As I neared the Trains Unlimited Tours excursion to Portland, it became apparent that I would pass my 875,000 Rail Mile on the journey to Emeryville the day before. My mother drove me to the Santa Ana station so I could take Metrolink 603 to Los Angeles to connect with my Thruway Bus at Los Angeles Union Station for Bakersfield.
Metrolink 603This train arrived on time in push mode with cab car 645 leading coaches 177, 149, 168 and 127 and MP36 856. We rolled north on a very overcast morning, making all the Metrolink stops, including Commerce. Richard Albetri was my conductor and as always does an excellent job of getting his train over the railroad. We arrived at LAUPT nine minutes early and while Pacific Surfliner 799, on its way to San Luis Obispo, had the full-length dome and was a tempting choice, I had a bus to catch to Bakersfield. In addition, I could ride in the Great Dome tomorrow.
Thruway BusI met Chris Parker and we boarded Bus 63179 for Bakersfield, departing LAUPT and proceeding to Glendale where we picked up seven passengers. The two of us I talked all the way to Bakersfield, which made for a quick trip, and after our arrival and as the passengers were waiting for their luggage, I chose a couple of seats in the California Car "San Diego Bay".
San Joaquin 713Once the luggage was off the bus, I went back to claim mine and take Chris to our seats for our trip to Oakland. This train had Amtrak California F5IPHI 2015, coach/baggage 8202 "San Diego Bay", coach 8032 "Santa Clara River", café 8807 "Imperial Valley" and cab car 8310 "Mount Hamilton". We had an on-time departure.
After Wasco, the roses, for which the city is famous, were in a state of blooming. We passed four BNSF freights in sidings then met San Joaquin 702 just before we stopped at Corcoran. Railroad crossing replacement delayed us where the BNSF crosses the San Joaquin Valley Railroad, which was actively being worked on as we passed through, then took the siding at Conejo for San Joaquin 712.
San Joaquin 713 at Fresno.
Two miles north at MP 1000, I passed 875,000 rail miles. At Planda, we took the siding to meet San Joaquin 714 then stopped at Merced, followed by Turlock/Denair, before running to Modesto then at Stockton, we lost most of our train's passengers.
Boaters and wave riders having a great time at Middle River. At Orwood, we met San Joaquin 716.
A ship sailing downriver towards San Francisco Bay just before Antioch.
Light BNSF locomotives waiting for us to clear at Port Chicago.
The United States Military locomotives at the Port Chicago Naval Weapons Station.
A nice view looking southwest before we reached Martinez.
The railroad bridge east of Martinez prior to paralleling the Carquinez Straits.
The new Interstate 80 bridge at Crockett in advance of the curve to run along San Pablo Bay, passing the lone tunnel on our route.
A rear-facing view of Hercules before we crossed over to the east mainline.
Looking back at Pinole before we rolled through Richmond, then paused in Emeryville before passing the new Amtrak Maintenance Facility on the way to the Jack London Square station in Oakland, where we bought our tickets to Emeryville tomorrow morning.
I heard a horn and managed to get up on the pedestrian bridge to catch a Union Pacific freight.
Our San Joaquin train on its way to the yard for servicing.
A few minutes later, Capitol Corridor Train 542 arrived to take us back to Emeryville. Chris picked up his checked luggage before we walked four blocks to the Holiday Inn.
The view of the Oakland Hills from my room. After a few minutes rest, Chris and I ran some errands before going to Denny's for dinner, returning to the hotel where I watched some Russian UFOs on the History Channel then went back to the Amtrak station to find Bob Riskie, while Chris stayed at the hotel. His train was twenty-four minutes late and arrived after a late California Zephyr arrived and departed for the yard. While I waited, I passed the time talking with two local Bay Area rail photographers, who were also readers of my website. Bob and I returned to the Holiday Inn for the night.
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