Coast Starlight South, 7-23-07

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BTW, if the train had been on time I woulda paid a buck and a quarter for a bus ride home from the Oxnard station, then walked a couple blocks to my house. Instead, I paid $32 (including tip) for a cab ride home in the middle of the night.
 
Nice pics Patrick! Ok, now educate me here. What is Cal-train, San Joquins and Amtrak? What and where do they all go? Is the Amtrak trains strictly LD trains?
Al
Hey Al! Glad you liked the pics, and I hope everybody does. Caltrain is a commuter service, like L.A.'s Metrolink, and has a southern terminus at Gilroy (of garlic fame), but most trains run shorter routes, with the northern end at King Street in San Francisco. The San Joaquins run up the Central Valley from Bakersfield and end at Oakland. Amtrak's Pacific Surfliners run between San Luis Obispo (3 trains a day)(technically more, but with bus connections) and San Diego. Caltrains, San Joaquins, and Surfliners are funded by the California Department of Transportation, Caltrans. This is off the top of my head. If I'm wrong, I'm sure somebody will set us straight.
 
Nice pics!
I really enjoy the Coast Starlight
Thanks, DirtyD. Wish more westerners would post pics. We have great trains out here, and our mountain running puts those easterners to shame. They have measly hills. We have the Sierras. No comparison.
 
Nice pics Patrick! Ok, now educate me here. What is Cal-train, San Joquins and Amtrak? What and where do they all go? Is the Amtrak trains strictly LD trains?

Al
Hey Al! Glad you liked the pics, and I hope everybody does. Caltrain is a commuter service, like L.A.'s Metrolink, and has a southern terminus at Gilroy (of garlic fame), but most trains run shorter routes, with the northern end at King Street in San Francisco. The San Joaquins run up the Central Valley from Bakersfield and end at Oakland. Amtrak's Pacific Surfliners run between San Luis Obispo (3 trains a day)(technically more, but with bus connections) and San Diego. Caltrains, San Joaquins, and Surfliners are funded by the California Department of Transportation, Caltrans. This is off the top of my head. If I'm wrong, I'm sure somebody will set us straight.
Caltrain terminates usually at San Jose Diridon or Tamien, rarely Gilroy. The San Joaquins also runs to Sacramento. Amtrak runs a lot of corridor routes, like the Capitol Corridor in the SF bay area or the Saluki in Illinois. I don't know much about the Surfliners, however.
 
I just completed a round trip Coast Starlight trip. 3 adults 3 children, two roomettes and one bedroom. Left Portland 7-25 (40 late) arrived Lax (229 late) missed the Anaheim connection, so we took the amtrak bus to the station at 2:00 am.

Nobody is there but one taxi, it takes two trips to the Disneyland Pier hotel for the family and baggage. (if you have kids upgrade to a concierge room Disneyland Resort Concierge Service) 2 days at Disneyland then we drive to Las Vegas for 5 days (MGM Grand) and 1 day at Lake Mohave. Travel back to Lax, spend the night at the Westin Bonaventure. Check all my baggage the night before the train trip so I can skip the lines at Union Station. 8-3 Train arrives (70 late). The trip back to Portland was very nice but we arrive late (305). Call Amtrak, they give me a total of $400 vouchers for the trip. I hope to use them on Seattle trips. Both car attendents were great. Renee and Roberto got almost no sleep because of delays but kept doing their jobs with a smile.

Link for a few pictures. My HT page. Amtrak pictures are at the bottom.
 
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