When I received my new Amtrak Fall timetable and reached the Pacific Surfliner schedules, I noticed that the departure time from San Luis Obispo for Train 798 had been switched from 1:20 PM to 4:25 PM. With the same arrival time for Train 799 at 12:45 PM, that would now mean plenty of time for a late lunch as well as an opportunity to see both Coast Starlights there if they were on time. To me, that was a good reason for a trip. Weekdays would be the best, since one can do an all-rail trip from Santa Ana via Metrolink to Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal since there is no northbound Amtrak train that arrives at LAUPT before Surfliner 799 departs.
My first free weekday would be November 11th, as that is Veterans Day. I suggested to Winston Walker that we go on this day and he reserved it on his calendar then I called Steve of Trainweb and he was interested but had the idea of making it one of our Train Travel Meetup Group trips? I placed a posting on Trainorders.com, asking for a good steak house in San Luis Obispo and Winston monitored the post, with F. McLintock Saloon and Dining House being recommended. Now I would wait for the day of this trip to arrive.
Metrolink 603After a crazy morning at the house, I drove to Santa Ana and bought my Metrolink ticket to Los Angeles then found Winston and we went out to the platform to wait for our Metrolink train, which arrived on time. We boarded the cab car and stopped at Orange, Anaheim and Fullerton, where we were joined by Ray and Steve of Trainweb and by David and Joanne with their daughter Christina. We proceded to Norwalk and Commerce before arriving at Los Angeles Union Station seven minutes early, detrained and a cross-platform transfer to the waiting low-level "Horizon" consist.
Pacific Surfliner 799Once we boarded, we had to wait for the rear car to be opened and were joined by Chris Parker and LJ, as well as Dwayne and Jenny Bouchete, who had been on Metrolink 603 from Oceanside and were joining us only to Santa Barbara. The train departed on schedule and soon Conductor Eric Schindler collected our tickets. We stopped at Glendale as I went to the café car for some Krispy Kreme doughnuts. As we travelled to Downtown Burbank, Chris Parker and I discussed our trip to Georgia next weekend, then made on-time stops at Bob Hope Airport and Van Nuys. It was then time for some photographs of our fellow train travellers.
Steve Grande of Trainweb.com and TrainParty.com used his Verizon Wireless VZAccess PC Card to connect to the Internet with excellent results. The only dead area was near Point Conception and north of Vandenberg Air Force Base.
Chris Parker, L.J. and Winston Walker.
Dwayne and Jenny Bouchete of minifever.com.
Ray Burns of Trainweb.com and TrainParty.com.
Joanne and Christina.
Joanne, Christina and David.
Conductor Eric Schindler.
The author as photographed by Steve. We made our way to Chatsworth before taking our scenic journey through the Santa Susana Mountains. After we exited the Summit tunnel, we went into the siding at Santa Susana to await the passage of both Pacific Surfliner 768 and Metrolink 110 then proceeded to Simi Valley followed by Moorpark and Camarillo, where we were delayed by brake problems on the rear locomotive. Our train had F59PHI 458, baggage 1204, café business class 58108, coaches 54565, 54552 and 54516 with P42DC 120. After a ten minute delay, we were off to Oxnard for a further delay then at Ventura, the crew worked on the problem some more, but not wanting to delay Pacific Surfliner 774's trek to San Diego, we continued to Seacliff siding.
Our train reached the shore of the Pacific Ocean just west of Ventura.
The vacationers camping along old Highway 101 above Ventura.
Running along the cliffs nearing Santa Barbara. We made it to Santa Barbara and a mechanic from Goleta was there to fix the problem, which further delayed us, then we stopped at Goleta before the my favourite part of the trip.
Coastal view above Rufugio State Beach.
The view as our train neared Gaviota.
Crossing the Gaviota Trestle.
Just west of the Gaviota Trestle.
Our train crossing the next trestle.
Just west of that last trestle.
Ready to cross the Jalama Trestle.
North of Jalama Beach.
Buildings on Vandenberg Air Force Base.
The surf as we neared Surf.
Launching pads.
The Pacific Ocean surf crashing the beach at Surf.
Climbing near Casmalia.
Our train approaching the wig-wag protected crossing.
A poor view of that wig-wag.
Santa Maria Valley Railroad caboose 210, nee Rutland Railroad 51, built by International Car Company in 1959. It was retired in 1991 and went on display in Guadalupe in 1992.
Descending into Grover Beach.
A lake and sand dunes.
Our train reached the bottom of the hill into Grover Beach.
Approaching San Luis Obispo, where we arrived at 1:29 PM {12:45 PM}.
We all detrained and the group posed for this picture.
Steve and I switched places then we walked into downtown for a well-needed midday meal.
F. McLintock Saloon and Dining House from across the street.
Our group waiting to be served. I had a New York Strip steak and a root beer float which was excellent. Those at my table then returned to the station via the creekside trail and Mission.
Pacific Surfliner 798 laying over.
The northbound Coast Starlight arrived early.
Mary, one of my favorite Amtrak employees.
The Coast Starlight was ready to depart.
A few minutes later, Pacific Surfliner 798 came out of the storage area on the way to the depot.
Pacific Surfliner 798We all boarded and our train departed on time.
Starting the climb out of Grover Beach.
Looking back towards Grover Beach.
That lake again in low light.
Looking towards the west. We went into the siding at Callender for a westbound Union Pacific freight.
A view after sunset. Good conversations were had as we made our way south and entered Conception siding to meet Pacific Surfliner 775 then it was off to Goleta before we arrived at Santa Barbara, where the train filled with Friday night passengers. After our Oxnard stop, we waited for Pacific Surfliner 785 to pull into the east end of the Oxnard siding to let us pass. They would then reverse onto the mainline and go into the Oxnard station. We continued to Camarillo, Simi Valley, Chatsworth, Van Nuys, Bob Hope Airport and Glendale and it was announced announced that Pacific Surfliner 596 would be waiting in Los Angeles for our train. We arrived on Track 9 at LAUPT at 9:58 PM and detrained across the station platform to the waiting Pacific Surfliner 596 on Track 10.
Pacific Surfliner 798 after arriving at LAUPT.
Pacific Surfliner 596
Ready to take me home. I spoke with engineer Doug and requested a quick trip back to Santa Ana. We departed on time and ran to Fullerton, where we said goodbye to Steve, Ray, David, Joanne and a sleeping Christina. The train took us to Anaheim and then Santa Ana, where Winston and I detrained, ending another unique Amtrak adventure.
For Steve Grande's pictures of this trip, click here.| RETURN TO THE MAIN PAGE |
