Our San Diego-Toledo-San Diego trip made in 2004 was notable for several firsts: it was the first and only time we traveled on the California Zephyr, it was the first time we packed along a radio scanner, and it was the first time we wrote out a trip report to share with family and friends. Our trip began with a stop-off in Santa Barbara to attend our son Bret’s graduation from UCSB. From there we took the Coast Starlight up to Emeryville to catch the CZ for the eastbound passage to Chicago. (The return trip was made on the Southwest Chief.) Since our 2004 trip report was never posted on AU, we thought we’d share it with you now. Because this trip was made 16 years ago, we’ve added some annotations in italics to clarify a few points.
Eric & Pat
Part 1: San Diego to Toledo, Ohio
Stage 1: San Diego to Santa Barbara (June 11th)
We arrived at the San Diego Santa Fe Depot at 5:15 a.m. to catch Pacific Surfliner #763, scheduled to depart at 6:12. There were only about 5 other people in the waiting room, and the ticket office was still closed. While we were waiting, we overheard a conversation about a recent fire north of Santa Barbara that had damaged a trestle. Apparently, the route was now closed to all rail traffic, and northbound passengers were being bused from Los Angeles to San Luis Obispo.
The ticket office opened at 5:30 a.m. with a cheery taped message, welcoming riders on board Amtrak. By this time, a great many more passengers were starting to arrive, although the station was not nearly as crowded as we had expected it to be on a Friday. The platform gates opened promptly at 6:00 a.m., and we were soon seated on board a Pacific Surfliner unreserved coach. We departed San Diego on schedule at 6:12 a.m.
When the conductor collected our tickets, we asked about the damaged trestle and were told that it was in the Gaviota area, just north of Santa Barbara. The steel trestle was OK, but the wooden deck had been damaged. As a result, passengers on board the north bound Coast Starlight were being bused from L.A. to San Luis Obispo and would catch their train there. The trestle was being repaired and was due to be back in service later that day.
Southern California's typical thick cloud cover (aka "June gloom") was much in evidence as we headed north. At Del Mar, the tracks began to parallel the ocean, and, although it was not yet 7:00 a.m., surfers were already dotting the water. Just south of San Juan Capistrano, the right-of-way veered off to the northeast and away from the ocean. The sun finally started to burn through the murk at 7:37 a.m., not long after we left the San Juan Capistrano station.
At Fullerton, our car began to noticeably fill up with passengers. We arrived and departed Los Angeles Union Station right on schedule. (Upon departure, the rear end of the train became the front end for the rest of the trip north.)
By the time we departed Chatsworth, our car was just about filled to capacity. Also, the last of the haze had burned away and it was now a clear, sunny day.
Just outside Camarillo, we had a 20-minute siding wait for a south-bound Pacific Surfliner to pass us. (Up to this point, we had been running exactly on schedule.)
Just north of Ventura, the tracks again began to parallel the ocean, and the scenery was right out of an Amtrak travel brochure.
We arrived in Santa Barbara only 15 minutes behind schedule.
Stage 2: Santa Barbara to Emeryville (June 13th)
We departed Santa Barbara on schedule on board a Coast Starlight "Superliner" coach.
After about 30 minutes, we could see signs of the recent fire on either side of the right-of-way. The conductor announced that ours was the first northbound Coast Starlight to come through here since the fire.
We eventually worked our way through the burned area. The ocean was on our left and rolling grazing land was to our right. The weather was perfect.
Near the southern boundary of Vandenberg Air Force Base, an automatic sensor reported something that caused the crew to stop the train and conduct an outside visual inspection down the entire length of both of its sides. 10 minutes later we were rolling again.
We arrived and departed San Luis Obispo on schedule.
At Santa Margarita, we passed the southbound Coast Starlight, waiting for us on a siding.
After leaving Santa Margarita, we traveled at what seemed like a snail's pace. Thanks to a past experience, we knew that Southern California Amtrak trains have to run at greatly reduced speeds following an earthquake. However, no announcement was made, and we eventually concluded that the slow speed was due to freight traffic ahead. We were 40 minutes behind schedule when we departed Paso Robles at 5:25 p.m.
Across from the Camp Roberts Military Reservation, we had a long siding wait for freight traffic. We were 80 minutes behind schedule when we departed Salinas at 7:56 p.m.
Between Gilroy and San Jose, the engineer was able to make up some of the lost time, and we arrived at Emeryville at 10:58 p.m., only 56 minutes behind schedule.
Eric & Pat
Part 1: San Diego to Toledo, Ohio
Stage 1: San Diego to Santa Barbara (June 11th)
We arrived at the San Diego Santa Fe Depot at 5:15 a.m. to catch Pacific Surfliner #763, scheduled to depart at 6:12. There were only about 5 other people in the waiting room, and the ticket office was still closed. While we were waiting, we overheard a conversation about a recent fire north of Santa Barbara that had damaged a trestle. Apparently, the route was now closed to all rail traffic, and northbound passengers were being bused from Los Angeles to San Luis Obispo.
The ticket office opened at 5:30 a.m. with a cheery taped message, welcoming riders on board Amtrak. By this time, a great many more passengers were starting to arrive, although the station was not nearly as crowded as we had expected it to be on a Friday. The platform gates opened promptly at 6:00 a.m., and we were soon seated on board a Pacific Surfliner unreserved coach. We departed San Diego on schedule at 6:12 a.m.
When the conductor collected our tickets, we asked about the damaged trestle and were told that it was in the Gaviota area, just north of Santa Barbara. The steel trestle was OK, but the wooden deck had been damaged. As a result, passengers on board the north bound Coast Starlight were being bused from L.A. to San Luis Obispo and would catch their train there. The trestle was being repaired and was due to be back in service later that day.
Southern California's typical thick cloud cover (aka "June gloom") was much in evidence as we headed north. At Del Mar, the tracks began to parallel the ocean, and, although it was not yet 7:00 a.m., surfers were already dotting the water. Just south of San Juan Capistrano, the right-of-way veered off to the northeast and away from the ocean. The sun finally started to burn through the murk at 7:37 a.m., not long after we left the San Juan Capistrano station.
At Fullerton, our car began to noticeably fill up with passengers. We arrived and departed Los Angeles Union Station right on schedule. (Upon departure, the rear end of the train became the front end for the rest of the trip north.)
By the time we departed Chatsworth, our car was just about filled to capacity. Also, the last of the haze had burned away and it was now a clear, sunny day.
Just outside Camarillo, we had a 20-minute siding wait for a south-bound Pacific Surfliner to pass us. (Up to this point, we had been running exactly on schedule.)
Just north of Ventura, the tracks again began to parallel the ocean, and the scenery was right out of an Amtrak travel brochure.
We arrived in Santa Barbara only 15 minutes behind schedule.
Stage 2: Santa Barbara to Emeryville (June 13th)
We departed Santa Barbara on schedule on board a Coast Starlight "Superliner" coach.
After about 30 minutes, we could see signs of the recent fire on either side of the right-of-way. The conductor announced that ours was the first northbound Coast Starlight to come through here since the fire.
We eventually worked our way through the burned area. The ocean was on our left and rolling grazing land was to our right. The weather was perfect.
Near the southern boundary of Vandenberg Air Force Base, an automatic sensor reported something that caused the crew to stop the train and conduct an outside visual inspection down the entire length of both of its sides. 10 minutes later we were rolling again.
We arrived and departed San Luis Obispo on schedule.
At Santa Margarita, we passed the southbound Coast Starlight, waiting for us on a siding.
After leaving Santa Margarita, we traveled at what seemed like a snail's pace. Thanks to a past experience, we knew that Southern California Amtrak trains have to run at greatly reduced speeds following an earthquake. However, no announcement was made, and we eventually concluded that the slow speed was due to freight traffic ahead. We were 40 minutes behind schedule when we departed Paso Robles at 5:25 p.m.
Across from the Camp Roberts Military Reservation, we had a long siding wait for freight traffic. We were 80 minutes behind schedule when we departed Salinas at 7:56 p.m.
Between Gilroy and San Jose, the engineer was able to make up some of the lost time, and we arrived at Emeryville at 10:58 p.m., only 56 minutes behind schedule.