Will be in the areas a few days. Other than the old SP coast line stuff and newer Caltrans and Amtrak what's worth seeing? Any good shops for N?
Mike Fifer (of Fifer Hobbies) TB SPonser would be the one to get hold of. He takes his Grandsons Railfanning all the time.
Arnie's Model Trains 6452 Industry Way Westminster, CA 92683 714-893-1015 I always stop in there when I am in Southern California. Best n scale selection in the area. They also have a website.
Thanks! Unfortunately Westminster is at least 3 or 4 hours south of Santa Barbara and I believe Fifer Hobbies is in New Mexico, a 2+ day drive from Santa Barbara. I figured with the Coast Line being there there would be some interest in rail history and modeling but maybe not
Try the Pacific Coast RR Co. near SLO : http://pcrailroad.wordpress.com/ and you might research if there are any remnants of their namesake RR. Central Coast Trains shop is in Atascadero, a bit north of SLO. They might run off to a show, so call first.
Steamghost has the best ideas. There is a shop in SB, not sure how much N scale. For an interesting side trip, when you roll past Pismo, just north is the turnoff for Avila. Follow the signs and when you get to town, bear to the right to Port San Luis and you can walk out onto Calif's only covered pier. This is the ocean terminal of the Pacific Coast Railway. The road out there is on the old roadbed for the narrow guage. There is also some railroading in Santa Maria. Check out West Coast Railfans or SoCal Railfans. A stop at the SLO depot can also be done. UP has been parking helpers there lately. Other than that, the Coast can be slow.
No Frieght trains in Cali anymore? Was just down in Cali on my honeymoon a month ago. I had the camera locked and loaded. I was disappointed as we drove from San Diego all the way to Oceanside on the coast and all we saw was another da%$ passenger train after another. Then we got north of LA and drove the coast again all the way to Santa Barbara. I was just absolutelly shocked when all I saw was Amtrash, or CalTrain. Not ONE freaking freight along the way.
I don't know why you'd be surprised. County of San Diego owns the tracks from San Onofre to SD. This is a commuter line. BNSF might send 1 maybe 2 trains down the line during daylight hours, but most often they are after dark. I regularly saw them staging the train in front of Petco during night games. Similarly, the branch to Escondido is worked by the shortline (whose name escapes me) only at night so the sprinter can get an FRA exemption. As for the SP line. I have never seen a freight train on that section of the line. Only the helpers at SLO. I have seen freights up in the salinas valley though. And caltrain only goes as far south as Gilroy.
I guess your not a Pass Car Fan then.....:teeth: I think it's neat to see a Amtrak Roll through at the speed of which they travel. Later down the track you see some Freight Train pulled over on a Sidling. The order of the rails so to speak The Misses and I saw this scene acted out several times while driving across country. Some of the best Railfanning I ever took part in. The Misses was into it as well.
