Coast Starlight

[Longhorn]

We're taking the CS from LA to San Francisco and have booked a roomette. I just read a post that advised sitting on the left side of the train to see the ocean. How much of this trip actually follows the coast? If our roomette isn't on the left side of the train and we have to go to an observation car or dining car to see the best scenery, I'm wondering if it's worth it to get the roomette if we won't be spending that much time in it.

I have a roomette number with my confirmation. Is it possible to find out what side of the train it's on?

Thanks!

On edit: You know, I thought it was "Starlight" but someone corrected me on another board. Now I can't edit the title.

 

[AlanB]

I'd say maybe 1/3rd of the ride is right on the coast. And no, sadly it's not possible to know for sure what side of the car your roomette will be on. Sleeper cars can be orientated in either direction, so one car could be running with room #2 on the ocean side while another car is running with room #2 on the inland side.

One advantage though of keeping the sleeper is that you will get free meals and you'll have your choice of 2 observation cars to hang out in should your room be on the wrong side. If you land on the wrong side in coach, then you only have one observation car to use and it could get quite busy.

 

[jackal]

Normally, I would suggest that you not book a sleeper for such a short, daytime journey. However, as a sleeper passenger, you'll get access to the wonderful, historic Pacific Parlour Car (see my trip report here) plus two meals (which can be taken either in the dining car, with the full dining menu, or the PPC, with a smaller, unique menu--again, see my trip report). If you got the sleeper for one of the lower bucket prices, it's worth the splurge at least once.

It's impossible to tell whether your roomette will be on the right or left side of the train. You can tell where in the car your roomette will be (even-numbered ones are on the same side as the stairwell and odd ones are on the opposite side; lower numbers are towards the stairs in the middle of the car and higher numbers are towards the door at the end of the car--middle's usually nicer and quieter...and closer to the free juices and water!), but there is no way to determine whether the A end or B end of the car will be oriented towards the front of the train.

The CS is a popular train, but if you find yourself on the wrong side and there is an empty roomette on the correct side, it might be possible to have the conductor switch you (though it would be a bit of a hassle for him/her to, and he/she most likely would not want to bother with it).

 

[Longhorn]

Normally, I would suggest that you not book a sleeper for such a short, daytime journey. However, as a sleeper passenger, you'll get access to the wonderful, historic Pacific Parlour Car (see my trip report here) plus two meals (which can be taken either in the dining car, with the full dining menu, or the PPC, with a smaller, unique menu--again, see my trip report). If you got the sleeper for one of the lower bucket prices, it's worth the splurge at least once.
It's impossible to tell whether your roomette will be on the right or left side of the train. You can tell where in the car your roomette will be (even-numbered ones are on the same side as the stairwell and odd ones are on the opposite side; lower numbers are towards the stairs in the middle of the car and higher numbers are towards the door at the end of the car--middle's usually nicer and quieter...and closer to the free juices and water!), but there is no way to determine whether the A end or B end of the car will be oriented towards the front of the train.

The CS is a popular train, but if you find yourself on the wrong side and there is an empty roomette on the correct side, it might be possible to have the conductor switch you (though it would be a bit of a hassle for him/her to, and he/she most likely would not want to bother with it).

Thanks for reminding me about your post! I read it when you first posted but at that time, I hadn't planned on taking the CS. It's even more interesting to me now. I'm printing it to take with me because you mention several things that I want to remember -- like having a French dip for breakfast! We're staying at the Metro Plaza Hotel so should have plenty of time.

I didn't realize that the Parlour car is another perk of the roomette. I don't remember how much the roomette cost but the entire trip for two on CS, LA to SF-Ferry Building plus CZ, SF-Ferry building to Denver, including roomettes on both trains, is only $720. The two roomettes were $432 -- since the CS is about one-third of the CZ, if the CS roomette is about one-third of $432, that would be $144, which for two people for 12 hours, including two meals each, seems worth it to me.

Thanks for sharing your trip!

 

[Rail Freak]

Normally, I would suggest that you not book a sleeper for such a short, daytime journey. However, as a sleeper passenger, you'll get access to the wonderful, historic Pacific Parlour Car (see my trip report here) plus two meals (which can be taken either in the dining car, with the full dining menu, or the PPC, with a smaller, unique menu--again, see my trip report). If you got the sleeper for one of the lower bucket prices, it's worth the splurge at least once.
It's impossible to tell whether your roomette will be on the right or left side of the train. You can tell where in the car your roomette will be (even-numbered ones are on the same side as the stairwell and odd ones are on the opposite side; lower numbers are towards the stairs in the middle of the car and higher numbers are towards the door at the end of the car--middle's usually nicer and quieter...and closer to the free juices and water!), but there is no way to determine whether the A end or B end of the car will be oriented towards the front of the train.

The CS is a popular train, but if you find yourself on the wrong side and there is an empty roomette on the correct side, it might be possible to have the conductor switch you (though it would be a bit of a hassle for him/her to, and he/she most likely would not want to bother with it).

Thanks for reminding me about your post! I read it when you first posted but at that time, I hadn't planned on taking the CS. It's even more interesting to me now. I'm printing it to take with me because you mention several things that I want to remember -- like having a French dip for breakfast! We're staying at the Metro Plaza Hotel so should have plenty of time.

I didn't realize that the Parlour car is another perk of the roomette. I don't remember how much the roomette cost but the entire trip for two on CS, LA to SF-Ferry Building plus CZ, SF-Ferry building to Denver, including roomettes on both trains, is only $720. The two roomettes were $432 -- since the CS is about one-third of the CZ, if the CS roomette is about one-third of $432, that would be $144, which for two people for 12 hours, including two meals each, seems worth it to me.

Thanks for sharing your trip!

Is the CS a Superliner?

 

[jackal]

Normally, I would suggest that you not book a sleeper for such a short, daytime journey. However, as a sleeper passenger, you'll get access to the wonderful, historic Pacific Parlour Car (see my trip report here) plus two meals (which can be taken either in the dining car, with the full dining menu, or the PPC, with a smaller, unique menu--again, see my trip report). If you got the sleeper for one of the lower bucket prices, it's worth the splurge at least once.
It's impossible to tell whether your roomette will be on the right or left side of the train. You can tell where in the car your roomette will be (even-numbered ones are on the same side as the stairwell and odd ones are on the opposite side; lower numbers are towards the stairs in the middle of the car and higher numbers are towards the door at the end of the car--middle's usually nicer and quieter...and closer to the free juices and water!), but there is no way to determine whether the A end or B end of the car will be oriented towards the front of the train.

The CS is a popular train, but if you find yourself on the wrong side and there is an empty roomette on the correct side, it might be possible to have the conductor switch you (though it would be a bit of a hassle for him/her to, and he/she most likely would not want to bother with it).

Thanks for reminding me about your post! I read it when you first posted but at that time, I hadn't planned on taking the CS. It's even more interesting to me now. I'm printing it to take with me because you mention several things that I want to remember -- like having a French dip for breakfast! We're staying at the Metro Plaza Hotel so should have plenty of time.

I didn't realize that the Parlour car is another perk of the roomette. I don't remember how much the roomette cost but the entire trip for two on CS, LA to SF-Ferry Building plus CZ, SF-Ferry building to Denver, including roomettes on both trains, is only $720. The two roomettes were $432 -- since the CS is about one-third of the CZ, if the CS roomette is about one-third of $432, that would be $144, which for two people for 12 hours, including two meals each, seems worth it to me.

Thanks for sharing your trip!

Glad you enjoyed it. Make sure to check out the Trip Reports forum for chuljin's post (he and I ended up on the same train).

I paid $71 (or maybe it was $79) extra for a roomette between LAX and PRB, which is just a bit over halfway to SFO. So if your $144 figure is correct (and even if it's not), you almost certainly got the lowest bucket or, at the most, the second-lowest bucket. In any case, I agree--good deal!

Is the CS a Superliner?

Yup--all long-distance trains west of the Mississippi use Superliners. The corridor (sorta like long-distance commuter) trains--the Pacific Surfliners, the San Joaquins, the Cascades, all of the various and sundry Illinois and Michigan services, etc.--are more of a mixed bag. None of the long-distance ones [regularly] use single-level equipment, however.

 

[Cascadia]

I didn't realize that the Parlour car is another perk of the roomette. I don't remember how much the roomette cost but the entire trip for two on CS, LA to SF-Ferry Building plus CZ, SF-Ferry building to Denver, including roomettes on both trains, is only $720. The two roomettes were $432 -- since the CS is about one-third of the CZ, if the CS roomette is about one-third of $432, that would be $144, which for two people for 12 hours, including two meals each, seems worth it to me.

Congratulations on the good deal you got. That seems like an excellent value for money! Are you on the CS for two nights then? You are going to have a blast!

 

[jackal]

I didn't realize that the Parlour car is another perk of the roomette. I don't remember how much the roomette cost but the entire trip for two on CS, LA to SF-Ferry Building plus CZ, SF-Ferry building to Denver, including roomettes on both trains, is only $720. The two roomettes were $432 -- since the CS is about one-third of the CZ, if the CS roomette is about one-third of $432, that would be $144, which for two people for 12 hours, including two meals each, seems worth it to me.

Congratulations on the good deal you got. That seems like an excellent value for money! Are you on the CS for two nights then? You are going to have a blast!

Actually, she's on the CS for a tad more than 12 hours, so he won't actually be getting much sleep (although he could certainly hit the sack early and get a few hours of shuteye before detraining in OKJ for the bus connection). I still think it's worth it at least once, though, just to enjoy the PPC and the special food they offer (I highly recommend the farfalle pasta I had).

I just did some test bookings--it appears that low bucket roomette on the CS from LAX-OKJ is $89. Oddly, I did some test bookings for 328, 329 and 330 days out and either the CS is a hot commodity or Amtrak is doing something with the fares (either holding out the low bucket or raising their fares--328 and 330 days out, the COACH fare is $76 and 329 days out it's $95! If I add a sleeper, the rail fare component drops to $48 (which sounds more reasonable, considering SLO and PRB can be found from LAX on the CS for $35), so something's going on.

Alan, we may need to investigate and rethink what we keep saying around here about buckets and how they're sold!

(And the sleepers were not at low bucket at 328, 329 and 330 days out--I dropped back to about 300 days out (next April) and found the $89 option, but coach was STILL $76...I also found those same prices on May 10, which would be, what, 325 days out...maybe the system just gets sorta screwy when it hits the 330 day mark...)

 

[Longhorn]

I didn't realize that the Parlour car is another perk of the roomette. I don't remember how much the roomette cost but the entire trip for two on CS, LA to SF-Ferry Building plus CZ, SF-Ferry building to Denver, including roomettes on both trains, is only $720. The two roomettes were $432 -- since the CS is about one-third of the CZ, if the CS roomette is about one-third of $432, that would be $144, which for two people for 12 hours, including two meals each, seems worth it to me.

Congratulations on the good deal you got. That seems like an excellent value for money! Are you on the CS for two nights then? You are going to have a blast!

No, the trip from LA to SF is only about 12 hours. We'll only have the one overnight on the CZ to Denver. Thanks!

 

[Longhorn]

I didn't realize that the Parlour car is another perk of the roomette. I don't remember how much the roomette cost but the entire trip for two on CS, LA to SF-Ferry Building plus CZ, SF-Ferry building to Denver, including roomettes on both trains, is only $720. The two roomettes were $432 -- since the CS is about one-third of the CZ, if the CS roomette is about one-third of $432, that would be $144, which for two people for 12 hours, including two meals each, seems worth it to me.

Congratulations on the good deal you got. That seems like an excellent value for money! Are you on the CS for two nights then? You are going to have a blast!

Actually, he's on the CS for a tad more than 12 hours, so he won't actually be getting much sleep (although he could certainly hit the sack early and get a few hours of shuteye before detraining in OKJ for the bus connection). I still think it's worth it at least once, though, just to enjoy the PPC and the special food they offer (I highly recommend the farfalle pasta I had).

I just did some test bookings--it appears that low bucket roomette on the CS from LAX-OKJ is $89. Oddly, I did some test bookings for 328, 329 and 330 days out and either the CS is a hot commodity or Amtrak is doing something with the fares (either holding out the low bucket or raising their fares--328 and 330 days out, the COACH fare is $76 and 329 days out it's $95! If I add a sleeper, the rail fare component drops to $48 (which sounds more reasonable, considering SLO and PRB can be found from LAX on the CS for $35), so something's going on.

Alan, we may need to investigate and rethink what we keep saying around here about buckets and how they're sold!

(And the sleepers were not at low bucket at 328, 329 and 330 days out--I dropped back to about 300 days out (next April) and found the $89 option, but coach was STILL $76...I also found those same prices on May 10, which would be, what, 325 days out...maybe the system just gets sorta screwy when it hits the 330 day mark...)

I just got the reservations last week so I'd be surprised if I got the lowest price, just two months out. We got great rates on the hotels in LA and SF, plus we added two All-Loops Double-Decker bus passes and a gourmet dinner/dance cruise in SF. And we're going to see A Prairie Home Companion at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, CO on my birthday!

The whole trip, including train fare, plane fare to LA and from Denver on SWA, hotels for four nights, and excursions in SF, is less than $2000. Plus we're getting $50 of free gas from Expedia! We're staying with our daughter for three nights in Denver.

While a cheap trip wasn't the main goal, I do like to get the best value for the money. I had priced Alaskan cruises before planning this trip. The cruise itself would have cost about the same, plus air fare to Vancouver and from Anchorage. While I recommend an Alaskan cruise to anyone who has never been, we did a cruise with almost the same itinerary two years ago so I didn't feel like spending that much money for the same cruise. Also, Mr. Longhorn isn't that much of a cruise fan. Instead, we're going on a land cruise!

Thanks for the fare investigation!

 

[WhoozOn1st]

We're taking the CS from LA to San Francisco and have booked a roomette. I just read a post that advised sitting on the left side of the train to see the ocean. How much of this trip actually follows the coast? If our roomette isn't on the left side of the train and we have to go to an observation car or dining car to see the best scenery, I'm wondering if it's worth it to get the roomette if we won't be spending that much time in it.
I have a roomette number with my confirmation. Is it possible to find out what side of the train it's on?

Thanks!

On edit: You know, I thought it was "Starlight" but someone corrected me on another board. Now I can't edit the title.

The coast part of the journey, northbound, begins just north of Ventura. When you pass a big hotel and the county fairgrounds (left side) about 20 minutes after the stop at Oxnard, you'll do coastal running (alongside Highway 101) to just before Carpinteria, where the line turns inland a bit. Still on the coast, just can't see the water - although in clear weather you might still be able to see the Channel Islands. Ocean views are kinda hit and miss into Santa Barbara, while on the inland side you'll see the million-dollar hillside homes of Montecito and Santa Barbara. At the SB stop you'll see beaches, a pier, etc.

North of Santa Barbara some more inland running for, oh, something under an hour.

Then the REAL coastline experience begins, as the CS runs on a cliff overlook the Pacific. No matter on which side of the train the roommette is located, fine views from both the Parlour car and the observation (lounge) car.

Coast running continues until just north of Vandenberg AFB (check out the missile installations), when the Starlight turns inland for the leg into San Luis Obispo. After SLO, do not miss Horsehoe Curve. Sometimes it's announced, sometimes not, but it's a marvel to be seen just a few minutes out as the train starts climbing over the mountains before dropping into the Salinas Valley. This is also around wine-tasting time in the Parlour car. My last trip I skipped the wine in favor taking shots of the train from the last coach.

The closest the train comes to the coast again is running along San Francisco Bay into OKJ - not much to see there.

Apologies for any jackal overlap, but hope I was able to add some detail. After all, I live here!

BTW, my Coast Starlight trip this weekend will not be on the coast AT ALL, which is exactly why I'm going!! A detour.

 

[p&sr]

Is the CS a Superliner?

Yes. Using "Superliner" to refer to Amtrak's 2-level Coach Train-sets used on long-distance trains, they are found on the following runs:

The AutoTrain (Virginia to Florida)

Coast Starlight

Sunset Limited

Texas Eagle

Empire Builder

California Zephyr

SouthWest Chief

City of New Orleans

Capitol Limited

This list include all and only those overnight trains which do not go to NYP.

 

[the_traveler]

BTW, my Coast Starlight trip this weekend will not be on the coast AT ALL, which is exactly why I'm going!! A detour.

Who's Professor Gloat now? :lol:

 

[chuljin]

However, as a sleeper passenger, you'll get access to the wonderful, historic Pacific Parlour Car (see my trip report here) plus two meals (which can be taken either in the dining car, with the full dining menu, or the PPC, with a smaller, unique menu--again, see my trip report).

If the PPC is even present. Yes, as a matter of fact I do just need to get over it. My own report, as mentioned by jackal elsewhere in this thread, is here (for the curious, it was the fourth part of a larger all-encompassing trip, and that post links to others about the other parts). My understanding, though, is that all the PPCs are back in service, and the chances that yours will have one are very very good.

I paid $71 (or maybe it was $79) extra for a roomette between LAX and PRB, which is just a bit over halfway to SFO. So if your $144 figure is correct (and even if it's not), you almost certainly got the lowest bucket or, at the most, the second-lowest bucket. In any case, I agree--good deal!

For comparison, I got my ticket, OKJ->LAX, slightly under 2 months out, and got $50.40 base fare ($56.00-10% AAA discount)+$89 for the roomette. It sounds like we (OP and I) got our tickets approximately the same relative time out; the difference, I think, is that mine was just before the low/high season switchover.

And we're going to see A Prairie Home Companion at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, CO on my birthday!

o/~ Oh, hear that old train whistle, from down a car or two;o/~ I smell the diesel, I look around for you;

o/~ Oh my sweet, sweet sweet old someone, comin' through that door;

o/~ It's Saturday and...the train is swayin'...Honey, could we ask for more?

(Perhaps only our fellow APHC fans will get that )

(o/~ is meant to resemble an eighth note, and is 'smileycode' for 'here follow some song lyrics')

Enjoy your trip!

 

[p&sr]

Oh, hear that old train whistle, from down a car or two;I smell the diesel, I look around for you;

Oh my sweet, sweet sweet old someone, comin' through that door;

It's Saturday and...the train is swayin'...Honey, could we ask for more?

"Tishomingo Blues"

http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/prairiehome...omingoblues.htm

(Ringtones available!)

 

[AlanB]

My understanding, though, is that all the PPCs are back in service, and the chances that yours will have one are very very good.

The fifth PPC was released from Beech Grove on June 11th, so it should be in service by now.

 

[Rail Freak]

My understanding, though, is that all the PPCs are back in service, and the chances that yours will have one are very very good.

The fifth PPC was released from Beech Grove on June 11th, so it should be in service by now.

I've missed a bit of info on the refurbed PPC, the new menu, does it cost more for sleepers like the wine & cheese?

 

[chuljin]

My understanding, though, is that all the PPCs are back in service, and the chances that yours will have one are very very good.

The fifth PPC was released from Beech Grove on June 11th, so it should be in service by now.

I've missed a bit of info on the refurbed PPC, the new menu, does it cost more for sleepers like the wine & cheese?

The only thing separately charged for ($5) about the PPC is the wine (and cheese) tasting. All other features of the PPC, like alternate meal service, and indeed admission itself to the PPC, are included in your sleeper fare. Note that on at least two recent trips (jackal's on 5/26 and my and jackal's accidentally-shared trip on 5/27), coach pax were also invited to buy tickets for the wine tasting (obviously including admission to the PPC [or its loungestitute] during the tasting).

Er, and I don't remember (because I have no personal knowledge) whether there is a staffed bar or the like on the PPC, but I think if there were, at least the hard stuff would also not be free.

 

[Longhorn]

We're taking the CS from LA to San Francisco and have booked a roomette. I just read a post that advised sitting on the left side of the train to see the ocean. How much of this trip actually follows the coast? If our roomette isn't on the left side of the train and we have to go to an observation car or dining car to see the best scenery, I'm wondering if it's worth it to get the roomette if we won't be spending that much time in it.
I have a roomette number with my confirmation. Is it possible to find out what side of the train it's on?

Thanks!

On edit: You know, I thought it was "Starlight" but someone corrected me on another board. Now I can't edit the title.

The coast part of the journey, northbound, begins just north of Ventura. When you pass a big hotel and the county fairgrounds (left side) about 20 minutes after the stop at Oxnard, you'll do coastal running (alongside Highway 101) to just before Carpinteria, where the line turns inland a bit. Still on the coast, just can't see the water - although in clear weather you might still be able to see the Channel Islands. Ocean views are kinda hit and miss into Santa Barbara, while on the inland side you'll see the million-dollar hillside homes of Montecito and Santa Barbara. At the SB stop you'll see beaches, a pier, etc.

North of Santa Barbara some more inland running for, oh, something under an hour.

Then the REAL coastline experience begins, as the CS runs on a cliff overlook the Pacific. No matter on which side of the train the roommette is located, fine views from both the Parlour car and the observation (lounge) car.

Coast running continues until just north of Vandenberg AFB (check out the missile installations), when the Starlight turns inland for the leg into San Luis Obispo. After SLO, do not miss Horsehoe Curve. Sometimes it's announced, sometimes not, but it's a marvel to be seen just a few minutes out as the train starts climbing over the mountains before dropping into the Salinas Valley. This is also around wine-tasting time in the Parlour car. My last trip I skipped the wine in favor taking shots of the train from the last coach.

The closest the train comes to the coast again is running along San Francisco Bay into OKJ - not much to see there.

Apologies for any jackal overlap, but hope I was able to add some detail. After all, I live here!

BTW, my Coast Starlight trip this weekend will not be on the coast AT ALL, which is exactly why I'm going!! A detour.

This is definitely getting printed! Thanks so much for taking the time to share that information! It will certainly help us plan when to be glued to the window and when to take a nap!

 

[Longhorn]

However, as a sleeper passenger, you'll get access to the wonderful, historic Pacific Parlour Car (see my trip report here) plus two meals (which can be taken either in the dining car, with the full dining menu, or the PPC, with a smaller, unique menu--again, see my trip report).

If the PPC is even present. Yes, as a matter of fact I do just need to get over it. My own report, as mentioned by jackal elsewhere in this thread, is here (for the curious, it was the fourth part of a larger all-encompassing trip, and that post links to others about the other parts). My understanding, though, is that all the PPCs are back in service, and the chances that yours will have one are very very good.

I paid $71 (or maybe it was $79) extra for a roomette between LAX and PRB, which is just a bit over halfway to SFO. So if your $144 figure is correct (and even if it's not), you almost certainly got the lowest bucket or, at the most, the second-lowest bucket. In any case, I agree--good deal!

For comparison, I got my ticket, OKJ->LAX, slightly under 2 months out, and got $50.40 base fare ($56.00-10% AAA discount)+$89 for the roomette. It sounds like we (OP and I) got our tickets approximately the same relative time out; the difference, I think, is that mine was just before the low/high season switchover.

And we're going to see A Prairie Home Companion at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, CO on my birthday!

o/~ Oh, hear that old train whistle, from down a car or two;o/~ I smell the diesel, I look around for you;

o/~ Oh my sweet, sweet sweet old someone, comin' through that door;

o/~ It's Saturday and...the train is swayin'...Honey, could we ask for more?

(Perhaps only our fellow APHC fans will get that )

(o/~ is meant to resemble an eighth note, and is 'smileycode' for 'here follow some song lyrics')

Enjoy your trip!

I did read your trip report and enjoyed it, too! I think I have as much fun planning and anticipating a trip as the trip itself and the travel reports add to the fun, not to mention the valuable information.

Thanks for the song lyrics, too. When A Prairie Home Companion came to Austin a couple of years ago, it sold out in the first hour the tickets were available. Garrison Keillor and his staff were so impressed, they added a second show after the radio broadcast. We got to go to that show after listening to the first on the radio. We had such fun! We'll go to the one at Red Rocks with our daughter and her boyfriend so we'll have someone to explain the local references in case we don't get them (though Denver has become almost a second home to us.)

 

[WhoozOn1st]

This is definitely getting printed! Thanks so much for taking the time to share that information! It will certainly help us plan when to be glued to the window and when to take a nap!

Glad it works for you. Very proud of my Golden State, and the Coast Starlight is possibly the best way to get a grand overview. Welcome!

A little addition:

The Salinas Valley run is kinda long, and might be a good naptime. But don't miss it all. Rich agricultural scenery. This is where much of the nation's homegrown produce comes from. Lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, tomatoes (safe ones), onions, garlic, chile peppers, cauliflower, eggplant, herbs, you name it. Starting around Salinas itself, and further north, you'll see fields of weird-looking leafy plants that look kinda droopy. Artichokes. Also some vineyards, which I believe are mostly for table grapes, but some for wine and raisins as well. A panorama (mostly on the left, northbound) of American agriculture at work.

Similar stuff between the Simi Valley and Oxnard stops, but with more diversity, including citrus, avocados (look up on the hills) and nurseries (major industry around here), as well as strawberries (long rows of plants under plastic).

Sorry to go ballistic, but to me, as a native Californian, it's all beautiful.

 

[jphjaxfl]

My first trip on the coast route through California was in August 1970 on Southern Pacific's Coast Daylight. I had a parlor seat oceanside in the round end parlor car on the end of a very long crowded train. I remember the beautiful scenery. The train also carried an SP Dome Lounge which SP rebuilt in the early 1950s from what had been streamlined coaches built in the late 1930s. The Dome Lounge had a complete glass roof even over the stairway leading to the dome. The dome had the "see ahead" advantage that the current Superliner Lounges don't have. Ironically the Coast Daylight only offered an SP Automat Car for food service. On the day I took the train, a Dining Car would have done very well. The trip took 10 hours with the train leaving LA at 8:30AM and arriving SP's San Francisco station at 3rd and Townsend about 6:30PM. On that trip, there were 2 SP officials seated in the Parlor Car who were going to San Francisco for some function so the crew made sure the train ran on time. I had taken the coast route several times since on Amtrak. The 213 miles of route by ocean is fantastic. California does offer some of the best Amtrak scenery in the US.

 

[jackal]

Whooz pretty much covered it all. One very minor addition: around a half an hour before San Luis Obispo as you pass through the Five Cities area (Pismo Beach, Grover Beach, Arroyo Grande, etc.), the train goes through a cluster of eucalyptus trees. This area is home to a HUGE migration of monarch butterfies--it's an incredibly awesome experience to see millions, if not billions, of Monarchs fluttering around. I'm not sure when it happens, but if the train is going through the area at the right time, you just might see some.

Nearby (I think just before the monarch grove) are some impressive coastal sand dunes.

There's also a cool railroad trestle over Gaviota Beach just before the train tracks leave Highway 101 and enter Vandenberg AFB. The missle silos Whooz referenced are indeed impressive and are on the right side of the train.

One interesting thing mentioned by the wine tasting hosts is that one of the wines is from a vineyard near Monterey which the train, quite literally, cuts through. Lots of vineyards in San Luis Obispo and north, too (up through Paso Robles, at least), that produce world-class wines.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[Longhorn]

This is definitely getting printed! Thanks so much for taking the time to share that information! It will certainly help us plan when to be glued to the window and when to take a nap!

Glad it works for you. Very proud of my Golden State, and the Coast Starlight is possibly the best way to get a grand overview. Welcome!

A little addition:

The Salinas Valley run is kinda long, and might be a good naptime. But don't miss it all. Rich agricultural scenery. This is where much of the nation's homegrown produce comes from. Lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, tomatoes (safe ones), onions, garlic, chile peppers, cauliflower, eggplant, herbs, you name it. Starting around Salinas itself, and further north, you'll see fields of weird-looking leafy plants that look kinda droopy. Artichokes. Also some vineyards, which I believe are mostly for table grapes, but some for wine and raisins as well. A panorama (mostly on the left, northbound) of American agriculture at work.

Similar stuff between the Simi Valley and Oxnard stops, but with more diversity, including citrus, avocados (look up on the hills) and nurseries (major industry around here), as well as strawberries (long rows of plants under plastic).

Sorry to go ballistic, but to me, as a native Californian, it's all beautiful.

I also love your state! For our 25th anniversary, we flew into San Jose and rented a Mustang convertible, and over the next week in March, made a circuit that included Monterey, Hearst Castle, San Francisco, the coast and parts north until the end of the Avenue of the Giants, Napa Valley, and Berkeley. Since our son has been in the Marines, we've also made trips that included San Diego, LA, and 29 Palms. This trip is our chance to get a close-up view of the southern coast. I don't need the Mustang because I now own a 2001 Saleen convertible.

 

[Longhorn]

Whooz pretty much covered it all. One very minor addition: around a half an hour before San Luis Obispo as you pass through the Five Cities area (Pismo Beach, Grover Beach, Arroyo Grande, etc.), the train goes through a cluster of eucalyptus trees. This area is home to a HUGE migration of monarch butterfies--it's an incredibly awesome experience to see millions, if not billions, of Monarchs fluttering around. I'm not sure when it happens, but if the train is going through the area at the right time, you just might see some.
Nearby (I think just before the monarch grove) are some impressive coastal sand dunes.

There's also a cool railroad trestle over Gaviota Beach just before the train tracks leave Highway 101 and enter Vandenberg AFB. The missle silos Whooz referenced are indeed impressive and are on the right side of the train.

One interesting thing mentioned by the wine tasting hosts is that one of the wines is from a vineyard near Monterey through which the train, quite literally, cuts through. Lots of vineyards in San Luis Obispo and north, too (up through Paso Robles, at least), that produce world-class wines.

Enjoy your trip!

What a gorgeous photo! Thanks for all of the tips! This may be the only time we get to make this trip so we appreciate being "in the know" through the experiences of others. We're also going to be sure to get French dip sandwiches from Phillipe's! I've been reading up on the place and can't believe how lucky I am to have learned about it (from your travel report.) It's exactly the kind of historical place we love to visit, even if it means we'll be having sandwiches for breakfast. Now we just have to decide: beef, pork, or lamb? Single or double-dipped?