before curving over Los Pulgas Road.

A mile and a third later, we went under the tank bridge and a few seconds later, at 90 miles an hour, we sailed past MP 215.8. All too quickly it was all done and we ducked under Interstate 5 as I opened a Coca-Cola to celebrate. Now it would be on towards 900,000, followed by a million rail miles, God willing and if the creeks do not rise. I listened to Yes' "Drama" as we cruised along the water's edge through San Clemente. San Juan Capistrano and Irvine came very quickly and 9.8 miles later, I detrained at Santa Ana with a grand total of 850, 030.6 rail miles.



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