CRUISING ALONG THE PACIFIC ON AMTRAK’S COAST STARLIGHT
CRUISING ALONG THE PACIFIC ON AMTRAK’S
COAST STARLIGHT
By Jack M. Turner
Sunday, September 20, 2015 kicked off with a smooth drive to Los
Angeles Union Station. I dropped off my rental car at the
underground parking garage below the station and a redcap picked up
some other passengers and me at our cars along with our luggage.
He drove us to the back door of the first-class Metropolitan Lounge and
waited while we returned our rental car paperwork at the counter
directly downstairs then took us directly to our Coast Starlight
sleeping cars which were spotted on Track 10.
Car 32050 was the third of three sleeping cars and was located directly
ahead of Hi-Level Pacific Parlour Car 39973 “Santa Lucia
Highlands”. Roomette 2 was located in the center of the car
on the left hand side which was ideal since that was the side facing
the Pacific Ocean. Although Superliner sleepers were constructed
with even numbered rooms intended for the left hand side, in recent
years it is the luck of the draw as far as which rooms will be on the
right or left. Having boarded at 9:30am, I had ample time to relax
prior to our on-time 10:10 departure.
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The northbound Coast Starlight prepares for departure from Los Angeles
on Sunday, September 20, 2015
Heritage baggage car 1757, a former passenger coach, is making one of
its last runs.
The Pacific Parlour Car is a former Santa Fe Hi-Level lounge car
serving first class passengers
This decal on the exterior of car 39973 bears the Pacific Parlour Car
logo
I headed to the Pacific Parlour Car to enjoy the run through Burbank,
Van Nuys, and Simi Valley while sitting in a comfortable swivel
seat. Lunch was called at 11:45 as we stopped at Oxnard and I
made my way to the dining car which was one car to the rear. The
panko crusted chicken breast proved to be a winner and I made a mental
note to order it for lunch on subsequent days. Just north of
Oxnard we passed a pumpkin patch on the left and moments later joined
the Pacific
Ocean near Ventura. Campers filled the beachfront parking lot as
their owners soaked up the weekend sunshine on a hot, sunny day.
The view was outstanding with the Channel Islands clearly visible in
the distance and surfers riding the waves just offshore. Soon we
passed Solimar Beach where an ultralight soared above the beach.
The rails followed the coast for several miles with Coast Highway 1 (US
101) between us and the sea.
Looking rearward in the Pacific Parlour Car
The Santa Susana Pass area between Van Nuys and Simi Valley offers
unique topography and several tunnels
Surfers and the distant Channel Islands are visible near Ventura
Coast Highway 1 approaching Solimar Beach
An ultralight flies above the surf at Solimar Beach
Plush swivel chairs welcome sleeper passengers to the Pacific Parlour
Car
Several passengers boarded at the magnificent Mission Style railway
station in Santa Barbara at 12:40pm. The station is notable for
its rounded arches and the stately Moreton Bay fig tree that stands to
the left of the station when viewed from the train. This tree has
been documented as the nation’s largest tree from the Ficus family and
is one of the city’s beloved sights. A former Southern Pacific
office car stands in front of the massive tree.
The Santa Barbara train station is noted for its beautiful Spanish
architecture
The famous Moreton Bay fig tree and a former SP office car stand
adjacent to the Santa Barbara station
North of Santa Barbara the former Southern Pacific route hugs the
Pacific coast for nearly three hours offering spectacular views, often
perched on the cliffs overlooking the deep blue sea. The
northbound journey usually provides the best viewing due to better sun
angles during the early afternoon hours. A roomette is typically
an affordable way to travel between LA and the Bay Area as lunch and
dinner is included along with access to the Pacific Parlour Car, a
beautifully restored vintage rail car than once served as a Hi-Level
lounge on Santa Fe streamliners between Chicago and Los Angeles and
later was a part of Amtrak’s Southwest Limited through much of the
1970s.
Looking southward along the Pacific coast north of Santa Barbara
One half hour north of Santa Barbara we crossed Gaviota Trestle, one of
the iconic structures on the route of the Starlight. The popular
beach in Gaviota State Park was being enjoyed by a large crowd.
As the train passed above the beach I had a good look at Gaviota Pier
which was badly damaged in a storm on March 1, 2014 and has been closed
ever since. Numerous beaches came into view over the next several miles
with many displaying the curved shoreline so prevalent along the
Pacific coast.
The popular beach at Gaviota State Park
Gaviota Pier, damaged by a storm in March 2014, as seen from Gaviota
Trestle
Another beach just north of Gaviota State Park
The Coast Starlight offers views of the Pacific between Santa Barbara
and San Luis Obispo
An isolated beach with a typical curved shoreline and cliffs offering
excellent views
Weekend visitors flock to many beaches along the Coast Starlight route
The rolling surf washes on to this remote beach
At 1:52pm train # 14 passed the Pacific Surfliner stop serving
Lopac/Surf then passed through Vandenberg AFB where launch pads for
unmanned NASA rockets were plainly visible. In the early days of
the space shuttle program, NASA planned to conduct occasional space
shuttle launches from this base into polar orbits. However, the
plan was scrapped following the Challenger accident, leaving Kennedy
Space Center as America’s sole manned spaceport.
A launch pad and NASA facilities are seen as the Coast Starlight passes
through Vandenberg AFB
The Coast Starlight cooled its heels in a siding for 15 minutes waiting
for southbound Pacific Surfliner # 723 near Guadalupe then sailed
northward toward San Luis Obispo. Our southbound counterpart,
train # 11, left SLO just before our arrival and the 25 minute stop
allowed time to walk the platform and watch the detraining of
passengers and boarding of replacements. The Cal State San Luis
Obispo football stadium passed on our right as we left town and at
3:57pm, just nine minutes after departure, we rounded a sweeping
horseshoe curve to the right as we tackled Cuesta Grade. The
right side of the train continued to offer stunning sights as Stenner
Creek Trestle and the winding tracks we had just traversed appeared in
the valley below as if part of a model railway.
Agriculture fields north of Vandenberg AFB
The Pacific Parlour Car at San Luis Obispo
The stop at San Luis Obispo offers time to stroll the platform
Sleeper 32050 and the Pacific Parlor Car at San Luis Obispo
The author’s sleeper poses beside the station platform sign
The rear coaches are seen as train # 14 navigates a tight curve north
of San Luis Obispo
P42 engines 202 and 94 lead the Starlight around another sweeping curve
Stenner Creek Trestle and the winding route we have just traversed are
visible as the Coast Starlight climbs Cuesta Grade
US 101 is visible below heading toward Santa Margarita
North of the next stop, Paso Robles, large oil fields appeared followed
by a multitude of agricultural fields where lettuce, squash, grapes and
other fruits and vegetables are grown. Dinnertime provided an
opportunity to choose between eating in the dining car or the Pacific
Parlour Car. Noting that the parlour car tables seemed to be a
tight squeeze for larger adults, I opted for the diner which in
hindsight was not the best decision. A beautiful sunset washed
away the memories of a somewhat disappointing dinner experience as we
stopped at Salinas and made our way through Watsonville Jct. An
almost on-time 8:20pm arrival in San Jose closed out a relaxing ride
along the California coast aboard one of Amtrak’s most scenic routes.
Fields of grapes and barren mountains on the east side of the railway
California’s dry summer climate is reflected by these mountains
Oil fields north of San Miguel
Agricultural fields and the other world appearance of adjacent hills
A colorful sunset enjoyed from roomette 2
Marshlands seen at twilight
Upon arriving in San Jose I sampled Uber for the first time, finding my
ride to be timely, clean, and affordable. My destination, the San
Jose Marriott, was an excellent lodging choice as it was not far from
the railway station and offered contemporary accommodations overlooking
the light rail trolley and other downtown sights. The trolley
actually stops close to the hotel and offers a good way of seeing the
city during one’s stopover. The area surrounding the Marriott is
excellent for walking with the convention center and numerous stores in
the immediate vicinity. This is the perfect stopover for anyone
wishing to make a day trip into San Francisco via Caltrain, ride the
Altamont Commuter Express, or rent a car and drive the scenic Big Sur
region and Monterey Peninsula.
The San Jose Marriott provides an excellent stopover convenient to the
train station
The San Jose light rail line passes close to the San Jose Marriott
The Coast Starlight connects in Los Angeles with Amtrak’s scenic
Pacific Surfliners from San Diego as well as the Southwest Chief from
Chicago and Sunset Limited from New Orleans and multiple Metrolink
commuter train routes connecting a host of southern California
communities. At San Jose one can connect with Caltrain commuter
trains to Palo Alto and San Francisco or make a next day connection to
the Altamont Commuter Express commuter trains to Stockton. Amtrak
Thruway busses also link the Starlight to San Francisco at Oakland as
well as providing a connection to numerous other destinations accessed
at stops on the Coast Starlight route. Overnight the Coast
Starlight travels through northern California and serves various points
in Oregon and Washington before its evening arrival in Seattle.
