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I was woken in the middle of the night by cats hollering in my garden and couldn't get back to sleep, so I switched on the TV and flicked through the channels, to come across some people getting out of a Superliner at Paso Robles, California. Fortunately, it was on a channel that offers a "+1 hour" service, so I hit the Sky-Plus (I think it's similar to what you call "Tivo") for the re-run to see what I had missed.
It turned out to be a comedy programme called "What about Brian" and two of the characters were trying to get from LA to Monterey, but Monterey airport was closed by fog so they decided to go by train.
As they dashed through Union Station they checked the departures board, so I froze the picture and it made interesting reading.
They were catching the number 11, the Coast Starlight, which departed at 9.00pm at night!
Also there was a northbound Surfliner, number 589, departing at 8.50 (currently only a bus) and an even later northbound Surfliner departure, number 585 at 11.05 pm!!
They made the train with seconds to spare and we saw the CS pull off into the summer twilight.
I checked the Amtrak timetable in case I had missed something and it had changed drastically in the three years since I was last in California to find it was only artistic licence (perhaps from a scriptwriter who supports Amtrak!).
I remember somebody suggesting extending the Zepher to LA which would provide o/n service between LA and the Bay Area at minimal cost but I suppose that won't happen.
Still, an interesting idea
(and in case you're wondering why they got off at Paso Robles it was because they woke from a deep sleep in the morning hearing "last call", grabbed their stuff and dashed off, only realising they were not at Salinas as the train pulled away. They then had to hire a car which broke down and had to detour across country due to road works etc etc etc but it all turned out right in the end and they all lived happily ever after).
sojourner Member # 3134
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That's very interesting, Mr Williams, thanks for posting.
I don't think extending the Zephyr would be such a good idea; it's notoriously late as it is. But I have never understood why there isn't a train from Sacramento to San Diego (kind of an extension of one Pacific Surfliner, but with another name, of course), which would make a second viable all-train connection between LA and the San Francisco area. I find it very odd that California has all these trains and yet, for connections between its two biggest cities, relies primarily on a route with so many buses.
mr williams Member # 1928
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I agree it's not perfect, but since the demise of the Desert Wind there is no link from the CZ route to LA. The CZ (supposedly) currently gets into Emeryville in early evening and allowing the same sort of timings as the CS would reach LA at around 9.00 am the following morning. It wouldn't have to go back until 9.00 pm at night at the earliest so allowing four hours for turnaround work there would be 8 hours plus all the padding currently built into the SLC - EMY schedule to allow for delays.
What I do see from the current timetable is that Amtrak are running buses between Santa Barbara or San Luis Obispo and San Jose to connect out of all their Surfliners (including overnight) so the rudiments of a four up/four down service between SFO - LAX exists - now all they need is the trains to replace the buses!!
Railroad Bob Member # 3508
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quote:Originally posted by sojourner: That's very interesting, Mr Williams, thanks for posting.
I don't think extending the Zephyr would be such a good idea; it's notoriously late as it is. But I have never understood why there isn't a train from Sacramento to San Diego (kind of an extension of one Pacific Surfliner, but with another name, of course), which would make a second viable all-train connection between LA and the San Francisco area. I find it very odd that California has all these trains and yet, for connections between its two biggest cities, relies primarily on a route with so many buses.
Hi Ms. Sojourner- there was such a train back i the late 80s I believe that ran a near mirror-image schedule to the Starlight, from LAX to Sacto. The short-lived train was called the Spirit and ran north at #18 and south as #15. It departed each end point at 8:30 PM. I recall seeing some excellent sunrises on this train coming south near the SBA area. Consist was generally a couple of Amfleet coaches, an AmLounge, bag car and get this-- a 10-6 vintage Sleeper. Pulled by a couple of F40s, it was a swell train to work on or be a passenger on. After a short run, it died what had to be called a political death. A governor named George Deukmejian signed its death warrant on practically his first day in office, he hated passenger rail so much. But Amtrak did try to have an alternate option to the daylight running Starlight on the corridor you mention, except it did not extend to San Diego. There were San Diegans that served the Spirit's passengers, though.
sojourner Member # 3134
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Thanks for the info, Railraod Bob. I actually had a vague memory of it myself, though it was before I was taking trains. . . Anyway, I hope with all this talk of high-speed rail in California, they bring it back--or something like it. It's really crazy to have all those buses when you are putting in trains!
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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quote:Originally posted by Railroad Bob: After a short run, it died what had to be called a political death. A governor named George Deukmejian signed its death warrant on practically his first day in office, he hated passenger rail so much.
RRBob, possibly a different take on the short life of the Spirit of California was that an additional San Joaquin frequency was added after its demise. This would appear to simply be a case of putting the trains where the people are and moving them more efficiently.
While I know that circa 1963 (been there done that) The Lark often had twelve Pullmans in consist along with its unique Lark Club triple unit Diner-Lounge, that is simply no longer what SFran-LA travel is today. It is now hop out to one of at least four regional airports in LA and choice of two in SF, hop on a Burple and Vermillion B-737, rent an auto to final destination, conduct your business, and repeat the process to be home again for a late Dinner. That's all the less School plays and Soccer games missed.
Raising the shade on an Engineer's side Roomette near Point Conception on a crystal clear morning followed by a superb Breakfast in the Lark Club is simply not part of business travel today - and nothing is going to make it so again.
Southwest Chief Member # 1227
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Found the full episode online if anyone would like to see it:
As much as I hate Hulu with their ads, this is the only place you'll find this other then late late TV.
The train parts show up at:
8:27-9:24 (Union Station and boarding Surfliner)
11:44-12:59 (Getting off at Paso Robles)
The train they board is not the Coast Starlight but a Surfliner trainset with California Cars. A Superliner I Coach in IVb paint does appear at 9:22 and probably confused you. But it's just the typical fill in extra coach on a Surfliner.
sbalax Member # 2801
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This discussion brings back wonderful memories of taking my father to the Glendale SP Station to board the Lark when he was going to San Francisco on business. Plenty of time for a drink or two, a nice night's sleep and breakfast before starting a full day of business. I seem to recall that he often came back the next night.
How did I miss the "Spirit"? Is there a place to find more information?
Frank in overcast and cool SBA
Railroad Bob Member # 3508
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quote:Originally posted by Gilbert B Norman:
Raising the shade on an Engineer's side Roomette near Point Conception on a crystal clear morning followed by a superb Breakfast in the Lark Club is simply not part of business travel today - and nothing is going to make it so again. [/QB]
Beautifully and evocatively written, Mr. Gil. While Amtrak's old Spirit of California might not have had the incredible home-cooked breakfast that the Lark featured, the salmon pink/orange sunrises were one and the same for the lucky Spirit passengers waking from their cozy berths in the well-maintained Heritage sleeping car.
I loved making the berths in those cars-- using a well-worn "berth key" I inherited from a true Pullman Porter. New Amtrakers don't even know what a berth key is-- but you could not work one of the old sleepers without one. (They released the upper beds from the "day" position.) My ancient trainer, (a veteran SP man) taught me that a "quarter should bounce" on a properly made berth. Work on that train was like being in a time machine; one could almost imagine being a porter or a passenger on the SP's famous Lark, plying its way down the historic steel of the Coast Route. I remember the tang of salt air would freshen the inside air of the old sleepers--try that on a 737! Walking between the cars one would hear the thunder of the wheels pounding the joints, since not all of the Coast Line was modern welded rail in the days I was lucky to have been an employe on this amazing (and hardly known today) passenger train. I really loved bringing steaming hot coffee to my wakening passengers, which they would sip while watching the Pacific sunrises on those crystal-clear mornings that the Lark customers used to see. Something eternal, correct and civilized about this kind of travel-
palmland Member # 4344
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Well said, RRBob. But we should be thankful that it is still possible to have a good meal and then sit in one of those wonderful swivel chairs in the PPC while sipping wine and pondering the pleasures of a good night's sleep in our bedroom with more scenery to come.
According to Wikipedia the Spirit ran from 1981-1983. Here is a link to its timetable - quite an interesting web site.
Railroad Bob Member # 3508
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True that, palmland. I guess there is "still hope" as long as those famous Coast Line rails don't go to rust, or become <gasp> a hiking/bicycle "trail." Not much chance of that though as long as the giant Union Pacific is still running their freights along the Route. But there was just something magic about a true "night train" along that Line- at least as it was done by the Lark and the Spirit in their respective eras. Maybe there's even some room for romantics, history buffs and fans of civilized forms of travel -- in our modern austere times.
Looking at the "bottom line" isn't the SBA/LAX/SAN corridor the second busiest in the American commute rail demographic of routes that range to about 240 miles? Second only to the NEC, I believe...by passenger miles traveled. I'm sure GBN knows the stats here regarding the longer corridors, not just the Metro/Metra systems that range out to 40-60 miles. I think Chicago, or the LIRR systems must be the kings of this shorter range.
amtrak92 Member # 14343
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I find this little known train very interesting. I actually new about it when I found it by accident on the internet. Very interesting. I like the story RRBob. Would you consider writing a story for my magazine the Iron Horse Times. About the Spirt of course
mr williams Member # 1928
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I really can't see where the problem is in running one train a day from San Jose (if not San Francisco) to San Luis Obisbo to meet up with the midday Surfliner. The two trains could come in head to head, through passengers would transfer from one unit to another and they could head back in the direction they came from.
OK, times are tight, but to me this is one of those "most bang for your buck" ideas.
Amtrak207 Member # 1307
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Bwian, eh?
I usually don't watch TV shows about trains; they mix up the facts pretty badly. If you haven't already, check out "Supertrains" or even better "Disaster on the Coastliner," both available on UToob.
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