Unexpectedly I found myself in Escondido with a few hours to kill. I could not resist trying the Sprinter rail service from Escondido to Oceanside. The half hourly trains consist of two diesel powered cars only slightly changed for modern light rail; with lower floor board in the the center, with raised floor area over the wheels. I felt like what a interurban trolley would be like built in the 21th century. Top speed was 55 miles per hour, rarely achieved with the hills, curves and frequent stops. Lots short distance passengers were on the run. I was on the trains at the beginning of the evening rush hour. The train was never fill, though it was not empty either. Fare was $2. I learned that you need to purchase tickets before railing at each station to avoid the wrath of the ticket inspectors. Round trip tickets cannot be purchased. There is a day pass for $12.
Oh yes there is freight service over this line to Escondido. It appears that only one slight detour from the original ATSF line is made near Escondido. Service weekdays stops at 9:30 PM, possibly to accommodate these freight movements