Just as Amtrak is Transitioning varios services it runs into new brand classifications, I am doing a gradual transition on my site. ...... The new site is now open with the schedules for western route #6, (or the Coaster Service), which is not operated by Amtrak, but is shown in my national timetable because Amtrak is a contract operator on this service.All of the Coaster Schedules will be availble on trainweb shortly. I picked this route for phase 1 as the result of some special event train service that was added for the Senior Festival in Downtown San Diego and to adjust the special events train numbering to make room for the renumbering of general system trains this fall.
So as to not make the same immediate transition mistake that was made when Amtrak converted San Diegans to Pacific Surfliners last Summer, I have chosen the more conservative gradual transition option, as is being done by Amtrak on the east coast.
The remaining routes will be done in stages as they are updated. ..... All schedules except the Coast Starlight, will show the odd number train reading up on the right fo the schedule, and the even number train reading down on the left. The reason why the Coast Starlight is an exception to this schedule rule is because of its "middle-of-the-route" polarity change over. In actuallity, Oakland is the railroad western terminal, and the actual timetable terminals are the eastern terminals. To be consistent with the former "westcoastamtraktrain" brand name, Seattle is the western end of this train's route, in terms of San Diego being the eastern-most point on the west coast that Amtrak services, and the fact that up till now, there have only been two directions in the railroad, east and west. As more railroads have started using all four directions of the compass at various locations in their system.
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Mark Landau