I've heard that the track from San Clemente to Oceanside on the Pacific Surfliner still has the old Santa Fe auto train stop, so the speed is 90 mph (at least for parts). However, I was on the train this evening, and we didn't seem to passing the cars on 1-5 at all (in fact, some were passing us).
Maybe I just wasn't aware of it when it happened, but are there still 90 mph sections on this route?
posted
It's still 90 mph. May have been train(s) ahead & engineer didn't want to run on yellows/reds. or a temp. speed restriction. Also if you're sitting on second level speeds don't seem as fast. AND cars on I-5 are NOT going speed limit!
Posts: 249 | From: Downey CA USA | Registered: Jul 2000
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posted
The 90 MPH is from south of Santa Ana to just south of Sorrento Valley. 90 MPH is allowed because ATS or Automatic Train Stop is used. There is a shoe on the engine ans/or cab car that activites it. If it is not working, the train can only go 79 MPH on the absolute block rule.
Chris
Posts: 711 | From: Santa Ana | Registered: May 2003
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posted
I occasionally time my trips on I-5 to pace the train. Once I paced a southbound through Camp Pendleton...he had green signals but was going about 75mph (maybe the ATS wasn't working). In light traffic the cars on I-5 move at 70-75mph generally, with some sports cars and a few others going faster.
Two other times I have paced northbounds out of Oceanside and they quickly leave me in the dust as they get up above 80 mph...not worth risking a ticket to see if they really are going 90!
MP
Posts: 874 | From: South Bay (LA County), Calif, USA | Registered: Aug 2000
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posted
A note on the other route with ATS. I just got back from my Southwest Chief trips. On #3, running through the Crookton cutoff west of Williams Ariz. the conductor radioed to the engineer that the track was a bit rough so the engineer took off 15 mph, so he went from 90 to 75. It didn't seem any smoother (I thought it was smoother at 90!) but they kept it at 75. I'll post a more detailed mini travelog of my journey soon.
Posts: 579 | From: San Bernardino Subdivison | Registered: Dec 2001
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