Amtrak Test Journey--Surfliner down/Coast Starlight back

[BNSF4ever]

It's been 22 years since I stepped out of a Superliner I Coach at the end of the CZ's journey to Oakland from Chicago. I've ridden Amtrak California since that time but haven't done any intercity Amtrak travel. This summer, I have a 2 week circumnavigation of North America by rail planned.

First, as a test, I will take the Amtrak California bus from San Jose to San Luis Obispo and then the Pacific Surfliner from there to LA. After a night in LA, I'm back up on the Coast Starlight in a roomette to see just how big/small that accomodation is, whether the food is bad/good, what the Pacific Parlour is like, and see the "Coast" part of the journey I will miss when I take the same train down from Seattle later this summer.

The following questions come to mind and I would appreciate any posts on them:

1. I am really hoping to ride Surfliner cars down but I have seen on railpictures.net that Amtrak has recently run "Surfliners" with Horizon cars and their last remaining full dome. Is it hit or miss what consist you get for the SLO-LA runs?

2. Is the Surfliner experience any different from the Capitol Corridors? I used up some Guest Reward points to go Business Class.

3. Finally, I dread (YIKES) the four hour bus journey that kicks all this off. Has anyone ridden the Amtrak California buses? What are they like?