So, I'm sitting on the northbound coast starlight in the hole south of pismo beach. We were juse passed by another amtrak train. Double ended. I didn't catch the lead unit, but there were 4-5 heritage or amfleet cars with a dash 8 32 pushing. So here's what I'm trying to figure out. That train could be a surfliner out of slo using surge equipment, but 4 single level cars seems too short. What else could it have been? Baggage car transfer? General repositioning?
weird, yesterday i saw the southboard coast starlight both in davis and when my capitol corridor caught up with it again at emeryville. this is what it had...maybe it tacked on a few cars down south more? just two amfleets, everything else was normal with two genesis at lead. here it is at emeryville. at davis it was so long that it couldnt fit in the station requiring the train to move forward after a bit to let the rear passengers off. only reason i saw it at davis was that it was about 3hrs late, otherwise the starlight leaves from davis at the buttcrack of dawn. but i dont know if this is normal but when i got to LA, i saw a dash 8 in phV with a string of amfleets idling...was that starlight bringing those cars down there for that consist? i wonder if thats the reno/snow train but that train doesnt leave from LA instead from norcal. i should have taken a pic of it ironically i rode the coast starlight today down south. it was packed so they tacked on a capitol corridor cab car at the end too at oakland...cool. i saw them backing it in when the starlight was taking in passengers. must have been a treat for any railfans down here to see that car tag all the way down to LA. i came out of my coach car at san jose to take this shot. odd thing is that we didnt even use that car it was totally empty all the way down we had two genesis and a f59 cascades at lead rounding the horseshoe into san luis obispo. 4 sleepers, 4 coaches + california car
