Pacific Surfliner Observation Cars?

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Alfred

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I know that the Surfliner doesn't usually have observation cars (i.e. the kind with the double-windows on the 2nd level). However, I've heard on the train people asking if there is one, and just today saw a Surfliner (think it may be #782 if the train tracking website is correct) with one Charger locomotive, some Surfliner cars (in Blue/White/Grey) at least one California Car (in Blue/Gold/Grey), and what appeared to be one Superliner observation car.

I'd like to ride on a Surfliner with an observation car, if possible. Does anyone know if there's any way to be certain if a train would have an Observation car?
 
Superliner sightseer cars are not regularly scheduled to run on the Surfliners. I'm not sure why one would be in the consist.
 
There is occasionally a sightseer lounge car on a Surfliner set. I've ridden on it three times (1 time planned, 2 times unplanned but on the same trainset on the same day). The Pacific Surfliner Twitter used to announce it as "Train xxxx has no Wi-Fi today" meaning that the lounge car replaced the regular coach/cafe, which I figured out because I saw Surfliners go by regularly at that time. Recently I haven't seen them say it though, which means they probably fixed it. The last time I rode it was only 2 months ago, so they've kept it around.
 
While sitting in my hotel room in Burbank the day after Christmas waiting for the grapevine to re-open so I could complete the last leg of my trip, I caught a glimpse of a northbound surfliner flying by and I’m almost certain it had a sightseer lounge in the consist.
 
In another thread last year I asked why there is more long distance equipment subbing in on the Surfliners lately, but nobody really knew why. I am still seeing them quite regularly.

Anyway, I just reached my destination after having gotten off 785 tonight (Friday 1/10). This trainset has the long distance lounge car subbing in for the cafe car and a reconfigured Superliner in California colors as car #5. The wrap-around windows were spectacular for viewing the sunset over the ocean and the full moon rising over the hills and mountains.

This trainset should return tomorrow morning (Saturday 1/11) as 768.
 
Superliner Sightseer Lounge cars occasionally make an appearance in Pacific Surfliner trains (in place of their usual Coach/Cafe). More common is the use of Superliner coach car (Business Class) and an occasional blue/yellow "California" car in the consist. My daily observation of this in the "early bird" #759 while I'm waiting for my Metrolink commute into LAX.
 
FYI I reached my destination on the exact same trainset on 774 this afternoon (Sunday 1/12). Normally this trainset returns as 785 but I'm not sure if the modified schedule due to rail construction affects this or not.
 
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