I saw a post on Trainorders.com on a Sunday night before the Tennessee weekend about a Coast Starlight Detour down the former Southern Pacific Valley Line. Once I confirmed it on the Amtrak website, I called Marti, my excellent night-time Amtrak agent in Santa Ana, who booked me north on the San Joaquin to Martinez, over to Sacramento on a Capitol Corridor train and back to Los Angeles on the Coast Starlight on Sunday. The reason for the detour was the Coast Starlight would be detouring down the former Southern Pacific San Joaquin Valley Line then over the Tehachapi Mountains and down Soledad Canyon. BNSF did not have to capacity to handle the train on their railroad, thus the unique detour.
My new mileage would be from the switch connection to the old Western Pacific at Lathrop all the way to Kern Junction in Bakersfield. I had always wanted to ride this piece of railroad and in fact, it was the last piece of main line tracks on which I needed to ride in California. I called Steve Grande and suggested we make this a Train Travel Meetup Group trip. I picked up my tickets at the Santa Ana station on the way to the airport to participate in the Iowa Interstate QJ Rail Ride for Flood Relief excursions several days ago.
In the week leading up to this detour trip, I was eagerly anticipating have the opportunity to ride on the last piece of mainline track in California that was new to me.
North to Sacramento 10/25/2008I was up at 4:30 AM, finished packing then did a few chores around the house before driving to the Santa Ana station and parked near the tracks. I saw that the Thruway Bus was already there and when the driver saw me, he opened the door and took my ticket. I was the lone passenger as we departed Santa Ana on time and went to Fullerton where we picked up five more, arriving at LAUPT at 6:35 AM. We sat there until our scheduled departure at 7:45 AM and Ken Ruben was now also on this bus. I listened to my new Alice Cooper CD "Along Came a Spider" and did Sudoku puzzles until we neared Bakersfield, arriving there at 9:45 AM, where we boarded the Surfliner-style cab car.
San Joaquin 713 ready to leave Bakersfield on time. I watched "Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" and just before Fresno, Ken and I had lunch and I then watched Daylight Productions' "San Diego Steam Special" before returning to the bonus material of the Indiana Jones DVD.
This would be the start of our Coast Starlight Detour tomorrow morning in Stockton. Ken detrained at Stockton and took a bus to Sacramento. I watched Yes' "90125 Live" which took me almost to Martinez, where I detrained and sat outside in the sun on a pleasant late afternoon then boarded Capitol Corridor Train 634 to Sacramento. We lost fifteen minutes waiting for a track crew to clear and I re-listened to Alice Cooper, which lasted until Sacramento, where I was met by Chris Parker, Anton Lazzarini and Ken. I went into the station and upgraded to a sleeper for tomorrow's trip then we walked over to the Vagabond Motel and checked in and the three of us went to Fat's City for dinner. I returned to the motel and watched the University of Souther California beat Arizona State University before calling it a night.
10/26/2008 Chris Parker and I were up at 5:10 AM and prepared to leave the Vagabond Inn for the station at 6:00 AM then walked over to the Sacramento Amtrak station but decided to wait out on the platform.
Coast Starlight 11 10/26/2008The train reversed into the station and soon I had my luggage in Room 6 of Car 1132. I then acquired the consist which was P42DCs 141 and 115, baggage 1720, transition 39008, sleepers 32027, 32077 and 32064, Pacific Parlour Car 39972, diner 38056, lounge 333026 with coaches 34078, 34504 and 34094.
Looking towards the engines on the Coast Starlight.
The rear of our train but unforutnately, no drumhead. I found Chris Parker and we checked to see what time the dining car opened.
The interior of Pacific Parlour Car 39972.
Chris Parker enjoying himself in this unique car.
Anton riding in the same car.
The author.
Jerry Wayne Howard, a fellow rider, with whom I became friends. At 6:30 AM, Ken, Jerry, Anton, Chris and I went to the dining car for breakfast and I had the French Toast and pork sausage patties. We departed at 6:38 AM and made our way east but stopped at CP Haggin to let San Joaquin 702 get ahead of us. I then walked to the rear of the train to photograph our progress south down the rails.
It was still dark as we left the California state capital.
North of Galt, the fields stretched for miles.
Sunrise on October 26th, 2008 south of Galt.
The train ran through Lodi, California.
We reached the double track as we neared Stockton.
The train came to El Pinal, where the Western Pacific once crossed the Southern Pacific, but now it is the connection between both of the old railroads which are now part of Union Pacific.
We passed the Southern Pacific Stockton station, which serves Altamont Commuter Express train station and offices.
Here is were we officially started the detour down the former Southern Pacific Valley mainline. The Sacramento-bound San Joaquins use the track that goes off to the right to the former Santa Fe at Keddie Junction.
Going across the BNSF crossing at the former Stockton Tower site.
We passed the Altamont Commuter Express facility in the former Western Pacific yard.
The former Western Pacific yard.
Passing the many industries in south Stockton.
Sharp Army Depot.
Crossing over to take the northwest leg of the wye at Lathrop.
The Coast Starlight was about to leave the route of the former Southern Pacific Sacramento Daylight for the route of the former Southern Pacific San Joaquin Daylight.
Our train was now on the northwest leg of the Lathrop wye.
We are now officially on the route of the former Southern Pacific San Joaquin Daylight.
This switch started my new mileage, which would last all the way to Kern Junction in Bakersfield.
The crossing of the former Western Pacific. The track to the left takes you to Oakland via Altamont Pass, on which I rode during the 1999 National Railway Historical Society Convention Circle Trip to Oakland, as well as during the Union Pacific 3985 excursions in 1992.
After the merger, a new connection was built to the former Western Pacific.
Our train was rolling at track speed through Manteca.
We started to parallel California Highway 99.
There was still plenty of open farmland in the San Joaquin Valley.
The Ripon water tower.
Crossing the Stanislaus River south of Ripon.
The former Southern Pacific Modesto station, now a bus station.
We came to the interchange tracks with the Modesto, Empire & Traction Company.
Traversing the Tuolumne River south of Modesto.
The location where the Tidewater Southern Railroad crossed the Southern Pacific. I then returned to the Parlour Car.
Charlie Varnes, a friend of mine, reading.
The Foster Farms switcher at their grain elevator north of Livingston.
Crossing the Merced River.
Passengers enjoying the Pacific Parlour Car.
The Atwater water tower.
Turkey farms.
The Merced Speedway.
Cotton fields ready to be picked.
The Southern Pacific Merced station.
We passed many orchards along our route.
Crossing the Fresno River.
The Madera water tower.
More vineyards.
Our crossing of the San Joaquin River.
Union Pacific motive power in their Fresno Yard.
We ran by the Fresno fuelling facilities.
We stopped at the east end of the yard to switch out the Union Pacific pilot engineers.
A former Missouri Pacific scale test car.
Union Pacific and San Joaquin Valley Railroad locomotives meet in Fresno Yard.
We departed for points south in the San Joaquin Valley.
A grain elevator in Fresno has its locomotive locked in a pen when not is use.
The former Southern Pacific Fresno station.
The train ran by the Fresno Arch, designed by San Francisco architect, Bernard Joseph, for $2,500 an built in 1912. It is 75 feet wide and spans I Street.
The tracks on which I rode north yesterday, at Calwa, which stands for California Wine Association.
BNSF locomotives and their friends at Calwa Yard.
We ran to the west of the yard.
Passing through the BNSF crossing here.
