Starlight Troubles

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AMTRAK-P42

Conductor
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Messages
1,181
Location
Redlands, CA
Well not really sure whats going on with this one, I have not heard a whole lot. The only thing that lead me to think something out of the ordinary was happening was the "Super" starlight headed north 2 days ago. It was 2 full trainsets, which would be consistent with #11/14 canceling somewhere further north then SLO. As I was checking the status of #11 into LAUPT yesterday, I was getting the message "Im sorry, train #11 does not operate to that city on the date requested". Now as we all know, the system does have errors, so I tried it again today. Same message, but then I proceeded to type in Oakland (a place where they typically cancel the starlight if she wont go any further south), and I got a full report. Finally, I tried San Jose, the next station down the line, and got the same "does not operate" message. So it appears that #11/14 are canceling in Oakland for atleast the next couple of days. Does anybody know why? My only guess is UP track work.

On the bright side, delays have been down from the once horrendous 5-6 hour average, to about 2 hours.
 
Well it turns out my guess was correct, UP track work in Santa Clara has been holding Amtrak in OAK for the last couple of days. Things should be going back to normal any day now.

On a side note, Amtrak #11 will be detouring over Tehachapi Pass this Sunday. Instead of running the scenic route down the coast, #11 will switch to the inland route at Sacramento and head down the valley to near Fresno, when it will take Tehachapi on over to LA. If anyone has a chance to get on #11 this Sunday, I would do it, this could be a once in a life time chance.
 
P-42

Gene Poon has not as yet signed on to this move.

The general talk at trainorders.com is that this a deadhead move.

But, if it turns out to be a revenue run, you betcha I'll be on it.

SBA-BFD Amtrak Thruway Bus

BFD-LAX re-routed # 11

LAX-SBA Pacific Surfliner

I was planning on going to the Point Mugu air show, but the # 11 over Tehachapi would trump that.
 
Allen Dee said:
P-42
Gene Poon has not as yet signed on to this move.

The general talk at trainorders.com is that this a deadhead move.

But, if it turns out to be a revenue run, you betcha I'll be on it.

SBA-BFD Amtrak Thruway Bus

BFD-LAX re-routed # 11

LAX-SBA Pacific Surfliner

I was planning on going to the Point Mugu air show, but the # 11 over Tehachapi would trump that.
Click to expand...
Mr. Poon is on Vacation at the moment so he doesn't have internet access I know him from one of my Boards and he told us.
 
I just now made a phone call to Amtrak, inquiring about riding the detoured Starlight over Tehachapi.

The agent told me that this train will, in fact, travel all the way to LAUS (LAX) with revenue passengers, but only for those passengers who boarded north of Sacramento. I specifically asked about booking a ticket from Bakersfield to LAUS and was told, "NO!"

WE RAILFANS ARE A STUBBORN BREED!!!!!!!!!!!

I am seriously considering, first thing in the morning, going to the Santa Barbara Amtrak station, catching the Thruway bus to Bakersfield, and trying to schmooz my way into riding this train, and I'm sure I won't be alone.

It is highly unlikely that this train is sold out. It is also highly likely that many of the passengers will be talked into the 2 hour bus ride over the Grapevine vs. the potential 8 hour train ride over the Tehachapi loop, so there should be plenty of available seats on this train.

It is also highly likely that Amtrak will refuse to sell those empty seats to the throngs of railfans who traveled to Bakersfield for this once-in-a-lifetime experience. The worst that can happen to me is another ride on the Thruway bus back to Santa Barbara.
 
I honestly don't think that this train is going to stop between Sacramento and Los Angeles. There aren't any Coast Starlight stops between those two places.

I think that it's a bit odd that they won't let folks on at Sacramento (a regular stop) and ride to LA (a regular stop). Plenty of California rail fans would show up for the ride....
 
I wonder if they will stop at Sacramento at all. Reason is that to get from the depot to the line to Fresno and Bakersfield would require a reverse move from the depot to I believe Haggin where it would meet that line. That could get very ugly, so I wouldn't be surprides if that 11 bypasses Sacramento altogether.
 
Allen Dee said:
It is also highly likely that Amtrak will refuse to sell those empty seats to the throngs of railfans who traveled to Bakersfield for this once-in-a-lifetime experience. The worst that can happen to me is another ride on the Thruway bus back to Santa Barbara.
Click to expand...
The last paragraph on my last post said it all.

Did I really want to spend the better part of the day riding on buses?

Would I have been able to ride the detoured # 11 over Tehachapi?

The risk was not worth the chance, so I elected to spend the afternoon in my favorite local sports bar watching MY Raiders and MY White Sox win their games, followed by a safe ride home in a taxi.
 
Allen Dee said:
Would I have been able to ride the detoured # 11 over Tehachapi?
Click to expand...
Most likely, NO. Bakersfield is not a stop on the Coast Starlight, and thus Amtrak doesn't have any Starlight fares programmed from BFD-LAX. I don't know if the train even stopped in BFD (though it might have, for a crew change).

In general, Amtrak does not sell tickets to/from intermediate points on detours (in fact, I can't specifically think of any instance where they have done so recently).
 
Turns out they did the reverse move from the Sacramento Depot to Elvas (got the junction name wrong) then wyed the train to head down the Fresno sub. Wish I would have known about it sooner I would have taken the ride.
 
Here shes is in all her glory, rounding the tehachapi pass lope on her way to LAUPT (picture is from railpicutres.net, caught by Alex Ramos).

1132385340550_starlight.jpg
 
That is an absolutely great shot. At first I didn't notice the freight engine on the left and it appeared that #11 was also pulling all the freight cars.
 
haolerider said:
That is an absolutely great shot.  At first I didn't notice the freight engine on the left and it appeared that #11 was also pulling all the freight cars.
Click to expand...
Aloha

I also did not notice the freight engines and had the same reaction, thought that was why the comments about not getting to ride the Starlight on this trip.

Not having been to Tehachapi it never sank into my head that it was double tracked.

Mahalo for helping me see that.

Eric
 
If I'm the photo editor, I'm buying your picture. Nice work. Great shot!

If only we could see that train on that track on a daily basis. Sigh.
 

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