Bill Compton and his daughter Maryann picked me up at 5:50 AM sharp and we headed for San Diego County down Interstate 5. As we were travelling south we came across a red signal telling us we were catching up to something. We neared Stuart Mesa and found a southbound BNSF freight heading for San Diego so exited Interstate 5 at Cassidy Street in Oceanside then turned left onto Carlsbad Boulevard and just after the Buena Vista Lagoon highway bridge, we parked. We would be here until Pacific Surfliner 763 went through. We met two fishermen here and then heard the horn of our BNSF freight so set up for our pictures.
BNSF 7727 South went across the bridge of the Buena Vista Lagoon. About fifteen minutes later we heard an Amtrak horn coming from Carlsbad and knew our train was on its way to us.
Pacific Surfliner 763 passed through Buena Vista Lagoon. From here we returned to Interstate 5 South to Genesee Avenue, parked in the lot of University City High School and walked to the bridge across the mainline. We just missed Pacific Surfliner 565 but soon had a green signal so set up for pictures.
BNSF 7727 South went below us at Genesee Avenue.
Pacific Surfliner 567 for Los Angeles came below us.
Pacific Surfliner 562 for San Diego, running twenty minutes late, was our next train.
Coaster 681. From here we walked back to the car and took Genesee Avenue west to Nobel Drive, east to Miramar Drive and after crossing over the mainline, found a place to park and walked out onto the bridge.
The view as we waited.
Pacific Surfliner 564 for San Diego came under Miramar Drive.
The view looking towards CP Miramar.
Pacific Surfliner 769 for Goleta came under Miramar Drive. From here we went west on Miramar Drive to Interstate 905 North to Interstate 5 North to Carmel Valley Road, stopping at a local store for snacks. I called Let's Talk Trains before we went to Coast Highway north to 4th Street in Delmar and parked on Strafford Street. As I walked over to the cliff overlooking the tracks and the Pacific Ocean, I heard Coaster 681 for Oceanside. We walked south to our photo location.
The view from our photo location at Del Mar where we would wait here for Pacific Surfliner 566.
Pacific Surfliner 566 for San Diego below us at Del Mar. From here we drove to Solana Beach and I ws dropped off to go to my next photo location while Bill and Maryann went to find a bathroom at the Solana Beach station.
Pacific Surfliner 573 for Los Angeles crossed San Dieguito River north of Del Mar.
Coaster 684. Bill and Maryann found me and we headed north through Solana Beach to a Mexican restaurant parking lot at the San Elijo Lagoon to catch Pacific Surfliner 768.
Pacific Surfliner 768 at the San Elijo Lagoon. From here we fought heavy traffic on Interstate 5 to Oceanside Harbor Drive to Harbor Drive South, then went under the mainline to a free parking lot east of the tracks. We walked out onto the north riverbank of the San Luis Rey River and set up.
Metrolink 662 crossed the San Luis Rey River north of Oceanside.
Pacific Surfliner 777 for San Luis Obispo crossed the San Luis Rey River.
Pacific 572 on its way to San Diego. From here we had to fight heavy stop-and-go traffic to Las Pulgas Road, parked the car and set up for our final train of today.
Metrolink 663 for Los Angeles crossed Las Pulgas Road. From here we fought more stop-and-go traffic most of the way back to Santa Ana, where Bill dropped me off at my house. A special thank you to Bill Compton for an excellent day of train photography.
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