Not keeping track of the time today - Departed Oxnard nearly on time, if not on time. The car attendant was waiting for us on the platform, in the rain "are you the Wallace family?" he greeted us as we walked up.
Turns out he had also made lunch reservations for us. We were called to lunch just outside Ventura and shared a table with a Benny, a vacationing student headed back to the University of Washington.
On the way back to our car, we got distracted by the "Scenic Commentary " by Richard, the Parlour Car Attendant. He started working for Amtrak in 1973 and has been on this line for quite some time. He is very knowledgeable about the Southern California coastline. his commentary included geography, natural, political and military history of the area between Santa Barbara and Vandenberg AFB. Listening to him was very interesting and educational.
Our trip back to Seattle is a little different than what we had planned. We were scheduled to depart Oxnard on December 29th to arrive on Jan 1, but severe weather in northern California and Southern Oregon has played havoc with the rail lines and the highways. So we rescheduled for today. Unfortunately, there was not a family sleeper available, so this time we are in a deluxe sleeper which seems perfectly adequate - the bonus is bigger windows!
We’ll be looking to get the consist posted before too much longer.
Here's a photo of the coastline along Vanderberg
Here's a pic Ashley took after San Luis Obispo
another
Turns out he had also made lunch reservations for us. We were called to lunch just outside Ventura and shared a table with a Benny, a vacationing student headed back to the University of Washington.
On the way back to our car, we got distracted by the "Scenic Commentary " by Richard, the Parlour Car Attendant. He started working for Amtrak in 1973 and has been on this line for quite some time. He is very knowledgeable about the Southern California coastline. his commentary included geography, natural, political and military history of the area between Santa Barbara and Vandenberg AFB. Listening to him was very interesting and educational.
Our trip back to Seattle is a little different than what we had planned. We were scheduled to depart Oxnard on December 29th to arrive on Jan 1, but severe weather in northern California and Southern Oregon has played havoc with the rail lines and the highways. So we rescheduled for today. Unfortunately, there was not a family sleeper available, so this time we are in a deluxe sleeper which seems perfectly adequate - the bonus is bigger windows!
We’ll be looking to get the consist posted before too much longer.
Here's a photo of the coastline along Vanderberg
Here's a pic Ashley took after San Luis Obispo
another