Returning Monday afternoon from the Team Whooz Pacific Northwest Incursion (Opening Soon in a trip report forum near you!), Coast Starlight train 11 was running about 30 minutes early into Santa Barbara. After running really nicely for most of the trip from PDX, we began crawling the last several miles into SBA, and I speculated that we might be holding off for a Pacific Surfliner departure from SBA.
Yup, and in passing 775 we saw that its consist included Amtrak's sole remaining dome, ex-Great Northern full length, Budd-built No. 10031. The remainder of the consist is the single-level set usually employed for Surfliners 799/798 between LAX and SLO.
Likely the trainset will run as 774 (SLO-SAN) Tuesday, but it can't return to SLO as 775, so what happens next will be something to watch. At any rate, the great dome is running around SoCal right now, and updates on sightings would be helpful. We're gonna try to railfan it southbound Tuesday morning. Nice to see it back where it belongs!
Yup, and in passing 775 we saw that its consist included Amtrak's sole remaining dome, ex-Great Northern full length, Budd-built No. 10031. The remainder of the consist is the single-level set usually employed for Surfliners 799/798 between LAX and SLO.
Likely the trainset will run as 774 (SLO-SAN) Tuesday, but it can't return to SLO as 775, so what happens next will be something to watch. At any rate, the great dome is running around SoCal right now, and updates on sightings would be helpful. We're gonna try to railfan it southbound Tuesday morning. Nice to see it back where it belongs!