Amtrak Journey - San Luis Obispo-Santa Barbara, CA on 3/17

[MP57313]

While on vacation last week, we rode Amtrak from SLO to Santa Barbara. Southbound on #774; northbound on #14; neither train was full but the passenger counts were respectable. Several people got on at each of the intermediate Surfliner stops.

Southbound 774 (Pacific Surfliner) left SLO on time at 6.45am, but there were several stops to "hand-throw" switches. Held at Devon siding (south of Guadalupe) for about 30 minutes, for a northbound UP manifest freight. Later passed another southbound freight that was held in a siding. Got to Santa Barbara about 10.30, a little over an hour late.

Northbound 14 (Coast Starlight) arrived at Santa Barbara about 1.25pm, about 40 minutes late. Held somewhere near Gaviota for a few minutes; possibly for a UP work train to clear. (There are still UP work trains and earthmoving equipment in the area, repairing damage from all the rain storms we had in SoCal). In some areas the train did 'stop-and-proceed' at the lineside signals; in other areas the signals were yellow and the train crawled along. Later, some running at "track speed" through Guadalupe and Grover Beach, it was back to a slow crawl up Price Canyon towards SLO. Got into SLO about 4.35pm, about an hour late.
The southbound #11 pulled in a round 4.50pm, so for several minutes both Starlights a/k/a Starlates were in SLO...

Along the route: There were a lot of freight cars at the Santa Maria Valley Jct. yard at Guadalupe, including several from UP's fallen flags. There were no cars at the junction for the Lompoc/White Hills branch. The spurs at Vandenburg AFB appeared to be intact but solidly rusted. There is still a wigwag at one of the isolated crossings near Casmalia. And...in SLO...two unpatched (but faded) SP engines!

MP