We ran to where the BNSF line to Barstow splits off and we proceeded south for Ansel Hill and the Antelope Valley.
The Coast Starlight climbed up and over Ansel Hill where we finished our lunch.
Looking down into the Antelope Valley.
Metrolink trains wait in Lancaster for the weekend service they provide.
Air Force Plant 42 at Palmdale with Joshua Trees on the property.
The Palmdale Cutoff, which I rode from Los Angeles to Mojave via Colton on the Pacific Railroad Society's Mojave Limited in 1983, the first passenger train over that piece of railroad between West Colton and Palmdale.
The high desert after we tripped a Metrolink hot box detector and the crew had to stop and inspect the train.
A helicopter took off right next to us as we climbed Vincent Grade before we took the siding for an inbound Metrolink train from Lancaster, as well as an outbound train to Lancaster, before we proceeded down Soledad Canyon.
The train ran by The Roar Foundation/Shambala Preserve in Soledad Canyon.
The Vasquez Rocks, where the Vasquez Gang used to hang out after robbing stagecoaches.
Rolling through Soledad Canyon.
Tunnel 18, 266 feet long.
The view between Tunnels 18 and 19.
Tunnel 19m 328 feet long.
Our train crossed the Santa Paula River.
Rolling through Santa Clarita.
Passing the Santa Clarita Metrolink station.
The siding in Saugas.
No movie passenger cars were present as we went through their storage yard.
The Newhall Metrolink station.
Pasing the former Southern Pacific Saugas station built in 1888.
Newhall siding.
We came to the east end of the siding.
The Coast Starlight travelled through the San Fernando Tunnel, otherwise known as Tunnel 25, which is 6,978 feet long.
Entering the San Fernando Valley under the Interstate 5/California Highway 14 interchange.
The Los Angeles Aqueduct.
Whiteman Airport, the backdrop for many "The A-Team" episodes.
The steam plant out by Sun Valley.
Our detour had come to an end as we reached Burbank Junction and returned to the normal Coast Starlight route, passing through Glendale and both the Metrolink and LA Metro Gold Line shops before reaching Mission Tower and turned in towards LAUPT.
Our train approaching Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal.
The Coast Starlight at rest.
The rear of the Southwest Chief.
The private car "Louis Sockalexis", Pennsylvania Railroad sleeper-lounge "Frank Thomson" PPCX 800110 was on the rear of the Southwest Chief.
After not seeing a Pacific Surfliner trainset at the station, I learned that Pacific Surfliner 583 had a rules violation in Oceanside and would not be returning Los Angeles anytime soon. Since that train turned into Pacific Surfliner 590, the one that I was planning on taking home to Santa Ana, I called a few friends to see if they could give Steve Grande and I a ride, but no one was available. I talked with the conductor on the Southwest Chief about the problem and he said "Hop aboard back in coach". Steve and I did that as I called my mother, who would drive to Fullerton to meet us. The Southwest Chief departed on time and Steve and I detrained at Fullerton and went over the bridge to where my mother was waiting. I drove Steve to his car at Anaheim station and then drove to the Santa Ana station, where my car was waiting. I drove home, ending another fantastic Amtrak Adventure.
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