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Last week I took the Coast Starlight from Los Angeles to San Francisco. The train, food, scenery, and on-board service were great. Amtrak has a pretty good description of the train’s features under the route tab on its home page, so I won’t attempt to duplicate it.
I booked a roomette for the trip so that I could sample the Pacific Parlor car that several folks have raved about. And I opted for the alternative lunch meal in the Parlor car. I had a spinach salad that was as good as anything that I have had in an up-marked restaurant. For supper I ate in the dinner. Again, the food was very good.
When I have ordered ice cream for desert on the Eagle, they bring Haagan Dazs in the cup that reminds me of a dixie cup. On the Coast Starlight they take it out of the cup and put it into a real bowl, as in real china. One could choose vanilla, peanut butter chocolate, or raspberry sorbet. I chose peanut butter chocolate, although I like vanilla also. But count me out when it comes to sorbet.
My roomette had distinctive head covers or whatever they are called on the seats. They have a Starlight picture emblazoned on them. On boarding I received a nice convenience package similar to what I get when flying to Australia, and the car attendant explained to each passenger the features of the car as well as the services that she would be providing.
In the afternoon first class passengers were treated to a wine and cheese tasting party in the parlor car. It was similar to the same party that I had on the Empire Builder several years ago. Also, in the afternoon, as well as the evening, there was a movie in the theater, which is located in the lower level of the car.
The Pacific Parlor car is a former Santa Fe El Capitan car. It brought back fond memories. My first eastbound cross-country trip by train was on the El Capitan from Los Angeles to Chicago in 1960. I remember being fascinated by the high level cars, which were unlike anything that I had seen riding the PRR from and to Altoona.
The service on the Starlight was excellent. The personnel seemed to have a much better attitude than many of Amtrak’s employees that I have met on the Texas Eagle. In addition to the professional service in the parlor car and dinner, my car attendant was pleasant, helpful, and efficient. She was on top of her game. I had an opportunity to talk with her at various points throughout my trip. It was obvious that she was proud to be a part of the Starlight crew.
The Starlight had three locos up front, a baggage car, four sleepers, the parlor car, a dinner, a lounge car, and four coaches.
While in southern California I rode the Pacific Surfliner from Anaheim to San Diego and back twice. On Sunday, which was Mother’s Day, I figured the train would be crowded, so I booked business class in both directions. I had anticipated correctly. Every business class seat was taken until Oceanside. Likewise, on the return trip business class was heavily patronized. On my second trip to San Diego I booked coach class. I was just as comfortable in coach as I had been in business class, although there is a bit more room between the seats in business class, and business class passengers get free coffee, snacks, and wine. Well, of course, they are not free; they are priced into the business class premium fare. The load factor during the week was considerably lower than on Mother’s Day, which is what I have experienced on previous trips between LAX and San Diego on Amtrak California.
The California cars were comfortable. The seats are easy on the backside, the temperature was just right, and the ride was smooth. The only drawback that I experienced when departing Anaheim for LAX to connect with the Starlight was lugging my bag up stairs. As far as I could tell, there is no luggage space on the lower level. Or if there is no one told me about it. In San Diego I noticed that a large number of passengers were checking or had checked their bags, which suggests there is inadequate luggage space on the surf line cars or people don’t want to lug their bags upstairs.
The Pacific surf line is a good example of where passenger trains make sense. It is 102 miles from LAX to San Diego. The area is heavily populated, and traffic congestion is a problem. North of LAX it is 103 miles from LAX to Santa Barbara and 222 miles from LAX to San Luis Obispo. This portion of the corridor does not appear to be as densely populated as the southern portion, but it too is a good example of where passenger trains make sense. Given the demographics of these corridors, Amtrak California is able to schedule numerous trains in both directions, making for frequent and convenient service, which is necessary for a sustainable operation.
Great report, Sam1. Thanks.
Sam,
One minor quibble, the Pacfic Surfliner stops at LAUPT, which is quite a few miles via the Red, Blue and Green lines from LAX. Nice writeup, thanks!
- Erik
erikem Sam, One minor quibble, the Pacfic Surfliner stops at LAUPT, which is quite a few miles via the Red, Blue and Green lines from LAX. Nice writeup, thanks! - Erik
Your are correct in that Amtrak's trains operate to and from Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal, which I believe is one of the most beautiful railway stations in the country. On its reservation system Amtrak uses LAX for bookings on its trains into and out of Los Angeles.
I flew from Austin to LAX and took the Flyaway bus from the airport to LAUPT. It only costs $7.00 and was recommended to me someone on these forums. No problem.
Whilst in LA I rode the Red line from LAUPT to the 7th Street Transit Center, where I caught a Blue Line train to Long Beach. This was the first time that I have ridden the light rail system in LA. I give it high marks.
Nice report! Now I gotta figure out how and when to go for a ride.
We rode the Surfliners a few years back. We had a good bit of luggage. If I remember right, there was a good sized rack on the lower level at one end of the car between the door and the stairs.
-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
To quote Sam 1, "My roomette had distinctive head covers or whatever they are called on the seats." Antimacassars? I rather expect that this term has gone out of use, but some 100 and more years ago, many men used macassar oil on their hair. Perhaps "head rest cover" can be used to describe these covers (head cover--to cover the passengers head?). Sixty or so years ago, the Southern still used cloth covers (complete with the Southen emblem--there was no such thing as a "logo" back then), and then changed to paper covers (also with the Southern emblem) to reduce the cost of replacing them when dirty.
Johnny
Pertinent to the Santa Barb to SLO "does not appear to be as densely populated as the southern portion."
Would you believe that in the 60's when we were between Guadalupe and Goleta, there wasn't anyplace that we could get food or water commercialy within a mile or so of the Coast Div. main.'
Permanent human residents between the Coast mainline and the surf, there weren't; this is for where the main' borders the surf from Narlon to about 6 miles from Goleta.
A bunch of this track, tho' in ABS, territory was dark. The Point Concepcion 'light, ships transiting the Coast, the train order apparatous at Surf, and launch-site markers in green, yellow and red at the Pacific Missile Range, USN and Vandenburg AFB. were there, If it weren't for moonlght or ascending Atlas rockets, dark, dark trerritory..
A great place to be learning from a great group of rails, classical and learning, new and innovating.
Between areas where there was no radio communication (other eras could jumper in to a dispr communication wire to ask for help. We couldn't.)
Very nice report on the Starlight. I rode it from Portland to San Francisco. Because of track work, we had to ride regular coach to Eugene with a box lunch, then a bus to Klamath Falls, but when we got to the sleeper train, they had kept the diner open for us, even though it was 10 pm. That way we did not miss our first class included meal. Since we had missed the wine and cheese party, we had complimentary wine with our meal and the steward in the Parlor car also gave me a small bottle to take with me.
There was a vase holding a long stemmed rose in my compartment which was also a nice touch. I had taken the Builder from Chicago to Portland, which was also a wonderful trip. But there was something special about the Starlight.
Because most of my train trips had been with my parents on Dad's Frisco pass, I had never traveled first class. Except for one trip with friends when we took a bedroom on UP City of St. Louis. to San Francisco, took the old SP Coast Daylight to LA and then the all Pullman City of LA to Ogden, where we were switched back on the regular City of St. Louis. Traveling on the Starlight reminded me of that trip with the special treatment and fancy surroundings.
Thanks for sharing.
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